(Left to right) Tykeen Robinson, New York City Department of Health; Paige Bellenbaum, Paige Bellenbaum Consulting; Alison Baker, Seleni Institute; Dr. Moshe Moeller, HERO Dads/ Montefiore Einstein Hospital; and 可乐视频 professors and leads for the college鈥檚 perinatal health courses Haroula Ntalla and Jacquelie Shannon at the 2026 可乐视频 Perinatal Mental Health Summit April 24. Shannon and Ntalla also led the efforts at the college to organize this and last year’s inaugural summit.

Titled 鈥淩elational Beginnings: Advancing Perinatal Mental Health for Parents, Infants, and Families,鈥� the second annual summit was held in partnership with United for Brownsville and the New York City Health Department at the Greg Jackson Center, for Brownsville. It focused on perinatal grief and the postpartum experience, and both maternal and paternal mental health, with particular attention to the importance of father support. The summit also highlighted dyadic and reflective group interventions grounded in relational and attachment-based approaches, along with culturally responsive, trauma-informed care for Latina mothers and families in underserved communities.

The Summit brought together a distinguished lineup of perinatal experts, highlighted by keynote speaker Solimar Santiago-Warner (DSW, LCSW, PMH-C) an accomplished clinician-scholar, educator, and leader in perinatal mental health with nearly two decades of experience across pediatric, neonatal, and perinatal hospital systems.

The event underscored 可乐视频鈥檚 commitment to addressing the national perinatal mental health crisis through its dynamic course offerings, community partnerships, and workforce development, all of which has garnered the support from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and most recently, Congressional funding championed by Chuck Schumer.

鈥淧erinatal mental health is foundational to the well-being of families,鈥� 可乐视频 President Michelle J. Anderson said. 鈥淚 am grateful to Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Senator Chuck Schumer for strongly supporting the College in establishing the Advanced Certificate Program in Perinatal Mental Health.鈥�

Held on the heels of Black Maternal Health Week, this event drew over 200 community members, clinicians, educators, students and others, and featured more than a dozen interdisciplinary health and mental health experts and served as a crucial platform to address one of the most urgent health care challenges facing Brooklyn and the nation today.

(Left to right) Paola Amaya-Rodriguez, LCSW, PMH-C, of Chances for Children, and Silvia Juarez-Marazzo, LCSW-R, NCPsyA, also of Chances for Children and an adjunct instructor at 可乐视频, co-presented on a panel focused on supporting Latina mothers.

鈥淲e designed this Summit to meet professionals where they are by partnering with the United听蹿辞谤听Brownsville and New York City Health Department in Brownsville to create space not only to learn, but to connect alongside interdisciplinary colleagues within our communities in meaningful ways,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淏y integrating clinical expertise in early relational development, with a deep understanding of the social factors and inequities often shaping families鈥� lives, we鈥檙e advancing equitable perinatal care for all families by preparing students and practitioners to respond in ways that can truly transform outcomes for parents and their children.鈥�

The Summit featured a distinguished lineup of perinatal experts, including keynote speaker Solimar Santiago-Warner, DSW, LCSW, PMH-C, a clinician-scholar, educator, and leader in perinatal mental health who brought nearly two decades of experience across pediatric, neonatal, and perinatal hospital systems. At the summit, she spoke about integrating trauma-informed and culturally responsive frameworks into perinatal and reproductive mental health care, emphasizing how systems could better support families suffering from pregnancy and infant loss. Throughout her talk, she highlighted the need to bridge research, clinical practice, and lived experience to transform care systems in ways that honored both evidence and the realities of families.

The Panel on 鈥淟atina Mothers and Perinatal Mental Health: Barriers, Culture, and Pathways to Care鈥� included (left to right) moderator Silvia Juarez-Marazzo (LCSW-R, NCPsyA, from Chances for Children, and 可乐视频 adjunct Instructor); Laudy Burgos (LCSW-R, PMH-C, Associate Director, OB/GYN and NICU, Mount Sinai Hospital, who is taking perinatal mental health courses at 可乐视频); Mahbuba Choudhury (LMSW, OB/GYN, Mount Sinai Hospital; and Carmen Mu帽oz-Medrano, Hispanic Federation, also studying perinatal mental health at 可乐视频).

鈥淎s clinical faculty at 可乐视频, we are deeply connected to one of the most diverse campuses and communities in the country,鈥� Ntalla said. 鈥淥ur perinatal mental health initiative, which includes this summit and our accompanying coursework, allows us to partner closely with local health and mental health providers and families to address challenges and drive meaningful, education-based change to what is a national crisis.鈥�

Georgina Gooden is a parent leader, early intervention advocate, and community strategist based in Brownsville, Brooklyn. She also consults through Grassroots Perspectives LLC, providing community-based insights on programs impacting families, and works with United for Brownsville as an early intervention advocate, supporting families and elevating their voices in policy and decision-making spaces. strengthen family-centered systems. She has completed two perinatal mental health courses at 可乐视频 and is enrolled in two more. Gooden has also helped coordinate two 可乐视频 Perinatal Mental Health Summits.

