No classroom lecture can replicate the experience of being face-to-face with the evidence of genocide. That’s the premise behind a School of Education (SOE) immersion course that brings students to Washington, D.C., to view historical records, talk with experts in human rights law and policy and worldwide atrocities issues, and experience the visual weight of bearing witness to atrocity crimes.

is a one-week, intense examination of those topics. It is both a standalone experiential inquiry excursion and a component of the SOE interdisciplinary minor, .

The course is open to any undergraduate and is led by G鈥�03 G’07, SOE associate professor, scholar in human rights and current secretary of the . It also includes extensive advance readings, a pre- and a post-trip online class and attendance at the , which is supported by SOE alumni Lauri M. Zell ’77 and Jeffrey M. Zell ’77, who also underwrite the D.C. trip.

Multiple Dimensions

Pre-trip, students read about active international court cases, global justice mechanisms and U.S. foreign policy on atrocity prevention. Then, over six days in D.C., they met experts on human rights law and issues, including representatives of the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, Disability Rights International, the Alliance for Peacebuilding, the Syria Justice Accountability Centre, No Business with Genocide, the Simon-Skjodt Center for Genocide Prevention, the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice and former officials of the U.S. Department of State Office of Global Criminal Justice.

They also toured the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the U.S. Supreme Court听 and the Library of Congress. (VPA) alumna and artist 鈥�81 hosted the group for dinner at her D.C. home and an exhibition of her work around human rights, displacement and the refugee crisis.

At Ground Level

SOE inclusive adolescent education and history major Elijah Burke 鈥�27 calls the experience “one of the most formative weeks of my academic career,” providing “a ground-level understanding of this work unlike what I could learn in a classroom. It clarified the direction I want to take toward documentation, education, and advocacy in the international human rights space.”

Hailey Vanish 鈥�27, a social work (SOE) and psychology major in the (A&S), says the immersion “reshaped how I view my studies and the world by emphasizing the importance of awareness, accountability and global engagement.”

Alexa Price 鈥�28, a political science major, came to understand “not only how atrocities around the world start, but how the U.S. chooses to involve itself 鈥� the possibility of human rights work 鈥� and a glimmer of hope for a peaceful future.”

Initial Unawareness

Students are often initially unaware of historical atrocities and may not recognize how current events contribute to the potential for atrocities to occur, White says.

“Students are consistently surprised by how much they don’t know about what happened, why it happened, what the aftermath looks like, what reconciliation looks like, and the risk factors that lead individuals to commit atrocities,” White says. “They don’t know because we don’t teach human rights education in this country.鈥�

White says that by participating in the immersion, the students are 鈥渞eally bearing witness to the Holocaust, antisemitism and human rights violations, and becoming aware of what companies do business with countries that are carrying out atrocities, and [recognizing] that they have an obligation not to be silent about these things anymore. It is my hope they come back with the tools to engage with these issues beyond the classroom. This will mean asking harder questions of themselves, their families and friends and their communities 鈥� and holding people and institutions accountable and understanding that awareness is meaningless without action.鈥�

Hard, But Rewarding

Facing the intense subject matter head-on is genuinely hard to deal with but also deeply rewarding, White says, and students are fully engaged regarding the information they’ve taken in.

鈥淭hey talk about this as an amazing trip, how it’s horrible but also kind of invigorating because this is not an abstract idea anymore,鈥� White says. 鈥淭hey are learning from the people who are doing the work and realizing atrocities don’t happen in a vacuum, that there are real, material consequences of decisions that governments and policy makers make. They see that you can do something about this and they’ve been shown ways to participate in atrocity prevention.”

A&S mathematics major Leo Chen 鈥�26 says what he saw at the Holocaust Museum hit home. 鈥淒espite being heavy, it serves as an everlasting remembrance of all the lives lost and a forever reminder to future generations of one of the darkest chapters in human history, so that we must do better.”

Those factors also resonated with Destiny Katsitsatekanoniahkwa Lazore Whitebean 鈥�26, a dual major in communication and rhetorical studies in VPA and political science in the Maxwell School | A&S, renewing her long-standing question: “If we recognize the warning signs of genocide happening today but feel powerless or hopeless, what actions can individuals or communities take to help prevent mass atrocities?” She says the week “helped me see the many opportunities to get involved and make a difference.”

Aiden Boyer 鈥�28, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the , says he hopes many more people are able to access the immersion, calling it “a rare opportunity, a program that is a standout in this field.鈥�

As a Minor

The 18-credit provides a more extensive interdisciplinary look at international law, genocide crimes and social justice and human rights issues. Its overall goal is to create awareness of those issues so students can learn how to be responsible citizens in a democratic society.

Graduate students Jamea Candy Johnson ’25, G’27 and Adara 鈥淒arla鈥� Hobbs ’26 are taking their affordable housing research out of the classroom and directly to the landlords, developers and community organizers working to solve one of Syracuse’s most pressing challenges.

Thanks to a revamped partnership with (TMR), a longstanding, community-focused series of events hosted by the , Johnson and Hobbs shared their findings directly with key public housing constituents.

The two students are conducting the research as , alongside three of their peers.

鈥淢y research focuses on the intersection of housing and health care, especially as it relates to economic stability, and this experience has only solidified that interest,鈥� says Johnson, who is on a pre-med and pre-law track while pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in public health from the .

鈥淲e need community-driven solutions to the problems facing Syracuse. This needs to be about bringing people together from different backgrounds and perspectives and seeing what we can collectively do to address and solve the housing issue,鈥� says Hobbs, who in May will earn a master鈥檚 degree in Pan-African studies from the .

Research With the Community, Not About It

The collaboration with TMR pushed Johnson to conduct qualitative research after engaging directly with those who provide and build housing in the city, and not just those people who need housing.

鈥淚t turned out to be one of the best ways to conduct research,鈥� says Johnson, who works for both the Onondaga County Legislature and at the Salvation Army Women’s Shelter.

Rather than crunching numbers and visualizing datasets, the fellows conducted one-on-one interviews with each panelist before every session. They used those conversations to write discussion questions tailored to each speaker’s expertise, questions designed not just for academic audiences, but for the community members filling seats in the room.

Housing as a Health Issue

When panelists from Housing Visions鈥攚hich develops large multi-unit complexes鈥攁nd A Tiny Home for Good鈥攚hich builds small-scale permanent housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness鈥攄escribed how they partner with Helio Health and Upstate Medical to bring health care directly to residents in their units, it reframed the entire conversation.

“We’re not just talking about giving people housing. We’re talking about giving people health care. Health care plus housing is going to lead to better lifelong solutions overall,鈥� Johnson says.

