As a massive winter storm continues to pummel the eastern United States with dangerous ice and freezing rain, more than a million customers across multiple states remain without power. Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and other Southern states have been particularly hard hit, with some officials warning that outages could persist for days or longer.

, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science in Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, studies power system stability, reliability and the integration of renewable energy into electrical grids. She explains what makes ice storms so destructive to electrical infrastructure and what lessons this storm offers for building more resilient power systems.

She answers several questions below, and her responses can be quoted directly. She is also available for interviews.

is hosting “The Ideas Exchange: Sparking Innovation at Syracuse University” on Tuesday, March 4, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on the first floor of Bird Library. Students from across campus eager to explore the frontiers of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity are invited to attend this student-designed and student-led event to engage with experts, resources and peers in a dynamic and interactive environment.

is more than just a networking event—it’s an incubator for ideas, where students can find inspiration, seek guidance and connect with the right resources to bring their projects to life. The event features two simultaneous components: The Resource Emporium and Ask the Experts. Sponsored by SU Libraries, the Syracuse University NSF I-Corps and the Orange Innovation Team, this event is for aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators and those simply curious about the creative and startup ecosystem on campus.

At the heart of The Idea Exchange is the Orange Innovation Team, including Orange Innovation Scholars Ava Lubekmann, Jair Espinoza, Aidan Turner and Thomas O’Brien and Intelligence ++ Scholars Isaac Munce and Trey Augliano. These student leaders have curated an experience that fosters collaboration, encourages curiosity and provides direct access to some of the most valuable resources available on campus.

The Resource Emporium: Your Gateway to Innovation

On the first floor of Bird Library, a diverse lineup of organizations will host information tables to provide students with resources to help develop their ideas, start businesses and enhance their creative projects. Whether students are looking to create a prototype, launch a creative idea, secure funding for an idea or learn more about innovation on campus, The Resource Emporium will offer access to the right tools and people to take their ambitions further. Participating groups include:

• Blackstone LaunchPad–Campus hub for entrepreneurship
• CASE–Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering
• Couri Hatchery–Student venture incubation
• D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families
• E-Club–Entrepreneurship student organization
• FADS–Fashion and design society
• Innovation Law Center–Legal guidance for startups
• Intelligence ++–Inclusive design and assistive technology
• Invent@SU–Rapid prototyping and invention resources
• Maker Space–Hands-on creative workshops and prototyping
• NEXIS–Emerging technology research
• NSF I-Corps at Syracuse University
• The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE)–Undergraduate research support
• Startup Garage–Early-stage startup mentoring
• Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems
• TEDx Syracuse University–Platform for innovative ideas and storytelling
• WISE–Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

Ask the Experts: Conversations That Ignite Ideas

In a format inspired by “Human Library” events, the��Ask the Experts��session will feature more than��20 confirmed peer specialists��and professionals across various fields engaging in small-group conversations. These sessions, held in the��Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Room 114 in Bird Library), will provide students with the chance to ask questions from student and alumni thought leaders, receive tailored advice and gain valuable insights into the skills needed to thrive in innovation, creation and entrepreneurship.

Each discussion will be an opportunity to learn from expert peers and experienced professionals while sparking innovative ideas through engaging conversations. The curated topics and expert insights are designed to empower students with practical knowledge and the confidence to move forward with their ventures.

The expert insights will be in the areas of content creation, pitching, brand development and many more.

Mix It Up: Networking and Refreshments

To wrap up the event, attendees can mingle and network from 4:30 to 5 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons. Light refreshments will be provided, creating a casual and welcoming environment for students to connect with peers, experts, and resource representatives.

Why Attend The Idea Exchange?

The Idea Exchange presents an unparalleled opportunity for students to tap into the University’s vast network of innovation resources. Whether you have a business idea, a research project, or a creative endeavor, this event will help you take the next step by:

• Gaining access to key innovation resources: Meet representatives from leading campus programs.
• Engage with experts: Learn from professionals who can provide real-world insights.
• Build your network: Connect with fellow students who share your passion for innovation.
• Find inspiration: Discover ideas and opportunities to explore.

