The (CHB) in the (A&S) has awarded its first round of competitive grants for interdisciplinary and cross-institutional health and behavioral science research projects.

A total of $33,000 in seed funding has been awarded to six separate projects through the and the . The grants are intended to catalyze cross-university collaboration and position investigators for larger external grant submissions.

“The selected proposals span researchers from six Syracuse University colleges and institutes and eight departments, schools and centers, truly reflecting broad institutional engagement and collaboration,” says , director of the CHB and professor in the Department of Psychology in A&S. “The grants also illustrate CHB’s strategic role in seeding interdisciplinary research, strengthening university-Veterans Affairs partnerships, accelerating development of competitive external grant submissions and advancing impactful work across health and behavioral science domains.”

Projects include research on intimate partner violence among veterans, alcohol reduction messaging in Veterans Affairs primary care, heart rate training for entrepreneurs, healthy eating tools for young children, AI support readiness for family caregivers and virtual reality-based voice therapy for pre-service (student) teachers.

Several external partners are also included. Those projects involve researchers at , , and , as well as and industry partner .

Pilot funds were provided to CHB by the College of Arts and Sciences with direct support from Dean , Ditre says. The funds can be used for participant compensation, core facility access, data acquisition, study materials, software and other costs of launching new collaborative research. Projects begin this month and cover a 12-month period.

Researchers receiving grants and their projects are:

Understanding and Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Veterans: A Mixed Methods Study of Risk Factors, Experiences and Treatment Preferences

• , assistant professor of psychology, A&S
• , clinical psychology postdoctoral fellow, VA Center for Integrated Healthcare,

Nudge Messaging to Promote Alcohol-Related Behavior Change Among Veterans in Primary Care

• , research assistant professor, CHB/IVMF and clinical research program director, VA Center for Integrated Healthcare
• , research professor and professor emeritus of psychology, A&S

Family Caregiver Well-Being and Readiness for AI-Based Support

• , associate professor of senior research associate, ,
• assistant professor of faculty associate, , Maxwell School

Virtual Reality-Based Voice Therapy for Pre-Service Teachers: Initial Design of a VR Voice Intervention

• , assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, A&S
• , associate professor of industrial and interaction design, ,

A Sweet Texts Add-On to Identify Tailoring Variables and Decision Points for Reducing Energy-Dense Food Intake in Preschool Children

• , assistant professor of nutrition and food studies,
• , assistant professor of psychology, A&S

Physiological Self-Regulation as a Foundation of Entrepreneurial Functioning

• , assistant professor of entrepreneurship,
• , associate professor of entrepreneurship and academic director of the , Whitman School

The (NSF) has awarded $45 million over three years for phase two of the , a regional initiative in which Syracuse University is a core partner.

Launched in 2024, the initiative aims to make upstate New York a national hub for battery technology by bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs and workforce trainers to develop the next generation of batteries—the kind that will power electric vehicles, store renewable energy on the grid and strengthen national security. It’s led by and includes partners (RIT), , , and .

“Syracuse University is proud to be a core partner in advancing battery technology research, building workforce pathways and strengthening the upstate New York economy,” says , vice president for research. “The success of the Engine’s Energy Storage Workforce Development Network in the first phase has contributed to a regional innovation ecosystem that connects innovation to talent development and economic growth across upstate New York. We look forward to working with our Engine partners to build on this success in the years ahead.”

In phase two, the Engine will focus on developing safer, more cost-efficient next-generation battery systems; integrating artificial intelligence into materials discovery and manufacturing; and deepening partnerships with regional corporations and the defense sector. A new advanced battery safety testing facility, the first of its kind in the Northeast, is set to open at RIT this summer.

Phase two will also see the expansion of workforce development programs, with a particular emphasis on preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists to meet growing industry demand. The Engine may receive up to $160 million in total NSF funding over 10 years, with an additional $16 million in matching funds from .

Since its launch, the Engine has supported 15 industry-academia research teams, served more than 300 learners through its workforce development network and funded more than 15 high-tech battery startups. Those startups have attracted more than $20 million in follow-on funding in the past year alone.

The role of entrepreneurship driving economic development in Kenya. Education systems and the propaganda machines behind them in Eastern European socialist states. The preservation of Polish castles and their use for telling the country’s history.

Those are just three of the independent research projects seven Syracuse students pursued internationally last year as Tyler Center Fellows, supported by a $20,000 grant to and the (SOURCE) by the .

For the students who participated, it was a life-changing experience.

“This fellowship changed who I am,” says Mason Burley ’27, a double major in adolescent education and history in the School of Education and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The University has once again received an award from the Tyler Center for 2026 and is currently accepting applications for fall 2026 fellowships based in Santiago and Strasbourg. Below, three students who received the fellowship in 2025 share their experiences.

‘Research Something You Love’

Burley, whose research project was focused on the education systems during the era of socialist republics in Poland, Romania and Moldova, says the Tyler Center Fellowship was his first substantial experience with research.

