Utica, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is thrilled to announce that Dr. Guru Madhavan, Senior Director of Programs at the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, and Dr. Maria Kontaridis, Executive Director and Director of Research at the Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI), will serve as the speakers for the College of Engineering and Colleges of Arts & Sciences/Business/Health Sciences Commencement ceremonies, respectively, on May 10.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Guru Madhavan and Dr. Maria Kontaridis as our 2025 Commencement speakers,” said SUNY Poly President Dr. Winston Soboyejo. “Their outstanding contributions to engineering, biomedical research, and innovation embody the values of excellence, perseverance, and interdisciplinary collaboration that we champion at SUNY Poly. As they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives, the Class of 2025 will benefit greatly from the wisdom and experiences these two distinguished leaders will share. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and welcoming them to our campus.”

Dr. Guru Madhavan

A SUNY alumnus, Dr. Madhavan is a biomedical systems engineer and acclaimed author who currently serves as the Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and Senior Director of Programs at the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. He founded the Forum on Complex Unifiable Systems (FOCUS) program and has advised numerous global institutions, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the European Union Malaria Fund.

Dr. Madhavan’s groundbreaking work includes contributing to the development of surgical catheters for cardiac ablation and neuromuscular stimulators to improve blood circulation. His contributions to engineering education and policy have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the ASME Gantt Medal and the IEEE Norbert Wiener Award. He is a fellow of AAAS and ASME and a former IEEE-USA vice president.

Moreover, his book, Applied Minds: How Engineers Think, has been widely translated and praised for its insights into engineering.

Dr. Maria Kontaridis

As the Executive Director and Director of Research at MMRI, Dr. Kontaridis leads cutting-edge biomedical and clinical research, advancing the understanding of diseases and developing potential treatments. The institute also provides education and training for scientists and researchers worldwide.

Dr. Kontaridis holds multiple degrees, including a Ph.D. from Yale University, where she conducted pioneering research on protein tyrosine phosphatases in cell growth and skeletal muscle differentiation. Her research program investigates congenital heart disease and heart failure and is funded by organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, reflecting her dedication to improving cardiovascular health. She also holds a part-time faculty position as Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

A Fellow of the American Heart Association (AHA), Dr. Kontaridis has held key leadership roles, including chairing AHA’s Early Career Councils and Harvard Medical School’s Joint Committee on the Status of Women.

SUNY Poly’s College of Engineering and Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business, and Health Sciences Commencement ceremonies are scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

For more info about this year’s commencement, visit https://sunypoly.edu/commencement.html.