https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/ en Mon, 27 Nov 2023 21:09:13 -0500 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/grove-school-engineering-joins-doctoral-degrees-without-borders-program Doctoral students at nine New York City area graduate engineering programs, including CCNY’s Grove School of Engineering, will soon be able to take courses at each other’s institutions without any additional tuition, as part of a new multi-school agreement.   The Inter-University Engineering Doctoral Consortium (IUEDC), led by NYU Tandon School of Engineering, encourages PhD students to complement their primary program by taking courses of interest offered at different schools, providing access to specialty instruction and expertise that may not be available at their home universities. Students should be able to enroll in courses at other member institutions beginning in Fall 2024. “As engineers, we have long known the importance of collaborating across departments and disciplines, in order to most effectively address the challenges facing our world,” said Jelena Kovačević, NYU Tandon Dean. “This consortium signals the collective dedication of the institutions to remove barriers to advanced learning and rigorous scholarship, helping unleash the full potential of all our students while enrolled and in their post-graduate pursuits.” NYU Tandon began assembling the consortium earlier this year, taking cues from a similar arrangement between the NYU Graduate School of Arts & Science and eight other area universities. Peter Voltz, Vice Dean for Academics and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NYU Tandon, serves as the inaugural Consortium Coordinator.  “Doctoral students are exceptionally focused and have often chosen their field of study in order to work with a specific faculty member,” said Voltz. “The consortium allows them to have access to a broader swath of courses across multiple universities.” Grove School Dean Alexander Couzis said: “At the Grove School of Engineering at The City College, we value academic excellence, champion accessibility, and are committed to every student's success— and this is precisely what this consortium offers.” Along with The City College of New York and NYU Tandon, other IUEDC participants are:  Columbia Engineering;  Cornell Tech; New York Institute of Technology College of Engineering and Computing Sciences;  Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science; Rutgers University School of Engineering; Stevens Institute of Technology Charles V. Schaefer Jr. School of Engineering and Science; and Stony Brook University College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.  To participate, students must have completed at least one year at their primary institution, must be in good academic standing and must get written approval from home and host institutions. Students will be responsible to their host institutions for any lab fees.   About the Grove School of Engineering  Combining access and affordability with outstanding instruction and research, the Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York plays a key role in developing a diverse workforce to meet the technological challenges facing today’s world. Originally established as the School of Technology in 1919, it evolved to the School of Engineering in 1962 and was renamed The Grove School of Engineering in 2005 in honor of alumnus Andrew S. Grove, whose $26 million gift to the institution that year is the largest in CCNY’s history. A distinguished member of CCNY’s Class of 1960, Grove was a founder and former chairman of Intel Corp, one of the world’s leading producers of semiconductor chips. Today, the Grove School remains the only public school of engineering in the heart of New York City.   About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit. Mon, 27 Nov 2023 21:09:13 -0500 Jay Mwamba /news/grove-school-engineering-joins-doctoral-degrees-without-borders-program https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/cuny-names-colin-powell-schools-margaret-rosario-distinguished-professor Dr. Margaret Rosario, an eminent psychologist in The City College of New York’s Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, has been elevated to the rank of Distinguished Professor by the City University of New York (CUNY).  The title of Distinguished Professor is the highest academic honor that CUNY can offer its faculty. It’s conferred by the CUNY Board of Trustees in recognition of exceptional scholarly achievement. Distinguished Professorships are reserved for faculty with records of exceptional performance by national and international standards of excellence in their profession.  Rosario, who also teaches at the Graduate Center, CUNY, is noted for her research on identity, its development and implications for health and other adaptive outcomes. Stress is also of interest.  Her research has centered on lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people undergoing sexual identity development. The relations between stress and sexual identity development to health and other adaptive outcomes are of critical interest, as are the mediators and moderators of those relations. In addition, she is interested in the determinants of sexual orientation and the intersection of multiple identities.  