“I am fascinated by Joseph Stalin and his cult of personality and, more specifically, how his sheer influence on the region consumed every single aspect of life,” Burley says. “From school, jobs, social life, government and interpersonal connections. Stalin was lurking in all of these, and it has been a goal of mine to see its effects firsthand.”

The Tyler Center grant and research opportunity opened the gates for him to study the topic in-depth and in-person.

“It is my academic goal to be a well-rounded educator who is exceptionally knowledgeable in my content area,” he says. “I felt that this type of deep immersive, experiential type of research would benefit not only me academically but my students in my future classroom.”

The experience made Burley fall in love with research and “experiencing” history, and has since inspired two additional research projects.

He says visiting Poland, Romania and Moldova, speaking with people and learning their stories was an experience he’d repeat in a “heartbeat.”

“Do whatever your heart says,” Burley says. “Go to a new place and touch the earth. Eat food from a street cart. Put everything that you’ve ever learned away for a second and just experience life as it passes by. Be you, unapologetically. Then come back to campus and show everyone just how cool it is that you got to research something you love.”

‘Be Creative’

For Ella Roerden ’27, the fellowship also allowed the pursuit of a passion project.

A student in the Maxwell School studying anthropology and international relations, Roerden visited five medieval castles around Poland with the goal of analyzing and comparing how they’ve been preserved and restored, as well as how they’re being used as museums in the present day.

“The narratives all differ, and they each tell a different part of the story of Poland,” says Roerden. “I was drawn to castles because of my childhood love of fairytales, all of the magic, dragons and princesses. When I learned that Poland had over 500 castles, I knew I had to find a way to visit some and incorporate them into my studies.”

Like Burley, she says the experience opened her eyes to research, which previously she thought had to be “formulaic and physical.” Gaining the experience of pursuing a topic in the humanities has her looking forward to an international relations capstone.

“If you’re already going to be in a different country, take advantage of the opportunities and resources there that we don’t have here in Syracuse (like medieval castles) and be creative!” Roerden says.

‘Put in All Your Effort’

Mary Begley ’26, a Whitman School finance and entrepreneurship major graduating in December, traveled to Kenya in May 2025 with a professor and fellow students, supported by her grant.

“I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and experience how businesses operate within an emerging economy,” she says. “Because of this opportunity, I decided to conduct independent research where I spoke one-on-one with small business owners to learn about their experiences running a business in Kenya.”

The best part, she says, was speaking with entrepreneurs and learning about their work, their passions and the challenges they face as business owners.

She encourages other students to consider the Tyler grants.

“Put in all your effort,” she says. “For me, I was very new to research and had no idea how to conduct it at first. But having the right people around you and consistently asking questions or seeking feedback really helped me throughout the process.”

How to Apply

Fall 2026 Tyler Fellows—supported by awards up to $3,000—will design projects in Santiago or Strasbourg with guidance from a home campus faculty mentor, as well as Syracuse Abroad and SOURCE staff. Students must first be accepted into one of those programs.

As part of the fellowship, they will take a “Research in Community” seminar and participate in cohort activities with Tyler Fellows from other institutions.

“The Tyler Center for Global Studies Fellowship not only provides essential funding to support students’ international undergraduate research activities but also facilitates a community of scholars engaging with cross-cultural research both here at Syracuse University and in the larger, multi-institution Tyler Center program,” says Kate Hanson, director of SOURCE. “Students navigate the complexities of research with another culture alongside fellow students and mentors in a program that facilitates discussion and reflection.”

Interested students should first email ugresearch@syr.edu to express their interest in the Tyler Fellows Program and then prepare a project proposal and apply through . Applications are due by April 2 or July 9.

An information session for interested students will be held Thursday, March 19, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the sixth floor of 100 Sims Drive.

SOURCE can also help students develop research ideas, find faculty mentors and prepare application materials. Contact the SOURCE team at ugresearch@syr.edu or 315.443.2091.

Syracuse University Libraries is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 round of the Intelligence++ Ventures initiative, a funding program that supports student innovators working to develop and commercialize solutions that improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

The initiative was launched through a generous gift from Gianfranco Zaccai ’70, H’09 and the Zaccai Foundation for Augmented Intelligence. It is designed to help promising student-led ideas move from early-stage concepts toward real-world impact.

“This competitive program is a valuable tool for student innovators to help commercialize products, services and technologies that will help people with intellectual disabilities,” says Zaccai. “It is intended to accelerate the transfer of inclusive and entrepreneurial design research to the marketplace. It will help students create innovations that can be used by early customers, to gather real-world feedback and to accelerate solutions for people who will benefit from their ingenuity. Our goal is to attract students from a wide range of disciplines who are working in multidisciplinary teams.”

Intelligence++ Ventures builds on the success of the that began in fall 2020 at the . The program was created in partnership with the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education’s and the (VPA). Since its launch, Intelligence++ has encouraged students across disciplines to apply inclusive design principles to create products, technologies and services that support individuals with intellectual disabilities.