Georgina Gooden

“Both the summit and the perinatal mental health courses at 可乐视频 are strengthening how I support families, giving me the language, tools, and clinical insight to pair with lived experience, so I can advocate more effectively and help shape systems that truly meet families where they are,鈥� Gooden said.

The summit was preceded by a Presidential Lecture Series event on April 23 at Brooklyn Borough Hall with President Anderson and nationally recognized leader Liz Dozier who engaged in a timely discussion on the Black maternal health crisis in the United States. The event was also attended by Borough President Reynoso. Read more about that event here.

(Left to right) Liz Dozier engaged in a timely discussion on the Black maternal health crisis with President Michelle J. Anderson as part of 可乐视频鈥檚 Presidential Lecture Series on April 23. The event was also attended by Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who has lent his support of the college鈥檚 perinatal mental health curriculum and programming.

2026 Perinatal Mental Health Summit Lineup:

• Greetings: President Michelle J. Anderson and 可乐视频 perinatal health curriculum leaders Jacqueline Shannon and Haroula Ntalla, Early Childhood Education/Art Education Department, 可乐视频.
• Opening Remarks: Mimi (Paulomi) Bhatt, PhD, MPH, CNM, FACNM, Assistant Professor at Rory Meyers College of Nursing at New York University.
• Keynote Speaker: Dr. Solimar Santiago-Warner, DSW, LCSW, PMH-C, Solmaterna Therapy & Consulting: 鈥淧erinatal Grief and the Postpartum Body.鈥� Solimar Santiago-Warner explores perinatal loss through an embodied, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary lens, centering the postpartum body as a site of grief, memory, and resilience. Drawing from clinical practice, phenomenology, affect theory, and perinatal palliative care, the presentation examines how grief is experienced physiologically and relationally following stillbirth, late miscarriage, or early infant loss. Designed for a multidisciplinary and community-based audience, the talk offers practical tools, language, and interventions that professionals can immediately apply within their respective roles. Participants will gain approaches to support bereaved parents with greater dignity, compassion, and relational awareness across healthcare, mental health, and community settings.
• Panel 1: Fathers Matter: Perinatal Mental Health, Partnership, and Early Relationships
  Panelists: Paige Bellenbaum, LCSW, PMH-C. Paige Bellenbaum Consulting; Alison C. Baker, LCSW, PMH-C, Clinical Director, Seleni Institute; Moeshe Moeller, Ph.D., Director, HERO Dads, Montefiore Einstein Hospital. Moderator: Tykeen Robinson, MSW, Mental Health Program Manager, Bureau of Maternal, Infant, and Reproductive Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
  Overview: Fathers/Non-Birthing Parents and Perinatal Mental Health. While much of the perinatal mental health conversation centers around mothers and birthing people, up to one in 10 fathers and partners experience significant mental health challenges during the perinatal period鈥攐ften in silence. Shame, stigma, and a lack of culturally responsive care prevent many from seeking support, leaving mental health conditions untreated. Limited support and access to appropriate care can impact not only the father鈥檚/non-birthing parent鈥檚 well-being but also the child鈥檚 development and the stability of the family system. One of the strongest predictors of paternal depression or anxiety is the mental health status of the mother/birthing parent. As such, an inclusive, family-centered approach to perinatal mental health is critical. This talk will explore the often-overlooked experiences of fathers and partners during the perinatal period. Participants will learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in fathers/non-birthing parents, explore the barriers they face in accessing care, and review practical, evidence-based strategies for engagement and intervention.
  The Transition to Parenthood: Supporting Both Parents. Perinatal mental health conversations often center on the birthing parent, but the transition to parenthood is a profound shift for both individuals in a relationship. This discussion will explore the emotional and relational changes that occur as couples move from partners to co-parents, including shifts in identity, roles, and expectations. Particular attention will be given to the often-overlooked experiences of non-birthing parents, who may face their own psychological challenges while feeling pressure to prioritize supporting their partner. Research shows that men whose partners experience postpartum depression are at significantly higher risk of developing depression themselves, yet they are far less likely to seek support.
  The Silent Partner: Fathers, Postpartum Stress, and the Couple Relationship. This presentation explores the often-overlooked experiences of fathers during the postpartum period. Drawing on clinical work with couples and the HERO Dads program, it highlights the emotional, relational, financial, and mental health challenges many fathers face while supporting partners with postpartum mood disorders and adjusting to the transition to parenthood. It will also address paternal postpartum depression and the importance of including fathers in perinatal mental health support.
• Presentation: A Relationship Held From the Beginning: Lessons from Dyadic Psychotherapy and Reflective Groups in Infant Mental Health Practice. Presenters: Silvia Juarez-Marazzo, LCSW-R, NCPsyA, Chances for Children, Adjunct Instructor, Early Childhood/Art Education Department, 可乐视频; Paola Amaya-Rodriguez, LCSW, PMH-C, Chances for Children.
