Celebrating Student Research and Creativity at Showcase 2026
By Mike Nolan
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 1, 2026) — The University at Albany hosted its fourth annual Showcase on Thursday, a day-long event celebrating the academic excellence of students across campus.
Showcase 2026 featured poster displays, presentations, demonstrations, recitals, art exhibitions and performances across STEM, the arts and humanities, social sciences, and the professions. More than 2,600 students took part in over 1,700 presentations, supported by more than 400 faculty advisors. View photos taken by UAlbany’s digital media team.
UAlbany Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol Kim launched Showcase in 2023, modeling it after a similar event she created at the University of Maine.
“Showcase is a unique opportunity to see the work our students are doing across every discipline,” said Provost Kim at the kickoff breakfast. “From the arts to nanotechnology, political science to public health, and business to biology, every discipline is represented.”
Dive into our spotlight stories below to meet a few of the students behind the research, creativity, and innovation featured at Showcase 2026.
Emmett Hanson spent the past several years developing innovative biosensing technologies in the Yigit Lab at the RNA Institute. His work on rapid pathogen detection resulted in two peer-reviewed publications and a PhD position at Stanford.
This year, one Showcase project invites us to look closer at paintings, close enough to glimpse a hidden, living world beneath the surface.
Stephen Gravereaux, a senior cybersecurity major at the University at Albany, has spent the last year studying smartwatch security vulnerabilities and exploring innovative methods to reduce risk for users.
Clinical Psychology PhD student Jason Choi studies the effects of social media on mental health as a research Fellow at UAlbany’s Center for the Elimination of Health Disparities.
University at Albany graduate student Pallav Savaliya has identified a shortage of third spaces in urban life across the United States, particularly for young people.
UAlbany junior Harry Weinstein is already presenting his research on a global stage, sharing work on next-generation chip-making materials at a leading international conference. He will present that work again at Showcase on April 30.
UAlbany student Joel Olzak's work, along with that of other graduating MFA students, will be on display during Showcase 2026, the University at Albany’s annual celebration of student research, scholarship and creative activity.
Senior anthropology major Anna Souls is bringing supernatural elements to Showcase Day 2026 with a poster examining how science fiction films portray gender and women's experiences.
Katelyn Jacques, a sophomore environmental studies major, is leading a project exploring the history of algal blooms at Long Pond in Grafton Lakes State Park. Her work will be on display at Showcase 2026.
Erin Forkin, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in her senior year of high school, is conducting research on the impact school social workers can have on adolescents as they navigate a diabetes diagnosis.
UAlbany PhD student Md. Reazul Islam developed an app that uses artificial intelligence and a network of smart devices to monitor, predict and map pollution levels, alerting users in real time to areas with hazardous air quality that could damage their health and suggesting alternate routes.