It鈥檚 a point echoed by Hobbs, who was born and raised in Syracuse.

鈥淎ccess to adequate health care, education and healthy food, that all comes underneath the umbrella of economic mobility,鈥� Hobbs says.

Lived Experience as Expertise

What surprised Hobbs most through the TMR process was being recognized as an expert by many of the community leaders she had long admired and respected.

“I’m not just taking something from the panelists, they’re learning something from me as well. I do know what I’m talking about. I do have something valuable to contribute,鈥� she says.

鈥淥ur lived experiences as locals and residents are the experiences that should be the change agents,鈥� says Hobbs, who has spent more than a decade working in the Syracuse City School District.

Sharing Their Research Insights

Johnson and Hobbs will participate in 鈥淔or Syracuse or With Syracuse? What Lender Student Fellows鈥� Research Reveals About Housing and Health in Syracuse鈥� during the . The session runs from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Room 100A of the Nancy Cantor Warehouse Auditorium.

“This research program has really emphasized human connection more than anything, and I think that’s the greatest part,鈥� Johnson says.

鈥淣ow, I can bring those collective experiences back to my community and hopefully continue to make a difference,鈥� Hobbs says.

In 2025, Samsung Electronics had 7,054 patent grants in the U.S. alone. Apple Inc. had 2,277, and Google/Alphabet, Inc., received 1,782. And, it is estimated that more than 152,000 patent applications specifically related to artificial intelligence听 were recorded in the U.S. last year with Google, Microsoft and IBM leading the charge. Add to that the thousands of innovators and researchers across the country filing individual patents every day, and it鈥檚 apparent why patent agents and patent attorneys are in high demand.

The College of Law鈥檚 (ILC) received a gift from Rodney A. Ryan L鈥�97 that will be used to officially establish a patent law program in summer 2026 to academically and financially assist students preparing for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registration examination, commonly known as the patent bar. Passing the patent bar is a significant achievement as doing so gives students credentials to become a patent agent who can draft, file and prosecute patent applications. It is a necessary step to becoming a patent attorney.

To be eligible for the new program, students must have an undergraduate degree in science, engineering or tech-related fields; complete required coursework and be actively engaged in the ILC.

For prospective students, the program represents a rare opportunity to enter the legal profession already credentialed as a patent agent and positioned for immediate career impact at law firms, corporations and startups.

鈥淲e are very grateful for this gift, which will allow the ILC to formally establish a patent law program and reimburse students for the patent bar preparation and exam鈥攔emoving a financial barrier that will open this opportunity to even more qualified students,鈥� says Professor of Practice Brian J. Gerling L鈥�99, executive director of the ILC. 鈥淭he program is designed so students will complete the patent bar exam well before having to study for state bar exams after graduation, while also giving them the opportunity to hone those skills as a patent agent during law school.鈥�

The patent agent law program at the ILC will also assist early stage entrepreneurs through filing of provisional patent applications, thereby avoiding public disclosure bars or risking their ideas to commercial theft.

Students Work as Patent Agents at Local Firm

Carl J. Graziadei L鈥�26 and Madison McCarthy L鈥�26 helped pilot the idea for the formalized program. Both have already passed the patent bar and are currently working as senior research assistants at the ILC and part-time law clerks at local law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC.

Graziadei earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in electrical engineering at Clarkson University and passed the patent bar right out of college. When researching law schools that allowed him to mesh his engineering background with the legal field, he discovered Syracuse Law鈥檚 ILC.

鈥淧rofessor Gerling is really the reason I decided on Syracuse, as he showed me how my engineering background would be a great fit for the ILC,鈥� Graziadei says. 鈥淗e confirmed my belief that going into patent law was the right move and explained the demand was high, and the opportunities were endless in law firms, corporations and startups.鈥�

McCarthy studied biological sciences and neuroscience as an undergraduate at the University of Buffalo and also came to Syracuse with the goal of becoming a patent attorney. While working in the ILC, she passed the patent bar as a second year student.

Both excelled through the ILC, honing their research and writing skills and building confidence communicating with actual clients, while also gaining experience through internships. Graziadei interned at Lallemand, a French company optimizing natural fermentation processes. McCarthy was an extern in patent litigation at Kiklis Law Firm, PLLC, in Virginia, which focuses on trials at the USPTO鈥檚 Patent Trials and Appeals Board, and a general counsel extern at Upstate Medical University.

鈥淚 fell in love with the faculty and the ILC because I had so much freedom and the chance to interact with entrepreneurs and innovators about their inventions through the law,鈥� says McCarthy, who is currently editor-in-chief of the .

As third-year law students, McCarthy and Graziadei are senior research assistants at the ILC helping second years assist clients. Both are also working part-time at Bond, Schoeneck & King, using their skills as patent agents. They each have been offered positions as full-time associates at the firm upon graduating this spring.

鈥淏ecause I am already a patent agent, I will be a licensed patent attorney once I pass the New York State bar, and the experience I have had through Syracuse Law has been incredible preparation,鈥� says McCarthy. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to have found a program where I could combine my interests in science, innovation and the law, and I look forward to what鈥檚 ahead.鈥�

For 网爆门 senior , research isn’t confined to a laboratory. She鈥檚 taking her work directly into the community鈥攈osting events, screening participants and listening closely to people who have long been underserved by the health care system.

Weltman, a dual major in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) and neuroscience with a minor in psychology in the (A&S), is conducting research in the under the mentorship of , A&S assistant professor of CSD.

Pei, a certified speech-language pathologist, researches ways to maximize cognitive-communication rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with traumatic brain injuries and how health communication discrimination affects their health care access and recovery.

Pei and Weltman are working in the project, 鈥淚ntegrating Culturally Adapted Principles in Cognitive Communication Rehabilitation,鈥� which addresses a critical gap in speech-language pathology: the absence of culturally tailored care.

鈥淭he long-term goal of this research study is to improve speech-language pathologist therapy participation and outcomes for all clients, regardless of their backgrounds, thereby ensuring consistent healthcare delivery to all,鈥� Weltman says.

Community Research Model

To gather insights, the research team uses a community-based model, hosting engagement events at locations such as the Westcott Community Center, Mckinley- Brighton Elementary School, Cicero Community Center, Interfaith Works of CNY and the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. Participants come from local nursing homes, YMCAs, elementary school programs and other local groups that support community centers and senior companion programs. The events include presentations on healthy aging that feature games and prizes, free cognitive screenings and opportunities to participate in surveys and interviews. Weltman then analyzes those findings and connects them to the psychotherapy adaptation and modification framework鈥攁 systematic guide used to customize standard psychological treatments to fit a client鈥檚 specific personal background.

