Careers in Science
Careers in Science (CSI) is a program established to provide information about career opportunities in the sciences and in science related fields to Iona students.
Every month, we host professionals in different areas of science, from genetic counselors to art conservators, to discuss the opportunities and the necessary training in the fields.
This is unlike any other presentations you have attended, and we strongly suggest that you take advantage of this rare opportunity to build a professional network in and outside of Iona University.
CSI Highlights
- Helps you focus on your career planning by meeting professionals in different areas of science.
- Helps you discover your true potential in science.
- Guides you in finding the career in science that fits you.
- Builds your network in and outside of college.
Upcoming CSI Events
Please visit often since we're frequently updating our site with new information on events.
Fall 2024
Thursday, August 29, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
The NSF S-STEM program is dedicated to addressing the national demand for skilled scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of eligible students at Iona university. During this invitation-only event, scholars will have the opportunity to connect with faculty and staff while learning about the program's details and expectations. Please note that this session is not open to the public. We look forward to welcoming all NSF Scholars as we embark on this exciting journey together!
Study Skills and Time Management for Academic Success
Hester Fenemore, Assistant Director of Samuel Rudin Academic Resource Center
Thursday, September 12, 2024, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall Room 108
This workshop will provide students with strategies to effectively manage their time and study efficiently. Students will learn how to prioritize tasks, establish a routine, and succeed academically.
What Do You Need To Do To Get into Medical School?
Yourha Kang, Ph.D., Health Professions Advisor, Iona University
Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
This discussion will focus on the basic requirements that a student will need in order to be a successful candidate for medical school including classes, grades, standardized test scores and more. These requirements are not only for medical school, but also apply to dental school, pharmacy, veterinary, and podiatry schools. A discussion of the timeline that should be followed will also be included
An Introduction to New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM)
Thursday, November 7, Noon
Spring 2024
Learn more about the exciting and growing field of Cyber Security!
Date: Tuesday, January 30
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Murphy 132
High School Teacher Panel
Are you considering a career in education? Then join us at our upcoming panel featuring Iona alumni from our BS/MST program!
Date: Tuesday, February 20*
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Location: Cornelia 108
*Please note this will be on a Monday schedule.
Alumni Panel
Roseanne Lesser, BS/MST ‘18
Goshen Central School District
Sue Ellen Evangelista, BS/MST ‘18
White Plains High School
Kelli Kinlen, BS/MST ‘22
Bedford Public Schools
Lauren Sica
Biology Teacher
Pizza will be served! For more information please contact Dr. Kristian, kkristian@iona.edu.
"Careers in Government: The Intersection of Science and Policy"
Speakers
Vanessa Grisko, Special Advisor to the Under Secretary for Science & Innovation;
Amanda Lounsbury, Ph.D., Energy-Water Science and Energy Program Manager
Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia Room 108
Vanessa Grisko
Special Advisor to the Under Secretary for Science & Innovation
Vanessa joined the U.S. Department of Energy in January 2021 as the Special Assistant to the Secretary's Chief of Staff. She has served as the Special Assistant in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and most recently as Special Advisor to the Undersecretary for Science and Innovation. Prior to joining DOE, Vanessa was the Biden Harris Deputy Distributed Director in Florida, and National Spanish Outreach Manager for the Senator Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. Prior to campaigns, she worked in public relations and sustainability consulting in Chicago helping real estate portfolios achieve energy efficiency goals. Vanessa is a native of Marco Island, FL and holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Amanda Lounsbury
Energy-Water Science and Energy Program Manager
Amanda is the Energy-Water Science and Energy Program Manager which sits between the Office of Water Power Technologies and the Undersecretary for Science and Innovation. She joined DOE as an AAAS Science Technology & Policy fellow focused on using systems approaches rooted in science and policy to help solve some of today’s most pressing social and environmental problems. Amanda holds a B.A. in physics from Occidental College, M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and Ph.D. in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Yale University. Amanda was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to study community participatory water treatment systems in Ghana. She completed post-doctoral studies at Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University, focused on sustainable wastewater reuse and transboundary water issues in Israel, Palestine and Jordan.
Speaker: Nick Florio, MD (Iona Class 2011)
"So You Want to be a Physician”
Monday, March 4, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia Hall Room 108
Dr. Nick Florio is a board-certified family physician with White Plains Hospital Physician Associates in Yorktown Heights, NY. Dr. Florio received his Bachelor of Science degree from Iona University and then went on to earn his medical degree from the Stony Brook University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Family Medicine at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ. He has served as a clinical assistant professor at The Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont and at Ross University School of Medicine.
"Preparing for Iona Scholars Day: Designing and Presenting Your Research Poster"
Speaker: Dr. Carrie Underwood, Director of the Trio McNair program, Iona University
Wednesday. March 20, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia 108 or Zoom
This session will focus on how to prepare for Iona Scholars Day. We will begin the session by discussing how to create and design a research poster, and we will conclude the session by discussing how to present your research poster, focusing on how to develop your "elevator pitch" for your research project.
Dr. Carrie Underwood
Dr. Carrie Underwood is the director of the Trio McNair program at Iona University. Dr. Underwood received her Bachelor of Science in psychology and women's studies from the University of Tennessee, and then went on to earn her Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology and Ph.D. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As the director of the McNair Scholars program, she works with students from diverse backgrounds to help them prepare for graduate school.
Watch Now: "Preparing for Iona Scholars Day: Designing and Presenting Your Research Poster"
If you were unable to make it, please watch the recording of the presentation below.
"How Color Changed the World"
SPONSORED BY THE N.Y. ACS ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY TOPICAL GROUP
Speaker: Mary Virginia Orna, Professor of Chemistry, Emerita, College of New Rochelle
Monday, March 25, at 12:30 p.m. (Cornelia 108)
Zoom Option
If you would like to attend this talk via Zoom, please complete this brief RSVP form.
Abstract
Color has been an exciting and enjoyable part of human life ever since the color-sensitive eye evolved over a million years ago. However, the junction between color and chemistry, and color and history, is of more recent origin. The first recorded use of chemistry to manufacture a color is the stunning set of cave paintings found in the Grotte Chauvet in Southern France. Executed over 32,000 years ago (20,000 years earlier than Lascaux!), they are a testimony to early humans’ ability to create beauty and to engage in abstract thinking. This talk traces the history of color usage as a chemical endeavor from the earliest records to the present day focusing on four major areas: fashion, pharmaceuticals, food, and fun. It is a trajectory peppered with stories to help us understand the mystery of color as a universal experience and phenomenon; its chemical history, as you shall see, even changed the course of history in the 20th century. This talk is based on her popular book, “The Chemical History of Color” (Springer, 2013).
About Mary Virginia Orna
Sister Mary Virginia Orna, O.S.U. (Order of Saint Ursula) is Professor of Chemistry, Emerita, College of New Rochelle. She is also former Director of Educational Services at the Chemical Heritage Foundation and former Publications Coordinator of the Journal of Chemical Education. She received her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Fordham University. She has lectured and published widely in the areas of color chemistry and archaeological chemistry. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of Chemical Education, Color Research and Application, Studies in Conservation, Analytical Chemistry, Microchemical Journal, Journal of Biological Chemistry, American Chemical Society monographs, and various other journals. She has also authored numerous book chapters and encyclopedia articles, eight books and edited thirteen others, including The Lost Elements: The Periodic Table’s Shadow Side” (Oxford University Press, 2015). Her most recent book is “March of the Pigments” (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2022). She is a 1984 recipient of the Chemical Manufacturing Association’s Catalyst Award for excellence in college chemistry teaching, the 1989 CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) New York State Professor of the Year and National Gold Medalist Award, a recipient of the 1989 Merck Innovation Award, the 1996 Western Connecticut ACS Section's Visiting Scientist Award and the 1996 recipient of the James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry. She received the American Chemical Society’s 1999 George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education, the 2008 Henry Hill Award, the 2009 ACS Award for Volunteer Service, and the ACS HIST Award in 2021. She was a Fulbright Fellow in Israel (1994-95) where she lectured at The Hebrew University, The Weizmann Institute of Science and Shenkar College of Textile Technology. She also did research on ancient middle-eastern artifacts in collaboration with the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Israel Museum and the Edelstein Center for the Analysis of Middle Eastern Textiles and Related Artifacts. As a hobby, she enjoys constructing crossword puzzles and has contributed over two dozen puzzles to the Sunday and daily New York Times.
Rev. 10/23
"IP Basics for Researchers and Entrepreneurs"
Speaker: Andrew Wasson, Intellectual Property Lawyer
Tuesday, March 26, at Noon (Hynes Institute)
Intellectual property plays a critical role in university-level research and entrepreneurship. This lunch-and-learn will review the foundations of intellectual property law, including the differences between patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. In addition, we will examine actual patents and discuss how patents are procured and enforced. The goal is to become conversant in the language of intellectual property.