A cornerstone of the program is the inclusive design research course, which invites students from across campus to imagine and build solutions for people with intellectual disabilities.

The course introduces students to inclusive design and entrepreneurial thinking and provides a framework for developing innovations that are both functional and meaningful to the communities they are intended to serve. Registration for the course is currently open (contact Professor ) for the fall 2026 semester. While participation in the course is recommended for students interested in applying for the Intelligence++ Ventures grants, it is not required.

Submit an Intelligence++ Ventures Proposal

“The Intelligence++ Ventures grants assist student research and entrepreneurial initiatives emerging from the Intelligence++ program in collaboration with other campus innovation partners,” says , Dean of Syracuse University Libraries and University Librarian. “The program helps move student research in this important area to proof of concept and commercialization.”

Eligible projects may include technological, educational, organizational or other creative innovations designed to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as their families and communities.

Students applying for the grants must identify a specific need related to the discovery, testing, development or launch of a product, service, technology or creative work. Projects may originate from coursework, research labs, independent studies  or other innovation-focused programs across the University.

Applicants are asked to submit a proposal as a single PDF that includes a cover letter outlining the funding request, use of funds, timeline and project milestones. In addition, proposals must include an executive summary describing the problem or opportunity being addressed, the proposed solution and how it works and the customer discovery research that supports the concept.

Proposals should also outline the project’s target market, particularly how the innovation will benefit people with intellectual disabilities or their families, along with any traction achieved to date, the team and advisors involved and the partners needed to move the idea forward.

Students are encouraged to clearly describe the scope of the project they are proposing, including details about any prototype they plan to build, how it will be tested, who will participate in the evaluation process and how results will be measured. Applicants should also outline potential next steps if the prototype and testing prove successful.

Submissions will be reviewed based on several key criteria. Successful proposals will demonstrate innovative research or entrepreneurial projects that have moved beyond the idea stage and show strong potential to become a commercial product, service or technology capable of making a meaningful impact. Reviewers will also evaluate the feasibility of the proposal, the strength of the research and development plan and the quality of the written submission.

In addition, proposals will be assessed on the strength of their commercialization strategy, including a clear product development roadmap and expected outcomes such as prototype development, early sales, additional investment or licensing opportunities. Budgets should be realistic and well researched, demonstrating that grant funding will meaningfully advance the project.

The grant program is administered through Syracuse University Libraries in collaboration with the VPA School of Design and InclusiveU. Additional collaborators include the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the College of Engineering and Computer Science and partners throughout the University’s broader research and commercialization ecosystem.

To submit your proposal or request additional information, contact orangeInnovation@syr.edu.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor has been awarded funding from the Raymond Corporation for battery research that could advance material handling technology.

Qiao, who also serves as interim associate dean for research in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and Syracuse University site director for the NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) Center for Solid-State Electric Power Storage (CEPS), will lead a project titled “Development of a Novel, Multi-faced State-of-Charge Estimation Framework Tailored for Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries in Forklift Applications.”

The funding comes through Raymond’s , which encourages professors and student researchers to apply engineering and technical research to develop solutions for the material handling industry.

The Raymond Corporation, a member of the Toyota Industries family of companies, is a global provider of material handling products and intelligent intralogistics solutions.

Now in its 10th year, the University Research Program has funded 20 projects from leading universities across North America, totaling more than $6 million since 2016. Selected applicants are evaluated on criteria including potential industry impact, project timeline and budget feasibility.

“Raymond’s University Research Program reflects our steadfast dedication to advancing the next generation of material handling innovators,” says Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America. “Our collaboration with academic institutions provides a vital platform for addressing contemporary industry challenges while fostering breakthroughs in technology and innovation that will shape the future of warehousing and distribution.”

The program will begin accepting one-page concept papers for 2027 this summer, with applications due by the end of October. More information is available on the .

Farzana Rahman, associate teaching professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), has  received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CSforAll award to expand access to next-generation computing education for high school students across Central New York. Endadul Hoque, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science,  serves as co-principal investigator on the project.

The NSF CSforAll program supports initiatives that broaden participation in computer science by increasing access to high-quality, inclusive computing education. This award focuses on addressing persistent challenges faced by high school educators in teaching rapidly evolving computing topics— such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, algorithmic bias and accessible software design—by providing experiential, classroom-ready learning resources and sustained teacher support.

Led in collaboration with Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, the project will adapt and evaluate accessible learning labs (ALL). The project will use browser-based, sandbox-style virtual computing labs for effective integration into grades 9–12 curricula. These labs are designed to be easily adopted and customized to fit diverse classroom contexts, lowering technical and resource barriers for teachers and students alike.

At ECS, Rahman and Hoque are leading community-focused efforts that emphasize close collaboration with local schools and districts, including Jamesville-DeWitt, Fayetteville-Manlius, Lafayette, Christian Brothers Academy and the Syracuse City School District, as well as regional Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) partners. Together, these partners will engage in iterative co-design, classroom implementation and continuous evaluation to ensure the labs align with real instructional needs.

