可乐视频

HSS Student Expo 2025

The HSS Student Expo showcases the work of our outstanding School of Humanities and Social Sciences students. From the events on the quad to presentations in our classrooms, we share and celebrate our students academic achievements.

Monday, April 28, 2025

11 a.m.鈥12 p.m.: The Benefits of an Education in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Various HSS departments
Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Professor Lauren Mancia of the History Department will moderate a student panel of students with different Humanities and Social Science majors. They will talk about their experiences at Brooklyn from the perspective of their last semester, and the benefits their experiences have conferred as they face life after graduation. Their post-graduation plans are all quite different!

Participating Students

  • Kely Christmas鈥擡nglish and Classics
  • Paulina Gajewski鈥擡ducation, History, Classics
  • Matthew Garcia鈥擬acaulay Honors College, Political Science

Hosted by Professor Lauren Mancia

12:30 p.m.鈥1:30 P.m.: Bridging Passion and Profession: Career Paths in the Humanities & Social Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences Alumni
Room 411 Library

Participating Alumni

  • Vincent Abruzzo 鈥09, B.A. Philosophy & Cognitive Science, Principal Software Engineer, Head of UX/UI, Dreadnode
  • Tatiana Benjamin 鈥11, B.A. English, Political Science, Senior Labor Counsel, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
  • Ayana Murray Richards 鈥96, B.A. Sociology, HR Director, Recruitment and Instructional Staff, CUNY 可乐视频
  • Lisa Sheridan 鈥23, M.A. English Language & Literature, Marketing Communications Writer, CUNY School of Professional Studies

Hosted by Professor Jason Frydman

1 p.m.鈥2 p.m.: Modern Languages and Literatures: Contemporary Latin America: Human Rights, Feminism and Peace

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Students will present research on human rights, feminism and peace in Latin America focusing on Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

Participating Students

  • Cinthya Benavides鈥斺淲hen the Law is Silent in Mexico, Feminicide Screams鈥
  • Amado Nieva鈥斺淓quality for Women in Mexico? Yes, Justice for Women in Mexico? Not Yet鈥
  • Erika Cheng Wu鈥斺淔actors in Violence Against Women in Mexico City鈥
  • Kellyse Chen Zheng鈥斺淧rotest by The Mothers of the Plaza in Argentina鈥

Hosted by Professor Bernardita Llanos

2:15 p.m.鈥3 p.m. English: Ethnographic & Literary Discourse: Constructing a Real Audience for Student Work

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

What is the role of literature in our student鈥檚 lives? Using mostly short fiction and artifacts from 可乐视频 Special Collections, the course poses the following questions. Who or what can move across borders and who cannot move? How does the manner or circumstances under which people are moving inform outcomes? How are privileged and restricted movements raced, classed, and gendered? What happens when people from the Global North travel to the Global South? What happens when people from the Global South travel to the Global North? The Special Collections artifacts include primary documents from the 可乐视频 Farm Labor program during World War II and student activism during Open Admissions in CUNY. The strongest abstracts, so far, connect student work to relevant histories of migration and foundational concepts in other disciplines, including Economics and Sociology.

Participating Students

  • Sophia Salem
  • Dylan Villaverde-Martinez

Hosted by Professor Dorell Thomas

3 p.m.-3:45 p.m. History: Welcome Home: The Story of Vietnam Veterans of America

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Presenting oral history research completed by Prof. Napoli, John Rowan, and Danny Friedman on the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Participating Student

  • Lina Mazioui

Hosted by Dean Philip Napoli

3:45 p.m. 鈥 4:05 p.m.: Classics: Stolen History鈥揟racking Coin in the Digital Age

Woody Tanger Auditorium

The night of February 20, 1977 there was a major heist carried out at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy. The morning of the 21st found some 6000 coins missing mostly from the Roman and Byzantine collections. Only a portion of the stolen objects had reference photographs. In the age of mass digitization, it is now possible to establish whether any coins have appeared on the antiquities market. The students will present their experiences not only identifying the coin types but also using digital archives and databases to hunt for specific coin specimens. Finally, they will offer thoughts on cultural heritage issues and possible next steps.

