For Greenfield, giving back to the institution that helped launch his career is both an act of gratitude and a deeply personal tribute. The professorship honors his late daughter, Jennifer Beth Greenfield (1958–84), a gifted young scholar whose passion for cultural anthropology was cut short when after completing a master’s degree she was killed in an automobile accident before beginning her doctoral. By bearing her name, the professorship ensures that her intellectual curiosity and commitment to understanding cultures and communities will continue to inspire future scholars.

“Sidney Greenfield’s gift honors his daughter and strengthens study that will guide future scholars,” said President Michelle J. Anderson. “We thank him for a commitment that will shape learning for years to come.”

Greenfield is thankful to ������Ƶ for helping him discover anthropology and providing the intellectual foundation for a career that has taken him around the world.

“The education I received at ������Ƶ transformed my ambitions and set me on a path of lifelong scholarship,” said Greenfield. “Establishing this professorship in memory of my daughter, Jennifer, is deeply meaningful to me. She possessed a genuine love of anthropology and an enduring curiosity about the world. I hope the Jennifer B. Greenfield Professor of Cultural Anthropology will ensure that her spirit lives on through the work of faculty and students who seek to better understand cultures, communities, and the human condition.”

A Scholar Shaped by ������Ƶ

A 1950 graduate of Franklin K. Lane High School, Greenfield arrived at ������Ƶ intending to study to become an accountant. He graduated magna cum laude with honors in economics in 1954, was elected to Alpha Kappa Mu in 1953 and to Phi Beta Kappa in 1954. Having “discovered” anthropology in his senior year at ������Ƶ he went on the earn a Ph.D. at Columbia University where he studied under renowned economic historian Karl Polany and anthropologist Conrad Arensberg. His economics major at ������Ƶ drew the attention of Arensberg and Polanyi who invited him to join a seminar they offered that had a long-term influence on his research. Greenfield’s dissertation research, conducted in Barbados, examined family organization—an early sign of the interdisciplinary approach that would define his career.

Approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees in April 2025, the Jennifer B. Greenfield Professor of Cultural Anthropology will now help ������Ƶ attract and support outstanding faculty members while expanding opportunities for students to engage in innovative scholarship. Anthropology Professor Patricia Antoniello will serve as the inaugural holder of the chair, bringing her long record of teaching, mentorship, and community-engaged scholarship to this new role.

In creating this enduring legacy, Greenfield has made an investment not only in ������Ƶ, but also in the future of anthropology and in the generations of students who will carry that work forward.

A Career of Global Reach and Intellectual Range

Greenfield’s scholarly life has been marked by deep, sustained engagement with the cultures of the Atlantic world. His early academic appointment at Purdue University took him to Minas Gerais, Brazil, where he spent a summer studying and advising on USAID’s emerging agricultural extension program. Brazil became his lifelong intellectual home: He has returned 23 more times for extended research visits.

His work also took him to Portugal in 1972–73, where he investigated the origins of the Portuguese Atlantic slavery system and the patronage and clientage structures of 15^th-century Portuguese society.

In 1963, Greenfield joined the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Departments of Sociology and Anthropology, where he spent 34 years and served as department chair of the Anthropology Department from 1990 to 1993. His scholarship spans an extraordinary range: family and kinship, patronage and politics, plantation slavery, entrepreneurship, Spiritist (Kardecist) surgery, religion and healing, spirit mediumship, syncretic religions, and the rise of Evangelical Protestantism in Brazilian politics.

He is the author or editor of nine books, producer and director of five video documentaries, and the author of approximately 150 articles and reviews. Representative works include Spirits With Scalpels: The Cultural Biology of Religious Healing in Brazil (2008), Reinventing Religions: Syncretism and Transformation in Africa and the Americas (2001), and Entrepreneurship and Social Change (1986).

Greenfield continues to serve as co-chair of the Columbia University Seminars on Brazil, Studies in Religion and Contents and Methods in the Social Sciences. He is past president of the Association of Senior Anthropology and the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness, both sections of the American Anthropological Association.

