Research at Adelphi University, NY: News From President Riordan

April 2018

From My Desk: News from President Riordan

Can math save your life? Can nurses fight addiction? We're answering these and other fascinating questions at Adelphi.

I often walk over to our playing fields at Adelphi to catch a softball or lacrosse game, incognito. I like to join the whooping and cheering in the stands. But sometimes I find myself wishing all our students—the ones in the labs, in research facilities and out in the field—had the same kind of cheering for their incredible contributions to Adelphi.

This issue, which is all about research, is my way of cheering all those at Adelphi, faculty as well as students, who are hard at work in labs and hospitals, at conferences and seminars, on mountainsides and in urban centers around the world.

My new President's Report will give you some insight into how we are supporting faculty research, including our work with Brookhaven National Laboratory. See my favorite picture of math problems being solved—floor to ceiling—on page 4, as part of our Applied Mathematics and Statistics program.

In our labs, we are studying tools from the first Americans, crunching numbers that can help us understand the likelihood of getting cancer, and exploring fatherhood and child development. Those stories are below. And with the citywide ransomware hack of Atlanta a few weeks ago, which The New Yorker called "seemingly random and definitely worrisome," our work in cybersecurity, below, is even more urgently important.

I wish I could share with you a summary of Assistant Professor Branden Stone, Ph.D.'s work on maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules, syzygies and homological algebra, but, he told us, "It would take 15 minutes to explain it." He and his students present their research at national conferences to those who do understand it.

And in our most far-afield research, Kathryn Krasinski, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology, took a three-week research trip to the remote archipelago of the Falkland Islands, off the tip of South America, to do excavation work. When she was able to get cell ser vice, she shared this picture (at right), noting, “Here is a gentoo mom and chick from New Island, Falkland Islands, which the crew passed every day on our commute to the field site.”

That’s the kind of cheering section every researcher should have.

Christine M. Riordan, Ph.D.

President

“Research is not just about playing with pipettes. The fight is worth doing.”

Watch how this brilliant biology professor inspires her students—by wheeling a patient into the lab to work alongside students.

Adelphi’s social work program is ranked in the top 5 percent in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. Global research like this is part of the reason why.

Carol S. Cohen, D.S.W.’s research on partnerships between programs in the United States and abroad uncovers how social work is changing lives around the globe.

» Read about it

Research into hackproof electronic voting is just one way computer science students and professors at Adelphi are breaking ground in information science. High-level research into privacy, and uncovering threats to privacy posed by new voice-activated virtual assistants, is another recent initiative. Alexa, we’re watching you.

» Take a look

Research shows that when fathers are engaged, children thrive. A study by Diann Kelly, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Social Work, identifies the benefits that emotionally involved fathers provide their children. Read it in time for Father’s Day, and let it inspire your parenting.

» Read the story

Amidst the opioid crisis, professor discovers need to redefine the role of nurses . A newly published paper by Clinical Assistant Professor Marissa Abram '08, Ph.D. '17, is one of the first to explore the role of nurses in addressing the opioid epidemic. Its findings call for a new approach to providing care.

» See why

Adelphi researchers explore nanotechnology’s potential for solving big problems. Associate Professor Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, Ph.D., and her students are working to develop advanced materials that can improve the efficiency of solar panels and remove pollutants from water.

» Learn more

Can math saves lives? Our research shows it can. Assistant Professor Joshua Hiller, Ph.D., develops mathematical models that identify cancer risks. His studies have yielded surprising findings that might help in the development of new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.

» Read about it

Transgender health risks, brought to light. An alumna’s research may help improve transgender health. Her journal article on the health challenges faced by the transgender community began as a senior thesis and demonstrates the power of collaboration between an undergraduate student and a professor.

» Learn how

Athletics Update

Spring Sports Arrive After a Wonderful Winter Season.

Winter sports came to an end for the department after hosting the East Coast Conference Bowling Championship and sending three track and field athletes to the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas. We've already gotten off to an impressive spring start as both lacrosse teams and softball have posted a combined overall record of 22-2-1. We also welcomed back almost 25 alumni for the Athletics Department’s annual Student-Athlete Mentoring Night event, where former Adelphi athletes return to speak to upperclassmen about their career paths postgraduation.

On the second annual Adelphi Giving Day, the athletics campaign to fund purchases of new equipment for our trainers brought in $7,754 from 125 gifts, which was the second-highest dollar amount raised among all the causes. All spring sports are now underway, and we look forward to lots of action and celebrations for every team in April!

Alumni Making a Difference

Lionel Viret ’95

We are deeply grateful for the pledge of $1 million to support Adelphi’s Faculty Leadership Fellows Initiative, now renamed the Viret Family Faculty Leadership Fellows Program. Viret, who resides in Paris, has pledged this gift to groom faculty members for rol es as chairs, deans and administrators. Our faculty, and all of Adelphi, thank him for this extraordinary gift.

Merci, notre ami!

Momentum Tour 2017–2018

See how you can be part of our story. My Momentum Tour 2017–2018: Stories of Lives Changed: Hear Ours, Tell Yours will be in Chicago on April 18 and Philadelphia on April 26. Join us and see how we’re transforming lives.