Participating Students:

  • Julia Fernandez鈥斺淭riskeles: A Sicilian Symbol on Roman Coins鈥
  • Isabel Herrera鈥”The Dark Underbelly of the Art World: Contextualizing the Naples 1977 Heist”

Hosted by Professor Liv Yarrow

3:45 p.m.鈥5 p.m. Africana Studies: Confronting Power: Exploring Historical and Contemporary Impacts of Colonialism, Slavery and Racism in the African Diaspora

411 Library, Samuel and Bernice Gottlieb Room

Africana Studies, a multidisciplinary field of study, examines the histories and experiences of people of African descent, and confronts power structures and hierarchies by analyzing the historical and contemporary impacts of colonialism, slavery, racism, and other forms of oppression on African and diasporic peoples and communities. Africana Studies majors address such impacts, from the historical to the contemporary – from an examination of the role of Black women in the evolution of African American music, a legacy rooted in slavery; to an exploration of the treatment of West African soldiers and migrants in France during the 20th century so as to highlight the enduring legacy of colonialism, manifesting in systemic racism, economic exclusion, and cultural marginalization; and finally, an interrogation of race and power as underlining mining practices by foreign owned companies in the Dominican Republic.

Participating Students

  • Quanda Dublin鈥斺淎frican American Music. How Women Impacted our Music鈥
  • Harmonie Heath鈥斺淏lack migrants and communities in 20th Century France鈥擨nterrogating Racism, Exclusion and Marginalization鈥
  • Maciel Rosario鈥斺淒isruption and Displacement in Sanchez Ramirez 鈥擬ining in the Dominican Republic鈥

Hosted by Professor Aleah Ranjitsingh

4:15 p.m. 鈥 5 p.m. English: Otherwise, Chaos: Writing to Disturb the Peace

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Interns from the English Department’s Junction Journal will present their creative works written in response to ongoing societal upheaval and the erasure of marginalized experiences. Through poetry and prose, they will explore the emotional and intellectual impact of cultural distress, harmful rhetoric and policies, and the attempted silencing of vulnerable voices, demonstrating the utility of art as a tool for resistance, resilience, and remembrance. Following the recital, there will be a short Q&A section.

Participating Students

  • Zoe Davis鈥斺淢y Greatest Weapon鈥
  • Damien Niesewand鈥斺淎merica, As Always鈥
  • Kai Pena-Chavez鈥斺淭he New Court of Nero鈥
  • Duly Rosenberg鈥斺淏ack to Ashes鈥
  • Amelia Ayers鈥斺渨hat do I do with my miracle now鈥
  • Vail Varone鈥斺淒esert Wife鈥
  • Sabrina Zami鈥”home of the terrified”
  • Leo Kouklanakis鈥斺渢o what鈥
  • Michele Sherman鈥斺渢o grieve the blood on your own hands鈥
  • Matthew Faltas鈥斺淪pirals鈥

Hosted by Professor Roni Natov

5 p.m.鈥7 p.m. Individual Student Research Projects

Various HSS Departments
Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Participating Students

