SoECS Dean Anid's Work Celebrated in Online Feature

Jul 30, 2014

"Science and engineering don't have a gender, yet women are underrepresented in many STEM programs and professional fields," says NYIT School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Dean Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., in "Celebrating Women in Higher Education" on Gradschools.com. "I am committed to helping change this."

Anid was among several "inspirational females" profiled in an article designed to highlight their achievements in helping other women achieve professional success and leadership positions in the academic world.

"NYIT works tirelessly to provide high-quality education and experiential learning opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate engineering students, but also extends that to help instill a passion for STEM among K-12 students, especially girls and young women," Anid says. "I am invested in helping them experience the thrill of discovery through science, and in changing the face of engineering from nerdy to cool and fun."

NYIT Assistant Professor Ziqian "Cecilia" Dong noted that women need role models to "serve as examples of what they can do for this world," and she praised Anid's efforts to expose young girls to STEM fields.

 

Amy Bravo Talks Summer Jobs, Internships, and Volunteering

Jul 23, 2014

"Volunteering for nonprofits is a great way to build a variety of skill sets that can help you figure out what you love to do," says Assistant Dean of Career Services Amy Bravo  in a CardHub article on using summer breaks to maximize future career prospects. (Click on Amy's photo to see a Q&A.)

"At New York Institute of Technology, we have found volunteer positions for architects, engineers, graphic designers, and health students, all using the knowledge and skills they've developed in the classroom," says Bravo. "The opportunities are endless and the experience looks great on your resume."

Bravo says students should not consider any type of job as "menial labor." Rather, "Work is a great teacher," says Bravo. "You learn how to manage your time, how to persuade others, how to speak to and work collaboratively with others, and how to be responsible and reliable. Work can build character and credibility."

 

Haar on Antioxidants in Newsday

Jul 11, 2014

"This is an interesting paper, but I still think it's a good idea to base your diet on a variety of fruits and vegetables," Director of the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Mindy Haar, Ph.D., tells Newsday (subscription required) in an interview about a new study on antioxidants and cancer.

Haar, a nutritionist, says dark, leafy greens and whole foods are are among the best sources for antioxidants.

"Foods contatin a variety of phytonutrients," which are known to prevent many health disorders, she says. Dietary supplements do not have the same properties, adds Haar, and she does not promote them.

Haar made her comments in response to a new study that found that dietary supplements with antioxidants have not reduced the incidence of cancer.

 

SoA&D Associate Dean Frank Mruk on Brazilian Design Icons

Jul 06, 2014

School of Architecture and Design Associate Dean Frank Mruk spoke extensively to CCTV America in a broadcast news segment about Brazil's leading designers, Oscar Niemeyer and Jorge Zalszupin. 

A NYC gallery recently featured furniture designed by both men.  Mruk says Niemeyer and Zalszupin rejected rigid architectural notions, and their ideas were compatible and complementary..

 

Of Apps and Teens: Richard Simpson in the NY Daily News

Jun 24, 2014

“It’s always easier to get students interested in something real,” NYIT Professor and School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Associate Dean Richard Simpson, Ph.D., tells the Daily News, referring to a story about an app his students built that will warn young people about the dangers of drugs.

The NYIT students are building the app in partnership with a new Harlem nonprofit, SAFE in Harlem. Young people who use the app can calculate their life expectancy based on drug usage. Simpson is overseeing the project.

 

Anid Comments: N.Y. Regulators to Grade Financial Firms on Cyber Readiness

May 07, 2014

"It's going to come at a cost to the banks, but you have to weigh the risk versus the cost," states Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, in an article in American Banker about New York regulators’ plans to conduct cybersecurity assessments of financial institutions to ensure that they are appropriately protecting sensitive customer data. The move, in response to the growing risk of cyberattacks facing the state's banks, also extends to state-chartered banks, credit unions, and foreign banks whose U.S. headquarters are in New York.

In the article “N.Y. Regulators Plan Heightened Scrutiny of Banks' Cyber Readiness,” Anid adds, "We must admit that the risk is very large and cybertheft is a reality." As such, she continues, "Banks will need more robust software to secure their assets. Cybersecurity will rise to top of the board agendas. That will create business for cybersecurity companies, and banks will hire more staff that specialize in cyberattacks and cyber procedures."

 

Career Services Assistant Dean Amy Bravo Talks Internships with The Wall Street Journal

Apr 23, 2014

"For the most part, employers don't recognize that there is a law, and the details of it," NYIT Assistant Career Services Dean Amy Bravo tells The Wall Street Journal in an article about unpaid internships. "They just don't know."

The article, "One School Fights Back Against Unpaid Internships," details Bravo's persistence and success in converting unpaid internships into paid internships.

Bravo and her colleagues send employers emails with copies of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which outlines regulations and notes that companies must consider whether their interns are providing direct advantages to them. She and others in NYIT's Office of Career Services provide minimum wage information. Interns, she notes, typically help with daily operations of a business and therefore must be paid.

The result, says Bravo, is a "dialogue" that often leads to an employer's decision to pay the intern or adjust the position.

 

Q&A with New NYIT Trustee, Ernie Anastos

Mar 24, 2014

“I’m especially interested in how technology is changing the way we communicate and live. I’d like to explore technology’s positive influence on personal and cultural communications,” Lifetime Emmy Award winner and WNYW-TV news anchor Ernie Anastos tells Long Island Business News (subscription required) when asked what he will focus on as an NYIT trustee.

In explaining his longevity in the TV news business, Anastos offers: “I have a strong enthusiasm for my work, a positive attitude and the desire to grow in a changing world that keeps me young at heart.”

 

MedPage Today: 10 Questions for Lawrence Herman, RPA-C

Jan 15, 2014

"PAs were named as one of three primary care providers in the Affordable Care Act alongside physicians and nurse practioners. The contributions PAs make to the healthcare team are invaluable and cannot be overlooked," says Physician Assistant Studies Chair Lawrence Herman, RPA-C in "10 Questions" on MedPage Today. "We can't meet America's healthcare needs unless every member of the team is authorized to provide care to the fullest extent of their license."

Herman, president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, also says the biggest barrier to practicing medicine today is the system that "incentivizes us to see as many patients and do as many procedures as we can," rather than spending time with patients and working to avoid procedures or hospital visits.

He also advises PAs to "find your passion and stick with it," but he notes that PAs also have the ability to switch specialties if they discover they're not as interested as they once were. "PAs are trained as generalists and we're in high demand," Herman says. "That's not going to change anytime soon."

 

Ott on Grad School: Cost-Benefit Analysis is Crucial

Jan 13, 2014

Prospective graduate school students should take time to carefully weigh the costs and benefits of getting a graduate degree, says Alexander Ott, Ph.D., associate dean of academic support and enrollment services in a MonsterWorking.com blog, "Five Signs You're Not Ready for Grad School." 

Ott says students should ask whether “attending graduate school for X degree will be worth the money and time. This ‘worth’ can be judged in a variety of ways, including the personal and intellectual growth that would hopefully be a result of the graduate school experience as well as the advantage the degree may confer in terms of added earning power.”

Students who haven't done a true cost-benefit analysis, or research into career opportunities or the actual responsibilities of employees in the field might consider postponing their entry into grad school, Ott and other experts advised.