![Michelle Muzzio](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2024-01/ancillary-images/MichelleMuzzio.jpg?itok=AuJ9P4O1)
Speaker: Michelle Muzzio, Ph.D. (Iona Class 2015)
Wednesday, April 10, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia Hall Room 108
"Behind the scenes of a career in scientific publishing and science communication at Cell Press"
Publishing is an integral but challenging part of conducting scientific research. Successful scientific communication is an important part of science in the laboratory as well as the conversion of laboratory research to the real world. In this talk, Michelle Muzzio (Iona University, Project Symphony Dr. Lee Lab, Class of 2015) deputy scientific editor at iScience, will give an overview on the process of preparing and publishing manuscripts, with some tips for effective preparation and presentation of research from the angle of effective scientific communication. Throughout the interactive discussion, she will focus on what brought her to a career in scientific editing and well as the skills needed and gained in pursuing this alternative career in science.
Please join us on Thursday, April 18, 2024 for the 15th annual Iona Scholars Day!
Speaker: Michael Foti, DO (Class of 2014)
"My Path to Becoming a Physician & Educator"
Monday, April 22, 2024, 12:30 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
I am an Internist who trained at Greenwich Hospital/Yale New Haven Health and was the recipient of the Resident Physician Patient Experience Award for 2 consecutive years (2021, 2022). This is an award voted on by all departmental staff of the hospital.
Since graduating, I have had experience in both Academic Medicine and General Internal Medicine. My primary interest is Academic Medicine, and I am currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. Primary responsibilities of this role include participation in the planning, execution, and delivery of the Department of Primary Care Courses and activities. I am also the Coordinator of the Standardized Patient Program at Touro COM. Primary responsibilities of this role include primary oversight of the Standardized Patient (SP) program, particularly in the coordination, recruitment, management, training, and assessment of the standardized patient actors.
I previously worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Specialties at NYIT COM. Responsibilities included Internal Medicine lectures, case-based learning course, clinical skills course, and attending all meetings/conferences. I was also the Associate Course Director for the Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine curriculum at NYIT COM. This role’s responsibilities included course planning, curriculum design, examination content review, and attending all curricular staff meetings.
I have a strong interest in affecting positive change in medical student education at the curricular and policy level. I am also a member of the National Faculty of the NBOME in the Clinical Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Dermatology.
Fall 2023
Thursday, August 31, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
The NSF S-STEM Scholars Program contributes to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of eligible students at Iona University. In this kick-off session, incoming NSF S-STEM Scholars are invited to meet with faculty members and learn about the details of the program and its expectations.
Speaker: Stephen George, group vice president of analytics at Zeta Global
Tuesday, September 12, Noon-1 p.m.
LaPenta School of Business, Room 201
Please join Iona’s Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer (DEIB), Dr. Alison Munsch, for a talk with Stephen George, group vice president of analytics at Zeta Global. Together, they will discuss careers in analytics, Mr. George’s experiences in this field, as well as the importance of DEIB at Zeta Global and its “Bridge Builders Program.”
Tuesday, September 26, 2023, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
This is a meeting for undeclared students to learn about Iona’s Biology programs. All interested students are invited to meet with faculty members and learn about these exciting programs.
Yourha Kang, Ph.D., Health Professions Advisor, Iona University
Thursday, September 28, 2023, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall Room 108
This discussion will focus on the basic requirements that a student will need in order to be a successful candidate for medical school including classes, grades, standardized test scores and more. These requirements are not only for medical school, but also apply to dental school, pharmacy, veterinary, and podiatry schools. A discussion of the timeline that should be followed will also be included
Thursday, September 28, 2-3 p.m.
ACS Webinar
Laura Howes (Chemical & Engineering News) and a panel of special guests will make their predictions for who will receive this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry and why. Enjoy a lively discussion about why prize winners are often polymaths, whether hot topics in chemistry like Artificial Intelligence and the COVID-19 pandemic will impact this year’s decision-making process, and which fields of science (and scientists) are historically underrepresented and should be considered for future awards.
Michelle Muzzio from the class of 2015 will be included on the panel. Michelle worked with Dr. Lee in her research lab and is deputy editor for iScience.
Friday, September 29, 2023, 3-4:30 p.m.
Webinar
The National Student Data Corps (NSDC) is delighted to invite you, your friends, students, and colleagues to the September 2023 Data Science & Health Career Panel! This virtual event will highlight the wide range of educational and professional opportunities available in data science, health, and scientific research fields.
Join us on Friday, September 29, 2023, 3-4:30 p.m. to hear professionals and researchers discuss their educational and professional experiences in data and health sciences.
The following panelists will be featured at this event:
Carsten Eickhoff, University of Tübingen – Germany
Carsten is a Professor of Medical Data Science and Computer Science at the University of Tübingen, where his lab develops machine learning and natural language processing techniques with the goal of improving quality of medical care.
Prior to joining Tübingen, he was the Manning Assistant Professor of Medical and Computer Science at Brown University. He received degrees from the University of Edinburgh and TU Delft and was a postdoctoral fellow at ETH Zurich and Harvard University. Carsten is a founder and board member of several deep technology startups in the health sector that strive to improve quality of life for patients.
Kerrie Holley, Google Cloud – Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry Solutions
Kerrie Holley is an executive and expert in artificial intelligence (AI), information technology (IT), and healthcare. He has built an engineering team of software, AI, & DevOps engineers, Ph.Ds., scientists and data scientists to apply leading edge technologies in healthcare. Kerrie launched a patent program, started an Academy of Technology, and is creating a robust career path to grow the best technical talent. Prior to Google, Kerrie was Optum’s 1st Technical Fellow and advanced UnitedHealth Group’s (UHG) missions in machine learning and deep learning, IoT, genomics, blockchain and cybersecurity. Kerrie was also a VP and CTO at Cisco, and an IBM Fellow and Master Inventor, holding multiple technology patents.
Jo Johnston, Dimensional Insight
While completing her PhD in experimental particle physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Jo Johnston found passion in software engineering and real-world problem solving. Jo applies her technical skills and passions to practical issues at Dimensional Insight as a software engineer, building tools that help users to process and analyze large amounts of data. These tools are often leveraged in fields that range from healthcare to food and beverage distribution logistics. Jo has also led and contributed to the development of statistical frameworks and a real-time data monitoring website.
Marissa Sannella, MBA, CPA, MST
Senior Director of Academic Support and Student Success
Thursday, October 5, 2023, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall Room 108
This workshop will provide students with strategies to effectively manage their time and study efficiently. Students will learn how to prioritize tasks, establish a routine, and succeed academically.
Tuesday, October 10, Noon- 1p.m., Murphy 132
This is a meeting for undeclared students to learn about Iona’s Computer Science majors and programs. All interested students are invited to meet with faculty members and learn about these exciting programs.
Sean Davis '14, BS in Physics
Thursday, October 12 2023, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall Room 108
Sean Davis ('14 B.S. Physics) leads the PepsiCo Labs effort to drive impact by scaling innovative start up solutions globally at PepsiCo.
Based in Chicago, Sean has nine years of experience in IT, supply chain, and finance and control functions across PepsiCo’s North America, LATAM, & Europe sectors.
Sean’s ability to navigate the organization and connect cross-sector and functional teams enables PepsiCo Labs to drive transformation and innovation of PepsiCo’s business at scale.
Speaker: Ian Chambers, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory for Neural Redox Biology and Homeostatic Transcription, Burke Neurological Institute
Thursday, October 19, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia, Room 108
My Path to Being a Neuroscientist
Ian is a post-doctoral fellow in the Ratan Lab researching the role of iron and heme homeostasis in neurodegeneration at the Burke Neurological Institute / Weill Cornell Medicine. His work aims to further elucidate molecular mechanisms post intracranial hemorrhage and related models / disease states, as well as investigate therapeutic targets capable of protecting neurons against ferroptotic death.
Ian’s career path has been quite a unique one, starting with his studies as marine biologist from the University of Miami, to completing his PhD at the University of Maryland with a project on reproduction, to finally now studying ferroptosis in the brain at the Burke Neurological Institute! His CSI presentation therefore will highlight how he found his way across many different disciplines and hurdles on this winding road of life. His story will also weave in some of his dissertation project from UMD, on characterizing novel genetic ablations in multi drug resistance proteins (MRPs) to uncover a novel function for heme exporters essential for reproduction {Chambers et al 2021, PNAS} as well some of his brand new and exciting unpublished findings as a postdoc in the Ratan lab on neuroprotection via HDAC inhibition.
Monday, October 23, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
This is a meeting for undeclared students to learn about Iona’s Chemistry and Biochemistry majors and programs. All interested students are invited to meet with faculty members and learn about these exciting programs.
Tuesday, October 24, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
Iona’s National Science Foundation (NSF) Noyce Program offers scholarships to rising juniors and rising seniors who are in the accelerated 4+1 BS/MST or BA/MST programs for future mathematics, biology, or chemistry teachers. All interested students are invited to meet with faculty members and learn about this program.
Wednesday, October 25 at 12:30 p.m.
Cornelia, Room 108
This is a meeting for undeclared students to learn about Iona’s Mathematics and Physics majors majors and programs. All interested students are invited to meet with faculty members and learn about these exciting programs.
Mathematical Play: The Game of Cycles
Speaker: Benjamin Gaines, Ph.D.
Wednesday, November 1, 12:30 p.m.
Cornelia Room 108
A combinatorial game is a two player game that has a well-defined ruleset and no element of chance. This means that if both players play optimally, the winner can be determined before the game even begins! The Game of Cycles is a combinatorial game played on any simple connected planar graph, introduced by Su (2020). In this talk I will introduce the basics of combinatorial games, the rules for the Game of Cycles, and the results obtained this summer in joint work with Alessio Campione (Class of 2025) on which player has a winning strategy on various classes of gameboard.