  • Madeleine Beyer鈥擟ommunication Arts, Sciences and Disorders: 鈥淟ocalization of Music in Perceived Motion in Cochlear Implant Users鈥
    Despite excellent outcomes for speech understanding in quiet, music perception and appreciation remain significant challenges for cochlear implant (CI) users. Spatial perception contributes significantly to music enjoyment, yet it has been understudied in this population. The present study explores spatial perception of music in CI users versus individuals with normal hearing, and the implications of panning, the most common tool for spatial manipulation of recorded audio.
  • Shatisha Bryant鈥擟ommunication Arts, Sciences and Disorders: 鈥淔rom Land to See鈥
    This abstract will illustrate how the traditions of the Djeli – the emphasis on oral transmission, the power of language to preserve and critique, and the role of the artist as a community voice – are not relics of the past but living influences that continue to shape contemporary artistic expression in urban landscapes like Brooklyn.
  • Angelica Crisostomo鈥擡nglish: 鈥淲ondrous Language in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao鈥
    This project dissects The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Dominican writer Junot Diaz, exploring the way that language mechanics like ‘blankness,’ mythology, fantasy, and translanguaging drive the novel’s themes of generational trauma, identity, and rejecting colonial legacies.
  • Seth Goldman鈥擯hilosophy: “Only Fools Remain: The Moral Obligation of Civil Disobedience and the Immorality of Obeying Unjust Laws When It鈥檚 Twilight in America and the Tired American Dreams of One More Day to Realize a Dream King Once Had鈥
    Rushing full steam ahead into a constitutional crisis, with a seeming free-fall into fascism, it feels like twilight in America. After 40-some-odd years of Reagan’s morning in America, the unparalleled return of Trump threatens to finish the job, vanquishing any semblance of trust we had for each other and destroying the last shreds of faith in democracy itself. Do we have a prima facie obligation to obey the law? I argue that, during these fraught times – overflowing with a stultifying sense of amnesia – Martin Luther King Jr’s civil disobedience and unyielding belief in the natural law, with its inherent equality, dignity, and rationality, are needed now more than ever, if America is to make it through the night and realize a dream King once had, where hazy clouds of inferiority finally give way to the healing light of humanity.
  • Demetrius Joseph鈥擲ociology: 鈥淭he hidden open spaces at 可乐视频鈥
    This ongoing research underscores the systemic factors that contribute to students’ experiences of isolation and explores how 可乐视频 can adopt new approaches to community building. Furthermore, it illustrates how a sense of alienation can be addressed through inclusive practices that extend beyond the classroom and the fulfillment of academic credits.
  • Angelina Lambros鈥擧istory: 鈥淥peration Sail 1976: How New York City Came Together in Times of Crisis鈥
    This presentation explores the history of Operation Sail 1976, when New York City celebrated the Bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence with a parade of ships from around the world. The research focuses on the planning of the event, the execution of the event, as well as reflections on the event from the perspective of the 1970s as well as today. It explains what Operation Sail really aimed to celebrate and how the fact that it does not relate to the history of the Declaration of Independence is not important because it never intended to do so. Operation Sail 1976 brought the world together in New York Harbor, and it meant a lot to New Yorkers struggling during the economic distress of the 1970s because above all, Op. Sail created a celebration that everyone could enjoy.
  • Leannmarie Senat鈥擟ommunication Arts, Sciences and Disorders: 鈥淒evelopment of an Evidence-Based Mentorship Program to Support Historically Underrepresented CSD Undergraduate Students Applying for Graduate Programs in SLP and/or Audiology鈥
    The goal of the evidence-based mentorship program will be to guide historically underrepresented students who intend to apply for graduate programs in SLP and audiology by providing them with a better understanding of the graduate school application process. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the mentorship program for historically underrepresented undergraduate students enrolled in the CSD program at 可乐视频 (可乐视频) via a post-program survey that measures participants’ responses to questions about the effectiveness of various aspects of the program.
  • Milada Sirota鈥擯hilosophy: 鈥淢ethodological Pluralism鈥
    Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, yet its diverse schools of thought often claim conflicting paths to understanding existence and achieving the “good life.” While traditional approaches advocate for singular, definitive answers, Methodological Pluralism is an integrative framework that blends multiple philosophical perspectives to better navigate the complexities of human experience. Drawing from William James’ pluralist philosophy, the discipline explores how adopting a multifaceted approach prevents the rigid constraints of singular ideologies, allowing individuals to construct personalized and adaptable frameworks for meaning, ethics, and happiness. By examining historical and contemporary philosophical theories鈥攆rom Plato鈥檚 discipline-driven justice to Epicurus鈥 pursuit of pleasure鈥攖his dialogue illustrates the limitations of any single system and the advantages of a pluralist methodology. Methodological Pluralism not only broadens intellectual inquiry but also maximizes individual agency in defining the good life, making it a more effective and inclusive approach to philosophical thought in an ever-evolving world.
  • Carmine Tepedino鈥擯hilosophy: 鈥淭he Ethics of Moral Enhancement鈥
    As technology continues to advance and our quality of life improves as a result, the question arises: which aspects of our lives truly require improvement? This presentation explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding moral enhancement, particularly through neurochemical interventions designed to improve human morality by altering brain function. While the allure of a more virtuous society is compelling, such enhancements risk undermining personal autonomy, diminishing the role of moral reasoning, and reducing ethical growth to a chemically induced process. Turning morality into a programmable trait raises a fundamental question about why we value morality in the first place. This presentation posits that morality is meaningful precisely because it involves struggle, reflection, and choice. As the prospect of moral enhancement becomes increasingly feasible, its profound implications demand careful consideration鈥攁nd the preservation of human agency must remain paramount.
  • Adacia Thomas鈥擯olitical Science: 鈥淭he History of African American Choral Music鈥
    Performance of a negro spiritual by a renowned African American Choir Director – Nathan Carter, I also will give a brief presentation on the origins of African American Choral Music and its relationship to politics.