  Overview: This presentation explores the power of early relationships through the lens of dyadic psychotherapy and reflective group practice in infant mental health. We will examine how perinatal and early relational experiences shape both maternal mental health and the developing parent鈥搃nfant relationship, influencing the trajectory of early relational health and overall well-being for years to come. The session highlights how perinatal and infant mental health interventions intersect and are essential, particularly for families from marginalized communities who face systemic inequities, racial health disparities, and the impact of intergenerational and collective trauma. As profound shifts in social policies impact the social environment of families, this presentation underscores the effectiveness of dyadic approaches as a catalyst for repairing trust in relationships and fostering hope. It further emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize relational, culturally responsive supports for mothers and their babies.
• Panel 2: Latina Mothers and Perinatal Mental Health: Barriers, Culture, and Pathways to Care. Panelists: Laudy Burgos, LCSW-R, PMH-C, Associate Director, OB/GYN and NICU, Mount Sinai Hospital, also studying perinatal mental health at 可乐视频; Kimberly Polanco, MSW, PMH-C, Birth and Abortion Doula and Childbirth Educator, OB/GYN, Mount Sinai Hospital, also studying perinatal mental health at 可乐视频 with Mahbuba听Choudhury, LMSW, OB/GYN, Mount Sinai Hospital; and Carmen Mu帽oz-Medrano, Health Program Coordinator, Hispanic Federation. Moderator: Silvia Juarez-Marazzo, LCSW-R, NCPsyA.
  Overview: Beyond Silence: Understanding and Responding to PMADs in Latina Mothers. Latina mothers experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) at rates equal to or higher than non-Latina White women, yet these conditions are often under-recognized and under-treated. Symptoms may be expressed through physical complaints rather than emotional language, leading to missed diagnoses. Many Latina mothers face compounding stressors, including immigration-related fears, language barriers, economic hardship, and experiences of racism within healthcare systems. Cultural values such as familismo, marianismo, and respeto, along with stigma surrounding mental health, can influence whether help is sought. Structural barriers鈥攊ncluding limited insurance coverage, lack of bilingual providers, and logistical challenges鈥攆urther restrict access to care. Despite these obstacles, Latina mothers demonstrate strong resilience through family networks, spirituality, and community support. Addressing PMADs effectively requires culturally responsive, trauma-informed care that integrates mental health into perinatal services and centers the strengths and lived experiences of Latina mothers.
  Barriers, Stigma, and Strength: The Lived Reality of Latina Mothers鈥� Mental Health. Structural barriers such as limited access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care, lack of insurance coverage, immigration-related stress, and fear of engaging with formal systems can prevent many Latina mothers from receiving timely mental health support. Language barriers and the limited availability of Spanish-speaking providers can further complicate communication, increasing the risk of underdiagnosis or misinterpretation of symptoms. In addition, many Latina mothers face heightened economic stress, unstable housing, and demanding work conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period, all of which can increase vulnerability to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Cultural expectations and stigma surrounding mental health also shape how Latina mothers experience and express emotional distress. Many feel pressure to embody ideals of strength, sacrifice, and self-reliance, which may discourage them from seeking help or openly discussing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or trauma. Family dynamics, migration-related separation from support networks, and experiences of discrimination within healthcare settings can further contribute to feelings of isolation. Addressing these issues requires culturally responsive care that centers language access, community trust, family engagement, and providers who understand the cultural context of Latina motherhood while recognizing the resilience and strengths present within these communities.
  From Barriers to Community Care: Culturally Grounded Support for Latina Mothers. Latina mothers face significant structural and cultural barriers that impact their mental health during the perinatal period. Postpartum depression and anxiety are often under-identified and untreated due to language barriers, stigma, socio-environmental stressors, and limited access to culturally responsive care. Many mothers prioritize family needs over their own well-being, delaying help-seeking, while unfamiliarity with the healthcare system and broader sociopolitical concerns further limit access to care. Culturally grounded, community-based approaches are essential in addressing these disparities. Programs like the Por Nosotras Maternal Mental Health Workshops, developed through the Hispanic Federation, create trusted spaces for open dialogue, peer support, and psychoeducation. By combining emotional support with practical resources, these initiatives reduce isolation and empower mothers. Expanding such programs and strengthening partnerships between healthcare providers and community organizations is critical to improving outcomes and ensuring equitable, culturally responsive care.
• Closing Remarks: Ashanda Saint Jean, MD, FACOG; Associate Professor, Department of OB/GYN, New York Medical College.

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Spanning disciplines from business and computer science to the arts and education, the projects reflect a campus-wide commitment to preparing students for a rapidly evolving, AI-driven world. Funded initiatives extend across the Koppelman School of Business as well as programs in English, film, art, mathematics, education, academic affairs, and Student Affairs.