Genetic Counseling: An Expanding Field Combining Science and Education
Speaker: Rebecca Kelly, MS, Genetic Counselor, Mayo Clinic
Thursday, November 30, Noon-1 p.m.
Cornelia, Room 108
Details coming soon!
Rebecca Kelly is a Laboratory Genetic Counselor for the Mayo Clinic Division of Hematopathology, where she specializes in “benign” hematological conditions. In this role, her primary responsibilities include curating genetic variants, reviewing genetic testing orders, and assisting other healthcare professionals with test selection and interpretation of results. She also enjoys mentorship opportunities, and works with prospective students to help them gain exposure to the field of Genetic Counseling. Rebecca attained her Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from Kean University in 2022. Prior to graduate school, she worked in a clinical genetics laboratory for six years, which is where she initially discovered the field. Her talk will also highlight how she navigated her early professional career after completing her undergraduate degree and before learning about Genetic Counseling.
Past Events
Spring 2023
Finding a Career that Combines A Knowledge of Science with a Passion for Beauty
Wednesday, February 8, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia 108
Speaker: Jackie Martinez ’16, ’17MBA
Jackie Martinez ‘16, ‘17MBA is currently a Global Communications Manager at The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), where she supports integrated communications for the company’s Global Research, Product and Innovation and Global Supply Chain functions. In this role, she is responsible for amplifying ELC’s research & development efforts and reputation-driving environmental and social impact efforts such as responsible sourcing, green chemistry and sustainable packaging. At the company, she’s also served as the communications lead and business alignment co-lead for ELC’s employee resource group, Hispanic Connections. Prior to joining ELC, Jackie worked at Edelman, supporting medical and scientific communications within the agency’s Bioscience Communications team.
Jackie graduated from Iona University with a BS in Chemistry in 2016 and an MBA in management with an advanced certificate in International Business in 2017. At Iona, she was in the Honors program, a Patrick J. Martin Foundation Scholar, and an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Lee’s Project Symphony lab. Jackie was also an active member of Gamma Lambda Rho sorority, a resident assistant, completed two study abroad programs in Poland and Italy, and traveled to Bolivia as part of the Iona in Mission program.
"Searching for Life and Habitability in our Solar System"
Friday, February 10 at noon, Henry Lecture Hall (LaPenta Business School)
Abstract
We recently established that Mars lost an ocean’s worth of water, while the Curiosity rover has recently detected organics on the Martian surface and in the atmosphere. Venus may have been once covered by water, while organic rich oceans have been suggested to exist under the surface of Europa, Enceladus and on Titan. If these planets/moons had a rich chemical and diverse past, how much of these biomarkers were lost to space, and how much are currently available for life? Are there sub-surface habitable niches connecting now with the atmosphere?
High-resolution spectroscopy is a powerful method to address fundamental questions of planetary evolution and habitability, by permitting to probe several key volatile and organic species, together with their isotopic abundance ratios. For example, in the last decade we obtained the most comprehensive search for organic material in the Martian atmosphere and we are now sending powerful probes to Venus, to the Jupiter-system, and beyond, permitting us to probe these planets/moons with unprecedented sensitivity. With the recent arrival of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to the L2 point, a new window now opens for the exploration of the solar system and beyond. In particular when probing the rich molecular infrared wavelengths, which are notably noisy when employing ambient temperature observatories, yet provide sensitive access to many organics and volatiles.
In this talk, I will present our latest discoveries on Mars with ground-based observatories and with ExoMars/TGO of Mars, our planned observations with JWST of Europa and Enceladus, and our latest findings with SOFIA, ALMA and other ground-based observatories on Venus, comets and other solar system bodies.
Dr. Geronimo Villanueva, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Dr. Geronimo Villanueva is a planetary scientist at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center who specializes in the search for organic molecules on Mars and on icy bodies. He is Co-Investigator of the ExoMars/TGO mission, Co-Investigator of the Comet Interceptor mission, and leader for Mars and Ocean Worlds studies (GTO) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). He also serves as Science and Management advisor to several observatories, including Keck, NASA-IRTF and ALMA. In recognition to his work on small bodies, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named minor planet '9724' after Dr. Villanueva, while the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in 2015 honored him with the Urey Prize (young planetary scientist of the year).
Since completing his Ph.D. studies at the Max-Planck-Institute for Solar-System Research in Germany in 2004, Dr. Villanueva has participated in many projects at three space agencies, NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and DLR (German Aerospace Agency), with a broad range of research experience in planetary, exploration and Space sciences. He is a strong advocate for Space Exploration and Astronomy, participating in numerous public outreach activities, and chosen as Science communicator by the US State Department and Shakira's foundation 'Pies Descalzos' to promote science in developing regions.
"Dentistry: the Business of Art and Science"
Wednesday, February 15, 12:30 p.m.
Cornelia Hall 108
Loreta Geneviciute ‘10, DDS
Loreta Geneviciute moved from Europe to New York City in 2005. She graduated high school in 2006 with a presidential award for academic excellence and subsequently attended Iona University (then Iona College) where she majored in Chemistry and graduated with Summa Cum Laude in 2010.
After the completion of her Bachelor of Science degree, Loreta pursued a DDS degree at New York University College of Dentistry.
Inspired by the life changing nature of complex dental rehabilitations, she applied and was accepted to an honors program in prosthodontics- a field devoted to extensive dental reconstructions of partially and completely edentulous patients. Motivated by her passion for this field, Loreta subsequently pursued a three-year post-graduate specialty training in prosthodontics at the Jonathan and Maxine Ferencz Advanced Education Program at NYU, graduating the program in 2017 with the departmental award for academic achievement.
Loreta has since been practicing dentistry in New York City and is currently transitioning to practice in Livingston. N.J.
When she is not practicing dentistry, she spends time with her husband Ben, daughter Olivia Nida, and her nine-year old rottweiler by the name of Ike Marine Dirty Paws.
"A Career in Finance and Landing Your First Job"
Wednesday, March 1, 5 p.m.
Henry Auditorium, LaPenta School of Business, 105
Cathy McCabe (’85)
Gaels Go Further Mentoring Programs is excited to welcome Cathy McCabe ’85 back to campus as we explore what led her to a career in finance and what advice she would give students who are beginning to think about their first job after college. During her 33-year career at TIAA, Cathy and her team helped more than 1.5 million individuals achieve and exceed their financial goals. She is a cited media and industry expert, speaking on a variety of topics from women’s financial empowerment to preparing for retirement and more. Light refreshments will be served.
Wednesday, 3/8: Cannabinoids, Wearable Tech, and Entrepreneurship as a Ph.D. Student
Cornelia 108, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
John M. Toribio '20
John M. Toribio is a first-generation student who was born to a Dominican family in the Bronx. In 2020, he graduated with a BS degree from Iona with double majors in ACS-Certified Chemistry and Physics. Currently, he is a third-year Ph.D. Student in the Polymer Division of the Chemistry Department at the University of Connecticut. His research involves synthesizing, analyzing, and utilizing small molecules and polymers for a few different applications, including electrochromic polymers for active camouflage and poly(cannabinoid)s as sustainable bio-based materials for a vast range of applications. Poly(cannabinoid)s are a brand-new platform of polymers developed by John's major advisor at UConn, Professor Gregory Sotzing. Additionally, John is launching a startup to commercialize smart clothing with embedded health sensors, antennas, speakers, and other features. In this talk, John will give an overview of his work and discuss his experience as an undergrad and path towards obtaining a Ph.D.Thursday, March 9: University of St. Joseph Doctor of Pharmacy Information Session
Cornelia Hall, Room 108, Noon
Speaker: Andrea Baggetta, Assistant Dean of Admissions & Student Experience
Wednesday, 3/22, 12:30 p.m.: Navigating your STEM Career
Ricardo Oliveira '16
Ricardo graduated from Iona in 2016 with a B.S. in ACS Certified Chemistry and then earned a M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University in 2017. While at Iona, Ricardo was a member of Dr. Sunghee Lee’s research group Project Symphony. During his higher education journey, he interned at two startup companies, which helped him identify areas of passion and a future career path. He now works as a Research & Development Engineer at Nouryon, a specialty chemical manufacturer that provides solutions to various industries around the world. At Nouryon, Ricardo supports product scale-up development in R&D, consults within the corporate Sustainability Team, and leads a company-wide career development and networking program called “BOOST.”
Wednesday, 3/29: The Bilayers of Nursing
Cornelia Hall, Room 108, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Jacqueline Denver ‘17
Jacqueline Denver ‘17 graduated Iona University with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. She went on to pursue the field of nursing, taking the accelerated BSN program at Quinnipiac University and graduating in 2018. Jacqui started her nursing career in the Emergency Department following the completion of her program and went on to become a Clinical Nurse Leader and Nurse Manager during the COVID-19 pandemic for Hartford Healthcare. She then moved on to a position at the system level of the Hartford Healthcare involving patient logistics and facility movement of patients across hospitals and across the state.
In her talk, “The Bilayers of Nursing,” she will explore all the different opportunities that were presented to her throughout her career. She will also discuss how her work in research and in the biochemistry field with Dr. Lee in Project Symphony at Iona University have supported her and paved the way for future opportunities in pharmaceutical clinical trial research.