“As computing technologies continue to shape every aspect of society, it is critical that high school students have early, meaningful exposure to these topics,” says Rahman. “This project allows us to work directly with local educators to co-create accessible, hands-on learning experiences, while also strengthening Syracuse University’s relationships with the school districts in our community. By strengthening partnerships with local school districts, this work also helps create a sustainable pipeline for students to pursue undergraduate programs in ECS.”

A key component of the project is teacher professional development. The team will host summer professional development workshops in summer 2026 and summer 2027, providing high school teachers with training, curricular support and implementation strategies to integrate these experiential labs into their classrooms. Ongoing co-curricular engagement will further support sustained adoption beyond the workshops.

“This award enables us to build long-term research–practice partnerships with local schools,” says Hoque. “By supporting teachers and engaging students early, we are helping to create a strong computing ecosystem, one that not only benefits K–12 education, but also builds pathways into higher education and careers in computer science.”

In addition to advancing high school computing education, the project contributes to research on experiential learning in computer science (CS), assessing its impact on student engagement, confidence and instructor readiness. All developed materials will be made open-access, supporting broader adoption nationwide and advancing the goals of the national CS for All movement.

Syracuse University has secured $1,039,000 in federal funding to establish a Semiconductor Thermal Noise Testbed that will advance domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities while creating new job opportunities and strengthening the high-tech workforce in Central New York.

The funding, included in the FY 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill as Community Project Funding, was championed by U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative John Mannion.

The investment comes as Central New York is poised to become a major hub for semiconductor manufacturing with Micron Technology’s planned multibillion-dollar investment in the region. The new testbed will help support the development of a pipeline of skilled workers who are ready to support this transformative economic development.

“Thanks to this million-dollar investment that I helped champion, Syracuse University’s cutting-edge thermal noise testbed is poised to develop the semiconductor manufacturing, precision metrology and quantum computing technologies and workforce that will power our nation’s future,” Schumer says. “It gives me great pride to deliver this federal funding to build on Syracuse University’s decades of leadership in thermal noise research while driving economic growth and creating new, good-paying jobs for Upstate New York’s growing semiconductor manufacturing hub.”

“With this new investment and Micron breaking ground this week, it is clearer every day that America’s road to semiconductor leadership runs through Central New York,” Schumer adds.

Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, says, “I’m proud to have secured these federal dollars that will drive real growth across Central New York through the creation of high-tech jobs and the advancement of cutting-edge research at Syracuse University. This investment in our domestic semiconductor workforce and manufacturing capacity will help to solidify Central New York as a leader in next-generation technologies. I’ll keep working to bring home resources that strengthen our research capabilities and make a real difference for working families.”

“Investing in cutting-edge scientific research is critical to Syracuse University and Central New York, continuing their long tradition of innovation and leadership,” Mannion says. “This funding will drive discovery, help train the next generation of scientists and engineers and keep our region at the forefront of emerging technologies that matter to our local economy and America’s national security. I’m grateful to partner with Syracuse University to support world-class research, talent and opportunity right here in Upstate New York.”

The testbed will focus on exploring the manufacturing and testing of ultra-low thermal noise materials for use in quantum sensing, fundamental science and semiconductor manufacturing—skills critical to strengthening U.S. domestic semiconductor industry.

“Syracuse University is grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Mannion for this critical support,” says the University’s Vice President for Research . “Using the semiconductor thermal noise testbed, Syracuse scientists and students will create new semiconductor-on-glass technologies to create ultra-precise measuring devices and advance state-of-the art semiconductor and quantum-optics technologies. This will allow us to engage industry partners, create new job opportunities and economic growth in our region and train students in skills needed by Micron and the chip industry.”

Advancing U.S. engineering and manufacturing prowess in semiconductor and quantum devices is critical for national security and economic competitiveness.

The project will advance knowledge of glass substrates and coatings to create technologies that will impact chips, photovoltaics and even astronomical observatories, while positioning Central New York as a national leader in advanced manufacturing.

Snapping photos with just a smartphone,  spent four months traveling across southeastern Europe to create a powerful collection of images that capture life in a region still shaped by its history of conflict and resilience.

The results from Strong’s overseas endeavor are now on display. The new “Call to Me, Balkans” photo exhibition is open on campus in the Schine Student Center’s Panasci Lounge. The exhibition, also simultaneously on display in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, features black-and-white images from Strong’s travels to the region during his 2023 sabbatical and two subsequent trips.

The timing is significant: “Call to Me, Balkans” commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords, the agreement that ended the Bosnian war of the 1990s.

“‘Call to Me, Balkans’ captures the rich, diverse and interconnected cultures of the region,” says Strong, an associate professor of visual communications who teaches photo and video storytelling at the . “It celebrates the resilience and beauty of an area heavily impacted by such a devastating conflict.”

