For Release:         Immediate – April 30, 2015

Contact:                Jerry Gretzinger, Vice President of Strategic Communications and Public Relations

(518) 956-7359 |  jgretzinger@sunycnse.com

Five Receive 2015 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence

Albany, NY – In support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s initiatives driving world-class public higher education in New York State, SUNY Polytechnic Institute today announced that five members of its faculty and staff have received Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence from the State University of New York for 2015. Through these awards, SUNY publicly proclaims its pride in the accomplishment and personal dedication of its instructional faculty and professional staff across its campuses.

SUNY Poly’s 2015 Chancellor’s Award recipients are:

Debra Doyna, Secretary; Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service

Vincent LaBella, Professor of Nanoscience;  Kathryn Stam, Associate Professor of Anthropology; Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

Maryrose Raab, Director of Graduate Admissions; Daniel D. White, Associate VP for Student Affairs and Professional and Cor­porate Recruitment and Outreach and Director of Academic Advisement; Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service

“The SUNY Poly faculty and staff honored with this year’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence have made significant contributions not only to the students they educate and the administrative staff they support, but to all of SUNY and New York State,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “We are honored to recognize their outstanding service with SUNY’s highest distinction.”

“Governor Cuomo’s leadership in developing unmatched educational opportunities in New York State has set the bar high for all academic institutions.  To have 5 members of our team honored with the Chancellor’s award sends a strong message regarding the caliber of SUNY Poly’s dynamic faculty and staff and its commitment to both meet and exceed the highest of standards,” said Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Poly. “We extend our congratulations and thanks to our recipients for their passion and dedication, which make SUNY Poly a truly remarkable place to work and learn.”

“These award recipients truly embody SUNY Poly's spirit of innovation and dedication to scholarship - the heart and soul of the institution. We are incredibly proud of the work they do and what they bring to our campus each and every day,” said Dr. Robert Geer, Senior Vice President and COO of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “We are honored to have them as part of the SUNY Poly family.”

Debra Doyna joined SUNY Poly in 2005 as a Keyboard Specialist and currently serves as Secretary in the Campus Life Office. During the course of her career at SUNY Poly, she has served in the Cayan Library, Office of Residential Life & Housing, and the Office of Business Affairs. She holds an A.A.S. degree from Mohawk Valley Community College.

Vincent LaBella holds the following degrees:  Ph.D. in physics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; B.S. in mechanical engineering and a B.A. in physics, both from Rutgers University. A Fellow of the American Physical Society, his areas of research include hot carrier transport, surfaces and interfaces, and the emerging field of spintronics.

Maryrose Raab joined SUNY Poly in 1995 as a senior admissions counselor and currently directs the Office of Graduate Admissions. She is past president of the New York State Transfer & Articulation Association (NYSTAA) and a recipient of the NYSTAA Service Award. She holds degrees from SUNY Poly and from St. John Fisher College.

Kathryn Stam holds a Ph.D. in social science from Syracuse University. Her qualitative research on information technology and culture has been published in numerous academic journals. She is the co-author of Information Nation: Education and Careers in the Emerging Information Professions and founded a collaborative project called Refugees Starting Over in Utica, NY.

Daniel D. White earned a Ph.D. from the University at Albany in biological anthropology. As part of the Student Affairs team at SUNY Poly CNSE, he is involved in a wide range of academic and student affairs functions. As Director of Academic Advisement, he oversees the academic progress of CNSE students. He is an adjunct professor of nanobioscience and a long serving member of the University Faculty Senate.

The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence acknowledge consistently superior professional achievement and encourage the continued pursuit of excellence, while underscoring SUNY’s commitment to sustaining intellectual vibrancy, advancing the boundaries of knowledge, providing the highest quality of instruction, and serving the public good.