Tuesday, April 4, Noon
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
Talk with New York Power Authority and New York Transco professionals about New York’s clean energy transition and the many exciting career opportunities in the energy and electric transmission industry. Learn about how transmission infrastructure will impact climate change and associated energy careers.
Visit propelnyenergy.com to learn more about a public-private collaboration to bring clean, reliable energy, jobs and economic development to benefit all New Yorkers.
Becoming and Practicing as a Physician Assistant
Wednesday, April 5, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia Room 108
Speaker: Micahel Guzzardi ’14, Biology and Economics
![Micahel Guzzardi](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2023-03/ancillary-images/micahel-guzzardi.jpg?itok=kWR2va5r)
Michael Guzzardi graduated from Iona University in 2014 with degrees in Biology and Economics. He then went on to complete his master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at New York Institute of Technology, graduating in 2017. His first year in practice he worked as a PA in the emergency department where he quickly found his passion for orthopedics. He then moved on to work for NYU Langone Health at a level 1 trauma center in New York City. He is responsible for seeing patients in the clinic setting and first assisting in surgery. He is part of a multidisciplinary team which includes orthopedic surgeons, physician assistants, and residents in a variety of orthopedic subspecialities including fracture care, joint replacement, and sports medicine.
During his time at Iona University he was a Patrick J. Martin Scholar and a tutor for fellow Iona students at the Samuel Rudin Academic Resource Center. During several summers he taught and mentored high school students from the surrounding community through the Iona University Liberty Partnership Program.
"From D1 Football to Digital Nerve Repairs"
Monday, April 24, 12:30 p.m., Cornelia Hall 108
Speaker: Jacob I. Jabbour, DO ‘09
Jacob I. Jabbour, DO ‘09 graduated Iona University with a bachelor’s degree in biology. In his four years at Iona he was a defensive tackle for the football team which included winning a MAAC championship in 2007. He went on to pursue his medical degree at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYC) graduating in 2013. Dr. Jake completed an internship in Secaucus, NJ, followed by General Surgery residency in Miami, FL. His non-traditional path in training included 2 gap years practicing general medicine in NYC and general surgery in Miami prior to specializing in hand surgery. He completed a fellowship in hand surgery with training in microsurgery in the Division of Plastic Surgery at The University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2022. That fall, Dr. Jake started his dream career when he began practice as a hand surgeon as part of Hartford Healthcare Medical Group. His practice is located at The Hand Center at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, CT.
“Do the best you can with what you have” is his mantra. Dr. Jake is happy to share his insights gleaned from his path to becoming a hand surgeon. His other passions in life include his wife Trish (Iona ‘09) and their daughters Jacqueline and Claire.
"Nothing survives transcription, nothing doesn't survive transcription"
The goal of large language model research is to accurately mimic human linguistic competence. But such models are trained not on language itself, but on transcriptions of language in various forms. In this talk, I argue that language functions only because it cannot be perfectly transcribed, focusing on forms of language (literary and quotidian) that foreground emptiness, blank space, and silence. I discuss the implications of this conclusion on the artistic uses of language models, particularly in my own work as a poet.
Allison Parrish
Allison Parrish is a computer programmer, poet, and game designer whose teaching and practice address the unusual phenomena that blossom when language and computers meet. She is an Assistant Arts Professor at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. She was named "Best Maker of Poetry Bots" by the Village Voice in 2016, and her zine of computer-generated poems called "Compasses" received an honorary mention in the 2021 Prix Ars Electronica. Allison is the co-creator of the board game Rewordable (Clarkson Potter, 2017) and author of several books, including @Everyword: The Book (Instar, 2015) and Articulations (Counterpath, 2018). Her poetry has recently appeared in BOMB Magazine and Strange Horizons.
Watch Now: "Nothing Survives Transcription, Nothing Doesn’t Survive Transcription"
"21st-Century Citizenship: What It Takes To Be Engaged in a Data-Saturated World"
Scott B. Weingart
Data mediates our lives. We can’t apply for a job, swipe right on a date, or even buy groceries without our data being fed into some algorithm that will be used to nudge our decisions or to make decisions about us. If we don’t understand these processes and even sometimes if we do we’ll be at their mercy. Tomorrow’s citizens and leaders must remain savvy to stay afloat. A liberal arts education, properly integrated with data science and its criticisms, can set the foundation for informed and engaged citizenship in our data-saturated world.
Scott B. Weingart is a historian who publishes at the intersection of computational methods and the history of knowledge. In his capacity as a scholar, he maintains a research affiliation with the Centre for Data, Culture & Society at the University of Edinburgh. Weingart also serves as the Chief Data Officer of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The views he will express at this event do not represent those of the federal government.
Watch Now: "21st-Century Citizenship: What It Takes To Be Engaged in a Data-Saturated World"
Fall 2022
Speaker
Sue Ellen Evangelista, Science Teacher at White Plains High School
Speaker
Rebecca L. Heinz, M.S., Assistant Director of Admissions, Salus University
Description
This session will give you an overview about the general healthcare fields of Optometry, Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, and Orthotics & Prosthetics. A Q&A session will follow.
Speaker
Yourha Kang, Ph.D., Health Professions Advisor, Iona University
Description
This discussion will focus on the basic requirements that a student will need in order to be a successful candidate for medical school including classes, grades, standardized test scores and more. These requirements are not only for medical school, but also apply to dental school, pharmacy, veterinary, and podiatry schools. A discussion of the timeline that should be followed will also be included.
Ralph Salvatore '94
Monday, December 5, 5 p.m.
Zoom
Ralph Salvatore of the Alumni Association Board of Directors will be available to speak with students and alumni. Ralph is currently a professor of Chemistry at Southern University. He studied Chemistry at Iona and graduated in 1994.
Spring 2022
Tuesday, February 8, Noon
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
"Intellectual Property Basics and IP as a Career"
Intellectual property (e.g. patents, trademarks, and copyrights) plays a critical role in a wide number of technological fields. We’ll discuss basic concepts of intellectual property and their general features. We’ll also talk about patent law as a career path and what patent attorneys do on a day-to-day basis.
Speaker: Andrew Wasson
Andrew Wasson is a partner and Chair of Haug Partners' FDA practice in the New York office. Andrew has a broad range of experience in both the brand and generic side of pharmaceuticals, especially with respect to issues involving intellectual property law and regulatory law. Having grown up with a father who is a patent lawyer, Mr. Wasson has been involved in patents in one way or another for the better part of his life and has the advantage of being able to deal with complex patent law concepts in a very natural way. Mr. Wasson is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and has published extensively in both scientific and legal literature. Mr. Wasson serves as an Adjunct Lecturer of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Iona University.
![Andrew Wasson](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-02/headshots/andrew-watson.jpg?itok=iDXgBD5J)
Tuesday, March 1, Noon
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
Speakers: John Trangucci, MD and Tiffany Jackson, RN
John Trangucci, MD
John Trangucci is from New Rochelle, a product of the public school system, attended Concordia College initially on a baseball scholarship. Not long after starting his first semester, he decided to turn his attention to education and focusing on getting into medical school. After graduating in 2011, Magna Cum Laude, he attended the University of Medicine and Health Sciences where the first two years were spent in St. Kitts and the last two years rotating throughout hospitals along the east coast. He started General Surgery residency in 2017 and is currently a chief resident. He will start Plastic Surgery fellowship in August at Temple University. Dr. Trangucci has had the privilege of taking part in research, publishing in peer reviewed journals as well as presenting at national and regional surgical conferences. In his free time, Dr. Trangucci enjoys athletics particularly baseball and soccer, fashion and spending time with his family, friends and fiancé.
Tiffany Jackson, RN
Tiffany Jackson was born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She attended Bishop McDevitt High school. Initially, Tiffany worked as a patient care assistant at Pinnacle Health Hospital but due to her lifelong desire to become a nurse, enrolled into nursing school at Lancaster General College of Health Sciences. Upon graduation in 2015, she began working in the MSICU at Pinnacle Health taking care of some of the most acutely ill patients in the Harrisburg area. Over the last seven years, she has won many accolades including two Daisy Awards (awarded for excellence in care based on family reviews), Presidents Award (given by the president of the hospital for excellence in nursing) and Leadership in Nursing Award which is given based on peer nominations. In addition to direct patient care, Tiffany is also a member of the Resuscitation Committee which seeks to improve responses to Code Blues. When not working, Tiffany enjoys reading, physical fitness and anything that allows her to spend time with her fiancé.
Tuesday, March 29, at Noon
Speaker: Carl Young, Chief Information Officer, Julliard School
"Traditional Solutions to Non-Traditional Problems: Science Applied to Security"
It may not be common knowledge that science is used to address a wide variety of unique security problems. Often a scientific approach focuses on problems that have been solved using methods that are routinely used in other areas. Carl Young is a former senior FBI agent and technologist at Goldman Sachs who has published widely on topics related to security risk management using lessons learned from a 40-year career applying science to security in government and the commercial sector. Topics include rapid narcotics detection, identification of malware command and control signals, the effectiveness of explosive blast protection, and preventing vehicle-borne explosives.
Saturday, April 02, Iona Campus
The Eastern Colleges Science Conference for 2022 will be hosted by Iona University in New Rochelle, New York on Saturday, April 2.