In 1954, Greenfield married Eleanor “Ellie” Stolz (1936–2023), whom he met at summer camp when she was 16. Ellie, a Hunter College (CUNY) and University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee graduate, taught in the Milwaukee Public Schools and was known for her skill in evaluating children with learning disabilities. After Sidney’s retirement from UW–Milwaukee, the couple returned to New York in 1997.

Through this remarkable gift, Greenfield has ensured that both ������Ƶ and the memory of his daughter, Jennifer, will continue to inspire discovery, scholarship, and cross-cultural understanding for generations to come.

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“A quarter century later, we continue to remember those we lost and the many lives forever changed by September 11,” said ������Ƶ President Michelle J. Anderson. “We also remember how our ������Ƶ community came together with compassion, strength, and resilience, and we carry that spirit forward.”

Read a special message from President Anderson .

Pausing to Remember

Twenty-five years later, ������Ƶ continues its annual remembrance through the ringing of the��library tower bell.

Since 2002, the bell has tolled six times at 8:46, 9:03, 9:37, 9:59, 10:03, and 10:28 a.m., marking the pivotal moments of that morning and inviting the community to pause in memory of those whose lives were lost.

Honoring Alumni Lost That Day

Below is a list of the ������Ƶ alumni who were tragically lost on September 11, 2001.

Ernest Alikakos ’89
Auditor,��New��York��State��Department of Taxation and Finance

Ezra Aviles ’86
Senior��manager,��strategic��planning and��development,��Port Authority

Eustace Bacchus ’83
Independent��trader,��American Stock Exchange, attending��a��meeting at Windows��on��the World

Steven Berger ’79
Supervisor of corporate tax auditors,��New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Andre Cox ’01
Cafeteria worker, 101st floor of World Trade Center

James R. Coyle (attended ������Ƶ in��the 1990s)
FDNY firefighter, Ladder 3

Peter Freund ’84
FDNY��lieutenant, Engine Co. 55

John Giordano ’80
FDNY firefighter‚ Hazardous Materials 1

Michael Gogliormella ’80
Technology Division eSpeed, Inc., a division of Cantor Fitzgerald

Joseph Grillo ’77
Risk finance analyst,��Port Authority

Jeffrey Hersch ’81
Accountant,��Cantor Fitzgerald

Lorraine Lisi ’80
Vice President, Fiduciary Trust International

Paul Lisson ’80
Records��clerk,��Aon Corp.

Robert Mayo (attended ������Ƶ 1973–76)
Deputy��fire��inspector,��World Trade Center

Robert Miller ’76
Conferee,��New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Gregory Saucedo ’92
FDNY Firefighter, Ladder 5; Firefighter Gregory T. Saucedo Triangle on Avenue T is named in his honor

Ian Schneider ’78
Senior managing director,��Cantor Fitzgerald

Craig Silverstein ’88
Equity trader,��Sandler O’Neill and Partners

Arthur Simon ’69
Equities trader,��Fred Alger Management; died along with son Ken, Cantor Fitzgerald

Robert Twomey ’78
Trader,��Harvey Young Yurman; attending a breakfast meeting at Windows on the World

Abraham J.��Zelmanowitz (attended ������Ƶ 1965–1969)
Computer programmer,��Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Prokopios “Paul” Zois ’78
Consultant,��Marsh & McLennan;��travel specialist,��American Express; taught at Kingsborough��Community College Department of��Tourism and Hospitality

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The undergraduate Earth and Environmental Sciences course EESC 4350: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture combines classroom instruction in aquatic ecosystem science, fish biology, and seafood management with hands-on learning. Throughout the semester, students design, establish, and maintain an aquaculture system at AREAC, gaining practical experience with the biological, environmental, and operational aspects of sustainable seafood production.

The course introduces students to the complex systems that support global fisheries and aquaculture while highlighting career opportunities in aquatic science, environmental management, and conservation. By connecting scientific theory with real-world application, EESC 4350 provides students with valuable skills and a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the seafood industry.

The inaugural offering of the course in spring 2026 was a resounding success, thanks to an enthusiastic and engaged cohort of students. AREAC plans to offer the course annually each spring, continuing its commitment to experiential learning and workforce development in aquatic and environmental science.