Strong has said he hopes the exhibition also fosters connections with Central New York’s Bosnian immigrant community.

Strong is The Alexia Endowed Chair at the Newhouse School. Through grants, scholarships and special projects for photographers, filmmakers and other visual creatives,  promotes the power of visual storytelling to shed light on significant issues around the world.

The November opening of the exhibition at Schine featured remarks from , dean of the Newhouse School; , senior associate dean for academic affairs in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; , professor and undergraduate director of Maxwell’s anthropology department; and Imam , assistant dean for religious and spiritual life at Hendricks Chapel.

The exhibition is curated and designed by his wife, , the curator of communications, design and exhibitions for The Alexia, who also teaches graphic design and writing courses at Newhouse. Strong’s travels took him through Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Slovenia.

Strong developed the Schine exhibition with support from the Newhouse School’s , which funds faculty and student research. The National Gallery exhibition in Sarajevo was funded by the University’s .

Strong said he challenged himself on this project to work exclusively with a smartphone in order to push creative boundaries and prove that powerful storytelling doesn’t always require expensive equipment.

This project has already received international acclaim, with work from the exhibition awarded by the Sarajevo Photography Festival and featured in China as a solo exhibition at the Pingyao International Photo Festival in 2024.

The University’s (OSPO) has received a two-year, $719,330 grant from the to transition from a grant-funded initiative to a sustainable, permanent University institution.

“This grant represents a critical milestone in our journey to make the OSPO a permanent part of Syracuse University,” says director Collin Capano. “Over the next two years, we’ll be working to establish sustainable funding mechanisms and integrate open-source development more deeply into our academic curriculum, ensuring that OSPO continues to serve our community long after Sloan Foundation funding ends.”

OSPO, a joint initiative of the and the , serves as a bridge between academic research and open-source software development, helping faculty across disciplines create, maintain and share research software while providing students with hands-on experience in collaborative software development.

Since its founding in 2023, OSPO has supported projects spanning fields from psychology and political science to physics and finance and engaged students in developing tools that advance both research and student career readiness, according to Capano.

The renewal grant will enable OSPO to expand impact through several key initiatives. OSPO’s successful software development program will be transformed into a dual-track system: an academic course allowing students to earn credit while working on faculty research projects, and a paid internship program focused on OSPO-led initiatives.

“These projects address University needs while positioning students at the forefront of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence,” Capano says. “Students who participate in our programs graduate with more than just course credits—they have public portfolios showcasing real contributions to actual projects. This demonstrated experience with industry-standard tools gives our graduates a significant competitive advantage.”

OSPO has already developed several innovative tools for the Syracuse community, including a data storage finder that helps faculty identify and budget for research data storage solutions. Projects currently under development include an AI-powered research chatbot trained on papers published by Syracuse University faculty and an AI-based preprint server alert system that monitors new research publications and delivers personalized summaries to faculty based on their interests.

OSPO also addresses a critical federal mandate requiring all federally funded research to be publicly accessible, as academic institutions must provide infrastructure and expertise to support open science practices.

During the grant period, OSPO staff will conduct a formal evaluation of possible institutional homes for the program and document findings in a comprehensive playbook to guide other universities developing open-source programs.

OSPO will also expand its educational offerings through a series of microcredentialed workshops covering research computing fundamentals and open-source development practices, with materials made freely available to students from any discipline.

“The integration of open-source and AI development into the curriculum enhances our students’ employability while strengthening the University’s research capacity,” Capano said. “We’re creating a model that other academic institutions can adopt and adapt for their own communities.”

In addition to Capano, OSPO co-principal investigators are , vice president for research; , dean of University Libraries; and , associate vice president for information technology and chief technology officer.

OSPO was established with seed funding from the Sloan Foundation; the renewal grant will support the program through October 2027.

The University the recipients of the Fall 2025 Orange Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program that fuels early-stage ideas developed by student entrepreneurs. The fund supports innovative projects across campus that demonstrate strong potential to commercialize research.

The fund, administered through the University Libraries, is designed to help student founders move their ventures from concept to prototype on the path to commercialization. The grants range up to $5,000 and enable recipients to build MVPs (minimum viable products), test ideas with real users and validate market potential. Since its inception, the fund has helped dozens of student teams advance toward competitive accelerators, patent filings and commercial launches.

Winners were selected by reviewers from across the campus innovation ecosystem, along with alumni who are successful founders and industry experts.