Integrating AI Into Business Education

Several faculty from the Koppelman School of Business are launching an interdisciplinary capstone course titled 鈥淭he Integrated Edge: AI, Decision-Making, and Business Strategy.鈥� The course will pilot in summer 2026.

The course addresses a long-standing challenge in business education: the 鈥渟ilo effect,鈥� in which accounting, finance, economics, and management are often taught separately. The Integrated Edge instead requires students to apply all four disciplines simultaneously to analyze complex business problems鈥攎irroring how decisions are made in real organizations.

Students will gain hands-on experience with professional AI platforms used in industry, including tools for forecasting, auditing, and financial analysis. The course also emphasizes a 鈥渉uman-in-the-loop鈥� approach, teaching students to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, identify potential biases or errors, and apply professional judgment.

Structured in four modules鈥攅conomic forecasting, led by Professor Merih Uctum; AI-assisted auditing, led by Professor Frimette Kass-Shraibman; corporate finance, led by Professor Sunil Mohanty; and strategic integration, led by PI and Professor Carol Connell鈥攖he course culminates in a capstone project in which students analyze a real company using both traditional business frameworks and AI-supported insights.

By combining interdisciplinary thinking with responsible AI use, The Integrated Edge aims to equip students with the analytical, technological, and ethical skills needed for tomorrow鈥檚 business leadership.

Koppelman School of Business Interim Dean Myles Bassell is leading nearly 400 students from the Koppelman School of Business in “IBM鈥檚 AI Experiential Learning Lab,” a hands-on, 10-week program designed to immerse students in real-world artificial intelligence applications. Through the program, students work in multidisciplinary teams to design and develop AI-driven solutions using IBM鈥檚 enterprise technologies, including watsonx. Supported by IBM experts and industry mentors, students move from concept to prototype while tackling authentic business challenges.

Throughout the lab, participants build practical skills in generative and agentic AI, as well as responsible AI design, while producing portfolio-ready projects that enhance their career readiness. By the program鈥檚 conclusion, students will have completed AI solutions they can present to employers and will earn IBM-recognized digital credentials to showcase on LinkedIn and resumes. The initiative reflects Koppelman鈥檚 commitment to experiential learning, industry collaboration, and preparing students to lead in an AI-driven economy.

Bassell is also spearheading the broader “AI Literacy in Business Education: From Classrooms to Careers” initiative, which is being implemented in phases beginning in Fall 2025 and continuing through Spring 2026, with expansion planned for Summer 2026 and beyond. In Fall 2025 alone, Koppelman students completed approximately 700 IBM AI-related certificates, followed by more than 1,000 additional certifications in Spring 2026. These credentials were integrated directly into coursework through collaboration between Bassell and business school faculty.

Students earn certifications through IBM SkillsBuild in areas such as AI Literacy, Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals, Generative AI, Agentic AI applications, Enterprise Design Thinking, and Cybersecurity Fundamentals, among others. Each certification includes a verifiable digital badge, allowing students to clearly demonstrate their AI competencies to prospective employers.

Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Associate Professor Ngoc (Cindy) Pham is leading the “The semester-long weekly boot camp is designed to build applied and ethical AI fluency while preparing students for the evolving workforce.

The initiative combines hands-on workshops, industry perspectives, cross-institution collaboration, and digital badge recognition to help students develop both technical confidence and critical thinking skills.

Program highlights include weekly AI boot camps at 可乐视频, guest speakers and industry experts from IBM and other national AI practitioners, and a joint CUNY鈥揘YU Tandon session hosted at NYU that helped launch a long-term collaboration. Students also take on leadership roles as moderators and event facilitators. Designed for scalability, the model aims to expand across CUNY while maintaining a strong focus on equity, access, and workforce readiness.

Matt Lentz, vice president at Monks and founder of the Enterprise Consulting Practice, speaks at an AI bootcamp hosted by NYU鈥檚 Tandon School of Engineering on March 12. The event was a part of the CUNY AI literacy and professional readiness series led by 可乐视频 Associate Professor Ngoc (Cindy) Pham and focused on AI in enterprise consulting. (Top photo) In February, guest lecturer Conor Grennan鈥擟EO of AI Mindset and New York Times bestselling author鈥攈eadlined a lecture titled, 鈥淎rtificial Intelligence & the Future of Work鈥� that drew 118 participants.

Expanding AI to Student Support: Addressing Food Insecurity

可乐视频鈥檚 AI initiatives also extend beyond the classroom, applying emerging technologies to one of the most pressing challenges facing students: food insecurity.

Led by Associate Professor of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Laura Rifkin and building on the human-centered work of the campus food pantry staff鈥攊ncluding Assistant Director of Student Support Services Nicole Cohen and Student Affairs鈥攖his effort will explore how AI can expand access to nutritious food in ways that are both practical and dignified. One approach under consideration is a smart vending system that would serve as an extension of the pantry, offering discreet, flexible access outside of traditional hours. By reducing barriers such as stigma, scheduling conflicts, and transportation challenges, the system could significantly broaden its reach while generating anonymized, real-time data on usage patterns and unmet need.

