Office for Public Engagement

Discovery and Learning for the Betterment of All

At the University at Albany, public engagement has been at the center of our research and teaching since the founding of our institution 180 years ago.

Today, UAlbany's engaged scholars, students, staff and alumni work side-by-side with partners from the public and private sectors to find approaches and solutions to our most pressing challenges and to improve the well-being and resilience of communities, at home and all around the world.

Learn more about how UAlbany engages with its communities by exploring our website.

Our Role at UAlbany

The Office for Public Engagement is committed to supporting all members of the UAlbany community in their publicly engaged work and service.

We also work closely with our colleagues in the Office of Government and Community Relations to maintain positive, effective relationships between the University and all levels of government and the community.

Please reach out to us with your questions or comments. Contact us.

Learn more about how UAlbany’s engaged researchers are tackling today’s challenges while advancing tomorrow’s innovations through their research at UAlbany.

Listen to our Podcast

The Engagement Ring features conversations with higher education professionals, scholars and community partners working to make the world a better place through collaborative approaches and solutions to societal challenges.

Listen to The Engagement Ring podcast.

podcast

Public Engagement News & Events

Two women smile as they exit a building with a sign reading: “RISSE Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus” hanging from the porch roof. A brick church is visible in the background.

Master of Public Health Students Support Local Community Health at RISSE

August 28, 2026

As part of their Master of Public Health course, UAlbany’s Nagifa Tabassum and Victoria Buell interned at Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) — a local organization with longstanding ties to UAlbany’s public health programs. We caught up with Tabassum and Buell to learn about their experiences working at RISSE.

UAlbany bus next to the Palace Theater in downtown Albany.

From Mayfield to Chatham, UAlbany Connects with Capital Region Communities

August 24, 2026

With six stops spanning from Mayfield to Canajoharie to Chatham, community members from across the Capital Region have had a chance to learn more about the area's premier research university and anchor institution.

Four people, including three men and a woman, pose for a picture together inside a room

UAlbany Philosophy Professor Chats AI Ethics, Empathy with Sean Ono Lennon

August 21, 2026

UAlbany Associate Professor of Philosophy and AI & Society College Director Jason D’Cruz recently sat down with musician Sean Ono Lennon to chat AI ethics and empathy on the Sing for Science podcast, which brings musicians and experts together to explore the scientific ideas behind their most iconic songs.

A woman wearing a yellow high-vis vest smiles as she addresses a room full of training participants.

Training a Statewide Response Network in Psychological First Aid

August 5, 2026

UAlbany's Amy Nitza is working with the New York State Office of Victim Services to train victim assistance professionals to deliver trauma-informed, culturally responsive psychological first aid after mass casualty events. This "Disaster Mental Health Preparedness Training Program" is funded by a $498,000 grant awarded to UAlbany in fall 2025 and builds upon Governor Hochul’s creation of a Mass Violence Response Council to identify gaps in services and improve local and state response to such events.

A teen boy sits on a theatre stage in front of a red curtain and writes in a notebook.

‘A Forgotten Art:’ UAlbany Writing Workshop Helps Teens Find Their Voice in the Age of AI

July 29, 2026

A love of writing drew over a dozen teens from around the Capital Region to UAlbany this summer for Discovering Your Voice, a creative writing workshop held July 13-17 and hosted by the Capital District Writing Project, part of UAlbany’s School of Education, and the New York State Writers Institute.

More Public Engagement News & Events

Contact the Office for Public Engagement

Mary Hunt, Director

University Hall, Suite 202B

1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
United States

[email protected]

Phone

518-442-3470

Office Hours

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Read the director's bio.