Advisory Board of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences October 29, 2013 In Person Conference Call Queens College

Dr. Barry Zaret (Chair) Cardiology, Yale University Dr. Eric Block SUNY Albany Dr. Marc Dichter University of PA Mr. Jose Murga Progenics Pharm. Corp Mr. Philip Schaenman Systems Planning Corp Dr. Penny Stern North Shore LIJ Hospital Mr. Russell Artzt CA, Inc.

Dr. Robert Davidson Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Mr. David Fenster Bechtel Corp Dr. Barry Gotlinsky Pall Corp Mr. Phillip Harte US Geological Survey Dr. Charles Hennekens Florida Atlantic University Dr. Ken Pickar California Institute Technology Mr. Allan Loren Dun & Bradstreet Corp Dr. Howard Moskowitz i-Novation Corp Dr. James Muyskens President Queens College Dr. Elizabeth Hendrey Provost Queens College Dr. Larry Liebovitch Dean Div. Math & Sci.

Dr. Matt Huenerfauth Assoc. Dean Div. Math & Sci.

Mr. William Keller VP Finance Ms. Laurie Dorf AVP Institutional Advancement Mr. Bruce Jones Dir. Entrepreneurship Center Ms. Yassmin Simmonds Undergraduate Student Ms. Lauren Blachorsky Undergraduate Student

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Advisory Board of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences October 29, 2013 Agenda 2

Four Divisions

• • • •

Art and Humanities Education Mathematics and Natural Sciences Social Sciences

• • • • • • • •

Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Biology Chemistry & Biochemistry Computer Science Earth & Environmental Sciences Family, Nutrition, & Exercise Science Mathematics Physics Psychology 3

Advisory Board Self-Introductions

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Advisory Board Self-Introductions

In Person Dr. Barry Zaret (Chair)

Cardiology, Yale University

Dr. Eric Block

SUNY Albany

Dr. Marc Dichter

University of PA

Mr. Jose Murga

Progenics Pharm. Corp

Mr. Philip Schaenman

Systems Planning Corp

Dr. Penny Stern

North Shore LIJ Hospital

Conference Call Mr. Russell Artzt

CA, Inc.

Dr. Robert Davidson

Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai

Mr. David Fenster

Bechtel Corp

Dr. Barry Gotlinsky

Pall Corp

Mr. Phillip Harte

US Geological Survey

Dr. Charles Hennekens

Florida Atlantic University

Dr. Ken Pickar

California Institute Technology

Mr. Allan Loren

Dun & Bradstreet Corp

Dr. Howard Moskowitz

i-Novation Corp

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Updates about Queens College, Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

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Queens College

US News & World Report Ranking:

Regional Universities (North) • Queens College, CUNY: 43 • City College of New York, CUNY: 43 • (Baruch College: 22, Hunter College: 48, Brooklyn College: 69) Washington Monthly Magazine: New York Times, October 27, 2013 • Best Bang for the Buck, Master’s Universities: Queens College: 1 • Best Bang for the Buck, All Schools: Queens College: 2

Transition Period:

• July 1, 2014 (?) New Chancellor of the City University of New York • Dec. 31, 2013 President Muyskens leaves as President of Queens College • Jan. 1, 2014 Evangelos Gizis Interim President of Queens College • July 1, 2014 (?) New President of Queens College

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Division Update

Brand New Division Brochure “Discover Science”

• 1.5 years and a team of 20 people

Strategic Plan for the Division

• 4 Interdisciplinary Clusters (p. 21 of “Discover Science” brochure) • Neuroscience, Photonics, Scientific Computation, Urban Ecosystems

New Hires

• Fall 2013: Biology (1*), EES (3), FNES (1), Math (1), Physics (1), Psychology (1) • Fall 2014: Computer Science (1), Math (1), Psychology (1)

New Scholarships

• Revised Kenneth Kupferberg Memorial Scholarship • New Pre-Medical Student Scholarships

Pre-Health Professions Program

• Added part-time advisor for pre-Dental students • New MD – premed student Mentoring Program

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Dean’s Update

• Addresses intractable social conflict from the new vantage point of dynamical systems.

• Authored by leading researchers in the field with different relevant backgrounds.

• Addresses a broad audience of researchers in the natural sciences and humanities.

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Goals of the Advisory Board

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Goals

•

What are the GOALS of the Advisory Board?

•

What do we want to ACCOMPLISH?

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Alumni Academy

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Alumni Academy

Talented and accomplished alumni - in all fields - teach specially designed mini-courses to undergraduates at QC.

• Separate from, but enhancements, to the established curriculum • Given during breaks in the Fall, Spring regular schedule: winter (January) summer weekend • •

Examples

Dr. Marc Dichter: The Neurobiology of Disease Mr. Philip Schaenman: Communication Skills

Benefit

• Students - new courses • College - high profile teachers • Alumni – interact with students, give back to the College

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Review of the Department of Family, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences FNES

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FNES

Self-Study

• Replacement/new faculty: Dietetics (1), Exercise Science (3) • Renovated space • Suspend program: food service management • Increased faculty release time from teaching • New staff, lab technicians, equipment

Consultant Report

• Carole Dichter, D.Sc., R.D.: CRD Nutrition LLC • Carl M. Maresh, Ph.D., Dept. Kinesiology, University of Connecticut • “An investment should definitely be made to strengthen and grow the FNES department. It offers an opportunity to make Queens College a leader in the field of applied health research.” • Replacement/new faculty: Dietetics (1), Upper Level Nutrition Courses, Exercise Science (3) • Suspend programs: food service management, textiles?