The initiative also examines how agentic AI can support pantry operations behind the scenes鈥攁nalyzing trends, anticipating demand, optimizing inventory, and improving coordination of donations and purchasing. Guided by principles of transparency, human oversight, and bias mitigation, the work builds on the college鈥檚 strong track record of student-centered support while introducing scalable, data-informed solutions.

The effort comes at a critical moment. Food pantry use has grown fourfold in recent years, reflecting both rising need and the extraordinary commitment of staff working with limited resources. Across CUNY, approximately 110,000 students鈥攁bout 40% of the system鈥攅xperience food insecurity, yet only a small percentage access available support, often due to stigma or administrative barriers. By integrating AI thoughtfully into these services, the college aims to close that gap by strengthening student well-being to support academic success.

AI-Supported Professional Preparation for Early Childhood Teachers Working With Dual Language Learners

In the School of Education, Associate Professor Lulu Song is addressing a critical need in early childhood teacher preparation. Her project integrates AI into coursework to support future educators working with dual language learners, a population that represents nearly half of young children in New York State. Through structured assignments, students will use AI tools for research and problem-solving while learning to critically evaluate outputs for accuracy, bias, and credibility.

Additional projects include AI-supported learning studios in mathematics, interdisciplinary minors linking computer science with writing and finance, and research on ethical design and decision-making. Collectively, these initiatives highlight 可乐视频鈥檚 holistic approach to AI鈥攐ne that blends innovation with responsibility, and technical skills with human insight.

Understanding AI: A Foundational Series for Faculty

Led by Karen Stern-Gabbay, professor of history and director of the Roberta S. Matthews Center for Teaching and Learning, and James T. Eaton, associate dean in the Provost鈥檚 Office, this workshop series will bring expert speakers to campus to guide faculty through key topics such as technological disruption, ethics, and curriculum design.

Open to both full- and part-time instructors, the program is designed to build confidence and shared understanding around AI in the classroom.

Faking It: A Global Workshop Series

AI鈥檚 cultural and creative implications are also a focus. Distinguished Professor of Film Alexandra Juhasz, in collaboration with filmmaker Nishant Shah, is leading 鈥淔aking It,鈥� a global workshop series examining questions of authenticity, knowledge, and human connection in an AI-mediated world. With sessions planned in New York and Hong Kong, the project will explore how emerging technologies reshape storytelling, perception, and social relationships.

You can see all the projects listed here.

• Myles Bassell (Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship) – AI Literacy in Business Education: Scaling a Proven Model at the Koppelman School of Business.
• April Bedford (Academic Affairs) – Faculty AI Bootcamp: Developing Critical AI Literacy, Course Policies, and Pedagogical Innovation.
• Hui Chen (Computer and Information Science) – Human-in-the-Loop Just-in-Time AI Auto-Tutoring: A Pilot for CUNY Pathways Courses.
• Carol Connell (Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship) – AI, Decision-Making, and Business Strategy Integrated Capstone.
• James Eaton (Academic Affairs) – Understanding AI: A Foundational Series for Faculty.
• Alexandra Juhasz (Film) – Faking It: AI Education and Literacy.
• Devorah Kletenik – (Computer and Information Science) Designing With Ethics: Exploring AI-Enhanced Dark Patterns.
• Swan Kim (English) – Critical AI Literacy for the Public Good: A CUNY-Scalable Ethical Foundations Module Reaching All Incoming Students.
• Sandra Kingan (Mathematics) – AI-Supported Math Foundations Studio.
• Anjali Krishnan (Psychology) – Promoting Responsible AI Use in Skill-Based and Writing-Intensive Courses.
• Jennifer McCoy; Jonathan Zalben (Art, Conservatory of Music) – AI Initiative in the Arts.
• Martha Nadell and Hui Chen (English, Computer and Information Science) – Writing For the Future: An Integrated English/Computer and Information Sciences Minor.
• Hyuna Park and Katherine Chuang (Finance, Computer and Information Science) – Using AI Tools to Create Synergy Between Finance and Computer Science Education.
• Ngoc (Cindy) Pham (Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship) – CUNY AI Literacy and Professional Readiness Micro-Credential Series With Global Expert Partners.
• Laura Rifkin (Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship) – Addressing Food Insecurities.
• Lulu Song (Early Childhood Education/Art Education) – AI-Supported Professional Preparation for Early Childhood Teachers Working With Dual Language Learners.

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That鈥檚 the bold premise behind this year鈥檚 H. Martin Friedman Lecture at 可乐视频, featuring Martin Chalfie, University Professor at Columbia University and recipient of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

On April 28, Chalfie will deliver his talk, 鈥淭he Continuing Need for Useless Knowledge: Finding the Unexpected to Enable Future Scientific Revolutions.鈥� His message is simple but compelling: Curiosity isn鈥檛 a distraction from progress鈥攊t鈥檚 the engine that drives it.