Learning New Skills

The work has pushed Weltman to develop skills that span clinical science, data analysis and community organizing. She has learned to code interviews, extract and analyze data, develop surveys and create clinical manuals, and says these technical competencies will serve her well in her future career as a speech-language pathologist specializing in neurogenic communication disorders.

Just as important, she has learned to see the broader landscape of how health care reaches and serves all patients. She says that work has allowed her to identify specific barriers to health care and learn how to recognize how personal nuances affect speech-language therapy.

Weltman鈥檚 research is already reaching beyond Syracuse’s campus. She is preparing to submit a proposal to , a significant milestone for an undergraduate researcher.

She credits her faculty mentor with making that trajectory possible. Weltman has worked with Pei since her sophomore year and says the relationship fundamentally shaped her academic and professional path.

鈥淔rom my very first assigned task, Dr. Pei has believed in my potential and supported me every step of the way,鈥� Weltman says. 鈥淲ithout her and the lab, I would have never concentrated on the field of cognitive communication, which has inspired my future career.鈥�

The (SOURCE) has also been instrumental in her work, Weltman says. SOURCE is where she first learned about the range of available to undergraduates.听 The office provided research project components, including a received this past year. In addition, SOURCE support such as and programming including orientations, workshops and check-in meetings, have underpinned her ongoing success, she says.

For Weltman, the research is ultimately about more than data or frameworks鈥攊t is about making sure every patient, regardless of background, has a real chance at recovery.

There was always an extra seat at the table in Jaclinn Tanney鈥檚 childhood home.

Raised in a family that emphasized helping those in need鈥攁 value shaped in part by her grandparents, Holocaust survivors who emigrated to New York after World War II鈥擳anney learned early that food could be an expression of dignity and hope.

That belief was tested in early 2020.

The Migrant Kitchen, a newly launched New York City catering business, faced uncertainty at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic鈥攊ncluding a canceled order for 1,000 meals that had already been prepared.

The cancellation became the catalyst for a scalable social enterprise. Rather than discard the food, staff donated the meals to a nearby hospital, feeding health care workers treating an influx of critically ill patients. Within days, demand surged.

鈥淲e went from serving 1,000 meals to all of a sudden our phones ringing nonstop,鈥� says Tanney, who soon teamed up with The Migrant Kitchen founder Daniel Dorado. 鈥淲e called upon our restaurant industry friends, many of whom were out of work because of the pandemic, and said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 cook together to get this food out.鈥欌��

The surge in demand prompted Tanney and Dorado to formalize what began as an emergency response into an organized, cross-sector operation鈥攑artnering with restaurants, government agencies and community organizations to prepare and distribute thousands of meals daily.

Today, Tanney serves as president of JD Meals, part of JD Enterprises, the social impact food company she and Dorado founded in 2020. Through its nonprofit arm, The Migrant Kitchen Initiative, the organization has donated 4 million meals to people in need.

鈥淲e are serving thousands of meals daily to people in temporary housing in the New York City shelter system and in emergency sites,鈥� says Tanney, who received a bachelor鈥檚 degree in policy studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 2005.

She notes that the workforce of roughly 100 is largely composed of immigrants, continuing the founding mission of The Migrant Kitchen. 鈥淚 am proud to say our team reflects the diversity of the communities we support, and many share the lived experiences of our meal recipients,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat really strengthens our commitment to providing meals with empathy and dignity.鈥�

Especially important to Tanney is ensuring the menus are culturally relevant to the communities they serve.

In addition to working closely with kitchen staff, Tanney coordinates with government officials, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify needs and align resources where they are most needed.

That coalition-building approach proved critical as JD Meals expanded into Philadelphia this past fall. City leaders turned to Tanney鈥檚 team to help strengthen emergency meal distribution for residents experiencing housing instability, part of a broader effort to promote recovery, stability and dignity.

That instinct to build coalitions traces back to her time at Maxwell.

Mission-Driven

As a teenager volunteering with food pantries, Tanney knew she wanted a career focused on creating change, though she wasn鈥檛 yet sure what form that would take.

Maxwell鈥檚 policy studies program helped translate that passion into practical skills.

Under the mentorship of the recently retired Professor Bill Coplin, founder of the policy studies program, Tanney developed skills in experiential learning, problem-solving and cross-sector coordination.

Tanney soaked up Coplin鈥檚 lessons and his mantra: 鈥渄o good.鈥� She learned about interconnected networks while working with Syracuse youth through 网爆门 Literacy Corps and interning with Home HeadQuarters, the Syracuse nonprofit that supports affordable home ownership and leads an annual neighborhood revitalization effort.

Through a partnership Coplin formed with the New York City Board of Education, Tanney also joined a cohort of Maxwell students working in its schools in the aftermath of 9/11. And, she interned with an international NGO in Hong Kong through the study abroad program.

Coplin says Tanney exemplifies what the policy studies program aimed to achieve. 鈥淛aclinn was her own motivation, a self-starter,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he possessed the skills and values we emphasized鈥攃ollaboration, community engagement and hands-on problem-solving. She鈥檚 not just running a business; she鈥檚 addressing systemic needs with dignity and respect. That鈥檚 exactly what we hoped our students would do.鈥�

After earning her undergraduate degree, Tanney held various roles in fundraising and development while pursuing a master of public administration at Baruch College in New York City. Baruch offered another Maxwell connection: Its president at the time was former Maxwell Dean Mitchel Wallerstein 鈥�72 M.P.A.

Fellow Maxwell and Baruch alumna Alys Mann 鈥�06 says Tanney is an 鈥渋ncredibly talented, hard worker and makes it look easy.鈥�

鈥淪he is mission-driven and concerned with making the world better,鈥� says Mann, who leads a housing and community development consulting business, Alys Mann Consulting. 鈥淚 admire her ability to think outside the box. A perfect example of this was her ability to pivot at the start of COVID and figure out how to feed people while the rest of the world retreated to their homes. She makes you want to be part of the solution.鈥�

Tanney has been honored in Crain鈥檚 New York Business magazine鈥檚 鈥�40 Under 40鈥� list and was named a 鈥淲omen Culinarians You Should Know鈥� by The Spruce Eats. Other honors include the Organizational Hero Award from the New York City chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Two decades after studying policy studies at Maxwell, Tanney continues to embody the lessons she embraced there. What began with an extra seat at the table鈥攁nd a canceled catering order鈥攈as become a model for feeding communities with dignity.

鈥淢y Maxwell experience helped me to understand that individuals can be changemakers,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 so thankful for my education.鈥�

There鈥檚 warmth emanating from the Noble Room in the lower level of Hendricks Chapel every Monday night whenever classes are in session.

Every sewing machine buzzes and hums as the members of the make handmade quilts that will keep vulnerable Central New Yorkers warm during the winter months.