Rosario is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS). She’s received several research grants, as principal or co-investigator, from the National Institutes of Health. Her other accolades include: The Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from SSSS; The Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award (from APA’s Division 44, The Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity); and The Distinguished Contribution to Ethnic Minority Issues Award (Division 44, APA).   Rosario is associate editor of “The Journal of Sex Research,” and of the quarterly “Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health.”  She sits on the editorial boards of  “Archives of Sexual Behavior” and the “American Journal of Community Psychology.” In addition, she’s a past president of APA’s Division 44. Rosario earned her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, her doctorate from New York University and did her postdoctoral training at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.     Sun, 19 Nov 2023 23:44:29 -0500 Jay Mwamba /news/cuny-names-colin-powell-schools-margaret-rosario-distinguished-professor https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/ccny-alumnus-frank-j-sciame-receive-2023-jacqueline-kennedy-onassis-medal Distinguished architect and 1974 City College of New York alumnus Frank J. Sciame is a recipient of the 2023 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal from the Municipal Art Society (MAS). The honor is for making a lasting contribution to New York City through his vision, leadership, and his philanthropy. The award ceremony is Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at Guastavino’s on 409 E. 59 St., New York, N.Y., 10022. Tickets are available here. The medal was established in 1994 to honor Mrs. Kennedy Onassis and her passionate efforts to preserve great architecture in New York City, and her remarkable partnership with the Municipal Art Society over nearly two decades. The other awardees are Patricia Cruz, CEO and artistic director of Harlem Stage, and Jeffrey Gural, chairman and principal of GFP Real Estate. Sciame studied architecture at CCNY and, soon after, started F.J. Sciame Construction Co., Inc. In the almost five decades since he established the company, he has built a leading construction management firm in the tri-state area. He is a board member of the and a former chairman of the New York Landmarks Conservancy as well as the former chairman of the South Street Seaport Museum. He was also the former chairman of the N.Y. Building Congress. “There were cheers at the Spitzer School of Architecture when this news reached us, that the MAS is awarding Frank Sciame, B.S. ‘74 the 2023 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award,” said Spitzer School of Architecture Dean Marta Gutman. “Our illustrious alumnus receiving this illustrious prize—what an honor, what a good fit.  We’re thrilled for Frank, who is dedicated to making our school and our city just as fine as they can be.” His devotion to CCNY has never flagged. Sciame received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from CCNY in 2004 and is a former president and current board member of the CCNY Architecture Alumni Group. “Frank Sciame represents the very best of CCNY: throughout his decades of professional accomplishment, he's demonstrated a dedication to the traditions and artistry of his profession and a commitment to turn his skills to the public good,” said CCNY President Vincent Boudreau. “Today, when the denizens of New York entrust someone to preserve and restore or construct our cityscape, they seek out Frank. He is a living testimony to the importance of those public contributions by which we measure the very greatest of our CCNY alumni.” In 2006, Sciame was appointed by Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg to lead the effort to ensure a buildable World Trade Center Memorial. Tasked to stay within the memorial’s spiraling budget, work with the families of the victims and other stakeholders, he made viable the project for New York and the nation. To read more about him, click here. About the City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.     Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:23:30 -0500 Thea Klapwald /news/ccny-alumnus-frank-j-sciame-receive-2023-jacqueline-kennedy-onassis-medal https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/moynihan-alumni-celebrate-his-life-and-career-inauguration-namesake-center Tributes were paid to diplomat, statesman, professor and public intellectual Daniel Patrick Moynihan by some of his famous disciples as the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Center was formally inaugurated at The City College of New York’s Great Hall. Launched in February 2023, the Moynihan Center supports new leaders to make a difference in public affairs. Through two signature fellowship programs and a rich slate of public events, the Center ensures that the next generation of public scholars and public servants reflects the diversity of viewpoints and lived experiences represented at The City College. The Center takes its name and inspiration from the long-serving Senator’s celebrated career, which began when he attended CCNY as an undergraduate in 1943, before joining the US Navy. He subsequently earned a doctorate in history from Tufts University, taught at Harvard University, and served in four presidential administrations (Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford), including ambassadorships to the United Nations and to India, before being elected in 1976 to the first of four terms in the U.S. Senate. This event also gathered the inaugural cohorts of the four Moynihan Public Scholars, the four Moynihan Leaders-in-Residence and Postdoctoral Fellows, and the 28 Moynihan Undergraduate Fellows together for the first time. The Undergraduate Fellows were introduced by Associate Professor of Political Science Carlo Invernizzi Accetti, the Moynihan Center’s executive director, as “some of the best and brightest minds here on the campus with an ambition for public service and intellectual leadership.” The Moynihan Public Service Fellowship supports promising undergraduate students pursuing innovative careers in public service. The fellows pursue one of two tracks, Public Service Innovators or New York City Leaders. They receive awards totaling $10,000, take two elective courses dedicated to professional development and public service, and participate in a paid summer internship in city government or in another public service institution. “Our hope is that the Moynihan of the future will be forged out of the interaction between these two groups of fellows, as well as the broader ecosystem of leadership, development and public discussion that they will help to forge on campus,” said Invernizzi Accetti. “The ability to use the resources and the intellectual capital of the university in public life and the willingness to engage in debate so fundamental to this institution are two elements of Senator Moynihan’s life that are so fundamental to that generation of leaders of which he was a leader,” City College President Vincent G. Boudreau said in his opening remarks. “The positioning of an institution like City College in the resolution of the most important public problems that we face are united in this center. And so, it is a great honor to be able to welcome you to the inauguration of the Moynihan Center at City College.” “We are excited and immensely proud to celebrate the legacy of one of New York’s most revered public servants with a program that goes to the heart of CUNY’s own legacy of opening doors to people of all backgrounds and advancing the civic good,” said City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “The Moynihan Center and its inaugural group of scholars, leaders and students represent a critical value of higher education —not only rigorously preparing our students for career success but also graduating scholars who are well-informed, socially aware and actively engaged with the world." U.S. Rep. Adriano Espillat (D-N.Y.) noted the presence of his predecessor in Congress, former U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), for whom the College’s Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative is named. “And now we have the Moynihan Center, [the second of] two important incubators of thought and action,” Espillat said. “It's important for this neighborhood and for the city to have both of them. I think there is a great need for public debate and public policy. I think we've forgotten to take the deep dives that are necessary to develop good public policy, which is the backbone of smart projects.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who served on the Senator’s staff in the 1980s before seeking elective office herself, noted that Moynihan “had a remarkable life, starting with nothing. When you met him later, you just assumed he came from great wealth and prestige and prominence because look how he behaved. He used to shine shoes in Hell's Kitchen, used to lug around bags of potatoes. And you know what changed his life? This institution changed his life. It gave him a chance to understand what formal education was like, to push himself, to see other people who wanted to make themselves better by showing up in a classroom.” A former Moynihan transportation and public works legislative aide, U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary and Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Polly Trottenberg, a former New York City transportation commissioner, reflected on the late Senator’s love of cities. “That's what drove him to shepherd through what became one of the most influential pieces of transportation legislation in American history [the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991],” she said. “He started the process of steering more dollars to mass transit, and really turning the page in American transportation policy, starting to make it smarter and greener and more equitable. He really