Tuesday, April 12, Noon
Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Leah Hendrickson, University of Leeds (UK)
Dr. Leah Henrickson is a lecturer in Digital Media at the University of Leeds (UK). She leads the School of Media and Communication’s MA New Media in addition to contributing to various modules across the BA Digital Media. Leah’s current research projects use theoretical frameworks and empirical methods to investigate the social and literary implications of textual technologies, commercial and community applications of digital storytelling, and social perceptions of artificial intelligence. She tweets @leahhenrickson.
![Leah Henrickson](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-02/headshots/leah-henrickson.jpg?itok=Imrg5U0c)
Wednesday, April 13, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Romita Auditorium
Speaker: Jeanne Zaino, Ph.D.
Dr. Zaino is a professor of Political Science at Iona University.
![Jeanne Zaino headshot.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2020-08/headshots/Jeanne-Zaino.jpg?itok=lps7MDDv)
JOIN US FOR A PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE Gaels Go Further Mentoring Program
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
12-1 pm
LaPenta School of Business, Room 304
Moderator
Jim Oates ’95
Panel
Professor Tricia Mulligan, Vice Provost
Michael LaPerch, Alumni
Sebastiana Tagliamonte, Alumni
Gabe Cinanni '22, Accounting
Katherine Meyer '22, Marketing & Management
Zaina Shleiwet '24, Speech Pathology
Tiffany Weston '22, Marketing
Chris Wiggan '24, Finance
Synopsis
Iona's Gaels Go Further Mentoring Program is here to support students and help them achieve their college and career goals. Similar to LinkedIn, GaelsConnect Networking is a state-of-the-art platform EXCLUSIVE to students, our 50,000+ alumni and our Iona community. Whether students are looking for career advice, insight into how to maximize their college experience, feedback on an entrepreneurial idea, or someone to talk with about their life goals, we are confident Iona will find them the right person.
From Top Left: Gabe Cinanni '22, Katherine Meyer '22, Tiffany Weston '22 and Chris Wiggan '24
![Gabe Cinanni](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-04/ancillary-images/gabe-cinnani.jpg?itok=0hYsSkHZ)
![Tiffany Weston](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-04/headshots/tiffany-weston.jpg?itok=JhXtPRll)
![Katherine Meyer](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-04/headshots/katherine-meyer.jpg?itok=3LvVHauo)
![Chris Wiggan](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-04/ancillary-images/chris-wiggan.jpg?itok=9X3Mk1UK)
Jim Oates '95
After retiring from a 17-year career with UBS Group in June 2019, Jim formed the advisory and consulting practice Eventum Risk Advisors, LLC; and serves on the boards of Aison Technologies AG and the Iona University Alumni Association.
Jim joined UBS in 2002 as part of the Trading Risk Audit (TRA) team in New York and was responsible for various fixed income businesses. In 2005, Jim was appointed global head of TRA and in 2007 as global head of the Investment Bank Audit Division. In March 2010, Jim was appointed the head of Group Internal Audit for UBS globally. On March 2016, Jim was appointed as Global Head Compliance & Operational Risk Control (C&ORC).
Prior to joining UBS, he worked in internal audit at Credit Suisse First Boston in New York from 2000 through 2002 focusing on its MBS/ABS and Private Equity businesses. From 1994 to 2000, Jim worked at Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette which included a secondment to DLJ International in London from 1998 through 2000. He received an Honours BBA Degree in Finance from Iona University in 1995 and was North American Securities Administration Association Series 7 and Series 63 registered. He is a Certified Director and member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.
In addition to these accomplishments, Jim has been instrumental in creating the Gaels Go Further Mentoring Programs at Iona University. These programs serve to connect students and alumni and provide a space to discuss career goals and other important life topics.
Jim and his wife and two children live in New Jersey. His hobbies include tennis, golf and genealogy.
![Jim Oates](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-01/headshots/jim-oates.jpg?itok=IbRZIQqX)
Sebastiana Tagliamonte '92
Sebastiana Tagliamonte graduated from Iona University in 1992 with a degree in Public Accounting. She is a licensed CPA in New York and Connecticut and started her career with KPMG. She left KPMG in 1998 and has held positions in Corporate Accounting and SEC Reporting groups in the media & advertising fields. Today she is a VP, Controller at Paramount Global in New York City, where she is primarily responsible for overseeing their corporate division. Mrs. Tagliamonte is the Treasurer of the Get Schooled Foundation, and has also held executive positions in her parish council and school PTA. She supports various charitable organizations, such as Second Chance Toys, and also volunteers her time at Iona University by participating in various networking events as well as the Gaels Go Further Mentoring Program.
Michael J. LaPerch Sr. ’79, ’84MBA
Michael LaPerch Sr. graduated from Iona University in 1979 with a degree in accounting and returned to Iona to earn his MBA in Finance in 1984. He is currently working at Pitney Bowes in strategic sourcing and most of his 40-year career has been with Fortune 500 companies in various roles within finance. Having been a member of the board of directors for 4 years prior to serving as president, he enjoys being an active member of the Iona Community. Working closely with the Hynes Institute, he is currently a speaker, a mentor and judge in the program. Additionally, you will find him at many on-campus events throughout the year.
Michael has resided in Newtown, Conn. with his family for 35 years. In his spare time, Michael loves finding new walking trails around New England with his wife Lucille, as well as spending time with his four children, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren, Rosie, Michael III and James.
![Michael J. LaPerch](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-04/headshots/Michael-J.-LaPerch-Sr.-79-84MBA.jpg?itok=LHu_2PcK)
Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
![Tricia Mulligan](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-10/headshots/Tricia-Mulligan-Headshot-Oct-2022.jpg?itok=swY3zVUJ)
April 27, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Henry Lecture Hall, LaPenta School of Business
Speakers
Richard Garcia, Chief Talent Officer, North America
Samantha Leon, HR-Campus Recruiter
Armeen Junaid, HR-Campus Recruiter
Synopsis
Have you found yourself wondering how professionals grow their careers? And how did they learn how to do it? How do they know which roles to pursue, what skills they should learn, and when to learn them? How did they know their career path was the right one for them?
Have you ever asked yourself, “What if I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up?”
Whether you think you know what you want to do post-graduation or are still figuring it out, join us as we welcome guests from Havas Health & You (HH&Y), the world’s largest health and wellness advertising and communications company, as they share insights about shaping a career you desire, and how they can help you get started with early-career opportunities. Learn about the vital and innovative work HH&Y creates on behalf of its clients, their Fellowship Program for soon-to-be graduates, and their Summer Internship Program, targeting students still pursuing an undergrad degree. You can also sign up for one-on-one conversations with HH&Y campus recruiters.
HH&Y will provide free boxed lunches for those in attendance. These will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn directly from a company seeking to share insights and philosophies on hiring and developing their talent.
Richard Garcia
Richard Garcia brings with him a wealth of experience in the Human Resources field. Currently, he is Chief Talent Officer and Head of Human Resources at Havas Health & You of New York, a part of the world’s largest healthcare network, providing healthcare and wellness marketing solutions. He leads a team across North America delivering a full spectrum of talent solutions, allowing agency leaders to achieve business and cultural goals.
Formerly, Mr. Garcia was Global Head of Talent and Development at Brown Brothers Harriman of New York, one of the largest private banks in the United States. In that position he partnered with management teams across geographies and cultures to develop succession plans and oversaw executive coaching, talent management, learning & development, and organizational effectiveness.
Mr. Garcia studied Biology and has attained many certifications in Human Resources and Leadership effectiveness.
Most recently, Mr. Garcia has joined the Saint Barnabas Board. His goal is to apply his experience and energy to further enhance the core mission of providing a quality education for young women, ultimately preparing them for today’s competitive career marketplace. Saint Barnabas High School (SBHS) is an independent all-girls college preparatory school, serving a diverse group of young women.
![Richard Garcia](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2022-04/headshots/RG_Professional_2019.jpg?itok=3QKz0wie)
Fall 2021
Tuesday, November 2, noon - 1 p.m.
Cornelia Hall, Room 108
Synopsis
Like data points, careers do not always follow a straight line. In this talk, Andrew Fontanella, Ph.D., discusses his experience transitioning careers from academia, to healthcare, to industry, and the challenges and opportunities for professional growth that each offered. In particular, he'll address how methods of computing and data analysis learned early on could transfer to these new fields.
Andrew Fontanella, Ph.D.
Andrew Fontanella obtained his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Duke University while studying under the mentorship of Mark Dewhirst, a renowned leader in the field of tumor microcirculation and targeted drug delivery. His thesis work involved in vivo observation of vascular radiation-response in tumors using optical techniques. He holds an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, with a focus in optics, photonics, and image processing. In 2013, Dr. Fontanella joined Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Medical Physics Residency program, where under the supervision of Joseph Deasy, he pursued research interests in outcomes modeling, radiation treatment optimization, and radiobiology. In July 2018, Andrew joined Guidepoint Global as the first data scientist on their alternative data team. After two years at Guidepoint, he joined a healthtech startup focused on using purchasing, contracting, and claims data to find cost savings opportunities for healthcare providers.
Spring 2021
Tuesday, February 16, Noon
Speaker
Jessie Lubka, Admissions Counselor University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy
Did you miss Jessie Lubka's talk? Watch now on YouTube.