The Fall 2025 recipients are the following:

• Gabi Josefson ’28 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications) and Mitchell Breakstone ’28 (Whitman School ) received funding for EXCHKR, a platform that simplifies how clubs, sports teams and Greek organizations manage payments and track budgets. EXCHKR’s team will use this grant to develop the platform’s full MVP, integrating Stripe and Plaid for secure payments and real-time dashboards.
• Jack Venerus ’27 (School of Information Studies) received support for WingStat, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that makes aircraft sales data more accessible for brokers. The Orange Innovation Fund will help WingStat build its MVP and launch a beta test with aircraft brokers nationwide.
• Trey Augliano ’27 (Whitman School) was selected for Utopia Beauty, a retail startup exclusively curating science-backed beauty products. Funding will support the creation of a proprietary tool that grades beauty products using the company’s Lab Protocol, integrating AI and customer testing to refine results before launch.
• Haley Greene ’26 (Newhouse School) received support for Miirror, a nonprofit digital platform addressing the urgent gap in accessible support for the 30 million Americans who struggle with eating disorders. Greene’s grant will fund backend development, accessibility certification and an 8- to 12-week campus pilot to assess user engagement and mental health outcomes.
• Ronan Hussar ’26 (Whitman School) was awarded funding for MacroFlow, which allows users to automate Excel tasks using simple language instead of code. The grant will support secure software development and beta testing with 25 early users.
• Jacob Kaplan ’28 (School of Information Studies) was awarded funding for The OtherGlasses, the world’s first adaptive eyewear that automatically adjusts to users’ changing vision throughout the day. Grant funds will help build a functional prototype using liquid crystal lenses and develop a companion app for real-time adjustment testing.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support of Syracuse’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and excited to receive this grant as we prepare to launch EXCHKR,” Josefson says. “This funding will help us accelerate development and bring a much-needed financial management solution to student organizations nationwide.”

“Being selected for this award could not have come at a better time,” says Hussar. “The grant will take MacroFlow from an MVP to a market-ready product at a point where every dollar truly matters. Being selected also means that judges believe in my idea. That support motivates me to keep building.”

“Winning the Orange Innovation Fund award is incredibly meaningful,” says Venerus. “It gives us the momentum to finish our MVP and get WingStat market-ready, and it’s validating to know others see the impact and potential in what we’re building.”

“I’m very grateful to receive this award,” says Augliano. “I want to thank Orange Innovation team for recognizing the value that Utopia brings to the beauty industry. With this award, I will be able to build out the infrastructure for our product grading tool.”

“Being selected for the Orange Innovation Award tells me that people believe not only in Miirror, but in the future we’re trying to build, one where access to help is a right, not a luxury,” says Greene. “This grant, and every bit of support, moves us closer to turning something painful into something that gives others access to care and helps them feel less alone, which is all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“These students represent the creativity, technical skill and drive that define Syracuse’s innovation community,” says David Seaman, dean of University Libraries. “The Orange Innovation Fund helps student founders take the important steps to move from idea to reality and achieve important milestones along their product development roadmap.”

The Orange Innovation Fund was supported through a leadership gift from University trustee Raj-Ann Gill. Through programs like the Orange Innovation Fund, the University continues to strengthen its reputation as a leading national hub for student innovation, supporting entrepreneurs who blend creativity, technology and purpose to make real-world impact.

Upstate New York’s Wayne County Partnership, which includes the University’s , will benefit from a multi-million-dollar investment that will help it and six other communities across the United States reach their economic mobility goals by expanding enrichment and career-focused opportunities for young people.

The Wallace Foundation’s explores how schools, nonprofits and other entities can strengthen school enrichment efforts, such as afterschool and summer programs. The foundation anticipates investing approximately $6 to $10 million into Wayne County over the course of the initiative.

The is a consortium of more than 50 agencies, school districts and organizations that seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of the county, which encompasses the communities of Sodus and Palmyra.

Among the partnership projects that will benefit from the grant is and its STEADY Program, which connects high school students to local employers so they can gain workplace experience. , associate professor of social work, helps to collect, manage and analyze data so schools can track progress and measure outcomes.

“The Wayne County Partnership and Wayne County Community Schools have a truly novel and intricate foundation of cross-sector collaborations that spans schools, youth programs, community agencies and local government,” says Heath. “This investment from the Wallace Foundation will provide much-needed infrastructure and support so that this high-need rural county can provide the opportunities young people need and deserve.”

The University’s  School of Social Work is “excited to continue to push our community-research partnership with Wayne County forward and to help improve the lives of youth in Wayne County and beyond,” Heath says.

The Wayne County Partnership was selected following an extensive process that drew interest from more than 1,700 communities. The initiative also will fund partnerships across California, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee and Utah.

The Advancing Opportunities for Adolescents initiative aims to provide young people in the middle through early high school years with greater access to out-of-school opportunities that spark new interests, skills and an awareness of potential future careers. Additionally, adolescents and their families gain access to formalized support to help them navigate across systems to find programs and resources they need.

“The Wayne County Partnership’s commitment to and sharp focus on increasing access to opportunity for youth in rural settings stood out to us and is one reason we invited them to participate in this initiative,” says Gigi Antoni, vice president of youth development at The Wallace Foundation. “The partnership’s STEADY Work program—offering apprenticeships that build personal, professional, and transferable skills—could serve as a national out-of-school time program model.”