鈥淭hose are chaotic nights. Everybody is working on a project that will end up at one of our partner charities,鈥� says quilting enthusiast Judy O鈥橰ourke 鈥�75, G鈥�10. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice knowing you鈥檙e helping someone out, and it鈥檚 nice knowing that something I enjoy doing is giving somebody else comfort.鈥�

O鈥橰ourke is one of 10-15 active members of the Hendricks Chapel Quilters鈥攃onsisting of students, staff, faculty and community members鈥攚ho put their love of sewing to good use weekly to produce beautiful quilts.

The common threads that keep members coming back? A love of quilting, a desire to find connection and a willingness to give back to the community.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a real camaraderie around this group,鈥� says George Athanas, the associate director for the Center for Learning and Student Success, who first joined the club 21 years ago. 鈥淭his reminds me of what quilting circles and quilting guilds used to be like, folks coming together to engage with their community, meet new people and learn along the way.鈥�

Helping Vulnerable People Feel Seen and Valued

Quilts are most frequently donated to the local chapter of , which builds beds for children in the community, to chaplains at SUNY Upstate Medical University, who deliver the quilts to terminally ill patients, and to food pantries who partner with听 on their community outreach efforts.

During last year鈥檚 weekly meetings, the Hendricks Chapel Quilters produced 59 quilts that were donated. Each finished product is signed with a tag noting that the quilt was created with love by the Hendricks Chapel Quilters. O鈥橰ourke says nearly 95% of the fabric, sewing machines and other materials used have been donated by generous community members.

鈥淭his reflects what service is all about, investing time and energy to make the world a better place,鈥� Athanas says.

Besides the added source of warmth, Jennie Prouty, InterFaith Works鈥� community engagement manager, says the recipients are often touched by the kindness and generosity of strangers who make time to create and then donate these intricate quilts.

鈥淭hese quilts are an opportunity for individuals and families in our communities, who often feel unseen, to know there are people who care deeply about their well-being,鈥� Prouty says. 鈥淭he element of them being handmade is a level of intentionality that many clients don鈥檛 typically receive.鈥�

Made With Love

In the fall, students in Liz Lance鈥檚 one-credit honors class, Quilting for Fun and Community, learn how to quilt alongside the Hendricks Chapel Quilters, who provide support and offer advice to the novice quilters.

鈥淭his is a unique offering,鈥� says Lance, who started teaching the course in the Fall 2024 semester. 鈥淭he average age of quilters is older and retired, but here, we have 20-, 21- and 22-year-old college students learning alongside our quilting guild. Spanning that age gap and bringing these people together is the most special part about this because it represents intergenerational learning, which can be hard to find.鈥�

O鈥橰ourke, who started sewing in childhood, picked up quilting in 1998 as the advisor to that year鈥檚 cohort of Remembrance Scholars. Those students wanted to make a Remembrance Quilt to honor the 35 网爆门 students who died in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988.

Current Remembrance Scholar Joy Mao 鈥�26 had no prior experience quilting or sewing, so she was nervous when she walked into the Noble Room for her first class last fall.

Those nerves quickly melted away. On the first night, students were introduced to their sewing machine, which they would use throughout the semester. Mao learned about the tools she鈥檇 be using鈥攔anging from a needle and thread to a seam ripper and cutters鈥攁nd became more familiar with her machine as the course progressed.

Starting with four-by-four-inch quilting squares, Mao and her classmates are tasked with identifying the colors and patterns that will tell the story of their quilt. Each square consists of nine patches, and each finished quilt consists of 81 total squares. If time allows, students add borders, known as sashes, as filler between the squares.

During their last class, students stand before their peers and present their quilt, knowing their finished product will provide warmth to someone in need.

“You get to make with your hands and give with your hearts, and these quilts are all made with love,鈥� says Mao, who is studying television, radio and film in the and policy studies in the . 鈥淚t was great knowing we were creating something that would have an impact on and give back to the greater Syracuse community.鈥�

The hold meetings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday evenings when classes are in session. No previous sewing experience is required, and all materials, as well as access to a sewing machine, are provided during the club鈥檚 weekly meetings. For more information about joining or donating fabric or sewing machines, please contact Judy O鈥橰ourke.

Growing up multiracial in the 1990s,听听regularly encountered demographic forms that forced an impossible choice: Pick one box. Deny the others.

“That act of being forced to choose, to erase parts of myself from an official document, is at the core of this work,” says Merrin, who is an assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences鈥櫶�.

That personal frustration eventually became a methodological solution. Merrin, working with collaborators from the University of Minnesota, Yale University, Boston University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has developed CATAcode, a software tool (R package) that helps researchers across the social sciences handle demographic data more thoughtfully.

The tool is now听, and its accompanying tutorial paper was published in听.

The Invisibility Problem

The problem CATAcode addresses is deceptively simple but widespread. When surveys ask people to “check all that apply” for race, gender identity or other characteristics, many respondents select multiple options. Researchers then face a choice: How do you handle someone who checked three boxes when your statistical model requires them to be in one category?

For decades, the default approach has been to collapse these individuals into what Merrin calls a “heterogeneous and often nonsensical ‘other’ category,” in which, for example, a Black and Asian person is treated the same as a White and Native American person.

“When we lump everyone together like that, we lose the ability to understand their unique experiences,” Merrin says. “And we make entire communities statistically invisible.”

The implications extend beyond research. These findings can inform policy decisions, funding allocations and the development of interventions designed to serve various communities. When demographic data oversimplifies or erases certain groups, the policies and programs built on that research may fail to address their needs.

Confronting the Numbers

CATAcode provides researchers with systematic approaches for exploring identity combinations in their data and for documenting how they make decisions about grouping participants. It works with both cross-sectional and longitudinal data and with any survey items that allow multiple responses.

The tool is particularly timely given that the U.S. multiracial population grew by 276% between 2010 and 2020, notes Merrin.

In a dataset of more than 8,000 high school students, CATAcode identified 85 distinct racial combinations鈥攁 figure that strongly argues against oversimplification. Using one of the tool’s features, researchers can prioritize underrepresented groups to keep them visible in analyses. In one example from the paper, this approach increased the number of Native American participants from 12 to 128.

“That’s the difference between a group being invisible and a group being present and accounted for,” Merrin says.

Broad Utility

CATAcode broadly applies to any survey item that allows multiple responses, including, for example, a person鈥檚 health conditions. This broad applicability makes the tool useful across disciplines, from psychology and sociology to public health and education.

Merrin and his collaborators hope CATAcode will push journals, funding agencies and ethics boards to demand greater transparency in how researchers represent the people they study.