Synopsis
Are you ready to join one of the most rewarding careers in the healthcare industry? USJ’s 3-year distinctive and innovative modified-block curriculum has a proven record of success; its format will increase your ability to master the material, while also providing an experiential education that prepares graduates for a career in work in clinical research, medical sales, pharmacology, product/process development, and many other career paths. Admissions counselor, Jessie Lubka, will be discussing what makes the University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy different, the admissions requirements and you’ll get to speak with current students and faculty members. Learn more about our program and why pharmacy school is your perfect next step.
Join us for a discussion about the importance of networking and learning from experience with alumnus Mark Andrews '98, '00MS.
Wednesday, February 17, 5-6 p.m.
Thursday, February 18, Noon
Speaker
Maureen Ngoh, Ph.D.
Principal Scientist
Global Preclinical Development -Drug Safety and Metabolism
Merck Animal Health
Did you miss Dr. Ngoh's talk? Watch now on YouTube.
I am a Research Scientist with a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park and I have worked for the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) and Merck Animal Health (MAH). My responsibilities include directing research for multiple projects that support the development and regulatory approval of veterinary pharmaceuticals for companion animals and food producing animals in the US and globally. I manage junior scientists and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) that conduct human food safety studies for veterinary pharmaceuticals. These involve the preparation of study protocols, study design and conduct, data analysis, final report preparation and response to study related questions from regulatory agencies. I have extensive experience in developing and troubleshooting analytical methods and in conducting residue chemistry studies for food producing animal. The residues studies are conducted in compliance with applicable regulations (for example Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), Electronic Records, and Good Documentation Practices) and relevant regulatory guidance (Veterinary International Conference on Harmonization (VICH) and FDA/CVM’s Guidance).
Thursday, March 11, Noon
Did you miss Betsy Ladyzhets' talk? Watch now on YouTube.
Synopsis
Betsy Ladyzhets has closely followed the world of COVID-19 data for the past year through her independent publication, the COVID-19 Data Dispatch. In her talk, she'll describe several notable journalist-led efforts to address data gaps during the pandemic, ranging from testing data to COVID-19's impact on the prison system.
Speaker
Betsy Ladyzhets
My name is Betsy Ladyzhets. I use she/her pronouns. I currently work as a Senior Research Associate at Stacker, where I am (remotely) based in Brooklyn, New York. I am a Data Entry volunteer for the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic and a member of the National Association of Science Writers. In 2019, I graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University, where I studied English (with an official concentration in Creative Writing) and biology (with an unofficial concentration in Loving Trees). I am passionate about using data, in any storytelling means necessary, to help readers connect with scientific concepts. To that end, I’ve sought to communicate science where science has not been communicated before.
Tuesday, March 16, Noon - 1 p.m.
Missed Dr. Smith's talk? Watch now on YouTube.
Synopsis
More than ever the landscape of career opportunities for STEM PhDs is evolving and expanding beyond traditional academic positions at universities. Equally evolving are the needs of healthcare and industry to combat new or growing health/disease problems. This has prompted a greater need for interdisciplinary critical thinkers that can help drive the translation of scientific data into strategies or techniques that improve patient outcomes. I will discuss my non-traditional path as a research scientist and educator working to bridge the gap between academic and clinical worlds through translation research initiatives and graduate education.
Speaker
![Matthew Smith](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2021-03/headshots/matthew-smith.jpg?itok=9JPR0Qgj)
Matthew A. Smith, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Co-Director, Integrated Pharmaceutical Medicine (IPM) Graduate Program
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Staff Scientist, Vision Research Group
Akron Children's Hospital
I have a dual appointment as an Assistant Professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and as a Research Scientist at Akron Children’s Hospital. In my current academic role at NEOMED, I serve as the Co-Director of the Integrated Pharmaceutical Medicine Graduate Program and teach anatomy and physiology to medical, pharmacy, and graduate students. In addition to my academic and administrative roles, I run my own research lab that focuses on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that disrupt eye-brain communication in injury and disease. In the long-term my lab is interested in improving diagnostic capabilities through developing approaches that take advantage of the relative accessibility of the eye to isolate and track neuron dysfunction occurring in the brain. My lab is engaged in several translational research projects focused on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that drive visual and vision-influenced symptoms commonly experienced by patients after brain trauma.
Thursday, March 18, Noon
Synopsis
Nanoscience is the science of “small things”, whose unique dimensionality at the nanometer scale plays a significant role in their observed size-dependent properties. In this presentation, we focus on using nanotechnology within a practical sense, i.e. analyzing workable applications of nanoscience in a realistic context. We will present examples of general research areas, in which nanotechnology has had a tangible impact and usefully solved a specific problem. Our case studies include (i) developing biosensors based on the viral protein functionalization of carbon nanotubes; (ii) creating drug delivery devices through the targeted, molecular functionalization of carbon nanotubes; and (iii) labeling of biological cells, using various non-carbon-based biocompatible nanostructures. We also touch on the topic of whether nanomaterials present specific risks for health and safety.
Speaker
Stanislaus S. Wong, Ph.D.
Stanislaus S. Wong is Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Stony Brook University and has earned recognition for his work investigating not only the covalent surface chemistry of carbon nanotubes but also the synthesis, characterization, and applications of metal-containing nanostructures. He and his group are interested in developing viable sustainable strategies for producing novel nanomaterials of relevance not only for batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells, but also for nanomedicine and theranostics. Elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the National Academy of Inventors, Dr. Wong has received the American Chemical Society Inorganic Nanoscience Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, the ACS Buck-Whitney Award, a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, in addition to the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. Professor Wong has served as a Section Editor for Nanotechnology and is currently an Executive Editor for ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
Zoom Information
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android.
Password: 746610
Or by Phone (US Toll):
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 953 9757 0235
Tuesday, March 23, Noon - 1 p.m.
![Robert Schumaker](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2021-03/headshots/rschumaker.jpg?itok=8jEghpLe)
Speaker
Robert P. Schumaker, Ph.D.
Robert Schumaker is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) and Director of the Data Analytics Lab within the Soules College of Business. He received his PhD in Management Information Systems from the University of Arizona in 2007, an MBA degree in Management and International Business from the University of Akron in 2001, and a Bachelors of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1997.
Dr. Schumaker’s overall research interests involve using data science to solve very large and complex business problems. These interests further branch into data mining, machine learning, natural language processing, sentiment analysis, system building and textual analytics. In particular, he focuses on the areas of Textual/Financial prediction, Sports Analytics and Healthcare Informatics.
Zoom Information
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android.
Password: 746610
Or by Phone (US Toll):
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 953 9757 0235
Tuesday, March 30, Noon - 1p.m.
![Ashita Batavia](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2021-03/headshots/Ashita-Batavia.jpg?itok=mFoLPUkQ)
Speaker
Ashita Batavia, MD, MSc
Dr. Batavia is passionate about health equity and has had multiple different careers in the past 20 years. She is a practicing physician and is board certified in Internal Medicine (Yale) and Infectious Diseases (Cornell). She has been on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York and a number of other epidemics in the developing world. She holds a master’s degree in Epidemiology (Cornell) and was a co-investigator for a multi-year NIH-funded HIV trial in Haiti. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and has received various prestigious fellowships and awards for her research in HIV. Her prior experience includes Physician Coordinator for the Yale Adult Refugee Clinic, Chapter President for Physicians for Human Rights and Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar.
Dr. Batavia is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell and serves as the faculty research advisor for the WCCC, a free clinic for uninsured and under-insured New Yorkers that she co-founded and previously led. Dr. Batavia also works full-time as a consultant with McKinsey & Co. in their pharmaceutical practice where she focuses on R&D and Medical Affairs and has expertise in using advanced analytics to quantify unmet patient needs and improve health outcomes.
Dr. Batavia lives with her husband and two children in Larchmont. She is also an avid reader and is determined that this is the year she will finally read War and Peace.
Zoom Information
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android.
Password: 746610
Or by Phone (US Toll):
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 953 9757 0235
Tuesday, April 6, 2021, Noon - 1 p.m.
watch now: Communicating Science in a Digital Age
Synopsis
Digital and social media ecosystems play an important role in shaping public perceptions and public understanding of science. Digital media tools influence attitudes toward science, dictate behavior, and create relationships between the public and the scientific community. While allowing for rapid access to information, in a post-expert era, these tools can also feed fears and conspiracy theories. Dr. Altinay will discuss how to navigate scientific information regarding many pressing issues of our time, such as climate change and public health, and combat misinformation online.
Speaker
Zeynep Altinay, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Media & Strategic Communication Department
Iona University
![Zeynep Altinay, Ph.D.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2021-02/ancillary-images/zeynep-altinay.jpg?itok=F8P9-jkm)
Dr. Zeynep Altinay teaches undergraduate courses in digital literacy and graduate courses in technology for public relations. Her research focuses on the social and political implications of science and environmental communication.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021, Noon - 1 p.m.
Synopsis
Networking can be intimidating, yet it's the key to future success. Pat's book Meet 100 People provides a how-to guide to succeed in your job search and beyond. She will share practical ways you can create habits and methods to build a life-long network of important contacts. We encourage you to read the book ahead of the webinar. A review from a reader on Amazon, "Reading this book after applying to jobs online is akin to putting on glasses for the first time in your life. All of the fog and uncertainty disappears with this resource in your hands. Pat has managed to combine objective truths, anecdotal evidence, and solid examples of the critical elements of the job search into one resource."
