Interface https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface A newsletter for employees of SUNY Poly Fri, 07 Sep 2018 19:53:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.2 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/wp-content/uploads/files//2019/12/favicon-90x90.png Interface https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface 32 32 Highlighting traditions in ceremonial dress https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/highlighting-traditions-in-ceremonial-dress/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:55 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4530 This past summer, the Edward W. Root Sculpture Court in the Museum of Art at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute became a showcase for ceremonial clothing from around the world thanks to the efforts of SUNY Poly’s own Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Kathryn Stam.

Dr. Stam was guest curator for the exhibition “Global Splendor: Traditions in Ceremonial Dress,” where she brought together an assortment of garments that represent important cultural traditions, rituals, or ceremonies from collections in the greater Utica community.

As part of the exhibition, Dr. Stam, along with Midtown Utica Community Center Executive Director Chris Sunderlin led a discussion June 13 to discuss the traditional attire from countries represented in Utica’s culturally diverse population.

Global Splendor highlighted traditional and ceremonial dress from some of the many cultures present in Utica. Historically, the city attracted immigrants from Ireland, Wales, Lebanon, Italy, Poland, and, more recently, from the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries. Refugees fleeing war-torn countries began resettling here in 1978 and their numbers now exceed 16,000 with the most recent arrivals from Sudan, Burma, Nepal, and Somalia.

Ceremonial dress places people in space, time, social status, and context. Anthropologists rely on a culture’s textiles, jewelry, and other evidence of bodily adornment because they tell us stories about the group’s tools, availability of materials, skill, and contact with others. A desire to affiliate with or reject other groups is also evident in seemingly simple decisions about dress and the patterns, colors, and motifs lovingly created within them. Clothing reveals cultural norms related to gender, marital status, and how much of our bodies may be shown in public, as well as how clothing can make public spaces feel more private, for example with the use of head scarves. Temporal considerations such as the change of seasons, life cycles, and even the time of day are signified in dress as well, responding to cultural concepts of appropriate roles and public behavior.

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Nano-based educational sessions for Albany youth https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/nano-based-educational-sessions-for-albany-youth/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:55 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4525 Children from local public and charter schools had the chance to team with representatives from SUNY Poly and take part in exciting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-focused (STEM) concepts this summer as part of a weekly program at the Albany-based 15-LOVE.

The children took part in hands-on nano-centered activities each week and made a nano and nature-inspired butterfly craft during their initial session.

Throughout the following weeks, sessions included activities that teach principles related to gravity and density with nanoparticle bottles and density balls; electricity and magnetism with tin can robots and magnetic slime; solar power with solar s’mores; polymers with silly putty; and the final session featuring nano-inspired treats.

SUNY Poly’s educational outreach efforts provide valuable educational experiences to people from all backgrounds and complements 15-LOVE’s mission focusing on development of the whole child through life lessons.

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Online nursing program launches https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/online-nursing-program-launches/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:51 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4512

SUNY Poly’s roster of online degree programs continues to expand, with the launch of a bachelor’s degree in nursing this fall.

Through its online format, students from all over New York State, the country, and even the world will have access to the courses, faculty, and resources of SUNY Poly’s Nursing Department, allowing even those that are working full-time the ability to still complete a college degree in a format that is convenient to them, providing those with busy lifestyles and work schedules an educational option built upon a strong history of excellence at a great price point.

This online version of the long-running and highly successful on-campus nursing program at SUNY Poly reflects the changes occurring in the nursing profession and addresses the changing landscape of healthcare. For instance, topics such as ethics and epidemiology are integrated into all the courses as they are essential content areas that are highly relevant within multiple courses instead of being standalone courses. A course in Care Management has been added to the nursing curriculum to assist nurses in facilitating patient care seamlessly throughout the health care system. Also, the Public Health curriculum has been redesigned into one course to reflect the interwoven nature of the relationship of learning about community health support services and public health organizations within one’s community and aligning this information with the experiential component of the course. Students in Public Health will now be working in the field of community and public health at the same time they are taught the role and responsibility of the public health nurse and the appropriate ways of accessing support services across communities.

Registered nurses work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, physicians’ offices, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities, outpatient clinics, schools, or serve in the military. These professionals provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.