For more information, visit Bird Library 123, home of “The IDEA Studio,” or email OrangeInnovation@syr.edu.

Professors Shikha Nangia and Marina Artuso have been named faculty co-directors of . Founded on campus 25 years ago, the program supports women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

is professor and interim chair of biomedical and chemical engineering in the (ECS). is a distinguished professor of physics in the (A&S). They s쳮d outgoing co-directors and .

Nangia joined the University in 2012 as a tenure-track professor. Her work involves the creation of computational models to examine the body’s blood-brain barrier at the molecular level. Those findings help develop drugs that can penetrate the barrier to advance medicinal treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Artuso is an experimental physicist who works in experimental particle physics. Her research focuses on interesting properties of beauty and charm quarks and on the novel instrumentation needed to study their decay properties. She came to the University as a research assistant professor of physics in 1993, was appointed a professor of physics in 2005 and recently was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

WiSE faculty co-directors serve as advocates, engaging with university leadership, the campus community and external audiences. They also develop strategic vision for the organization, offer budget input, and actively participate in programming. WiSE was created by and is led by faculty. Its goals are to increase the representation and retention of women faculty members in STEM fields, to highlight women scholars and to develop advising and mentoring programs.

WiSE serves members across 18 departments in six colleges and schools: A&S, ECS, , , and the .��It presents social, academic and professional development programming for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty in tenure, tenure-track and non-tenure-track positions.

Faculty present workshops, act as mentors, offer portfolio reviews and serve in many capacities to support learning and teaching, says WiSE director Sharon Alestalo.

“Their active involvement helps direct how we can support faculty success. We do that through programming for them and by providing activities and events that support the students and scholars they work with,” Alestalo says.

WiSE also supports the recruitment of women faculty in STEM. When the program was founded, there were 18 women faculty members teaching in 10 A&S and ECS departments. Today, there are 174 tenure, tenure-track and non-tenure women faculty members working in 18 areas, Alestalo says. STEM women faculty in WiSE have also attracted more than $104 million in research funding during the last five years, she says.

The organization is open to all. Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty women and their allies of any gender, race, ability and identity who work, study or are interested in the STEM fields are welcome.

Each year, on Feb. 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science shines a light on the vital contributions of women to the scientific landscape. Despite historical underrepresentation in STEM fields, women are breaking barriers, driven by a passion for discovery and a diverse range of exciting career paths. For the last two decades, Syracuse University’s (WiSE) has fostered this enthusiasm by encouraging mentorship, connecting scientists across disciplines and showcasing the joy of scientific exploration.

Founded in 1999, the program supports the recruitment, persistence and advancement of underrepresented scholars in STEM on the Syracuse University campus. The group continues to build a pipeline of scientists and engineers through its key goals to increase retention and representation, highlight scholars and establish an advising and mentoring network. These initiatives create a platform for students and faculty to exchange ideas and celebrate each other’s achievements.

Sadie Novak, a fifth-year chemistry student, is one of the many WiSE participants who is following her passion of scientific research. She remembers connecting with organic chemistry as an undergrad and credits a noteworthy professor and the lab she worked in as promoting a community of belonging.

“The professor did an amazing job of showing how organic chemistry is applied beyond [the field of] chemistry. It made me realize there are so many opportunities to do with chemistry,” says Novak.

Continuing her work at Syracuse, Novak has found support and community within the WiSE monthly peer chat gatherings and networking events. “This has definitely opened a lot of doors and created a lot of community for women and other scholars in STEM here at Syracuse University,” says Novak.

Program co-directors and say opportunities via informal mentorship and collaboration across science and engineering disciplines are crucial in providing support to University women and other scholars in the STEM fields and ensuring they have a shared space to build academic relationships.