“We hope this tool sparks a movement toward more transparent and equitable representations of study participants’ identities,” Merrin says. “The decisions researchers make about how to categorize people have real consequences for policy and resource allocation.”

By improving how demographic data are prepared, analyzed and reported, CATAcode supports greater transparency, reproducibility, generalizability and equity of social science research鈥攅nsuring that when people check multiple boxes, their full identities remain visible in the work that shapes our understanding of communities.

“This is a tool born from a personal wound,” Merrin says. “But I hope it offers a path toward more ethical and just research across the social sciences.”

The historic Villa Rossa has welcomed generations of University students to Florence鈥攁nd a recent renovation has made it even more inviting.

University staff and Italian officials gathered Jan. 19 to inaugurate a new accessible entrance to Villa Rossa, the home of the , at the Piazza Savonarola campus.

The entryway鈥攎ade possible as part of a $10 million gift by alumnus Daniel D’Aniello 鈥�68, H鈥�20 and his wife, Gayle, in 2022鈥攕its level with the sidewalk and offers more space and improved lighting to community members going in and out of the building.

Originally, visitors to the villa needed to climb two steps to enter the building through a small door. The renovation relocated the main entrance to a larger carriage door that originally provided access to the villa’s garden.

The change eliminates barriers for people with mobility impairments and offers improvements to security and operations, says Sasha Perugini, director of the Florence program.

鈥淭his renovation honors Villa Rossa’s heritage while meeting the needs of our community today,鈥� Perugini says. 鈥淎s Syracuse Florence’s home since 1959, this building serves approximately 350 people daily. The new entrance reflects our commitment to preserving the beauty and history of this space, while ensuring it is accessible, welcoming and safe for everyone who enters.鈥�

In addition to the redesign of the main entrance, the gift made by the D鈥橝niellos allowed for the renovation of the welcome and front desk area and the overhaul of the building鈥檚 cafeteria, which previously had stairs at its entrance. The eating area is now directly accessible from the main entrance.

Daniel D鈥橝niello鈥檚 ties to Florence and the University鈥檚 campus there go back decades. He studied abroad in the city in the fall of 1966 and became one of the who worked to save Florence鈥檚 artistic and cultural heritage after a devastating flood.

He was given the Keys to the City in 2023 in recognition of his actions, and the University鈥檚 Florence program has been named for the D鈥橝niellos since 2022, in honor of the transformational nature of the gift to expand opportunities for students, attract exceptional faculty and improve the program鈥檚 facilities.

Perugini says D’Aniello embodies what 网爆门 Florence believes in: study abroad creates authentic, meaningful bonds that endure across decades, enriching both students and the communities that host them.

鈥淥ur relationship with the local community has always been central to our mission,鈥� Perugini says. 鈥淲e created the Gigliucci Archive, named after the family who owned the villa and first welcomed 网爆门, to preserve this shared history. This renovation represents another chapter in the continuing story of both the building and Florence’s evolving landscape. We express our deep gratitude to Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello.鈥�

The inauguration of the new entrance on Jan. 19 was attended by Florence officials, including Dario Danti, city councilor for universities and research; Bernard Dika, undersecretary to the president of the Tuscany Region; and Michele Pierguidi, president of the city鈥檚 District 2.

Danti reflected on the longstanding relationship between the city and the University, calling the school an 鈥渁uthoritative presence鈥� in the community.

鈥淥ver all these years, the Florentine campus has grown and evolved while maintaining the same objectives as its beginnings: the deepening understanding by its students of Italian art and society and the creation of a solid intercultural relationship with the city that hosts it,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are certain that in the coming years 网爆门 in Florence will continue to be a cultural bridge between two worlds through the exchange of stories, ideas and visions.”

Dario Nardella, a member of the European Parliament who was the mayor of Florence when D鈥橝niello was given the keys to the city, said in a statement he was delighted to see the project completed. He lauded D鈥橝niello鈥檚 contributions to the city both as a student responding to the 1966 floods and more recently, with his support for the University鈥檚 Florence program.

鈥淣ow as then, a love story repeats itself between Syracuse and Florence, between D’Aniello and our community,鈥� Nardella said. 鈥淎 story that will remain forever in the memory of future generations of Syracuse students and Florentines.”

网爆门 Florence is organizing its for November, when the city will be hosting commemorative events marking the 60th anniversary of the floods.

The in the raised $76,540 for at its 21st Annual Charity Sports Auction. The ceremonial check was presented to Golisano officials Jan. 13 before the Orange men鈥檚 basketball game at the JMA Wireless Dome.

During the Syracuse men鈥檚 basketball game on Nov. 18, supporters purchased items and placed bids on sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, experiences and trips, among other items. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction ran through Nov. 23, allowing supporters to bid on hundreds of items.

served as Title Sponsor for the 2025 auction.

Proceeds from this year鈥檚 Charity Sports Auction benefited the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center (UPAC) at the . UPAC is a full-service pediatric and adolescent primary care clinic that provides well-child care, adolescent medicine, foster care support through its ENHANCE program, behavioral health integration, immunizations, and other family-centered services to children, adolescents and young adults.

鈥淎t Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, we take care of 11,000 patients from 25,000 visits every year,鈥� says UPAC Director Dr. Steven Blatt. 鈥淭hese are children and families like every other family in the community, but often with economic or logistical challenges in their life. We at UPAC have done many things to help them, but the money the students have raised will help with the extras.”

The auction donation will create a Sport Management Club of 网爆门 Endowment in honor of Blatt and is being highlighted by recognition at the playground at , and naming in the UPAC elevator lobby on the fourth floor of the Nappi Wellness Institute.

鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to the Falk College Sport Management Club for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Upstate Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital,鈥� says Dave Bartell, assistant vice president of development for The Upstate Foundation. 鈥淭hrough their leadership, dedication and passion for service, these students are making a meaningful difference for the children and families served by the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, and we are honored to partner with them in this important work.鈥�

The Sport Management Club is a student-run organization. Since its founding in 2004, the club has raised more than $849,000 for local charities.

Previous beneficiaries of the club鈥檚 annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Vera House and Tillie鈥檚 Touch.

Over the years, the club has contributed more than $125,000 to , a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Notable gifts include $20,000 to Upstate Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital in 2009鈥�10 and $30,444 to the Upstate Cancer Center in 2011鈥�12.

鈥淪tudents from the Sport Management Club, for the past 20 years, have done what I think is one of the most important activities you will do, not only in college but in your life, and that鈥檚 making efforts to help people in your community,鈥� Blatt says.

The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year. For more information about the annual charity auction, visit , , or the .