“The Department of Nursing at SUNY Poly is extremely excited to be welcoming the first class of students to the online nursing program,” said Dr. Kathleen Rourke, Interim Dean of the College of Nursing. “Given the new law requiring Associate prepared nurses to complete their BS within ten years, we believe our program is an excellent choice at a great price point and enables students from throughout New York State to complete the program on their schedule.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Registered Nurses is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. The bureau also estimates that with an increased emphasis on preventative care, growing rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity, along with an aging baby-boom population and longer, more active lives, there will likely be an increase demand for healthcare services.

 

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Dr. Lu joins SUNY Poly as Dean of CBM https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/dr-lu-joins-suny-poly-as-dean-of-cbm/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:39 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4515 SUNY Poly is proud to welcome Dr. Xinjian (Arthur) Lu as Dean of the College of Business Management.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Lu to SUNY Poly,” said Dr. Grace Wang, Interim President of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “His experience in the world of business, higher education, and research is a perfect match with the goals and mission of our College of Business Management. We are confident that Dr. Lu, together with our outstanding faculty members, will continue to drive academic excellence of the College and provide unique, world-class learning opportunities to our students.”

With a Ph.D. in Management Sciences, two master’s degrees (M.S. in Computing & Information Science and M.S. in Systems in Engineering) and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Dr. Lu joins SUNY Poly from the College of Business and Economics at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB), where he was serving as Interim Dean of the College of Business and Economics. At CSUEB since 1999, Dr. Lu has also served as Associate Dean, Chair and Associate Chair of the Department of Management, and Professor of numerous undergraduate and graduate courses in Operations Management and Computer Information Systems. With a myriad of publications in refereed journals to his name, Dr. Lu also brings with him industry experience as a software engineer at Mortice Kern Systems and Prior Data Science.

“With his extensive background and experience and his well-developed leadership skills, Dr. Lu is the perfect candidate to lead our College of Business Management as it continues to rapidly grow and expand,” said Dr. Steven Schneider, Interim Provost at SUNY Poly. “We are confident that with Dr. Lu as our Dean, the already impressive track record of the College of Business Management will continue to reach new heights.”

The Dean of the College of Business Management (CBM) helps to promote the vision, mission, and focus of the institution with a commitment to advancing the merged institution with strong advocacy on campus and in the community. With duties that include recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty, the Dean of the CBM helps maintain SUNY Poly’s position as a world-class institution, leading the way in education to prepare its students for the 21st Century economy and workplace.

“I was drawn to the opportunity at SUNY Poly because of its 21st century model of promoting the technology-driven ‘knowledge-based’ economy of New York State while providing an unparalleled experiential learning, research, and development platform for students, staff, faculty, and community partners,” says Dr. Lu. “Being a polytechnic institution’s business school, the College has a unique advantage to collaborate with other colleges in SUNY Poly on innovative programs that can serve the ever-evolving demand for talent in areas such as data science, business analytics, and artificial intelligence, among others.”

With graduate programs individually ranked by U.S. News & World Report, SUNY Poly’s College of Business Management offers students the opportunity to learn about and become leaders in the realms of global business, technology management, accounting, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Major programs of study within the CBM include Master of Business Administration in Technology Management, Master of Science in Accountancy Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Forensic Accounting & Valuation, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and Bachelor of Science in Accounting. The rigorous programs within CBM are accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Colleges and Schools of Business (ACSB) International – a worldwide gold-standard. Fewer than 5% of the world’s business degree-granting schools are AACSB accredited, and SUNY Poly is proud to be among them.

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Convocation 2018 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/convocation-2018/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:38 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4533 Though summer may not official end until late September, the winds of change were in the air as students returned for a new fall semester at SUNY Poly, and with it, a Convocation ceremony to officially kick off the start of the 2018-2019 academic year.

Presented at the Wildcat Field House on the Utica campus of SUNY Poly and streamed live to NanoFab South Auditorium on the Albany campus.

As do most higher education institutions, SUNY Poly holds convocation to formally mark the start of the academic year, welcoming new students and welcoming back faculty, staff, and administrators. The August 28 ceremony also serves to reaffirm SUNY Poly’s commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, and the academic, cultural, and social growth of the entire community.