did see cities as laboratories and places where we could see progress and make great policy. And I know you're going to get to do that here at City College.” The evening’s keynote address was delivered by Lawrence O’Donnell, host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.” He started as the senator's 1988 re-election campaign’s communications director before becoming a senior adviser. He then proceeded to become chief of staff of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, and chief of staff of the Senate Finance Committee. O’Donnell recalled advising Moynihan to announce his bid for re-election in front of Benjamin Franklin High School in Harlem. “Maybe, just maybe, some of the students looking out the window that day at the tall, white-haired man, speaking to a small crowd of reporters, saw in him how far they could go in this world,” he said. “He would be so happy that the highest-ranking member of the Moynihan staff alumni is now the governor of the great state of New York, and that she was here at City College for the inauguration of the Moynihan Center,” he said. “He would be so happy that 20 years from now, 30 years from now, 50 years from now, the phrase ‘Moynihan alumni’ will mean you and everyone who comes after you through this Center.” About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit. Wed, 15 Nov 2023 12:40:47 -0500 /news/moynihan-alumni-celebrate-his-life-and-career-inauguration-namesake-center https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/cuny-ace-program-debuts-ccny-inaugural-cohort-transfer-students The City College of New York launched the CUNY ACE Program (Accelerate, Complete, Engage) with its inaugural cohort of transfer students that started this fall. ACE is a comprehensive program designed to help transfer students complete their bachelor’s degree in two years at an accelerated pace.    CCNY ACE is designed to empower transfer students who have completed their associate degree to advance in their educational studies. The program is made possible with funding from the Robin Hood Foundation. The program is housed within the new Student Academic Success Hub (The Hub), formerly the Gateway Academic Center (GAC), under the leadership of Celia Lloyd, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Marva Bain, director of the Student Academic Success Hub, and Gabby Rosario, ACE director.  Modeled after CUNY’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), ACE provides financial, academic and personal support, including intensive academic advisement and career development, as well as tuition, textbook and transportation assistance.   To be considered for the ACE Program, transfer students must meet the following criteria that can be found here. For more information on how to apply to the ACE Program, please click here.   About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.   Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:26:35 -0500 Jay Mwamba /news/cuny-ace-program-debuts-ccny-inaugural-cohort-transfer-students https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/memory-ccny-grad-leon-dall-51-honored-ongoing-donations-daughter Alaina Dall has announced that she will make a monthly gift to the Bronx High School of Science Specialized High School Scholarship, building on previous annual donations she made in honor of her father, Leon Dall, a member of The City College of New York Class of 1951. The Bronx High School of Science Specialized High School Scholarship is one of several scholarships that comprise the The CCNY Specialized High Schools Scholarship Project, which originated in December 2001. Born on Feb. 9, 1927 to Samuel and Gertrude Dall (nee Berlin), Jewish immigrants from present-day Latvia and Lithuania, Leon attended New York City public schools, working nights and weekends at his father’s restaurant, Sam’s Deli on East 14th Street in Manhattan. The family lived in Washington Heights until moving to Morris Avenue in the Bronx in 1942. Graduating from Bronx Science in January 1944, Dall entered CCNY a month later. During his time at the College, he trained six days a week as a member of the boxing team – and kept his fighting weight of 135 lbs. throughout his life. "In 1947 I started back to school at City College of New York and wanted to get involved in some sport. I decided to try out for the boxing team even though I couldn't see the 'E' on top of the eye chart,” he later wrote. Enlisting in the merchant marine in August 1944, a week after earning his commercial radio operator’s license, he spent his summers at sea. “I’d finish up a year at CCNY and, come the middle of June I’m out at sea, heading for Trinidad or Bahia,” he wrote years later. “I was able to get in two 38-day cruises during the summer vacation. Passengers paid a little over $1,000 for the cruise. I earned about $1,000 during the summer. More than enough to cover my expenses during the year." After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering in June 1951, Dall worked in New York and Indiana, then moved to Los Angeles where "engineers were moving west in general to find the gold in the street,” he