Hosted by Dean Philip Napoli

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

11:10 a.m.鈥搉oon鈥擧istory: Scholars鈥 Program Senior Thesis presentations

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Participating Students

  • Sydney Gda艅ski鈥斺淭he Russo-Ukrainian War and Implications for the Western Balkans鈥
  • Julio Vasquez Jimenez鈥斺淗ow Does the Distinction between High and Low Literature Affect How Society Functions?鈥
  • Antar Das鈥斺淥verconfidence and Optimism in Institutional Investment: Psychological Drivers Behind Housing Market Speculation Leading to the 2008 Financial Crisis鈥
  • Diana Reyes鈥斺淓xploring the Effects of Government Policies on Mobile Food Vendors鈥

Hosted by Professor KC Johnson

Noon鈥2 p.m. Sociology: Undergraduate Research in Sociology鈥擟ritical Inquiries into Social Life

Sociology department hallway Room 3611, James Hall

This poster session highlights original research conducted by undergraduate students in sociology, presenting empirical and theoretical investigations into the structures, patterns, and processes that shape human societies. Topics span a range of contemporary issues, employing diverse methodological approaches and sociological frameworks. Attendees are invited to engage with the presenters and explore the analytical contributions of emerging scholars to the discipline.

Participating Students

  • Brenda Bravo鈥斺淗igher Education Equity for Undocumented, Immigrants Students鈥
  • Aniyah Danforth鈥斺淓xamining the Racial Disparities in New York City Using 311 Data鈥
  • Donelle Da Silva鈥斺淎dverse Childhood Experiences as a Reproducing Factor of Socioeconomic Status鈥
  • Tyana Dixon鈥斺淭hey bought that for how much?!?: Understanding housing sale trends in relation alienation in New York City鈥
  • Humna Iqbal鈥斺淕eographic Differences in Housing鈥
  • Sannaa Justice-Jackman鈥斺淏lack and Caribbean Families: The Generational Growth & Curses鈥
  • Nija Martin鈥斺淐ommunity Found in After School鈥
  • Charlie Muller鈥斺淢obilization and Movement Building: A Comparative Analysis of Student Movements in Brazil and Quebec鈥
  • Elsa Mujaj鈥斺淔itness, Drive, and Masculinity: The Impact of Exercise on Men’s Self-Esteem鈥
  • Ashley Nelson鈥斺淣avigating Stress Amongst Healthcare Professionals in the Workplace Expectations and Higher Education鈥
  • Esosa Omoregbee鈥斺淎 look at the Interborough Express and the communities it will serve鈥
  • Akiba Tabassum鈥斺淣YC Housing Property Sales of 2019鈥
  • Randol Quintuna鈥斺淔irst Generation College Students: The Struggle Between Cultural
  • Liora Tkatsenko鈥斺淒iscovering Work-Life Balance in Higher Education鈥

Hosted by Professors Emily Molina and Tamara Mose

12:15 p.m.鈥1 p.m.: Puerto Rican and Latino Studies: Puerto Rican and Latinx Studies: Latinx Youth Literature as Testimonios

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Students from “PRLS 3316: Banned Books: Teaching Latinx Children and Youth Literature” present on different banned and censored Latinx youth literature as testimonios. They engage testimonios in conversation with other critical frameworks like Latinx Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Content Analysis to provide commentary on key middle-grade and young adult literature.