• Wellness Center

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FNES

Dean’s Belief:

• All these replacement/new resources for FNES all fully justified.

College’s Fiscal Reality:

• This year, there will be a TOTAL of 3 faculty hires for all 8 departments in the Division.

• FNES needs 5 faculty hires + new staff hires, basically immediately.

• Each of the 8 Departments in the Division has similar, fully justified, claims for hires, based on their individual and separate self-studies.

•

Dean’s Dilemma: How do we prioritize needs between Departments?

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Student Presentations

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Student Presentations

Yassmin Simmonds

Undergraduate Student at Queens College: Pre-Medical Studies Service: Pre-Med Mentoring Program

Lauren Blachorsky

Undergraduate Student at Queens College: Psychology Research: Inflammation in the hippocampus after mold exposure.

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CAREERS IN HEALTH ALUMNI MENTORING PROGRAM (CHAMP)

By: Yassmin Simmonds Division of Math and Natural Science at Queens College 20

21 Help students develop a professional network Support Students in their Professional Goals Aid students in becoming competitive applicants to Professional schools

Create opportunities for students to be mentored by Queens College Alumni

22 Launched in 2011 QC-AMP

50+ Students matched with an Alumnus Medical Professional of Queens College A)

1 year mentor relationship.

B)

1:1 or 1:2

C)

Mentors and Mentees meet once a month.

D)

Students write reflections about their progress in the program.

23 2012-2013

20 students matched with 17 QC Alumni

Program Structure and goals remained the same “Professionals on Campus” Series

24   Doctor Panel Series Students who were not part of the program would have an opportunity to ask Alumni Medical Professionals questions about their careers.

25  The students have greatly benefited from the program and have described their mentors as “warm, dedicated, wise, passionate, caring, informative, talented, and selfless”

26 2013-2014

successfully Match 50+ students with mentors Re-vamp Program Structure: Multi-year program Change name:

27  With a more longitudinal structure, we hope to use the program as a way to get some that graduate from Queens College and directly following their undergraduate career.  Looking forward, we hope to for students.

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Thank You!

 Yassmin Simmonds  CHAMP Coordinator 2013-2014  Email: [email protected]

Inflammation in the Mouse Hippocampus Following Mold Exposure

Lauren Blachorsky Dr. Carolyn Pytte

Department of Psychology, Queens College CUNY 29

•

Exposure to mold is a significant problem in the United States.

•

People who live/work in moldy buildings often complain of cognitive problems

•

Our goal is to determine the neural basis of cognitive impairment following exposure to mold.

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Cells expressing IL-1 beta: a pro inflammatory signaling molecule Mold spores increase inflammation 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 VEH EX IN Control Mold Complete Casing Mold spore Microglia cells 20x 60x 31

Mold spores decrease neurogenesis: seen with 2 different markers of new neurons 5 4 BrdU+ DCX+ 1 0 3 2 Control Mold Complete Casing Mold spore 10 microns 32

1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0 0 50 100

Il-1beta expressing cells R 2 = 0.355, P=0.04

150 33

• Blachorsky,L., Page, K., Manes, G., Harding, C.F., Pytte. C. (2013) Repeated Exposure to

Environmental Mold Increases Cytokine Interleukin-1β Expression in the Mouse Hippocampus.

Poster to be presented at the Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience , Nov 9-13, San Diego, CA; and at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (F.U.N.) Poster Session, San Diego, CA. – Received a travel award for this presentation • Blachorsky, L., Page-Soto, K., Stalbow, D., Leibowitz, S., Normand, E., Korman, J., Manes, G., Morris, D., Harding, C., Pytte, C. (2013, April) Mold Exposure and Subsequent Inflammation in the Hippocampus. Poster presented at the annual Northeast Regional Honors Council , Philadelphia, PA.

• Blachorsky, L., Page-Soto, K., Stalbow, D., Leibowitz, S., Normand, E., Korman, J., Manes, G., Morris, D., Harding, C., Pytte, C. (2013) Inflammation in the Mouse Hippocampus Following Mold Exposure. Poster presented at the annual Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Poster Session, Flushing, NY (March) and presented at NEURON , Hamden, CT. (April) • Blachorsky, L., Page-Soto, K., Harding, C., Pytte, C. (2012, October) Inflammation in the Mouse Hippocampus Following Mold Exposure. Poster presented at the Undergraduate Research Day, Queens College, Flushing NY.

• Page-Soto, K, Blachorsky, L., Harding, C. Pytte, C. (2012, September). Mold-induced

Expression of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Interleukin-1beta in the Mouse Hippocampus.

Presentation presented at the annual Neuropsychology Research Day , Flushing NY. 34

Division Advisory Board

Thanks!

We very much appreciate that you have contributed your vaulable time that helps us and most importantly helps our students here at Queens College.

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