wrote. Working as an electronics and computer components salesman for an engineering firm in West Los Angeles in 1960, he met a secretary named Sue Johnson. The couple eloped in Malibu in 1961 and later moved to Woodland Hills, Calif., where they raised their three children, Alaina, Laura and Stephen. Dall remained busy after retiring in 1982 at age 65. His inquisitive nature always compelled him to read, to take adult education classes, and to complete the New York Times crossword puzzle daily. He also wrote about his life, bequeathing stories of his adventures to succeeding generations. The ham radio was one of his favorite hobbies, as he kept up his Morse Code skills and communicated with fellow operators around the world. He was a member of a boat club and continued to spend time on the water. He worked out at the gym, tended to his vegetable garden, and maintained his busy schedule until he passed away on July 7, 2009 at age 82. “Knowledge and education were very important to him,” Alaina said. “This ongoing donation is my way of honoring his memory, his New York roots, and the importance of education in his life. I think it would mean a lot to him to pass on opportunities in his name to students at Bronx Science, and to support their CCNY education.” About The City College of New YorkSince 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.​     Mon, 13 Nov 2023 16:59:26 -0500 /news/memory-ccny-grad-leon-dall-51-honored-ongoing-donations-daughter https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/optica-elects-ccny-physicist-carlos-meriles-2024-fellow Dr. Carlos A. Meriles, the Martin and Michele Cohen Professor of Physics in The City College of New York’s Division of Science, is one of 129 leading physicists globally elected 2024 Optica Fellows. Election as a Fellow is by The Board of Directors of Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, and is based on several factors, including outstanding contributions to research, business, education, engineering and service to Optica and its community. Meriles’ recognition is “for fundamental contributions to sensing, spin physics, and optoelectronics using color centers in diamond.” The new Fellows, from as far away as Australia, China, Britain, Hong Kong, Germany, Israel and Spain, will be honored at Optica conferences and events throughout 2024. Founded in 1916, Optica is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica is dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Click here for more information. “Congratulations to the 2024 class of Optica Fellows, ” said Michal Lipson 2023 Optica President. “It is a pleasure to honor these members who are advancing our field and society. We are grateful for their exceptional work and dedication.” Fellows are Optica members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics. The Fellow Members Committee, led by Chair Ofer Levi, University of Toronto, Canada, reviewed 216 nominations submitted by current Fellows. As Fellows can account for no more than 10 percent of the total membership, the election process is highly competitive. Candidates are recommended by the Fellow Members Committee and approved by the Awards Council and Board of Directors. Meriles is the second pioneering CCNY physicist elected an Optica Fellow in four years after Vinod Menon in fall 2019. Menon, whose research in light-matter interaction at the nanoscale level has advanced the field of photonics, received another distinction recently when he was named a 2023 American Physical Society (APS) Fellow. The Optica Fellowship adds to Meriles’ several distinctions. They include the NSF-CAREER award (2006), the Wegman Brothers faculty fellowship (2006), and the Cottrell Scholar Award (2007). He is a 2011 Alexander von Humboldt scholar, a 2015 Fellow of the of the American Physical Society, and the 2016 recipient of the Frontiers in Research Excellence and Discovery (FRED) Award by Research Corporation. Click here to read more about Meriles. About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.   Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:41:15 -0500 Jay Mwamba /news/optica-elects-ccny-physicist-carlos-meriles-2024-fellow https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/eight-spitzer-students-take-part-career-development-internship-program-cuny-fpcm Eight students from The City College of New York’s Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture have been awarded paid internships by CUNY’s Department of Facilities Planning, Construction and Management (FPCM). The new Career Development Internship Program hired the interns primarily to assist with a CUNY-Wide occupancy and utilization study, part of the CUNY Strategic Roadmap, but with the recent news that CCNY’s Master Plan will proceed, some opportunities exist for them to help with the Master Planning process as well.  