Participating Students

  • Lisbeth Rosales鈥”Mango, Abuela and Me” by Meg Medina
  • Manuel Martinez Valdez鈥”The Moon Within” by Aida Salazar
  • Miguel Figueroa鈥”Miss Quinces” by Kat Fajardo
  • Melanie Figueroa鈥”The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo

Hosted by Professor Carla Espa帽a

12:30鈥2 p.m. History: Performing the Premodern on the East Quad

East Quad

Come immerse yourself in the premodern world with students and professors who study the world before 1500 C.E.! Make ancient curse tablets; listen to troubadour songs; follow a map of Indigenous 可乐视频 and Midwood; learn how to be a medieval knight; participate in a monastic scriptorium; watch three different fourteenth-century plays and medieval royal processions; argue in the medieval scholastic style; and engage in a premodern sensorium. Take a time machine to the past with undergraduate and graduate students and professors from Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, Classics, English, History, Music, and Philosophy.

Participating Students:聽Katryna Alexis, Fatima Arif, Rita Bartony, Justin Beristain, Rivkah Bryski, Sydney Cardieri, Shi Xian Chen, Lucy Curran, Mark Fleming, Paulina Gajewski, Elena Grachev, Kori Ginzberg, Aidrian Graber, Kerry Haggerty, Dylan Huang, Joryssa Humphreys, Elena Kalvar, Julia Krzysztalowicz, Brian Lanza, Lina Mazioui, Amani Mohamed, Sirandrew Purcell, Chana Radensky, Jonathan Rakhamimov, Adelaide Snow, Vivienne Soares, Christopher Soto, and with dramaturgical and research support from the students of Museum Anthropology/ANTH3435 & Performing the Middle Ages/HIST 7730X.

Featuring professors: Andrew Arlig (Philosophy), Kelly Britt (Anthropology), Lauren Mancia (History) Brian Sowers (Classics), Karl Steel (English), Karen Stern (History), Christopher Preston Thompson (Graduate Center/Performance-Informed Musicology)

Hosted by Professor Lauren Mancia

1:05 p.m. 鈥 2:05 p.m. Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows Research Program: Resistance to Gendered, Raced, and State-Sponsored Hegemonies: Multidisciplinary Approaches

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows will present their research through various areas of interest within the Humanities.

Participating Students

  • Brandon Abram鈥斺淎n Intervention on US Intervention: The Political Rhetoric on Haiti and Haitian Migration鈥
  • Ahnaya Charleus鈥斺淚nterrogations of Afro-Pessimism Through Black Art and the Radical Black Future鈥
  • Julia Fernandez鈥斺淲omen, Magic, and Vengeance: Female Agency in Roman Magical Practices鈥
  • Karina Fernandez-Saito鈥斺淒ementia Risk in Black and Brown Latina women Unpaid Caregivers鈥
  • Mashiat Sultana鈥斺淭he Gothic鈥檚 Role in Challenging Political and Social Systems Through Literature鈥
  • Saisha Wesley鈥斺淎nti-Blackness in Artificial Intelligence (AB in AI)鈥

Hosted by Professor Lynda Day

2:15 p.m.鈥3:55 p.m. Communication Program: An Exploration of Politics and Media

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Presenters will discuss different projects they produced in their Communication Research Methods course. With each topic focused on politics or the media in some way, students showcase their work, which produced some unexpected results.