Story by James Stickel

Cheryl Hatch knew as soon as she saw a听听capturing the columns of names stretched across a wall inside the听, that she had to see it.听

The memorial display outside the Joyce听Hergenhan听Auditorium lists the 2,510 journalists killed globally since 1992, along with the date and location of their death.鈥�听

Hatch, a听,听covered conflict and its aftermath in the Middle East and Africa. She听drove five and a half hours to see听the memorial, to find the names of friends and colleagues听she鈥檚听lost. When she arrived, she helped mount a photo of her friend,听, in the gallery. Then, she placed her hands over each of her friends鈥� names: Gilkey,听,听,听.鈥�听

鈥淓ach year, sadly and horrifically, there are more and more journalists being killed,鈥� Hatch says. 鈥淎nd when I was working in conflict zones, yes, people got killed, but now more frequently people are targeted. Some of my friends were targeted. It’s incredibly important to remember those names and remember their commitment to witnessing and documenting what’s happening in the world, literally giving their lives for it.鈥�听

Raising Awareness

The wall is part of a project developed by听, an associate professor of visual communications and graduate program director for multimedia,听photography听and design at Newhouse, that听seeks听to honor media professionals who have been killed and raise awareness about the threats journalists face.听听

Harper says he was moved to create the memorial gallery and its accompanying event series,听听in response to the record number of journalists and media workers killed in 2024.鈥�听听

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 124 journalists were killed in 2024, with 103 of the deaths related to their work. The rise was driven by the increase in deaths of journalists during the Israel-Hamas war, which has seen 250 journalists killed during the course of the ongoing war, .听

鈥淚 thought, is there anything I can do to further the conversation?鈥� Harper says. 鈥淭o remember those people who gave their lives, to bring the truth forward and to shed light in places that are听really hard听to be. They gave everything for it, and the least we can do is recognize that.鈥�听

Addressing Challenges

Harper says his hope is to bring people together for inclusive conversations around the broader consequences for journalism, exploring the risks of reporting on violence and conflict, while also preparing students planning to enter the profession.鈥�听

Harper worked with fellow Newhouse professors听,听听and听听to develop the听, which includes discussions, film screenings and workshops on risk assessment and trauma-informed journalism. Events were held in the fall and will continue through the spring.鈥�听

The memorial wall, which uses data from CPJ, was unveiled on Nov. 6 and will be on display until听July.鈥疕arper collaborated on听the听design for the wall with听, lead artistic designer for the听office of communications at听Newhouse.听

鈥淚ntellectual discussion is critical because it reminds us how real this is,鈥� Harper says. 鈥淎nd then now what do you do about it? If journalism is anything,听it’s听about practical ideas and solutions to real problems we bring forward to the community to address.鈥�听

Beyond the spring, Harper says he hopes to find a permanent home for the memorial on campus.听He鈥檚听also looking for funders to create a traveling exhibition听for the project, to bring the memorial wall to other journalism schools around the country听and internationally.听

Loghman听Fattahi, U.S. advocacy representative at CPJ, says documenting and preserving the stories of every journalist听who鈥檚听been killed is vital for pursuing accountability.鈥�听

Until its听, the Newseum honored journalists killed related to their work on a memorial wall. But Fattahi听says he is not aware of any other current memorial to slain journalists listing the collective names as the 鈥淪ilenced鈥� project has, giving visitors a concrete visual for understanding the risks journalists around the world take in service to their vocation and society.听

鈥淭he journalists have fallen in different places, in different contexts, different years, their听lives are taken by different actors and circumstances,鈥� Fattahi says. 鈥淏ut seeing all their names together brings a sense of cohesion and wholeness to the bond among journalists and the role and importance of press freedom in bringing credible information, reliable information, independent information, to audiences all around the world.鈥�听

Remembering鈥擜nd Continuing the Work

, a Fox News听senior听correspondent, was on campus in November for his own reporting when he learned about the memorial gallery and that two of his former colleagues were included in the display. Hall听听covering the Russian invasion alongside photojournalist听听and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra “Sasha”听Kuvshynova听in March 2022 when their vehicle was struck by Russian fire, severely injuring Hall and killing his colleagues.鈥�听

鈥淚 knew no matter how busy it was, I had to go down and see it,鈥� Hall says. 鈥淣ot only to pay respects to Pierre and to Sasha, and to every other journalist who’s lost their lives covering conflict, but to also just thank Syracuse for having this wall.鈥�听

Like Hatch and Fattahi, he says the memorial reminds people of the importance, not only of journalism and covering conflict, but of having reporters on the ground.鈥�听

鈥淚n my eyes, journalism is more than just a job,鈥� Hall says. 鈥淚t’s more than just something you go and you do, to write stories here and there. It is something that has a vast impact on how society sees the world. It strives to educate people so they can help make better decisions, so they can hold governments to account, so they can hopefully try and change the world for the better.鈥�

Zakrzewski and听Kuvshynova, and other former colleagues remembered on the wall, believed the work they were doing was essential, he says.鈥�听

鈥淭hey cared so deeply about what we were doing, and I know they would not want what happened to them to stop journalism,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey would not want people to stop telling these stories. No, they would want people to continue doing the work that they thought was so important.鈥�

Before becoming a doctor, students go through approximately 11 years of rigorous education, from earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree to attending medical school and completing their residency.

Beyond medical knowledge and technical training, today鈥檚 most effective physicians know that explaining symptoms and diagnoses clearly is just as important. When patients understand their health, they receive better care.

Through a collaboration between the and , the Targeted Rural Health Education (TRHE) program is training aspiring rural doctors to clearly communicate complex medical issues to patients.

Working with , a former health reporter and current Newhouse School faculty member, student doctors in (RMSP) research a story idea, think about the appeal of the topic and create an op-ed piece that transforms their medical opinions into an easy-to-understand, informative public health article.

鈥淲e鈥檙e helping these medical school students understand the needs of their patients, and we鈥檙e equipping them with the skills to explain complex medical diagnoses in easy-to-understand ways so their patients feel like they can trust them,鈥� says Bavis, professor of magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School.

Gaining Skills to Last a Lifetime

TRHE has become an important part of director Lauren Meyer鈥檚 RMSP curriculum at SUNY Upstate. Third- and fourth-year medical students training in rural hospitals and doctor鈥檚 offices learn the importance of using local newspapers to share vital public health information.

鈥淲e tie this to their clinical experience because we want those students to see what’s going on in that community,鈥� Meyer says. 鈥淭hrough hands-on experiences, they鈥檙e able to identify possible topics that are timely and relevant to that population.鈥�

Last spring, three enrolled students completed the virtual class and published news articles that live on the as a reminder of the positive impact effective communication plays in rural medicine. Five more aspiring rural doctors took the class during the Fall 2025 semester and are working on publishing their articles.