City College is the first CUNY campus for which the FPCM and the interns will implement the Master Plan together. CUNY has 300 buildings located in all five boroughs of New York City comprising 29 million square feet of classrooms, research labs, computer centers, theaters, athletic and recreational facilities, administrative offices, and other spaces that support the CUNY mission. Maintaining and improving the University’s infrastructure through recapturing underutilized spaces, improving technology, and providing for campus expansions through upgrading the facilities portfolio ensures student success. The Master Plan is a document and guide designed to help form a vision for the future and guides the College in decision making and planning processes for decades to come.   The students comprise four undergraduates:     •    Wyatt Kuebler     •    Juan Isaza     •    Cemile Koseoglu     •    Aliya Washwell   And four graduate students:     •    Dehaan Rahman     •    Diego Madera     •    Angelica Morales Juarez     •    Anshuman Khandelwal In addition to performing space needs analyses, programming, and feasibility studies, they will manage and update the space inventory system, work with facilities lifecycle assessment, provide database and report development support for all FPCM departments through the updating and optimizing of space records and management in Archibus (Integrated Workplace Management System). “Working with FPCM has revealed to me the 'Mechanical room' of CUNY, which only a few people are aware of, but is crucial for maintaining everything efficiently. I'm thrilled to see our group of architecture students working within this system, with the hope that the work we are doing here enables CUNY to continuously and dynamically adapt to the ever-changing needs of the many communities that make us who we are,” said Wyatt Kuebler, a student in his final year of the undergraduate program. Interns may also this as an opportunity to gain credit in categories of NCARB’s Architectural Experience Program (AXP) program – a requirement in the process of achieving licensure as an architect. About the City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit. Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:01:35 -0500 Thea Klapwald /news/eight-spitzer-students-take-part-career-development-internship-program-cuny-fpcm https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/renowned-transportation-guru-and-educator-robert-paaswell-receives-ccnys-presidents-medal Robert E. Paaswell, the internationally recognized expert in public transportation issues and consulting, is The City College of New York’s 2023 President’s Medal recipient. A Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering Emeritus at CCNY, Paaswell received the medal from College President Vincent G. Boudreau at CCNY’s Annual President's Circle dinner in Manhattan. The President's Medal is awarded for distinguished achievement and public service. Past recipients include: Nelson Mandela; Nobel Laureates Robert Aumann and Leon M. Lederman; Coretta Scott King, Gen. Colin L. Powell, USA (ret.), astronaut Mario Runco Jr.,  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Benjamin B. Ferencz, who was 99 and the last surviving former Nuremberg war crimes trials prosecutor when he received the medal in 2019.  The 2002 Medal was awarded to the men and women of New York City's uniformed services for their heroic service on and after September 11, 2001. This is the latest of Paaswell’s numerous honors, which include the U.S.  Department of Transportation Secretary’s Award for Superior Service, The Council of University Centers Award for Distinguished Leadership and the COMTO Award for Service. The latter is presented by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), the leading national advocate for employment diversity, inclusion and contracting opportunities in the multi-modal, multi-billion-dollar transportation industry. “Making this award to Buz Paaswell–only the second such allocation I’ve made as president–is a true joy,” said President Boudreau. “Professor Paaswell is a lifelong public servant, having devoted his entire life not just to transportation and civil engineering, but to the application of his expertise to alleviating the burdens on underserved, under-resourced communities.  Moreover, his love of our students and CCNY is virtually a defining aspect of his personality.  Buz Paaswell is City College, through and through, and he richly deserves this recognition.”  Paaswell credited the generations of students he’s taught and mentored at CCNY, and his tremendous colleagues, for the prestigious accolade. “Incredible and engaged students, many of whom have gone on to positions of leadership,” he noted. “Terrific colleagues of many disciplines, and the problems and rewards of New York City -- these have been the driving forces of a rewarding career centered at CCNY. CCNY, quite simply, is just an amazing place. How fortunate I have been to spend  the last 33 years here."  