Participating Students

  • Vanessa Cruz鈥斺淓mergence of Social Media and Participation in Political Tactics鈥
  • Renee Scorcia鈥斺淗ow College Students Use the Platform X During Political News Events鈥
  • Johan Nolasco鈥”How do young voters use information on social media to develop their political opinions?”
  • Brenda Bravo鈥斺淓xploring Lockdown Effects on Self-Awareness and Social Interaction鈥
  • Mariah Cabrera鈥斺淪tudent Preparations for Public Speaking鈥
  • Daniel Joseph鈥斺淭ikTok and Instagram鈥檚 Impact on Young Men鈥檚 Interest in Dating鈥
  • Jason Rivera鈥斺淗ow Do People View Celebrity Endorsement (or Participation In) Scientology?鈥
  • Warren Marburg鈥斺淧raise Doesn鈥檛 Pay鈥
  • Clare Lambe鈥”Going Underground: Communication Challenges in Subway Emergencies”

Hosted by Professor Anastacia Kurylo

4鈥5 p.m. Political Science: Capstone Student Perspectives on Contemporary Events

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

This panel brings four excellent students from the political science department together to present on their individual research papers that they are producing for our capstone seminar. The papers cover three subfields in political science: political theory, American politics, and a combination of international relations/comparative politics. Students will discuss the lack of a left movement in the US, gendered household negotiations about work, US policy towards Guyana, and educational policy for the NYC Hasidic community. The presenters adopt a variety of traditional political science methodologies in order to present their arguments.

Participating Students:

  • Aicha Barry鈥斺淟imits on Democratic Backsliding: A Study of France and the US鈥
  • Seth Goldman鈥斺淲hy hasn鈥檛 America been able to mount an enduring progressive movement?鈥
  • Meity Hoffman鈥斺淭he Problem of Hasidic Education: Insularity, Politics, Power, and Corruption鈥
  • Cindy Lin鈥斺淕ender and Hidden Household Labor: A Textual Analysis鈥
  • Adacia Thomas鈥斺淣eocolonialism, Dependency Theory, and Liberal Institutionalism: Analyzing U.S. Influence on Guyana’s Oil Trade鈥

Hosted by Professor Caroline Arnold

5:30 p.m.鈥6:30 p.m.: Bridging Passion and Profession: Career Paths in the Humanities & Social Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences Alumni
Zoom

Participating Alumni

  • Nikki Lebenson Angulo 鈥09, B.A. History & English Literature, J.K. Watson Fellow, Deputy Chief of Organization Development at AFS Intercultural Programs, AFS Intercultural Programs
  • Jon Gilmore Jr. 鈥15 B.A. Linguistic Anthropology, Senior Technical Program Manager, Microsoft
  • Vanessa Santiago 鈥06, B.A. Puerto Rican & Latino Studies Concentration in Secondary Education, Managing Director of Leadership and College Access Programs, ASPIRA of NY
  • Jospeh Valerio 鈥15鈥擝.A. Political Science & Psychology
    Associate, Schulte Roth & Zabel, LLP

Hosted by Professor Jason Frydman

ALL DAY MONDAY AND TUESDAY

Macaulay Honors鈥擯eople of New York City: Collaborative Family Heirloom Biography Project

Boylan Hall Hallway near Dean鈥檚 Office, 3238

For this assignment, students worked in pairs to create an illustrated “biography” of two physical objects鈥攐ne inherited from each student’s family or community. These objects hold personal, cultural, or historical significance to your respective heritages.

The resulting biographies were first created as pdfs, as shown in these posters, then printed as zines, thus becoming heirlooms themselves.

The students acted as “biographers” for inanimate objects while practicing essential teamwork skills. Students learned and communicated how material items can carry personal and communal histories.

Participating Students:聽Marooha Atif, Anthony Calderon, Diana Chen Feng, Chesna Chummar, Moussa Cisse, Marilyn Dweck, Ezra Grazi, Kyle Hua, Jimmy Huang, Jasmina Komiljonova, Leah Lati, Keanna Lewis, Sophia Remorca, Sophia Romanosky, Eliyahou Saadia, Sasha Shablii, Lucianna Sidel, Nour Sulaiman, Ruth-Shamard Thomas, Imogen Williams

Hosted by Dean Philip Napoli

Brooklyn. All in.