鈥淚n medical school, they鈥檙e used to scientific writing for journals and papers and clinical notes in patient charts. But now, they鈥檙e learning how to communicate with their patients,鈥� Meyer says. 鈥淭hese students will carry this experience with them through the rest of their medical careers.鈥�

The Trouble With Chainsaws

Over the course of three virtual sessions, aspiring doctors like fourth-year medical student Nate Barott brainstorm their story idea, devise a pitch for their op-ed and then produce a finished story to run in local publications, whether online or in print.

Translating complex scientific writing into clear, accessible language helped Barott become a more effective communicator. It also highlighted the importance of informing rural communities about key public health issues.

During his 10-week rotation in Glens Falls, New York, Barott saw numerous instances where individuals came to the emergency room after injuring themselves operating a chainsaw. Those interactions changed his perspective on the practice of medicine in the community he was serving, and were the inspiration for his op-ed: .

鈥淚 drew on my own experiences with chainsaws growing up in Canandaigua, New York, and what I saw while in Glens Falls, and came up with some easy-to-understand advice that the audience could take away from the article,鈥� Barott says.

As he works to become a doctor, Barott says this experience will help him establish trust and become a better communicator with his patients, and form relationships with the local media in his community to promote public health initiatives. And he hasn鈥檛 ruled out writing additional informative news articles.

鈥淭his experience helped me relate to what my patients were going through. I learned new ways to communicate with patients and gained more empathy for what patients are dealing with after being injured by a chainsaw,鈥� Barott says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to establish trust with our patients, and this will definitely help me in my future career as a physician.”

网爆门 contributed $1.8 billion to the Central New York economy and supported 35,132 jobs across the five-county region in fiscal year 2023-24, according to a comprehensive economic impact study commissioned by the University. The study, conducted by Lightcast, found that the University鈥檚 economic impact increased by nearly 64% from the $1.1 billion reported in 2017.

According to the study, the University supports one out of every 13 jobs in Central New York. When accounting for its operations, research activities, student and visitor spending, alumni contributions, and start-up and spin-off companies, the University’s total economic contribution equals approximately 5.2% of Central New York’s gross regional product.

“网爆门’s future is inseparable from the future of Central New York,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “A thriving region is essential to a thriving University. We are proud to play a vital role in shaping the strength and promise of the place we call home. Every success we achieve as a University strengthens the region, and every advancement for our community creates new opportunities for us all.”

Key Economic Impact Findings

The comprehensive analysis revealed multiple channels of economic contribution:

• Operations Spending: The University’s operations added $862.7 million to the regional economy, drawing from $586.2 million in employee payroll and $445.4 million in facilities and services expenses.
• Research and Innovation: Research activities generated $180.9 million in regional economic impact. University-affiliated start-up and spin-off companies contributed an extraordinary $974.3 million to the Central New York economy.
• Alumni Impact: 网爆门 alumni currently working in Central New York contributed $546.5 million to the regional economy.
• Student and Visitor Spending: Students living in the region added $130 million through local spending while visitors attending University events contributed $46.9 million.
• Athletics Impact: In a sub-study also completed by Lightcast, it was determined that Syracuse Athletics added $136.7 million in income to the Central New York economy and supported 1,644 regional jobs.

“This remarkable growth from $1.1 billion to $1.8 billion in just seven years reflects our strategic focus on strengthening partnerships, meeting the emerging needs of regional employers and preparing our students for the future,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. “What’s particularly exciting is the nearly $1 billion impact from our start-up and spin-off companies, which demonstrates how the University is not just supporting the traditional economy but actively building the innovation economy of tomorrow in Central New York.”

Strong Return on Investment

The study also analyzed 网爆门’s value as an investment:

• New York taxpayers benefit from $743.9 million in added tax revenue and reduced demand for government services, despite Syracuse being a private institution.
• Society receives $4.40 in return for every dollar invested through economic growth and social benefits.
• Students receive $2.50 in higher future earnings for every dollar invested in their education, with an average annual return of 11.0%鈥攐utperforming the stock market’s 30-year average.

Building on Regional Momentum

The dramatic increase in 网爆门’s economic impact comes as Central New York experiences unprecedented investment and growth opportunities, including Micron Technology’s historic semiconductor manufacturing investment and the region’s designation as a national Tech Hub.

Chancellor Syverud, who is preparing to conclude his tenure later this academic year, reflected on the significance of these findings: “It has been a privilege to see how, together, we are advancing opportunity and progress for our students, our neighbors and our region. Together, we are proving that 网爆门 is not only an extraordinary global institution of higher learning, but also a dynamic partner in building a stronger, more vibrant future for Central New York.”

Ryan McMahon, Onondaga County executive and one of the University鈥檚 closest collaborators, says the University鈥檚 contributions to the region have propelled Central New York鈥檚 renaissance.

鈥溚� is an incredibly important economic engine for our region,鈥� says McMahon. 鈥淐ounty government relies largely on sales tax revenue to fund our initiatives, and this report illustrates that SU is a critical driver of those sales tax dollars. Furthermore SU has also been a tremendous partner as our region prepares to become the hub for semiconductor manufacturing in North America. The importance of SU to our local economy cannot be understated and we are grateful for their continued investment and unwavering commitment to our community.鈥�

Syracuse Mayor Sharon F. Owens 鈥�85 says the results of this impact report come as no surprise given the city鈥檚 deep partnerships with the University.

鈥溚� is a strong partner to the City of Syracuse and to the Central New York community,鈥� says Owens. 鈥淪U鈥檚 growing economic impact is no surprise to me. The University has been an active supporter of multiple city initiatives, such as Smart City Innovation and Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs through the Syracuse City School District. SU鈥檚 backing sends a powerful message anywhere in the nation and around the world. In housing, infrastructure, education, quality of life and business attraction, SU makes important contributions. I am grateful to Chancellor Syverud and the University鈥檚 Board of Trustees for their success in growing SU and its positive impact on our community.鈥�

“网爆门 takes enormous pride in supporting efforts to create the conditions for this regional transformation,” says Haynie. “Our investment in research infrastructure, our commitment to workforce development and our focus on sustained growth have helped position Central New York as a destination for innovation and opportunity.”

The study examined fiscal year 2023-24 and analyzed 网爆门’s impact on the five-county Central New York region, including Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

The Nutrition Initiative consists of three programs:听Books and Cooks, a literacy, culture, and cooking collaboration with Syracuse City School District elementary schools;听Food Busters, a program for Syracuse high school students that explores the science behind food through hands-on activities and experiments; and听Cooking on the Hillside, where Hillside employees in the听 program provide cooking lessons to Syracuse high school students.