April 28, 2026

12:15 P.M. 鈥� 2:00 P.M.

148 Ingersoll hall extension

Hosted by the 可乐视频 Chemistry Society and co-hosted by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chalfie鈥檚 lecture draws inspiration from a 1939 essay by Abraham Flexner, founding director of the Institute for Advanced Study, who argued that society鈥檚 obsession with 鈥渦sefulness鈥� often blinds us to the discoveries that reshape our understanding of the world. Flexner believed that true breakthroughs happen when thinkers are free to explore without a roadmap. Chalfie brings that idea into the 21st century, showing how curiosity鈥慸riven research continues to spark scientific revolutions.

Chalfie speaks from experience. He shared the Nobel Prize for pioneering the use of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)鈥攁 tool that transformed biology by allowing scientists to watch living cells in action. Yet his path to scientific acclaim was anything but straightforward.

Born in Chicago, Chalfie entered Harvard with an interest in science but graduated unsure of his abilities and uncertain about his future. He spent two years working a patchwork of jobs鈥攋anitor, clothing salesman, high鈥憇chool teacher鈥攂efore a chance opportunity in a research lab changed everything. One experiment worked. One idea led to a publication. And that moment of discovery gave him the confidence to pursue graduate school and, eventually, a career that would reshape modern biology.

From his postdoctoral work with Sydney Brenner in Cambridge to his decades of research at Columbia, Chalfie has helped illuminate how organisms sense touch, how neurons develop, and how cells maintain their identity. His contributions span genetics, neurobiology, and molecular biology, and his leadership roles include service in the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Society for Cell Biology.

About the H. Martin Friedman Lecture

The H. Martin Friedman Lecture is an annual lecture series hosted by 可乐视频, typically organized by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. It brings distinguished scientists and scholars to campus to present a public lecture on a topic in science, particularly in chemistry, biochemistry, and related fields. The event is part of a long-running lecture series named after H. Martin Friedman, who supported the college and this lecture series. In some years, the lecture has been given by eminent researchers and has helped introduce students (including high school students and undergraduates) to careers and advances in the sciences.

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The event will be held on March 3 at 12:30 p.m. in the Woody Tanger Auditorium, 可乐视频 Library.

Gelernt serves as a senior attorney with the ACLU Immigrants鈥� Rights Project and has argued many of the country鈥檚 most consequential cases, including before the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple federal courts of appeals. His work has also brought him before both the House and Senate as an expert witness, and he teaches at Columbia Law School.

His litigation has shaped national conversations on immigration policy. Among his notable cases is the challenge to the Trump Administration鈥檚 family鈥憇eparation policy, a case that drew international attention and was featured in the documentary. The Fight and a New York Times Magazine cover story. He currently serves as lead counsel in litigation concerning the administration鈥檚 use of the Alien Enemies Act, which has raised significant questions about due process and the treatment of Venezuelan migrants.

Gelernt鈥檚 contributions have earned him numerous awards and recognition as one of the 500 leading lawyers in the United States. His commentary and expertise appear frequently in major media outlets, documentaries, books, and podcasts. This event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from a central figure in the legal battles shaping U.S. immigration policy.

The Konefsky Lecture is an annual event that honors Samuel J. Konefsky, a 可乐视频 alumnus who was a professor of constitutional law at the college from the 1940s to 1970. At the event, a scholarship generously donated by the Konefsky family is presented to a 可乐视频 pre-law student.

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and published author who brings more than three decades of public-school teaching experience to her work with pre-service and in-service educators at the college. Known for her deep commitment to justice-rooted, heart-centered pedagogy, Noble integrates contemplative practices, mindfulness, and equity-focused approaches into teacher education.

Ah! A Heartbook for Teaching | Learning with Love invites educators to reconnect with love, presence, and compassion as essential foundations for teaching and learning. Blending reflective practices with lived classroom wisdom, the book addresses educator well-being, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed teaching, and community care鈥攐ffering guidance for sustaining both teachers and students in complex educational environments.

Noble鈥檚 scholarship reflects 可乐视频鈥檚 mission to advance equity, educational leadership, and holistic learning. Her work contributes to ongoing conversations in teacher education around mindfulness, contemplative pedagogy, and the role of emotional and spiritual awareness in fostering just and humane classrooms.

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Held in the 可乐视频 Library on November 18鈥攖he anniversary of the 1803 Battle of Verti猫res, which ended French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue and ensured Haiti鈥檚 independence鈥攖he daylong celebration was both festive and reflective. It brought together scholars, archivists, students, and community members to honor Simidor and to highlight the vital role of archives in preserving collective memory.

Speakers emphasized a central truth: Archives are more than collections of documents. They are vessels of identity, resistance, and continuity. For diasporic communities, archives ensure that histories of struggle, migration, and creativity are not erased but passed forward to future generations.