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Devorah Kletenik.

The collaborative initiative, conducted with Associate Professor Rachel F. Adler of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, aims to identify challenges in teaching and learning about digital accessibility; enhance and evaluate educational resources, including games and interactive assignments; and build a supportive community of practice for instructors.

The IMPACT project seeks to strengthen accessibility education in computing and help prepare students to create more inclusive digital technologies.

More information about the award is available through the NSF .

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This distinguished appointment marks a major milestone for the school and underscores ������Ƶ’s commitment to advancing scientific research, exceptional teaching, and student mentorship. Established through a generous gift from molecular and cellular biologist Chafen Lu, the endowed professorship honors her former mentor, ������Ƶ Professor Emeritus Peter Lipke, and his wife, Anne Lipke, whose longstanding dedication to education, supporting diversity, and scientific inquiry has left an enduring impact on the college community.

(From left) Timothy Springer (Chafen Lu’s husband), Chafen Lu, Peter Lipke, Anne Lipke, ������Ƶ President Michelle J. Anderson, and Dean for the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Peter Tolias celebrated the launching of the Peter and Anne Lipke Professorship in January of this year.

������Ƶ President Michelle J. Anderson praised the appointment, noting the vital role endowed faculty positions play in strengthening the college’s mission.

“We extend our thanks to Chafen Lu for her generosity, inspired by her mentor Peter Lipke and his wife, Anne,” said Anderson. “Her support ensures that scholars like Professor Yetnikoff have the resources they need to advance research, mentor students, and shape the future of their disciplines.”

As the inaugural Peter and Anne Lipke Endowed Professor, Yetnikoff will expand her research program while creating new opportunities for ������Ƶ students to participate in hands-on scientific discovery. Her laboratory has long served as a training ground for undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have gone on to competitive doctoral programs and careers in neuroscience, psychology, and medicine.

“I am excited and extremely honored to have been selected for this position, which is itself a testament to the impact Peter and Anne Lipke had on ������Ƶ and the entire CUNY community,” Yetnikoff said. “My greatest hope is to continue Peter and Anne’s legacy of providing exceptional mentorship to students through my research and teaching activities.”

The endowment will strengthen those efforts by supporting student research positions, providing access to advanced laboratory equipment, and fostering new collaborations across CUNY and beyond. It also reinforces ������Ƶ’s ability to recruit, retain, and support outstanding faculty whose research advances knowledge and whose teaching inspires future generations of scientists.

A leading scholar in molecular, cellular, and behavioral neuroscience, Yetnikoff is widely recognized for her research on the neural mechanisms that influence brain health across the human lifespan. Her work examines how dopamine pathways shape our experience through changes in the myelination of neural circuits in the brain. Consequently, Yetnikoff’s research has important implications for understanding addiction, mental illness, multiple sclerosis, and other neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders.

Her scholarship has been supported by major federal agencies and published in leading scientific journals, contributing to a deeper understanding of how the brain adapts and changes throughout life. Yetnikoff earned her B.A. in Psychology from Concordia University in 2005, her M.Sc. in Psychiatry from McGill University in 2007, and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from McGill University in 2012.

Lu’s gift and the Lipkes’ legacy reflect a shared belief in the transformative power of public education and a deep connection to ������Ƶ and CUNY.��Peter Lipke, a longtime faculty member in the Department of Biology, is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking research in fungal cell biology and for decades of mentorship to students and colleagues. Anne Lipke, a dedicated educator, mentor, and community leader, has long championed access to high-quality science education. Together, their legacy will help support scientific excellence, student opportunity, and groundbreaking discovery at ������Ƶ for generations to come.

The post Leora Yetnikoff Named Inaugural Peter and Anne Lipke Endowed Professor at ������Ƶ appeared first on ������Ƶ.

The research also found that commonly used restoration assessment methods may overlook key indicators of ecosystem function. While restored marshes performed well, the study suggests that rapid assessments should place greater emphasis on below-ground factors such as soil organic matter to characterize the potential for nitrogen removal. The findings provide valuable guidance for scientists, policymakers, and restoration practitioners working to strengthen the resilience and ecological health of urban coastlines.

