Page 34 - Annual Report 2012-2013

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). e NSf
S-STeM National projects meeting took place in october. At this national meeting
of over 400 NSf principal investigators, project officers, and policy makers, Suffolk
County Community College was afforded a national platform to highlight the wide
scope and breadth of our quality STeM initiatives. Dr. Candice foley chaired two
sessions at this national meeting and College STeM scholar Cassandra Nyati, who is
also a SUNY Chancellor’s education Pipeline research Scholar, participated on the
student panel. e College’s office of institutional Advancement produced a video for
airing at this event that featured the College and its scholars, SUNY administration,
Brookhaven National Lab, and statewide STeM project directors delivering a strong
narrative about the NSf S-STeM program at Suffolk.
Dr. Candice foley and Associate Dean Nina Leonhardt delivered a presentation at the
244th American Chemical Society’s National Meeting and exposition in Philadelphia.
entitled, “Assessment of Community College Student Participation in STeM
research Projects,” their session addressed the need for more STeM professionals in
the U.S. and illustrated how the College has obtained grant funding for an inclusive
STeM support model. is model focuses on the impact of including social and
cultural supports in addition to traditional academic services and internships upon
STeM student persistence and success. Since 2007, the College has leveraged NSf
S-STeM grants and a Collegiate Science and Technology entry Program (CSTeP) to
create a STeM community of scholars.
in March, Tim Killeen, President of the research foundation for SUNY (rf) and
SUNY vice Chancellor for research, announced that the rf was redeploying
$300,000 for the specific purpose of offering opportunities for undergraduate
students to participate in STeM research projects. As a result of Suffolk’s strong
programmatic NSf S-STeM grant outcomes and collaborations for community
college student research experiences and opportunities, Candice J. foley, Ph.D.,
Professor of Chemistry and the College’s NSf S-STeM Pi/Chair, has been asked to
join the new SUNY STeM Undergraduate research committee being established
by the research foundation. is committee will explore opportunities to create a
more robust program to enhance research opportunities in the STeM disciplines for
undergraduate students across the SUNY system. A primary goal of the program will
be to stimulate undergraduate recruitment and retention in the STeM disciplines
through to graduation.
Suffolk County Community College’s STeP students’ research posters and
accompanying oral presentations were well received at the 2013 STeP Statewide
Student research Poster Competition in Albany:
• Giselle A. feliciano (10th grade, Brentwood High School) secured 2nd Place,
Biological/Life Sciences- Junior Division, for her project, e Effect of Titanium
Dioxide Nano-particles on the Regeneration Rate and Motility of Planeria Dugesia.
is research explored the effect of nanoparticles on regenerating organisms which
could lead to medical applications such as regenerating body parts and healing
wounds. Giselle was mentored by Suffolk Professor vladimir Jurukovski (Biology)
along with biology mentors at Stony Brook University.
• John Mele (12th grade, Central islip High School) secured 3rd Place, Physical
Sciences- Senior Division, for his project, Stretching DNA Molecules on a Flexible
Substrate Probed by Polarized-Dependent Fluorescence Microscopy . is research
focused on the ability to stretch DNA strands by using polymers. Applications
of this work could lead to deeper understanding of the genomic sequencing of the
human DNA molecular structure. John was mentored by Suffolk Professors
34 ❘ 2012-2013 Review of Accomplishments