Chris Campanioni, PhD (English, NYC, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences) is a lecturer in the English department. His research interests include diaspora and migration studies, global media and intermedial studies, and digital poetics.

The spring semester has been a rewarding one for Prof. Campanioni whose recent books, VHS (CLASH Books) and north by north/west (West Virginia University Press), have been selected as finalists for the Media Ecology Association’s Mary Shelley Award for Outstanding Fictional Work and the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in Multicultural Nonfiction, respectively.

Earlier last month, Prof. Campanioni presented new research related to his scholarly monograph, Drift Net (Lever Press), also published last year, at the annual Society of Cinema and Media Studies conference. The talk, “Staging Surveillance as a Form of Eyewitness,” explored how Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian artists have repurposed the archive through amateur surveillance and fictional documentation and narrative. His theorization of autobiography as an insecure mode vulnerable to infection also appeared in the latest issue of The Brooklyn Rail (April 2026). On the horizon is the poetry collection Rolling Windows, which will launch on June 15 from Roof Books and the Segue Foundation. Poems from the book appeared earlier this month in both the scholarly journal Explorations in Media Ecology 25.1 (2026) and the Poetry Project Newsletter 283 (Winter 2026).

Prof. Campanioni’s research connecting migration and media studies has been recognized with the Calder Prize and two Mellon Foundation fellowships, and his writing has received the Pushcart Prize, International Latino Book Award, and Academy of American Poets College Prize. His essays, poetry, and fiction have been translated into Spanish and Portuguese, and have found a home in several venues, including Best American Essays and Latin American Literature Today.

Andriy Danylenko, PhD (Modern Languages and Cultures, NYC, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences) is professor and a renowned Slavist. He is Distinguished Professor at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (Ukraine) and the author and editor of dozens of books on Slavic linguistics and philology as well as many studies on a wide array of topics ranging from Indo-European and Semitic Studies to areal typology and literary Ukrainian. He lectured across the world, including universities in Canada, US, Iceland, Australia, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Germany, Austria, and Ukraine. He is the founding editor of the series, Studies in Slavic, Baltic, and Eastern European Languages and Cultures (Bloomsbury Academic).

Prof. Danylenko is a recipient of several prestigious fellowships, including two Fulbright grants (2016, 2026, both at Warsaw University), Eugene and Daymel Shklar Research Fellowship (2008, Harvard University), Foreign Visiting Scholar Fellowship, Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University (2009, Sapporo, Japan), “Invitation Fellowship” from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Hokkaido University (2013, Sapporo, Japan), among others.

Among his latest achievements is the Ukrainian translation of his award-winning English book From the Bible to Shakespeare. Pantelejmon Kuliš (1819-1897) and the Formation of Literary Ukrainian (Boston, MA: Academic Studies Press, 2016) which was chosen as the best book in Slavic linguistic by the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages and The American Association for Ukrainian Studies. The Ukrainian-language version is the winner of the 2024 Meletii Smotrycky Competition (University of Warsaw, Poland) for the best monograph on Belarusian and Ukrainian culture and of the 2025 Ivan Franko International Prize (Lviv, Ukraine).



Prof. Danylenko is currently working on a new book Constantine the Philosopher and Ibn al-Nadīm on Rusʹian Writing: Rusʹ, Slavs, and Their Neighbors in Early Arabic-Islamic Sources (under contract with DeGruyter Brill). The latest article, “Slavic in al-Andalus and Ifrīqīyah: A Case of Linguistic Hybridization in the Late 1st Millennium”, covering one of the topics of the book project, was published in Le Journal Asiatique (1.2005) .

Pace University’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program has been ranked as a Best Graduate Program in Public Affairs by the U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) for the second consecutive year. The MPA program is the only graduate program in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, and one of the four graduate disciplines at Pace University to hold this highly distinctive ranking (along with programs in the Law School, Business School and Nursing). This continued recognition reflects Pace’s MPA growing prestige and impact in public service education through the outstanding contributions and accolades of our faculty, staff and students and the support of the Dyson College, and Pace University. 

Faculty and students raise the reputation and visibility of the MPA program. Key accomplishments for the 2025-2026 academic year include:

Sheying Chen, PhD, Professor of Public Administration, is the co-editor of two Springer Nature international book series: International Perspectives on Social Policy, Administration and Practice, and Interdisciplinary Research on Healthcare and Social Service.

Areeba Hashmi, MPA Student, is a 2026 Founders' Fellow with the American Society for Public Administration. She is the first Pace student to receive this highly competitive national fellowship.

Tiffany Henley, PhD, Associate Professor of Public Administration, is the Chair of the Section on Health and Human Services Administration of the American Society for Public Administration. 

Hillary Knepper, PhD, Professor of Public Administration, is the District 1 National Council Representative of the American Society for Public Administration, and a member of the Policy Committee for the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. She also serves as the Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration.

Ric Kolenda, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Public Administration, serves on the Executive Board of the Section on Public Administration Education and is the Treasurer of the New York Metropolitan Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.