Program Highlights

HSI Director Marie Lily Cerat and archivist Obden Mondesir welcomed guests, situating the event within the institute鈥檚 broader mission: to document, study, and make accessible Haitian culture, politics, and history.

A Q&A hosted by Mondesir featured a panel of distinguished archivists and cultural workers鈥擲teven G. Fullwood, Hadassah St. Hubert, Ph.D., Joanne Hyppolite, Ph.D., and Petrouchka Moise, Ph.D.鈥攚ho shared reflections on their careers and the broader significance of archives for diasporic communities. Each underscored how archives amplify marginalized voices and preserve cultural memory across generations and borders.

The special event was also attended by Simidor鈥檚 son, Georges Eliz茅e, as well as former 可乐视频 Haitian American Students Association leaders Yves Raymond 鈥�77 and Kettly Samuel 鈥�79, giving the occasion a powerful sense of living history.

(Left to right) CUNY HSI Director Marie Lily Cerat, Georges Eliz茅e, and archivist Obden Mondesir at the HSI Archives and Special Collections November 18.

The program featured a discussion of the book Silence and Resistance with writer and activist Monique Clesca, hosted by The Haitian Times. Clesca situated her book within Haiti鈥檚 ongoing struggle for democracy and cultural survival. She spoke of silence not as absence but as a force that can both oppress and empower, and of resistance as an act of remembering鈥攔efusing to let stories and voices be erased. Her words reminded listeners that archives are living tools for shaping the future.

Macollvie J. Neel, Special Projects Editor for The Haitian Times (left), and author Monique Clesca led a discussion about the book, “Silence and Resistance.”

An open house with tours led by members Rosashia Shortte, Matthew Romulus, Steve Previlon, and others allowed attendees to explore Simidor鈥檚 personal papers and other treasures held in the HSI Archives. Manuscripts, photographs, and rare documents offered a tactile sense of the histories preserved, underscoring the power of archives to connect past and present.

The Legacy of Daniel Simidor

At the heart of the celebration was Andr茅 Eliz茅e/Daniel Simidor, whose life embodied memory as resistance. A writer, poet, activist, and archivist, Simidor was deeply involved in Haiti鈥檚 political struggles鈥攖he anti鈥慏uvalier movement of the 1980s, protests against the U.S.鈥慴acked coup against President Jean鈥態ertrand Aristide in 1991, and advocacy for Haitian asylum seekers detained at Guantanamo.

His archival work was equally transformative. For 26 years, he served at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, curating collections that illuminated Haitian history, French鈥憇peaking Africa, the Caribbean, and African American political movements. His exhibitions, including The French Revolution in the Americas and Dechoukaj! Contemporary Social and Political Developments in Haiti, 1986鈥�1988, became touchstones for scholars and the public. He also organized film and lecture series that extended archival materials into classrooms and community spaces.

About the Panelists

• Steven G. Fullwood: Founder of the In the Life Archive at the Schomburg, the largest collection documenting LGBTQ people of African descent.
• Hadassah St. Hubert, Ph.D.: Historian and digital humanist, co鈥慺ounder of Sidra Collaborative, emphasizing digital preservation for cross鈥慴order access.
• Joanne Hyppolite, Ph.D.: Supervisory museum curator at the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Museum of African American History and Culture, and curator of groundbreaking exhibitions on Afro鈥慍aribbean and African American culture.
• Petrouchka Moise, Ph.D.

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To learn more about the value of a 可乐视频 degree, read President Michelle J. Anderson鈥檚 op-ed for Crain鈥檚 New York.

The Princeton Review chose schools for the 2024 list based on data from surveys of administrators at more than 650 colleges. Surveys covered academics, cost, financial aid, graduation rates, and student debt. The company also factored in data from its surveys of students attending the schools, as well as from PayScale.com鈥檚 surveys of alumni of the schools about their starting and mid-career salaries and job satisfaction. In all, The Princeton Review crunched more than 40 data points to tally ROI (Return on Investment) ratings of the colleges that were the basis for the Best Value Colleges school selections.

“The schools we chose as our Best Value Colleges for 2024 are a select group: they comprise only about 8% of the nation鈥檚 four-year undergraduate institutions,鈥� said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. 鈥淲e commend their administrators, faculties, staff, and alumni for all they are doing to educate their students and guide them to success in their careers. These colleges are also exceptional for the generous amount of financial aid they award to students with need and/or for their comparatively low cost of attendance.鈥�

To see more 可乐视频 accolades, please go here.

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As senior associate provost for academic programs and services during the past academic year, Bedford supervised the college鈥檚 student support and opportunity programs, including working with 19 faculty members across all five schools to develop new first-year seminars launched last fall.

鈥淎pril Bedford is an accomplished leader with a proven track record who possesses a deep understanding of the faculty experience and student-faculty relationships at 可乐视频 that will serve our institution well,鈥� President Michelle J. Anderson said. 鈥淚 look forward to working with her and our entire faculty and staff moving forward to offer transformational educational opportunities to our students.鈥�

鈥淚 am excited about this new role and look forward to collaborating with all of the stakeholders involved with our strategic planning process and other critical educational initiatives, so that we continue to ensure our students have an outstanding experience at each phase of their educational journey,鈥� Bedford said.