Jay Roscup, director of Wayne County Community Schools and co-chair of the Wayne County Partnership, says The Wallace Foundation is “asking the right questions at the right time.”

“The partnership has created an ecosystem where our community schools efforts thrive,” he says. “The cooperative intent of our partners has led to the betterment of individual programs, accurate installation of proven practices, and innovation of custom programs that fit our community.”

The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) is now for the 2026 Faculty Fellows Program. Faculty members are invited to submit proposals of up to $15,000 for innovative research and development projects related to healthy and efficient buildings, clean energy and resilient, low-carbon communities.

This program is open to faculty members who hold full-time appointments at Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). Proposals must include engagement with one or more industry partners. SyracuseCoE welcomes proposals that engage multiple faculty members, including interdisciplinary teams from multiple departments, colleges and/or institutions.

Faculty Fellow funding may be used for expenses associated with research, development and demonstration projects, including (but not limited to): use of laboratories and equipment, research materials and supplies, and student employment. Faculty members are encouraged to review the for details on eligibility, funding restrictions, proposal format and reporting requirements.

“SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow awards are an excellent opportunity for researchers to build collaborative relationships with New York state companies that can grow into mutually beneficial R&D partnerships,” says Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang, mechanical and aerospace engineering interim department chair and executive director of SyracuseCoE.

Awards will be announced in December 2025. Selected Faculty Fellows will have the opportunity to join SyracuseCoE’s innovation ecosystem, contributing to educational programming, industry collaboration and future sponsored funding proposals. Fellows will also present their work at the annual Innovation Showcase in August 2026.

The Faculty Fellow Program is supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation (ESD/NYSTAR). Since 2015, SyracuseCoE has allocated over $1 million to research and development projects led by more than 70 SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows at Syracuse University, SUNY ESF, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY Oswego.

Applications must be submitted through Syracuse University’s . The deadline to apply is Friday, Nov. 21. Questions about the program can be directed to Tammy Rosanio, associate director of partner programs .

An innovative initiative focusing on the power of sport fandom for character development has been awarded more than $800,000 in funding through a 2025 from the Educating Character Initiative, part of Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character, which is supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. The grant will fund Character Development through Sport Fan Engagement, a project developed by , professor and dean of the , and the , vice president and dean of , who are co-principal investigators.

Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Lois Agnew says the project leverages the University’s existing strengths in sport-related academic research and teaching while drawing on themes outlined in the academic strategic plan, particularly human thriving. “This project has the potential to engage individuals across our campus community—students, faculty and staff—and promote the respectful exchange of ideas around the concepts of fandom and character development,” she says.

This significant award recognizes Syracuse University’s commitment to fostering holistic student development and leveraging the unique environment of collegiate sport fandom for character education. The project aims to cultivate ethical reasoning, teamwork, empathy and a stronger sense of community among undergraduate students by engaging them in the social, emotional and cultural dimensions of sport fandom. Ultimately, the project has the potential to not only transform fandom at Syracuse, but also to become a national model for ethical and inclusive fan engagement throughout sport.

“This project represents a truly collaborative effort across Syracuse University to push past the boundaries of knowledge by uniting spiritual inquiry and sport scholarship to explore how the passion of sport fandom can be a powerful catalyst for human flourishing,” Konkol says. “We believe that by focusing on the virtue of teamwork, we can help our students not only understand—but also actively practice—the values that build stronger communities.”

Syracuse University, with its dynamic athletics program, is uniquely positioned to host this initiative. “Sport fandom, particularly in the vibrant atmosphere of NCAA Division I athletics, offers an unparalleled real-time context for character education,” Jordan says. “This grant allows us to harness that energy to teach fairness, loyalty, leadership, humility and sportsmanship in ways that deeply resonate with our students’ lived experiences. We are excited to contribute to a national conversation about the role of sport in character formation.”

The project will include a series of structured educational and experiential components, co-designed with student leaders, including peer-led workshops, team-based challenges, game-day campaigns and reflective discussions, all centered on the character virtue of teamwork. Its structure emphasizes inclusive participation across diverse student populations and encourages cross-campus collaboration among students, faculty and athletics staff.

“Cultivating individuals of character who embody teamwork benefits our university and our students but also strengthens our athletics program,” says John Wildhack, Syracuse University director of athletics. “This initiative will help us learn more about fan behavior and encourage students to develop lifelong connections to the traditions and teams that define the Orange Nation. Passionate and dedicated fans are essential for our teams to compete at the highest levels.”

The program will also include a multi-year research study, The Impact of Sport Fandom on Character Development Among College Students: A Multi-dimensional Analysis Using the Psychological Continuum Model, which is intended to address a critical gap in existing literature.

Beyond its well-recognized athletics program, Syracuse University has evolved its sport-focused educational offerings and is redefining the future of sport research, education and innovation. In July, the Falk College became the nation’s first standalone college of sport on a Research 1 campus. Singular in focus, global in reach and designed for the future, the Falk College aims to be the top academic and research institution in sport.