Gina Scutelnicu-Todoran, PhD, Professor and Chair of Public Administration, is the Immediate Past Chair of the Northeast Conference of Public Administration, and a member of the Data Committee for NASPAA. She also serves as the Associate Editor for two journals: Public Administration Quarterly and Public Integrity.

Rebecca Tekula, PhD, Professor, Associate Provost for External Engagement and Faculty Opportunity, and Executive Director of the Wilson Center, serves on the Executive Board of the Public and Nonprofit Division of the Association of Management. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of the multi-year grant, "The City and the Sea" from the Teagle Foundation, which provides year-long fellowships in public service and civic education and engagement for Pace undergraduate students. 

Serena Maszak is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology, Health Emphasis PhD program. She received the American Psychology-Law society Graduate Student Grants-in-Aid award for her project with Nils Myszkowski, PhD (Psychology, NYC, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences) titled “Bias in Forensic Risk Assessment: A Psychometric Analysis of the Static-99R” which examines the measurement invariance and predictive invariance of the Static-99R, the most widely used measure of sexual violence recidivism. This award from the American Psychological Association's Division 41 funds graduate student empirical research on psycholegal issues. Serena's research interests include equity in the criminal-legal system, sexual violence prevention, and healthcare experiences of marginalized groups with a focus on LGBTQ+ communities. She is a current psychology extern at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center. 

Triha Modha is a graduate student in the Department of Psychology. Her academic and professional interests include clinical psychology and human resources, with a strong focus on understanding human behavior, mental health, organizational well-being, and career development. She is particularly interested in how psychological principles can be applied in both clinical settings to support mental health and in organizational contexts to enhance workplace functioning and well-being.

Triha has been awarded the 2026 Dyson GR Career Services Award, which recognizes graduating students who demonstrate strong commitment to career preparation through meaningful engagement in internships, research, clinical work, or other applied professional experiences. The award highlights students who show exceptional professional growth and the ability to integrate classroom learning into real-world settings, while demonstrating dedication to their long-term career goals.

Faculty News

Melvin Williams, PhD (Communication and Media Arts, NYC, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences) appeared on The Tamron Hall Show, a nationally syndicated daytime talk show. Prof. Williams discussed his expertise on social media trends among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Watch the clip here.

After being included in the famous London Book Fair followed by a book launch at the iconic Waterstone Bookstore, Catalina Florina Florescu’s, PhD (English, NYC, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences) The Brain Is the Ocean We Live in traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland for a series of events related to creative writing and medicine – her main research and teaching passion. The volume was featured at the Poets’ House in New York where the author read during its 30th Showcase Community Reading

In early April, the collection continued its free events at the Pace Library and at the Hoboken Public Library. It will also be featured during the Office and Research and Graduate Education Research Conference, on a panel entitled “The Human Experience: Research, Creative Work, and Interdisciplinary Dialogue” (moderated by Professor Anna Grace Flynn), at the Little City Books, alongside poet Ann Wallace, and at Cărtureşti Modul, Bucharest, Romania.

Professor Florescu is looking forward to reading poems, promoting her own poésie trouvée style, and prescribing poetry as a therapeutic outlet to aspiring and established poets alike.

The volume appeared at Solis Press in London, UK, and it is now available at Barnes and Noble, Harvard Bookstore, and Amazon, among other platforms.

It has been endorsed by poets Clara Burghelea, Andra Rotaru, Faisal Mohyuddin, and Sam Illingworth. In Romanian, Prof. Florescu was interviewed by Simona Chitan, cultural ambassador of Romanian local and diasporic voices, as well as by Luminita Voinea for “Românii de pretutindeni” broadcasted by the National Romanian Radio.

Veronica Dolar, PhD (Economics, NYC, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences) published “Enhancing Student Engagement in Economics Education” in International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education 16. 1 (April 2026). This paper, co-authored with undergraduate student Victoria Kang, explores the use of Perusall, a collaborative annotation platform, to improve student engagement and dialogue in an Economics of Gender, Race, and Class course. The study examines how structured, asynchronous discussions can support meaningful conversations around complex and sensitive topics that are often difficult to navigate in traditional classroom settings.

Using survey data and descriptive analysis, the findings show that Perusall fosters greater participation, encourages inclusive dialogue, and enhances students’ ability to engage critically with issues of inequality. The paper highlights the potential of innovative digital tools to strengthen economics pedagogy, particularly in courses that emphasize pluralism and real-world social challenges.

This work reflects an ongoing commitment to undergraduate research and student collaboration, as well as to advancing inclusive and evidence-based teaching practices in economics.

Interdisciplinary Conversations Series Launches with Inaugural Session on Mental and Physical Health

The Office of Research and Graduate Education at Pace University successfully launched its new Interdisciplinary Conversations series with an inaugural session titled “Mental Health and Physical Health Across Disciplines.” Held at the NYC campus on April 13th 2026, the event brought together a panel of faculty from across the University for a meaningful exchange of ideas, perspectives, and potential collaborations.

