March 23-27, 2026
SUNY Poly’s College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) Week celebrates the vibrant community of students, faculty, alumni, and partners that make our programs thrive. Throughout the week, events highlight collaborative research, student achievement, and partnerships with alumni and community organizations. Together, these connections support workforce development and reflect the College’s commitment to preparing the next generation of leaders and scholars.
Monday, March 23
SUNY Poly MMRI Research Project Partnership
The College of Arts and Sciences invites you to a presentation by Dr. Jason McCarthy, Scientific Operations Director and Professor of Biomedical Research and Translational Medicine Masonic Medical Research Institute. Dr. McCarthy will discuss how MMRI is leading the way in fighting disease with research. The MMRI group aims to push the boundaries of nanomedicine, potentiating novel treatment options for an untold number of diseases.
Time: 8 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Kunsela Hall Auditorium
Central Valley Academy Career Expo Day
Partnering with Central Valley Academy and Liberty Partners Program, SUNY Poly will host 11th grade students from CVA. Students will participate in interactive activities in Psychology, Forensic Science, Engineering, and Health Science.
Time: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Student Center Multi-Purpose Room with Activities in Donovan Hall Labs and Classrooms
An Accessible Future
COAS faculty Dr. Ana Jofre and Dr. Kristina Boylan will present a tour of Gannett Gallery focusing on accessibility to the arts. In our times, questions loom large regarding whether technological developments will lower or raise barriers. To create is to be human and to express our humanity. This presentation will explore how artists envision and enable a future that is positive and accessible for all.
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Gannett Gallery
Tuesday, March 24
Refugee Families and Career Choices
Presenters: Dr. Kathryn Stam, Dr. Margaret Wehrer, Anna Woodworth, Kay Klo, May Sunday, and Sabah Haji
COAS invites you to a panel discussion about refugee-background families and how they navigate academic major and career choices. This event is sponsored by SUNY Poly’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Research Center.
Time: 10:00 -11:30 a.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Cayan Library Mele Room
CESSAIR - Interactive Workshop: How do you turn a computer into a Chatty Kathy? Looking Under the Hood of ChatGPT
Presenters: Dr. Emilio Cobanera and Dr. Andrea Dziubek
In this interactive, hands-on computing event, participants can explore how ChatGPT can expand human-computer interactions. The Center for Safe and Secure AI Robotics’ (CESSAIR) mission is to advance research and development in AI robotics with safety and security as the leading priority.
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Donovan Hall 1229 (AI Trading Room)
Opening Doors: Reestablishing SUNY Poly’s College-in-Prison Program
Presenters: David Pasick, Faculty SUNY Poly CIP Program; Robin Riecker, Dean of Academic Affairs at Herkimer College, CIP Program Director; Matt Drumm, Educational Programs Coordinator at Mid-State Correctional Facility; Michael Fischer, Deputy Superintendent of Programs at Mid-State Correctional Facility; Christopher Riddle, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Utica College, Adjunct Faculty SUNY Poly CIP Program.
The panel will discuss a collaboration between SUNY Poly and Herkimer College which provides high-quality college courses to incarcerated students, offering them a degree pathway to promote knowledge, personal growth, and future opportunities that extend beyond prison walls.
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Student Center Multi-Purpose Room
Wednesday, March 25
Fireworks in the Universe
Presenters: Dr. Shing Chi Leung and the SUNY Poly Student Physics Group
COAS invites you to learn about stellar astrophysics. Dr. Shing Chi Leung will briefly introduce the topic and then students in the SUNY Poly physics group will present their ongoing work in modeling the supernova explosion and explain the chemical abundance of the Perseus Cluster, a system surprisingly similar to the solar composition. They will share the takeaways of these research experiences.
Time: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Student Center Multi-Purpose Room 2
Growing Up in the Age of Immigration Enforcement: Children of Immigrants in New York
Presenter: Dr. Joanna Dreby, University at Albany
Between 2019 and 2023, Dr. Dreby collected 99 retrospective life history interviews with young adults, all U.S. citizens, with foreign-born parents in New York about how enforcement episodes had affected their lives. Her findings, published in her new book Surviving the ICE Age (2025) -- and in several research articles -- show that a restrictive approach to immigration creates several problems over time and across generations. This talk will focus on stories from young adults, about their experiences of silencing and about the disruptions they and their family members had lived through. It will also emphasize which supports young adults found most useful for surviving the age of enforcement and identify the types of interventions that concerned community members can provide to better support children.
Time: 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Cayan Library Mele Room
From Partnership to Practice: How UCP and SUNY Poly Are Building Community Impact
Presenters: Erica Schoff, SUNY Poly Director of Workforce Development, moderator; SUNY Poly Faculty, Dr. Joanne Joseph and student intern Emma Smith; Dr. Erik Jacobson- UCP Chief Clinical Officer and Dawn Gentile- UCP Director of Vocational Services
We invite you to a panel discussion about how SUNY Poly experiential learning also serves community needs throughout the Mohawk Valley.
Time: 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Donovan Hall G152
Thursday, March 26
College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Panel
SUNY Poly College of Arts and Sciences invites you to a panel discussion with alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences’ various majors. Alumni will discuss their time at SUNY Poly and their career outcomes and industry experience. Learn about how COAS majors prepare students for a variety of experiences after college.
Time: Noon-1:30 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Student Center Multi-Purpose Room
Data Bootcamp
Presenter: Dr. Daniel Romero
COAS invites you to this hands-on session where participants will build their very first machine learning model in just 90 minutes. No prior experience is required. Attendees will work with real data and walk away with a functional predictive model, demystifying a field that often feels inaccessible. Whether you are a student, faculty member, or simply curious about the technology shaping every industry, this workshop offers an approachable starting point.
Time: 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Hilltop Residence Hall A252 Conference Room
Beyond Innovation: How Maintenance Sustains What We Value Most
Presenter: Dr. Andrew Russell
Innovation is often celebrated as the driving force behind progress – but innovation alone isn’t enough to create lasting impact. Part of the SUNY Poly Spotlight Series, this lecture focuses on the maintenance mindset as a counterweight and complement to the common emphasis on innovation and invites us to rethink progress as the ongoing work of care that keeps our communities, organizations, and technologies functioning and thriving.
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Student Center Multi-Purpose Room
Friday, March 27
Micro but Mighty: Microgreen Farming
We invite you to learn about the advantages of growing microgreens. Dr. Pallavi Gupta-Bouder will lead a hands-on activity on how to grow microgreens using various methods. Participants will also learn the health benefits of microgreens and interesting ways to use them in their food.
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Hilltop Residence Hall Multi-Purpose Room
Beyond the Algorithm: An AI Open House
Presenters: Dr. Steve Schneider and Dr. Bill Thistleton
What does AI actually do? At the AI Exploration Center, it’s working with LLMs for academics and industry, securing our food supply through Precision Agriculture, and revolutionizing how we play and learn. We invite you to explore the latest projects at the Center. Meet the innovative minds—students and faculty alike—who are bridging the gap between foundation models and real-world solutions. Whether you’re a curious neighbor or a potential collaborator, come discover how we’re making AI more human.
Time: 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Location: SUNY Poly Hilltop Residence Hall A252 Conference Room