Shaw Center Assistant Director听听oversees a team of seven Nutrition Initiative leadership interns who create the curriculums, purchase and prepare food, and arrange travel for Nutrition student volunteers who participate in the program.

The current faculty advisors from the Department of Nutrition鈥擜ssociate Teaching Professor 听(Books and Cooks), Associate Professor听听(Food Busters), and Associate Teaching Professor听 (Cooking on the Hillside)鈥攕uggest and review lesson plans for the interns.

The leadership interns for the fall 2025 semester included Nutrition Initiative coordinator Zoya Ansari 鈥�26 (nutrition science major), Trinity Delgado 鈥�27 (exercise science major in the Falk College), Sophie Denham 鈥�27 (neuroscience and psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences), Lily Judelsohn 鈥�28 (nutrition major), Natalie Kloman 鈥�27 (nutrition major), Mae Neuman 鈥�27 (nutrition major) and Tracey Rodriguez 鈥�27 (nutrition science major).

For the leadership interns, the common threads for joining the Nutrition Initiative are their fascination with nutrition, and their interest in giving back to the Syracuse community.

鈥淣utrition is important, especially for young children and teenagers to keep their bodies going and to maintain their health to prevent other problems,鈥� Ansari says. 鈥淪o going into these classrooms and teaching children nutrition is very important, and we鈥檙e doing it in a fun way that makes them excited about making food and trying it.鈥�

Story by Matt Michael and Cathleen O’Hare

A growing cohort of University faculty members from diverse disciplines is engaged in complementary research that bridges molecular biology, cell biology, biophysics, neuroscience and aging and has implications for the treatment of Alzheimer鈥檚 and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Recently bolstered by new hires who are focused on neuroscience and disordered proteins, the group of researchers exemplifies a key strength of the higher education environment, where a diverse range of experts can come together in a holistic way to work on tackling society鈥檚 most pressing issues.

鈥淭his is what universities do,鈥� says , vice president for research. 鈥淯niversities are the only places that have this kind of breadth and depth of expertise, where individuals can work to find causes, effects and cures for diseases that are affecting everyday Americans and their families.鈥�

Conversations Across Disciplines

The University has long had a solid portfolio of aging-related research, as evidenced by the work of faculty affiliates at the . There, scholars focus on population aging and health and functioning across the life course, among other areas.

鈥淔rom the aging studies perspective, we鈥檙e interested in understanding aging 鈥榝rom cells to society,鈥� and I think we are known for being particularly been strong on the society side,鈥� says , director of the institute and a professor of sociology in the .

Now, she says, the recent strategic hires position the University to further advance understanding of the molecular and cellular processes that might contribute to degenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer鈥檚 and related dementias, that affect aging populations.

鈥淭his is really enabling us to build some synergies that will be helpful moving forward,” Wilmoth says. “We鈥檙e working to increase conversations across the disciplines so that the people in physical sciences and neurosciences and social sciences are talking to one another.鈥�

Much of that molecular and cellular work is happening at the University鈥檚 , where some researchers are studying the role of disordered proteins鈥攆lexible cellular molecules that lack a fixed structure鈥攊n neurodegenerative disease. Among those researchers is , interim dean of the 听and professor of physics in the (A&S) (who was associate dean for creativity, scholarship and research in A&S at the time this interview was conducted). Like Wilmoth, she sees the potential for synergies across disciplines.

鈥淎t BioInspired, we have a lot of the molecular to cellular to tissue [expertise], but we don鈥檛 have as much on the human subject side,” Ross says. “There are some opportunities to make that bridge across.鈥�

New Faculty Members

Three of the new faculty members are part of a research cohort led by , associate professor of biology and chemistry, whose work focuses on proteins associated with neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases, particularly ALS. “[Hiring] this cohort was a grass-roots effort and would not have been possible without cross-University support,”听 Casta帽eda says. “We have a tremendous opportunity here to set the University and the broader Syracuse area as a national hub for new ways to study disordered proteins and their role in disease.”

, an assistant professor of chemistry, studies how proteins interact with their surroundings, with a particular focus on disordered proteins. He aims to understand how these proteins work in different situations, both inside and outside the cell, and how they contribute to both health and disease.

, an associate professor of biology, studies the development of centrosomes, which serve to organize cells and are key to cell division. Jao explores the process by which centrosomes are built, how they transport proteins within cells and how centrosome dysfunction contributes to human disease.

, an assistant professor of biology, is a plant molecular and cell biologist who examines how plants sense and respond to their environment, especially through the behavior of disordered proteins. Because plants are similar to humans at the cellular and protein level, her work contributes to an understanding of human disease and has potential to inform the development of new or improved medicines.

Another plant molecular and cell biologist who recently joined the University is , assistant professor of biology. She investigates how genes, behaviors and environmental factors can cause cellular change, particularly in stem cells. She also studies how environment and behavior contribute to age-related diseases.

Two of the new faculty members, whose research focuses on neuroscience, work together in a joint lab, where they create biomaterials and nano-scale drug delivery systems to remove toxins from proteins.

, assistant professor of biology, studies molecular-level mechanisms related to Alzheimer鈥檚, Parkinson鈥檚 and multiple sclerosis. He investigates how intrinsically disordered proteins are related to nervous system deterioration and also examines how inflammation and metabolic dysfunctions affect听 body-brain interaction and how obesity affects nervous system functions.

, assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, studies how insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation and the recycling and repairing of damaged cells is related to Parkinson鈥檚, some liver disease and metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Rounding out the cohort is , who joined the University last year as an associate professor of economics. Her research looks at labor, aging and health, with a focus on the economics of caregiving. She is a faculty associate at the Aging Studies Institute and a faculty affiliate at the Center for Aging and Policy Studies.

鈥楢lways Send Out the Team鈥�

Ross says this kind of diversity of expertise that spans multiple disciplines and angles of inquiry is required for the pursuit of new knowledge.

鈥淔undamental research is like looking for a lost child in the woods,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou would never send out one person; you would always send out the team.鈥�

She says each researcher will make new discoveries, even discoveries not necessarily related to the initial inquiry. For example, work on Alzheimer鈥檚 or other neurodegenerative disease may inadvertently lead to new ways of fighting physically degenerative disease.

鈥淭he pathway that we use to get to the end point is the important part, because that’s the pathway that allows every single researcher to be covering all the ground that needs to be covered to make all of the technological pushes for the future,鈥� Ross says.

Adds Wilmoth: 鈥淪yracuse is uniquely positioned to come at this from different angles and maybe offer a different perspective. Having faculty who have complimentary interests and skillsets enables the sort of creativity that is only possible when you have a critical mass of faculty.鈥