“We all have enjoyed incredible successes in getting here,” said Interim Provost Dr. Steven Schneider, opening up the ceremony and welcoming all in attendance. “And we anticipate incredible success in moving forward and moving toward your graduation. You can anticipate great teaching and great learning, tremendous research. You can anticipate new academic programs, new facilities, and most importantly, a variety of student accomplishments. We will see those accomplishments on the athletic fields, in our laboratories, in our classrooms, in our dorms and in our community. So there will be a lot to be proud of.”

It was a day of greetings, as well as a day of encouragement, as noted by the President of Student Government at Utica, Tucker Mogren, also a senior in the computer information science program.

“From student clubs, to sports teams, to on campus events, there is something to fit all of your interests here at SUNY Poly,” Tucker told the students in the audience. “I encourage each of you to get involved in the amazing opportunities SUNY Poly has to offer in order to make your experience at this institution all the more fulfilling.”

The 2018 Convocation Keynote Speaker was Dr. Grace Wang, who took the reins as SUNY Poly’s new Interim President in July.

“This is a time when you can break boundaries…you can take risks to achieve success,” Dr. Wang encouraged the crowd, and extolling the unique experience that is a SUNY Poly education. “Learning is not only about exploring or seeing the world in new ways. It’s about being experiential.”

With a visual presentation that covered both campuses, faculty, resources, and more, Dr. Wang touched upon the myriad of programs and opportunities available to students.

“Your time at SUNY poly is your chance to explore,” she said. “Your time here will help you strive in the years to come, and in the jobs to come…I wish you a very successful and productive academic year.”

With so many incoming freshmen present, the room was filled with the potential to make a difference in the world – not in some far off future, but here and now, for those willing to stand up and take part, something Vice President for Student Affairs Marybeth Lyons couldn’t stress enough.

“There’s too much to do to be off to the sidelines watching it,” said Marybeth during closing remarks. “Step off the bench, step into the sun, and forge the course of each new day. And those days, those experiences, will remain with you throughout your entire life.”

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Have a story to tell? https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/have-a-story-to-tell-18/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:35 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4545 Do you have a story to tell? An accomplishment you’re proud of? Photos of a successful event you’d like everyone to see? As a guest contributor to Interface, you can share your news with the entire SUNY Poly community.

Simply write your story between 200 and 500 words in length and send it, along with supporting photos if available, to news@sunyit.edu and it will be considered for publication in a future issue of Interface.  You can also the same address with any questions.

We look forward to sharing your story.

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Ranked in Top 5 for cybersecurity degrees https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/ranked-in-top-5-for-cybersecurity-degrees/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:25 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4522 SUNY Poly has been listed among “the 5 best cyber security degree providers in New York.”

The website cybersecuritydegrees.com evaluated schools across New York State, taking into account whether institutions are an NSA Center of Academic Excellence, the range of cyber security-related degrees offered, and a wide array of metrics that examine academic quality, affordability, return on investment, and student satisfaction.

SUNY Poly’s academic offerings in Network and Computer Security include both a Bachelor of Science program and a Master of Science program. The Master of Science in Network and Computer Security is available on campus or via online.

One of the hottest current technical fields today, the demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to grow each year. Computer security, also known as cyber security, is the protection of computer systems from the theft of and damage to their hardware, software, or information, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. Cybersecurity touches almost every aspect of modern life with news headlines frequently highlighting the importance of securing information systems, which play key roles in personal safety, personal privacy, social interactions, financial systems, commerce, and critical infrastructure such as power, water, food, and even election systems.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Network and Computer Security: Cybersecurity (NCS) program provides graduates with a thorough understanding of the technologies used to provide and secure modern network and computing infrastructures. Core courses provide a firm background in information security principles, data communications networks, and computer system security, while the wide range of electives enables a customized program to be developed.

 

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Manufacturing Day Expo returns October 12 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/manufacturing-day-expo-returns-october-12/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:15 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4549

Manufacturers and businesses from across New York State are coming to SUNY Poly October 12 from 8:30 – 11:30 am as the SUNY Poly Manufacturing Day Expo returns!