Panelists included:

• Belinda Anderson, PhD, Associate Dean and Professor, Allied Health, College of Health Professions, NYC
• Christopher DeJesus, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychology, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, NYC
• Diana Lote, Adjunct Professor, Acting for Film and Media, Sands College of Performing Arts, NYC
• Erin Gleason Alvarez, JD, Adjunct Professor; Director, Mediation Practicum; Director, Amelia A. Gould Representation in Mediation Clinic, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, White Plains
• Katherine Richardson, PhD, Associate Dean, Management and Management Science, Lubin School of Business, NYC
• Yegin Genc, PhD, Associate Professor and Associate Dean, Seidenberg School of CSIS, NYC

The session was moderated by Sethu Karthikeyan, PhD, Associate Professor at College of Health Professions, whose framing of stress and human adaptation provided a unifying lens for the discussion.

The panelists presented perspectives from the performing arts, business, computer sciences, complementary and alternative medicine, and psychology on health at the intersection of mind and body. A central theme that emerged from the discussion was the inseparability of mental and physical health. Panelists examined how stress shaped by biological, social, organizational, and technological factors manifest across different contexts. Topics ranged from trauma-informed care and integrative medicine to mindfulness in conflict resolution, communication and emotional expression, workplace well-being, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in understanding and influencing mental health.

The conversation also highlighted a critical challenge: while human stress responses evolved to manage short-term threats, today’s environments often expose individuals to prolonged, complex stressors. This mismatch underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches that bridge individual, systemic, and technological perspectives.

In addition, Elina Bloch, PhD, Associate Director for Sponsored Research, shared insights on identifying and pursuing foundation grant opportunities to support interdisciplinary collaboration.

The event concluded with an engaging open discussion, where attendees contributed their perspectives and explored opportunities for future collaboration. The Interdisciplinary Conversations series aims to foster ongoing dialogue, spark new partnerships, and support innovative research initiatives across disciplines at Pace University.

Annual Spring Research Conference

The Human Experience: Research, Creative Work,

and Interdisciplinary Dialogue

Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

NYC Campus Register to attend 

The 2026 Spring Research Conference invites attendees to explore how art, science, technology, and the humanities intersect to shape the contemporary human experience. This year’s theme encourages dynamic engagement with research and creative practice across disciplines, highlighting how global perspectives and local action can work together to advance equity, sustainability, and the common good. Through presentations, creative works, and interdisciplinary dialogue, the conference provides an inclusive forum for scholars, artists, practitioners, and graduate students from all fields to exchange ideas, share research, and cultivate new collaborations. We invite you to register now to save the date.

Additional information about the conference, including submission guidelines and event details, may be found on the conference website. For questions or additional information, please contact the Program Chair, Anna Beskin, PhD, at abeskin@pace.edu.

Foundation Directory, developed by Candid, is a powerful online research database designed to help nonprofit organizations, faculty, researchers, and grant seekers identify and evaluate potential funding sources. Updated daily, it provides access to more than 304,000 grantmaker profiles, including Form 990 data, interactive maps of past giving, and detailed application guidelines.



The Office of Research and Graduate Education maintains an active subscription to Foundation Directory and is available to support faculty in exploring funding opportunities. If you are interested in a customized grant search, please contact Elina Bloch, Associate Director, Sponsored Research, at ebloch@pace.edu.

Spring 2026 Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry Day

Thursday, May 7, 2026 | New York City Campus | In-Person Session |

 12pm-6pm

The Pace Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry Day is designed to feature presentations by undergraduates from across the schools and colleges who have engaged in faculty-mentored research and creative inquiry during the academic year.

With the support of their mentors, students are encouraged to present scholarly or artistic/creative work as part of a: 1) course-based research (or creative inquiry) assignment; 2) research-based award program; 3) co-curricular project; or 4) in fulfillment of their Senior Capstone, or Honors College thesis requirements.

With ongoing societal challenges to expertise and the value of research, the continuing engagement of our students in inquiry-based learning remains critically important. Please attend and support our student researchers and artists!

Consult the undergraduate research website for program details.

CALL FOR SELF-NOMINATIONS!

Faculty Undergraduate Research Mentor Award

This award honors faculty members who have demonstrated exemplary mentoring of Pace undergraduate students in research and creative inquiry projects. Recipients will receive a monetary award and a plaque in recognition of their achievement.

Learn more and apply!
Application Deadline: Thursday, April 30, 2026

For questions contact:

Norma Quiridumbay, CURE Director of Operations at nquiridumbay@pace.edu



Maria Iacullo-Bird, PhD, Assistant Provost for Research at miacullobird@pace.edu

Sign up with Pace Team to Help Beat Breast Cancer! Want to support the 1 in 8 women who will be affected by breast cancer in their lifetime? The Susan G. Komen® 2026 “Race”(actually, just a walk!!) for the Cure is underway! Please consider joining our Pace team (whether in person or virtually as a “sleeper”). It will take place in NYC and together we will all cross the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, October 24th! Register now on the Pace Team Page. This is Pace’s 36^th year participating thanks to Professor Emeritus, Ellen Mandel, PhD, and we have consistently received the honor of highest participation rate for a college or university!

Do you have a recent publication, grant, or other updates?

Share your research news here

Visit the Office of Research and Graduate Education website for information and updates

Questions? Email: Elina Bloch, PhD, Associate Director, Sponsored Research

at ebloch@pace.edu