About Dr. Robert Paaswell Among the high profile positions he’s held, Paaswell served as CCNY Interim President from 2009-2010. During his tenure, he raised the intellectual profile of the College, energized its faculty, focused the administration on to its core mission of serving students and faculty, and engaged the Upper Manhattan community. He raised $29.4 million in gifts in his affiliated role as President of the City College 21st Century Foundation, and prepared the college for a transition to new leadership. He is the emeritus Director of the College’s University Transportation Research Center, Region II, which he led for 19 years and the founding Director of the CUNY Institute for Urban Systems (CIUS), which he led until this year. He served as Site Director of the new NSF sponsored Industry/University Cooperative Research Center: Sustainably Integrated Buildings and Sites Center. He is a founder of the Rangel infrastructure Workforce Initiative (2020) – concerned with training a 21st century workforce for the infrastructure industry.  Prior to his roles at CCNY, Paaswell served as the CEO (President) of the Chicago Transit Authority – the nation’s second largest transit system (1986-1989). He has authored two books, twelve book chapters, and over 150 technical publications and reports. He is a sought-after speaker in his field with over 200 invited technical presentations, and a contributor of articles to the World Book Encyclopedia, is listed in "Who's Who in the World, "Who's Who in America", "Who's Who in Engineering", and “Who’s Who in Finance and Industry.” He has served as the principal investigator for over 100 sponsored research grants of approximately $80 million. His current research concerns urban sustainability, technology and its cultural impacts on transport and urban form and transit system budgeting and finance, including both operating and capital budgets; transit investment strategies and issues of transit system governance. He is leading CIUS in innovative research and programs addressing issues of urban sustainability. CIUS is the home of the Building Performance Laboratory (BPL) – a regional and national success and contribution to green technology and sustainable cities. About The City College of New York Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.   Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:58:50 -0500 Jay Mwamba /news/renowned-transportation-guru-and-educator-robert-paaswell-receives-ccnys-presidents-medal https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/rwandan-students-ccny-prepare-serve-their-country Yves Ngabonziza, Ph.D., professor and director of the engineering science program at LaGuardia Community College, is a proud City College of New York graduate and a proud Rwandan. So proud, in fact, that he wanted young Rwandans to avail themselves of the superior education such as the one that he received at the Grove School of Engineering, from which he graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in 2008. An active member of the tiny but close-knit Rwandan community in the New York metropolitan area, Ngabonziza initiated a conversation with the country’s United Nations Permanent Mission in 2021 about a prospective partnership with prominent STEM schools in the U.S. Such a partnership would entail establishing a government-funded scholarship for five to 10 Rwandan undergraduates to study science or engineering, then return home to enter the country’s public service. Ngabonziza developed his proposal further with Lt.-Col. Deo Mutabazi, the defence and military advisor to the Rwandan mission. With the proposal approved and funded, Ngabonziza presented it to President Vincent G. Boudreau and to Dee Dee Mozeleski, vice president of the Office of Institutional Advancement, Communications and External Relations, and the executive director of the Foundation for City College.  They enthusiastically accepted it. “I was really taken by Yves’s memories of his own time at City, and his belief that for this new generation of students, there was no better place to study than on this campus,” said Mozeleski, noting that the current enrollment includes students from more than 150 countries. “We are grateful to him, to Lt. Col Mutabazi, and to the Rwandan Mission for their enthusiastic support of this initiative.” While Mutabazi’s official role is coordinating his country’s participation in peacekeeping operations around the world, he gave himself another task. “I am using my time here to help the Ministry of Defence to find the next generation of leaders to help this country,” he said. Out of 10 inaugural applicants, selected from a pool of 80, each of whom had to pass a series of exams in math and English to qualify, two started at Grove in August: Hirwa Divin Iradukunda and Ivan Muhizi, graduates of the same high school in Kigali, the capitol. Irakunda is a self-described “computer nerd” who likes “anything to do with computers.” Muhizi, a mechanical engineering major, wants to develop machinery.  The two, who are roommates at The Towers, are settling into life in the big city as they immerse themselves in their studies. Muhizi even finds New Yorkers to be “friendly.” For Ngabonziza, Iradukunda and Muhizi represent “just the beginning of broader cooperation” between his native country and other U.S. universities. About The City College of New YorkSince 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.​ Tue, 07 Nov 2023 15:00:10 -0500 /news/rwandan-students-ccny-prepare-serve-their-country