You can read the paper .

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A member of the Macaulay Honors College and ������Ƶ’s Coordinated B.A.–M.D. program, Chinnadurai is pursuing a double major in psychology and philosophy, with a concentration in medical ethics. The aspiring physician has already built an impressive record of research, leadership, service, and academic achievement.

Chinnadurai’s selection places her among a distinguished group of ������Ƶ students who have benefited from the vision and generosity of Bernard Garil ’62 and his wife, Ethel. The couple established a pair of internships in memory of their children, Michael and Stacey, both of whom passed away from cancer. Transforming their loss into an enduring opportunity for future generations, the Garils created summer research experiences that give students hands-on exposure to cancer research at world-class institutions.

Over the years, the Garils’ commitment to ������Ƶ has enabled dozens of aspiring doctors and scientists to spend summers at prestigious centers such as Dana-Farber and Johns Hopkins, gaining invaluable mentorship and research experience while helping advance the fight against cancer.

For Chinnadurai—whose own interest in oncology is shaped in part by family members’ experiences—the opportunity represents both a professional milestone and a chance to contribute to work that has the potential to change lives.

We spoke with Chinnadurai about her research journey, her passion for medicine, and what she hopes to learn during her summer at Dana-Farber.

Tell us a little about your background and how you got to ������Ƶ.
I grew up in Nassau County and came to ������Ƶ through the Macaulay Honors College and the B.A.-M.D. program. I’ve always been interested in medicine, and my high school adviser encouraged me to apply for the program. It felt like a good fit.

��When did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in medicine?
It’s kind of always been on my radar. In middle school and high school, I started exploring that interest by volunteering in hospitals. I volunteered at Nassau University Medical Center and at the Ronald McDonald House, where I worked closely with families of sick children. That experience really showed me a different side of health care, not just the clinical aspect, but the emotional and community side, too.

You’ve already built a strong research background. How did that begin?
In high school, I took research classes and worked on a project about synesthesia, which is how people associate sounds with colors. It was my first exposure to the scientific method, and it made me realize how much I enjoyed research. When I got to ������Ƶ, I knew I wanted to continue that, so I joined a psychology lab in my freshman year.

��What kinds of research have you worked on at ������Ƶ?
I’ve been in Dr. [Laura] Reigada’s lab for three years now, and I’m currently working on my honors thesis there. I’ve worked on both qualitative and quantitative projects. One of my major projects focused on HPV-associated cancers, where I helped analyze open-ended survey responses about people’s perceptions of risk and attitudes toward vaccination.

That experience connected me to the ������Ƶ Cancer Center (������ƵCC-CURE), which is how I learned about the internship at Dana-Farber. It also made me realize I wanted to go deeper in cancer research and ideally interact more directly with patients or do lab-based work.

What drew you specifically to oncology?
It’s something I’m still exploring, but it’s definitely one of the specialties I’m most interested in. I’ve had family members affected by cancer. One didn’t make it, and one did. Seeing both the impact of the disease and the long-term effects of treatment is something that has stayed with me. It made the field feel personal, and it’s part of why I want to explore it more deeply through research.

��What are you hoping to gain from your summer at Dana-Farber?
I’m really hoping to gain a more hands-on perspective on cancer research, whether that’s working in a lab or interacting more directly with patients in clinical research. Most of my experience so far has been survey-based, so I’m excited to expand into new methods and deepen my understanding of oncology as a field.

��The Garil internship has a powerful story behind it. What does it mean to you to be selected?
It means a lot. Knowing that this opportunity exists because of a family who turned personal loss into something that helps students is really inspiring. It motivates me to make the most of the experience and to contribute meaningfully to the work I’ll be doing.

Outside the lab, you’ve also been deeply involved in campus life, especially dance. Tell us about that.
Dance has been a huge part of my life since I was three or four. At ������Ƶ, I joined Macaulay’s competitive dance team, and it’s been one of my favorite experiences. We practice a lot, and it’s taught me time management and given me a creative outlet outside of STEM.