Speaker
Patricia (Pat) Hedley
CEO, The Path Ahead
Author, Meet 100 People
TedX Speaker
![Patricia Hedley](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2020-11/ancillary-images/Hedley.jpg?itok=ptLmVOTr)
Pat is an investor, advisor and the author of Meet 100 People. Inspired by the experiences of thousands of people she has interacted with over her own thirty-year career, Pat wrote Meet 100 People to encourage us all to proactively, and consistently meet people in person or by video. Her goal is not only to inspire, but to provide practical steps to expanding your network. Pat speaks regularly at colleges, to alumni groups and to corporations. She gave a TedX Talk at Dartmouth College in 2018.
As the founder and CEO of The Path Ahead, Pat identifies high growth companies in which she invests and takes on either formal or informal advisory roles. Since 2016, Pat has invested in over a dozen innovative private companies, more than half led by women. She currently advises the CEOs of several growth companies.
Prior to her current role, Pat spent 30 years with global growth investor, General Atlantic, most recently as managing director. She began her career as a consultant with Bain & Company. Pat is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in computer science and holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Zoom Information
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Password: 746610
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+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 953 9757 0235
Thursday, April 15, Noon - 1 p.m.
Synopsis
Once you have an accurate machine learning model, that isn't the end of the story. In order to deploy the model for real-world users, there are many additional challenges that need to be resolved. How do you scale the model to accept queries from millions or billions of users? How do you update the model with new data? How do you explain how the model makes decisions? How do you ensure the model is trained on the right data? This talk will give an overview of standard practices to build infrastructure that will answer these questions and more.
Speakers
Did you miss this talk on Machine Learning? Watch Now on YouTube.
![Sean Campbell](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2020-06/headshots/SeanCampbell.jpg?itok=RB7hg_vD)
Sean Campbell '16
Sean graduated from the Iona University Honors Program in 2016 with a major in Computer Science and minors in Economics and Math. After college, Sean started in the Software Engineering Residency program at Google. He has since converted to a full-time position as a Site Reliability Engineer and works on ML research 20% of the time.
![Alexander Del Toro Barba](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2021-01/ancillary-images/alexander-del-toro-barba.jpg?itok=NTjR5l86)
Alexander Del Toro Barba, Ph.D.
Alexander is a Machine Learning Specialist at Google & Practice Lead of the AI/ML specialists team in Germany, Scandinavia and the Alps. Before joining Google in 2018, Alexander worked several years in financial asset management. He holds a Ph.D. in financial time series forecasting and has over six years of experience in scientific research in math, statistics & applied ML.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:30 p.m.
Synopsis
The critical link between all the great scholarship being presented this month and it becoming reality is influence; you will need to influence others to support your ideas in order for them to be funded and implemented. In this talk, Dr. Sanner will be giving you a shortened version of the training around influence he has been invited to give to surgeons at leading academic institutions in America, including Rutgers and Stanford. By the end of the talk, you should be better able to influence others so that you can turn your ideas into reality.
Speaker
Bret Sanner, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management
LaPenta School of Business
Iona University
![Bret Sanner](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2020-11/ancillary-images/bret-sanner.jpg?itok=cMMmNWF9)
Dr. Bret Sanner is an Assistant Professor of Management at Iona University. He earned a BSE in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from the Olin School at Washington University in St. Louis. His research on power and status in teams has won numerous international awards.
Zoom Information
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android.
Password: 746610
Or by Phone (US Toll):
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 953 9757 0235
Thursday, April 22, 2021, Noon - 1 p.m.
Speaker
Margaret A. Pisani, MD, MPH
Vice Chief for Faculty Mentoring and Career Development,
Associate Professor,
Yale University School of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
![Margaret A. Pisani](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2020-11/ancillary-images/M_Pisani.jpg?itok=UjlNv3gd)
Margaret A. Pisani, MD, MPH is the Vice Chief for Faculty Mentoring and Career Development and an Associate Professor at Yale University School of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Iona University, an MS from NJIT, an MD from Temple University and an MPH from Yale University. Dr. Pisani completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital where she was also Chief Resident. She remained at Yale University for Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship and then joined the faculty. She was the Yale PCCSM fellowship director for 10 years and has an extensive track record of mentoring medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty. Dr. Pisani cares for patients with lung disease and those who are critically in an intensive care unit. Her clinical and research interests include sleep, delirium and circadian biology in critical illness, functional and cognitive outcomes in older patients after critical illness, aging and lung disease and pleural diseases.
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Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android.
Password: 746610
Or by Phone (US Toll):
+1 646 558 8656 or
+1 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 953 9757 0235
Thursday, April 22, 2021
All Day, Virtual Event
Iona Scholars Day (ISD) is an annual event to celebrate the scholarship and creative activities performed by Iona students. The day showcases faculty-mentored student work and allows students in all disciplines to recognize and appreciate each other's work through oral presentations, panel sessions, performances, and poster presentations. We encourage all students to engage in scholarly and creative work with faculty, and share your work with the Iona community. ISD projects may be initiated as part of a course or as independent collaborations with faculty.
visit www.iona.edu/isd for details
![Iona Scholars Day 2021 Flier](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape/public/2020-11/primary-images/iona-scholars-day-12.jpg?itok=bYWdYlXw)
Tuesday, April 27, Noon
Synopsis
The rapidly developing field of Data Science applies skills from numerous disciplines across the social and physical sciences, to extract information that would have been inaccessible just a few years ago. As the worldwide explosion of data collection and analysis mushrooms, the demand for people with combined quantitative, programming, and problem-solving skills is increasing.
In this talk, we will explore some of the basic issues that a data scientist is faced with on a daily basis and some of the skills and expertise that helps along the way.
Did you miss Dr. Bhattacharyya's talk? Watch now on YouTube.
![Amit Bhattacharyya](/sites/default/files/styles/scale/public/2021-02/ancillary-images/Amit-Bhattacharyya.jpg?itok=QxBByVmy)
Speaker
Amit Bhattacharyya, Ph.D.
Amit Bhattacharyya is the Head of Data Science at Vox Media, a modern digital media company. At Vox, Amit works across all of their web properties in developing models to better understand audiences as well as working to deliver innovative product solutions such as personalization and recommendations to the platform.
Amit also teaches in the Data Science program at the UC Berkeley School of Information. He received a Ph.D. in physics from Indiana University. Previously, he has led data science initiatives at both ed-tech and advertising companies and worked as a quantitative analyst at various banks and hedge funds for twelve years. In his spare time, he likes to plan skiing and backpacking trips, and dabble with machine learning algorithms for fantasy football.
Fall 2020
Introduction to PASS (Peer Advisement, Success in Science) Program
Tuesday, August 18, Noon - 1 p.m.
Abstract
PASS is a peer mentorship program designed to support freshman STEM majors. Each mentee is assigned to one upperclassman mentor with aligned career interests and a similar major who will serve as a role model for them and provide advice about how they succeeded in navigating a challenging STEM curriculum.
Speakers
Chris Annabi '21 (PASS President, Biochemistry), Michael Krmic '22 (PASS Leadership Team, Biochemistry), Katherine Ivanchenko '23 (PASS Leadership Team, Biochemistry), Sunghee Lee, Ph.D. (PASS Faculty Advisor)
Zoom Link
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Password: 504763
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Tuesday, September 8, Noon - 1 p.m.
DESCRIPTION
Is it a new shiny field, or contextualized computing in a new wrapper? In this session I'll lay out some different perspectives on why and how we can apply computing and analytical tools to a range of disciplines, and what background and/or collaborations are necessary in order to do that work. While there are many exciting application areas, there's little agreement on what skills students should learn, and who should be doing this work, or even what it should be called.
Did you miss Dr. Barr's Lecture? Watch Now on Youtube
Speaker
Valerie Barr, Ph.D., Jean E. Sammet Professor of Computer Science, chair of CS and co-chair of Data Science, Mount Holyoke College Valerie Barr
Valerie Barr is the Jean E. Sammet Prof. of Computer Science at Mount Holyoke College, chair of CS and co-chair of Data Science. The road there included 2 stints in graduate school (NYU, Rutgers), time in industry (automated blood analyzers and automated storage and retrieval machines), and multiple academic positions. She's always been interested in interdisciplinary applications of computing because they are fun and you get to work with cool folks from other fields, and since 2004 has been working on curricular development with a goal of changing the demographics of and increasing enrollments in computer science. Her antidote to life on Zoom is bike riding.
Zoom Link
Join this event on 9/8 from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android
Password: 578785
Algorithmic Accountability and the Securing of our Decision-Making Landscape
Thursday, September 17, Noon - 1 p.m.
Did you miss this event? Watch it Now
Abstract
Increasingly big decisions about the lives of individuals are being made in a partnership between human decision makers and computer systems. Algorithmically moderated platforms are making profound impacts on our personal and public relationships such as how we find a job, how we get our news, how we drive from place to place, sometimes even how we find a spouse. This is fundamentally changing the landscape of our societal decision-making processes - from hiring decisions, to decisions about news amplification, to criminal justice decisions - and making them vulnerable to new types of attacks and influences. To build the world we want, we need algorithms and platforms to be accountable and transparent. I will discuss the role of algorithmic accountability in securing these decision-making processes, using examples from my current work in criminal justice software, media manipulation and quantifying machine learning bias..