Hendricks Chapel, known as the spiritual heart of Syracuse University, serves as a global home for religious, spiritual, moral and ethical life. Established in 1930 as a home for all faiths and place for all people, the chapel sponsors over 2,000 programs for more than a million annual attendees to help prepare engaged citizens, scholars and leaders for participation in a changing global society.

Other participating units include the , the School of Education’s , the , and .

When we are young and healthy, our cells successfully monitor and manage our worn-out or damaged proteins, keeping things working properly. But as we age, this cleanup system can falter, leading to protein clumps linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

Now Syracuse University scientists are diving deep to understand how these tiny, temporary droplets—known as condensates—work, which could lead to new ways of treating or preventing several brain disorders.

Aging is tough on protein management in our cells. “The mechanisms that we call protein quality control do not work as well anymore,” says , associate professor of biology and chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Castañeda has been awarded a five-year, $2 million National Institutes of Health R35 MIRA award to study the link between protein quality control and “biomolecular condensates.”

“Losing protein quality control is related to some neurodegenerative disorders,” says Castañeda. “We are trying to understand those mechanisms so we can see why cells are not able to take care of proteins as they did earlier in life.”

Storage Closets and Trash Dumps

Scientists are discovering that cells contain tiny droplets that function like liquid storage closets, gathering, fixing, recycling or removing dysfunctional proteins. But as we age or respond to stress, our cells can lose effectiveness in cleaning up and managing these proteins.

When repair and recycling systems are lacking, damaged proteins can accumulate, forming clumps that may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS. The droplets themselves can harden into sticky protein clumps, leaving long-term trash dumps in the brain.

In recent years, scientists have learned that droplet compartments are not rigid, permanent parts of the cell. Instead, they are membrane-less gatherings of specialized proteins that cluster together under certain conditions. These droplets appear and disappear when needed, helping cells adapt. Droplets gather and disperse based on stress, temperature and cellular signals.

The Castañeda team aims to learn more about what causes droplets to form, what droplets are made of and how droplets decide which proteins are problematic and need fixing, recycling or removing.

Forces at Work

The research team will use a dual approach. They will perform molecular experiments to learn about changes to protein structure and dynamics, and cell biology-based approaches to observe living processes.

In molecular work, they will construct artificial droplets outside of cells to watch how changes in protein combinations or stress signals change their behavior, such as their ability to recruit different proteins or mediate different downstream outcomes (protein degradation or not).

The team will also perform studies of living cells. The researchers want to know more about how droplets manage damaged proteins when cells are stressed. They will study cellular signals that form these droplets and how different protein combinations can affect droplet behavior.

“We make a droplet in a test tube to see how the organization of these components change with different conditions and take components apart so we can understand how they come together,” says Castañeda. “Think of it as understanding a car engine by both building and dismantling it.”

These basic scientific investigations could have transformative long-term impacts, such as identifying critical points where intervention might prevent or treat protein clumps. It could potentially illuminate similar mechanisms across different neurodegenerative disorders and other diseases such as cancer.

The University’s collaborative and supportive research ecosystem (e.g., the BioInspired Institute, the Bioimaging Center, high-field NMR at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) has been crucial to the development of this study, allowing scientists in different fields to share techniques and insights, access specialized equipment and develop more comprehensive research strategies, Castañeda notes.

“This field requires scientists from multiple fields—biology, chemistry, physics and engineering—working together,” says Castañeda. “This work would not have been possible without the many talented postdocs, graduate students, undergraduates and high school students that have gone through our lab. A special thanks to our lab manager and senior scientist Dr. Thuy Dao. I am deeply appreciative of our key collaborators at SU (e.g., Heidi Hehnly, Shahar Sukenik, Heather Meyer, Li-En Jao) and beyond (Dan Kraut at Villanova, Jeroen Roelofs at KUMC). Finally, I am very grateful to A&S and the VPR office for their support over the years.”

Story by John Tibbetts

Syracuse University Libraries’ Department of Access and Resource Sharing received a Central New York Library Resources Council Catalyst Grant for $2,000 to provide train-the-trainer workshops on book repair to local school district media specialists. Preservation librarian Marianne Hanley submitted the grant after successfully offering similar workshops to public libraries in northern New York and Florida.

The one-day workshop will be offered at Bird Library in August. Attendees will learn various methods to repair books and will receive a take-home kit with tools and supplies to repair books at their school libraries after the workshop.

Interest in the workshop is so high that Onondaga-Cortland-Madison County BOCES has offered to fund a second one-day workshop in August that will be promoted through its professional development offerings later this summer.

“Students love books, sometimes a little too much. Library books are expensive, and this all-day workshop will give school library media specialists the training and tools they can bring back to their districts to repair damaged books instead of having to withdraw or replace them,” says Hanley. “We’re thrilled to share our knowledge on how to extend the life of beloved books.”

Those interested in learning more can contact Hanley at mhanley@syr.edu.