Five UAlbany Graduate Researchers Receive SUNY GREAT Awards for Research Excellence

Photos of Graduate Researchers receiving SUNY's Great Award
Annabelle Armah, Sara Sky Lombardo, Justin Nhan, Cassidy Ochoa and Hannah Theriault are recipients of SUNY's GREAT Awards.

By Amy Geduldig 

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 7, 2026) — Five graduate students from the University at Albany have been named recipients of the State University of New York’s Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) Award. The recognition celebrates their achievements and contributions to their fields while addressing real-world challenges and reinforcing UAlbany’s commitment to impactful research and innovation.  

“UAlbany is extremely proud of our graduate students who have been honored with the SUNY GREAT Award for their nationally recognized research,” said Christine Wagner, vice provost and dean of UAlbany’s graduate school. “This distinction reflects their perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and deep commitment to advancing knowledge and making a meaningful impact in their fields. We look forward to the innovative contributions they will continue to make to science in the years ahead."

This year’s research projects span a wide range of disciplines at the University in public health, environmental science, engineering and biomedical sciences. UAlbany’s recipients are:  

  • Annabelle Armah, Clinical Psychology  
    Armah’s research examines the relationship between postpartum depression and stress biology in Black parents and infants, with the goal of informing prevention and intervention strategies.  
  • Sara Sky Lombardo, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences 
    Lombardo is studying the chemical and microbial composition of cloudwater at Whiteface Mountain, including the effects of wildfire smoke, to better understand environmental and public health impacts.    
  • Justin Nhan, Nanoscale Science and Engineering 
    Nhan’s work focuses on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a next-generation technology that enables the world's most advanced computer chips. His research aims to support better-performing systems, faster optimization, reduced manufacturing costs and continued advances in computing, artificial intelligence and data-driven innovations. 
  • Cassidy Ochoa, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences 
    Ochoa’s research is examining extreme events, particularly historical droughts in the northern and southern regions of the Peruvian Altiplano, and the impacts of these events on crop yields for the potato and other significant local crops.  
  • Hannah Theriault, Biomedical Sciences 
    Theriault’s work is studying the ecology of Powassan virus, also known as deer tick virus, with the aim of identifying how the virus is distributed and its expansion in New York State.  The results will help inform public health strategies for surveillance throughout the state.    

The SUNY GREAT awards provide $7,500 to each student from the SUNY Office of Research and Economic Development. The recipients of the award receive national recognition from the National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship Program or the National Institutes of Health’s National Research Service Awards.  

“The GREAT Award recipients are the embodiment of research and scholarship, which is a cornerstone upon which SUNY's progress and impact are built,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King. “SUNY researchers and students are at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation, and I am proud to celebrate their excellence and drive to serve the public good. I am proud to congratulate this year's GREAT Award winners and recognize their incredible achievements.”