I’ve also been involved in tutoring, peer mentoring, and clubs like SPARK, where we worked with elementary school students on leadership and anti-bullying activities. Those experiences are really meaningful to me because they connect back to community and education.

��Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals?
I’ll be continuing on to medical school through the B.A-/M.D. program, and I’m definitely interested in oncology, though I’m keeping an open mind. I’m also really interested in philosophy and ethics. I’m even thinking about possibly pursuing a master’s in that area one day. I think ethics plays such an important role in medicine, and I’d love to integrate that into my career.

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Established by the ASP, the award honors individuals whose dedication has strengthened the society and advanced the scientific community. Recipients are selected by ASP leadership and council members based on exemplary service and impact. During the ceremony, Greer delivered a lecture titled “A Photochemist’s Perspective: From Fundamental to Translational Science to Help in Photodynamic, Antimicrobial, and Wound Care Challenges.” Greer previously won the ASP Research Award in 2024, awarded to a researcher who made significant contributions with major impact in the fields of photomedicine, photobiology, photochemistry, and/or photophysics, as well as sharing the Photocite B Award in both 2020 and 2026 for having the highest cited review articles in the society’s journal, Photochemistry and Photobiology.

As part of the Photon Award, Greer received a statue depicting the ancient Egyptian sun god Ra, a symbol of the central role light plays in photobiological research.

A distinguished researcher and educator, Greer serves as director of the ������Ƶ Cancer Center, where he has helped advance research and education focused on cancer biology and public health. Throughout his career, he has contributed to a greater understanding of the details underlying complex photochemical and biological processes, including those relating to anti-cancer photodynamic therapy. He earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Wyoming in 1996 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Organic Chemistry at UCLA in 1999.

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In her keynote address, which is part of her Fulbright Award work, Hejtmanek challenged conventional ideas about where and how learning happens, asking: What can we learn from the gym, sports, or even life in mental institutions? What cultural and linguistic knowledge emerges in spaces not typically considered sites of education?

Drawing on more than two decades of anthropological research, Hejtmanek argues that learning is not solely a cognitive process but an embodied one deeply connected to movement, emotion, and culture. Her work spans diverse environments, from observing healing practices among youth in mental health institutions to examining transformation and skill-building within CrossFit communities, and studying the role of physical activity in well-being during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Her research consistently points to a central insight: Movement is fundamental to both learning and living well.

Hejtmanek has also pioneered innovative approaches to teaching and scholarship. At the 2019 American Anthropological Association meetings, she organized an immersive “installation” that replaced traditional academic panels with movement-based learning. Participants engaged physically with concepts such as resistance, gender norms, and strength, embodying the theories under discussion. She later expanded this model at the University of Notre Dame’s Strong A(s) F(eminist) Conference, where participants learned through hands-on physical practices in athletic training spaces.

Bringing these ideas into the classroom, Hejtmanek’s spring 2025 anthropology course required students to pair academic readings with regular physical practices—ranging from walking and yoga to cooking and archery—alongside reflective journaling. The results were striking: Many students reported deeper engagement with course material and described the experience as transformative.

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“This study allows us to directly compare how different supplemental forms of folate are processed during pregnancy,” Jiang said. “We found that 5-MTHF can maintain folate status just as effectively as folic acid, but with significantly less unmetabolized folic acid circulating in the body.”

The study, funded by , followed 62 pregnant participants who received prenatal multivitamins containing either 5-MTHF or folic acid. Researchers found that those taking 5-MTHF maintained healthy folate levels while showing significantly lower levels of unmetabolized folic acid in both maternal blood and placental tissue. Folate plays a critical role in fetal growth and development, helping the body produce and maintain DNA. The findings contribute to a growing body of research aimed at improving prenatal nutrition and maternal health outcomes.

Jiang received both her doctoral degree in nutrition and her registered dietitian credential from Cornell University in 2013. Her research focuses on nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism, including choline, betaine, folate, and vitamin B12, which play an essential role in early development and long-term health outcomes. Her lab conducts cell culture, animal, and human studies exploring how maternal nutrition during pregnancy influences the health of both mother and child.

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