“Having the opportunity to network with other women and scholars in STEM and obtain specific mentoring, training and coaching relevant to being a woman in STEM is really valuable,” says Lewis, biology professor and the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence in the College of Arts & Sciences. “It enables women to find different strategies to s쳮d and thrive and the networking also helps them to build their resilience.”

“WiSE provides a network and collaboration, mentoring and connections for different groups,” says Bhatia, civil and environmental engineering professor and the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “That is unique and if WiSE was not there, it’s not that people would not do well. But if you talk to any of them individually, they will find that the peer support has been extremely supportive.”

While women only hold about in the U.S., the landscape is shifting. Organizations like WiSE play a crucial role in this change. With a spotlight on women and girls in science in February, Novak says creating spaces where students can see themselves in professors and other STEM academics makes all the difference.

“If you don’t see other people who have done it [like role models] it’s even harder for you to imagine yourself there,” says Novak. “I think days like [Feb. 11] where we highlight people who are in the field are super important.”

Story by Daryl Lovell and Keith Kobland, members of the University’s central media relations team

Nationally recognized career expert Josh Henkin will visit campus next month to offer a series of workshops for doctoral students and postdoctoral associates who are preparing to seek industry or government positions in STEM. ��

Henkin is founder of career coaching and counseling services firm . He will be on campus Thursday, Feb. 1, and Friday, Feb. 2, to offer a series of four workshops on ways to tailor resumes, discuss and categorize skills, and interview for positions in today’s ultra-competitive STEM fields. Henkin will also be available for informal discussion over meals with doctoral students, postdocs and faculty mentors.��

“Henkin’s workshops are a must-attend experience that can be a game changer for participants,” says Daniel Olson-Bang, director of professional and career development for the Graduate School. “His extensive experience in industry and his support of STEM graduate students and postdocs in institutions across the country make him uniquely situated to address our students’ and postdoc scholars’ needs and provide essential support for their job searches.”   ��

After earning a STEM Ph.D. and completing a postdoctoral fellowship, Henkin was awarded an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy fellowship and has held numerous industry and government jobs. He is a subject matter expert and career coach for the and works as a career development coach for Lawrence Berkeley National Labs Postdoc Program. He previously served two terms on the board of directors of the and spent 15 years as a hiring manager in STEM. He is author of the book “,” copies of which will be raffled at the workshops.����

 The workshops are offered jointly by the Graduate School and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. They are co-sponsored by the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) at Syracuse University, and by the Upstate Medical University College of Graduate Studies and the SUNY ESF Graduate School.

For more information about the workshops and to register, visit the .

Earth Day is an annual opportunity to celebrate our planet and its resources. It is also a day to act on climate change. The changing climate is already making natural disasters more frequent and severe, making it imperative to take steps to reduce our vulnerability to these events.

, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is a leading expert on disaster mitigation and climate risk management. She is passionate about finding solutions that will help communities become more resilient to climate change and views the climate crisis from both an environmental and societal aspect.

“I study natural disasters that happen at the intersection of where bad weather meets the water cycle,” Carter says. “Any event that results in a flood or a drought would be the impacts that we’re trying to ameliorate.”

Floods and droughts have increased in the last 10 years, according to the and a recently published study in the journal . Scientists have found that the number of flood and drought events has increased by 50% since 2010, and the intensity of these events has also increased.

Recent findings attribute the increase in floods and droughts to climate change. Rising global temperatures are causing more extreme weather events, including heavier rains and longer dry spells. These extreme weather events are having a devastating impact on people and communities around the world.

Carter, like many climate scientists, is working to help communities become more resilient to climate change by developing tools and strategies that can help them prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.

On this climate-focused “’Cuse Conversation,” Professor Carter discusses why the work around disaster prevention, mitigation and prediction is a necessary focus for the global health of our world. A transcript [PDF]��is also available.