Speaker
Jeanna Matthews, Ph.D., Professor of Computer Science, Clarkson University
Jeanna Matthews is a professor of computer science at Clarkson University and an affiliate at Data and Society. She has published work in a broad range of systems topics from virtualization and cloud computing to social media security and distributed file systems. She has been a four-time presenter at DEF CON on topics including security vulnerabilities in virtual environments (2015 and 2016), adversarial testing of criminal justice software (2018) and trolling (2018). She is an ACM Distinguished Speaker, a Fulbright Specialist, founding co-chair of the ACM Technology Policy Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and Algorithm Accountability and a member of the ACM Technology Policy Committee. She has been a member of the ACM Council (2015-present), chair of the ACM Special Interest Group Governing Board ( 2016-2018), the chair of the ACM Special Interest Group on Operating Systems (SIGOPS) from 2011 to 2015 and the author of several popular books ("Computer Networking: Internet Protocols in Action" and "Running Xen: A Hands on Guide to the Art of Virtualization"). Her current work focuses on securing societal decision-making processes and supporting the rights of individuals in a world of automation. She received a 2018-2019 Brown Institute Magic Grant to research differences in DNA software programs used in the criminal justice system. Jeanna received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1999, a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Ohio State University in 1994 and a B.A. in Spanish from the State University of New York at Potsdam in 2016.
Zoom Link
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Password: 578785
Data Science Feminism
Tuesday, September 22, Noon - 1 p.m.
Speaker
Lauren Klein, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of English and Quantitative Theory & Methods, Emory University
Did you miss Dr. Klein's lecture? Watch now on youtube
Lauren Klein is an associate professor in the departments of English and Quantitative Theory & Methods at Emory University, where she also directs the Digital Humanities Lab. Before moving to Emory, she taught in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech. Klein works at the intersection of digital humanities, data science, and early American literature, with a research focus on issues of gender and race. She has designed platforms for exploring the contents of historical newspapers recreated forgotten visualization schemes with fabric and addressable LEDs and, with her students, cooked meals from early American recipes and then visualized the results. In 2017, she was named one of the “rising stars in digital humanities” by Inside Higher Ed. She is the author of "An Archive of Taste: Race and Eating in the Early United States" (University of Minnesota Press, 2020) and, with Catherine D’Ignazio, Data Feminism (MIT Press, 2020). With Matthew K. Gold, she edits Debates in the Digital Humanities, a hybrid print-digital publication stream that explores debates in the field as they emerge. Her current project, Data by Design: An Interactive History of Data Visualization, 1786-1900, was recently funded by an NEH-Mellon Fellowship for Digital Publication.
Zoom Link
Join this event on 9/22 from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android
Password: 578785
Using Real Data and SPSS in Class
Tuesday, October 6, Noon - 1 p.m.
Synopsis
This presentation will focus on examples of using real secondary data and statistical software (SPSS) to integrate those data into sociology and/or health sciences classes. This will both demonstrate a methodology, but also teach something about sociology/health sciences.
Did you miss Dr. Wagner's lecture? Watch now on YouTube
Speaker
William E. Wagner, III, M.A., M.P.H., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Health Sciences
Professor, Department of Sociology
Chair, Social Science Research & Instructional Council of the CSU
California State University, Channel Islands
Learn more about Dr. Wagner.
Data Science for Good: Building Data Science Literacy
Tuesday, October 13, Noon - 1 p.m.
Abstract
Data science is a valuable tool we can leverage across many disciplines from healthcare to environmental studies, security to ethics, criminal justice to economics, touching many dimensions of our lives. Increasing data science literacy will enable our students, citizens, industry and government leaders to leverage the vast amounts of data which are increasingly available to us from the past, present and future in order to gain insights which enable us to make our world a better place. In this workshop you will learn about the goals and activities led by the community of the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub to leverage data science for good. These include data science for Health, Education + Data Literacy, Urban to Rural Communities, and Responsible Data Science including security, privacy and ethics. In preparation for the workshop, read about the Northeast Big Data Innovation hub strategy and projects here.
Did you miss Dr. Hudson's lecture? Watch Now on YouTube.
Speaker
Florence Hudson, Founder and CEO, FDHint
Executive Director, Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub at Columbia University
Special Advisor, NSF Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at Indiana University
Florence Hudson is Executive Director for the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub at Columbia University. She is also Founder & CEO of FDHint, LLC, a global advanced technology and diversity & inclusion consulting firm, and Special Advisor for the NSF Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at Indiana University. She is a former IBM Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Internet2 Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, and aerospace engineer at Grumman and NASA. She Chairs the global IEEE/UL P2933 Working Group on Clinical IoT Data and Device Interoperability with TIPPSS – Trust, Identity, Privacy, Protection, Safety and Security, and has published books on TIPPSS. She serves on Boards at Princeton University, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Stony Brook University, Blockchain in Healthcare Today, and the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. She is a founding member of the Program Committee for the NCI Computational Approaches for Cancer Workshop. She has a BSE in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, and executive business education from Harvard Business School and Columbia University.
Zoom Link
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Password: IonaData
Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): +16465588656,94625001855# or +13126266799,94625001855#
Laboratory Safety – Alternative Careers Paths
Tuesday, October 20, Noon - 1 p.m.
Abstract
Careers in chemistry do not have to be constrained to the research bench. Chemistry is a fundamental science with connections across multiple disciplines, and harnessing those touch points, with an emphasis on research operations, can be essential in a variety of roles. I will discuss how my core training in chemistry has provided a foundation for pivots in my journey through the private and governmental sectors. I will share reflections about how my background in industrial hygiene led to surprising opportunities and beneficial flexibilities as you consider your own path ahead.
Speaker
Ahleah Rohr Daniel, PhD, MPH, CIH is the Deputy Branch Chief of the Space Biosciences Research Branch. Over the last 4+ years, Dr Rohr Daniel supported the Science Directorate as the Industrial Hygiene Representative from the Safety Office, responsible for managing chemical compliance and laboratory safety to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for all personnel at NASA Ames. She earned her MPH in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Michigan in 2013 and achieved her CIH in 2017.
Prior to coming to NASA Ames Research Center in 2016, Dr Rohr Daniel worked as an Environmental Consultant/Industrial Hygienist at Ramboll (formerly ENVIRON). Dr Rohr Daniel earned a BS in Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati in 2006, followed by a MS and PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Michigan in 2008 and 2011, respectively, resulting in peer-reviewed scientific research articles. In addition to work, Dr Rohr Daniel volunteers on the Board of Directors of the local American Industrial Hygiene Association (Northern California Section), where currently she serves as the Past-President. Dr Rohr Daniel also has membership in multiple professional societies (American Industrial Hygiene Association (National); American Chemical Society; American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists).
Learn more about Ahleah Rohr Daniel here.
Zoom Link
Join this event on 10/20 from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android
Password: 578785
WORKFORCE READINESS AND INTERVIEW PREP
Tuesday, October 27, Noon - 1 p.m.
Synopsis
Join employees from Westchester based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for a virtual interactive career panel with opportunities to review your resume and practice mock interviewing. Participants will engage in a whole group panel discussion via Zoom and then separate out into break out rooms hosted by the Regeneron employees. Content will include opportunities for conversations regarding career path and advice in addition to the resume review and mock interviews. Participants will engage in interviews to help them feel comfortable with interviewing online, with several interviewers at once, and best practices for online and in-person interviews. There will be plenty of opportunities for questions and conversations between participants and employees. This is a fantastic opportunity to practice your interviewing skills and receive real-world feedback before you interview for that must-have job!
Speakers
Employees from Westchester-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals...and you!
Zoom Link
Join this event on 10/27 from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android
Career Development
A special thanks to Darelle Thomas and the Office of Career Development for making this partnership possible.
Future Scientists: Virtual Career Panel Focusing on the sciences
Wednesday, October 28, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Abstract
Join employees from Westchester based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for a virtual, interactive conversation with small group discussions focusing on careers in the sciences. Participants will engage in a whole group panel discussion via Zoom and then separate out into break out rooms hosted by employees from Regeneron. Discussions will include students questions around internships, inspiring classes, career paths, job searching in the science and other industries, and more! There will be plenty of opportunities for questions and conversation between participants and employees
Speakers
Employees from Westchester-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals...and you!
Zoom Link
Join this event on 10/28 from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android
Career Development
A special thanks to Darelle Thomas and the Office of Career Development for making this partnership possible.
Leveraging Interdisciplinarity for Data Science Pedagogy: An Experiential Approach
Thursday, October 29, Noon - 1 p.m.
Summary
Data scientists must be interdisciplinary, agile, and able to adapt to data analysis across different domains. Both academia and industry are striving to integrate interdisciplinarity into data science curriculum and operations. In this session, we will discuss the vital role of interdisciplinarity in designing a data science curriculum. By leveraging an experiential approach, we will discuss best practices derived from previous endeavors in designing data science courses. Our discussion will also involve different approaches and methods for designing an interdisciplinary data science course.
Did you miss Dr. Asamoah's lecture? Watch now on YouTube
Speaker
Daniel Adomako Asamoah, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Information Systems, Wright State University
Zoom Link
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Password: 578785
The Careers in Science program is supported by a generous donation from ConEdison.