This academic year, while serving as interim provost, Bedford and Senior Vice President Alan Gilbert have also co-chaired the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. During her time at the college, she has also served in critical roles supporting educational priorities throughout New York State, including:

• serving as president of the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education;
• co-chairing a statewide working group on clinical practice for the New York State Education Commissioner;
• working on the New York Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching and being appointed by the New York State Board of Regents as a member of the Early Childhood Blue Ribbon Committee; and
• being the principal investigator for the Teacher Opportunity Corps and launching the NYC Men Teach program at the college, both of which have prepared more male teachers of color in our city and state.

Before coming to 可乐视频, Bedford served for 11 years on the faculty at the University of New Orleans, where she was elected to the Faculty Senate and chaired the University Policy Committee. She was a faculty member and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and interim dean of the College of Education for three years. Her scholarship has focused on literacy and children鈥檚 literature, and she remains active in the Children鈥檚 Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English and the American Library Association.

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An op-ed written by听President Michelle J. Anderson听蹿辞谤听Crain鈥檚 New York Business听and published on April 5 outlines the many benefits of a 可乐视频 education鈥攆rom the affordable tuition to the quality of the course work, to the fact the college is part of the City University of New York system that propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class as all Ivy League colleges, Stanford, Duke, M.I.T., and the University of Chicago combined.

President Anderson argues that the power of a 可乐视频 education is undeniable for many less-advantaged and first-generation students. You can read the op-ed听.

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This year promises to be a busy one for Robin. He is hard at work on a new book, King Capital, and he was just named one of 鈥攁n appointment that will take him across the country to meet undergraduate students in classrooms, lectures, and seminars.

Throw in the 2024 presidential election, and it is the perfect time to ask Robin about his book, the Phi Betta Kappa nod, and what might be next for America, politically speaking.

听What are your thoughts on political polarization in the United States and what are the opportunities to bridge the ideological divides?

As a political scientist, I鈥檓 aware of a significant irony in this lament that the country has grown polarized. Back in 1950, the American Political Science Association wrote a , arguing that the main problem of American politics was that we were not polarized enough! The authors of that report believed that to address society鈥檚 most difficult challenges鈥擩im Crow, industrial capitalism, and so on鈥攜ou needed parties to organize and divide the electorate based on belief, policy, and program. The problem with America was that our parties had failed to do that. Taking this longer historical view, I鈥檇 say that the United States has made the most progress when it has been polarized. Where would we be without the abolitionists who polarized the country over slavery? Or without Martin Luther King, who, many people forget, was a very polarizing figure in our society. The problem today is not polarization but the weakness of our political parties, neither of which can deliver or act on that polarization.

Tell us about the inspiration behind your latest book, King Capital?

Like most of my books, this one began in a classroom at 可乐视频. I was teaching an undergraduate course on conservatism and realized how little I knew about conservative thinking on the free market and capitalism. After immersing myself in the conservative tradition, I became more interested in how political theorists and economists, more generally, from Adam Smith to Marx and Keynes, have thought about capitalism. I began teaching another undergraduate course on the political theory of capitalism. My lectures formed the basis for my book, which Random House will be publishing.

What are some important points you want to highlight during your academic tour as part of the Phi Beta Kappa Society鈥檚 Visiting Scholars program?

While I鈥檓 excited to share my past and current research, I鈥檓 most excited to talk to undergraduates about the importance of the kind of reading and writing we do in the humanities and social sciences. I have a firm no-screens policy in my class; we just have the text, the paper we take notes on, and our pens. I鈥檝e increasingly come to think of the classroom as a sacred space, not unlike Shabbat in the Jewish tradition, where we suspend the noise of our daily lives to have a different kind of experience of the world. That experience, of close reading and reflecting on our reading in prose, is an increasingly imperiled one, and it鈥檚 critical that we, as educators, fight to preserve it.

In what ways is populism a threat to American democratic institutions?

There are two problems with the way that question is posed. The first is that populism, historically, has been one of the mainsprings of American democracy. The Populists, or the People鈥檚 Party, pushed for democratic reforms like the direct election of senators, which became the Seventeenth Amendment, and the initiative and referendum, which is how feminists often put the issue of women鈥檚 suffrage before the people. The second problem with that question is that it elides how it is our institutions, including those authorized by the Constitution, that pose the greatest threat to democracy. Today, the most anti-democratic forces in our society depend upon the Electoral College, the Supreme Court, and the Senate to help them to power and to hold on to their power. These forces are the opposite of populist; they are counter-majoritarian and anti-majoritarian.

Hear what Corey Robin had to say about 鈥淲hat Liberals Get Wrong About the Right鈥� on the 鈥淔actually鈥� podcast. 听

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