Free and open to the public, the annual Manufacturing Day Expo hosts manufacturers, businesses, and educators, as well as community member and students who are interested in manufacturing careers inside the Wildcat Field House on the Utica campus of SUNY Poly.

Manufacturers from across the state will showcase their products and technologies amongst 50+ interactive exhibits, as well as discuss immediate workforce needs and opportunities with students, the unemployed, underemployed, and veterans. Ranked #6 by U.S. News and World Report among Best Colleges for Veterans in Regional Universities (North), SUNY Poly makes a concerted effort to attract service members from Fort Drum to the event, ahead of their eventual transition out of military service. Additionally, middle and high school students from more than 25 school districts will learn about the importance of STEM studies in preparing for manufacturing careers.

The American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) will also have an information booth where representatives will highlight the industry driven public-private partnership that focuses the nation’s premiere capabilities and expertise to strengthen U.S. leadership in photonics. Expo attendees will be able to learn more about the opportunities that AIM Photonics and the growing integrated photonics industry afford, both in New York State—and across the nation.

New this year is the first-ever Manufacturing Recruitment Day for SUNY Poly students from Noon to 2 p.m. following the Expo, sponsored by the Office of Career Services. This opportunity allows SUNY Poly students to connect directly with potential employers.

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Sodexo presents Foundation with $15,000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/09/01/sodexo-presents-foundation-with-15000/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 08:00:09 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4517 Student scholarships are getting a little boost thanks to the generosity of SUNY Poly’s own food service provider, Sodexo.

On July 17, representatives from Sodexo presented a check for $15,000 to the SUNY Poly Foundation to support student scholarships and to streamline the Foundation’s administration of funds and stewartship efforts between the Foundation and SUNY Poly alumni and donors.

SUNY Poly Chief Operating Office and Chief of Staff Michael Frame, Assistant Vice President of Development Andrea LaGatta, and Director of Auxiliary Services Corporation John Reale were onhand to accept the check from Sodexo.

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Earth Walk exhibit celebrates nature and artistry https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/2018/08/01/earth-walk-exhibit-celebrates-nature-and-artistry/ Wed, 01 Aug 2018 08:00:58 +0000 https://webapp.sunypoly.edu/interface/?p=4479 It was a celebration of nature and artistry this summer at SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Gannett Gallery.

Earth Walk, an exhibit featuring the work of noted area artists Marietta Raposo, Stephen Perrone, and Donna Carelli ran from May 7 through June 30 in the gallery.

“When painting a landscape or portrait, I first take in as much visual and spiritual energies as possible. It seems to ‘cement’ itself in my mind,” says Donna Carelli. “Then I convent these feelings into paint and canvas. Sometimes the energy takes over and sometimes the visual. If I am fortunate, they combine into a self-redeeming painting that I hope people look at and say ‘I’ve been there’ or ‘I feel as if I am there,’ experiencing the moment. That is my reward.”

Visual and spiritual energies blend with human emotion in a showcase of portraits, landscapes, and personality that SUNY Poly is proud to host.

“I stress the importance of human emotion in my work,” explains Stephen Perrone. “The head, portrait, and human figure serve as the images and forms by which I express my reflections on life. There is a rawness to my work that I hope contributes to the nature of each ‘personality’ on display. I want a little unattractiveness in the physical sense, and I want body language to be an important consideration in trying to understand each subject. Life is both pleasant and difficult, and I’m attempting to demonstrate both possibilities with the sensitivity and compassion we all deserve as human beings.”

The exhibit drew in many at an opening reception May 16, where the artists themselves mingled with guests and had the opportunity to discuss their work and inspirations.

“When painting a figure, portrait, or landscape, I try to express the essential energy of the subject rather than a photographic representation. I usually paint over an already painted surface, frequently an unresolved painting,” say Marietta Raposo. “Usually, the previous painting becomes part of the new work, which helps to maintain a dialogue between the illusive and the concrete. I try to convey an emotion seeded in the center of the visual experience, a feeling that is both within and beyond the work itself. Ideally, I hope to evoke a corresponding recognition within the viewer.”

The Gannett Gallery is located on the first floor of Kunsela Hall on SUNY Poly’s Utica campus.

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