Other Departments & Groups Abstracts

Presenter(s): Adwoa Danquah, Jaleel Mack, Ciara Baez, Prince Ganyani, Leah Duke, Shaun Johnson, Hannah Desnick

Showcase Advisor: Nicole Collazo

Moderator: Adwoa Danquah

Abstract: This panel highlights the work of student researchers participating in the New York State Youth Justice Institute’s Scholars Internship Program at the University at Albany. The session features one moderator and five student panelists engaged in research through the YJI Scholars Clinic. The program provides hands-on, research-centered training that strengthens students’ understanding of youth justice issues across New York State while developing professional and research skills. Guided by YJI’s Sunflower Model, scholars connect academic knowledge with applied research, mentorship, and community engagement. Panelists will discuss the range of research projects they contribute to, including data coding, resource development, participatory research, and more. They will also reflect on how their work supports youth justice policy and practice while shaping their academic and professional growth. The panel demonstrates how student researchers contribute meaningful insights and capacity to advance a more equitable youth justice system in New York State.

Presenter(s): Angelina Paulino, Ivan Chicaiza-Latella, Alexsis Romain, Saki Endo, Chie Endo, Akane Hamamoto, Miyu Hanaoka, Yuka Kamito, Yuzuki Masuda, Hikaru Sasaki, Hiyori Sugiyama, Mihiro Yamamoto, Ryoka Yamashita, Alejandra Fernandez Lopera, Nouh Ibni Outman, Martina Roda Ortis, Mahamat Mahmoud, Mariam Sangare

Showcase Advisor: Susan Gorga

Abstract: Presented by students in the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) and the Albany International Representatives (AIRs), this performance is prepared to show how the world is united through music, and how popular songs from around the world can easily join playlists from across borders. IELP students and AIRs will sing popular songs from around the world, often from their own cultures.

Presenter(s): Jara Manantan

Showcase Advisor: Michael Lister

Abstract: Pitch Please is a student lead co-ed acapella group consisting of 20 people. We are excited to perform and showcase a repertoire of contemporary music we have worked on this year.

Presenter(s): Kathleen Boyle

Showcase Advisor: Mila Gasco-Hernandez

Abstract: This handbook was created by the AI & Society College at SUNY to help faculty better understand how generative artificial intelligence can be used to enhance teaching and learning in higher education. As AI technologies rapidly evolve, many instructors are exploring how these tools might support course design, instructional practices, and student engagement while maintaining strong pedagogical standards. This handbook provides conceptual guidance alongside practical advice and examples to help faculty understand what AI can do, where it can be useful in teaching, and how it can be applied intentionally within courses.

The guide also addresses common faculty questions and concerns, including issues related to transparency, bias, and responsible use of AI. By combining foundational ideas with concrete strategies, example prompts, and practical teaching applications, the handbook is designed to help faculty move beyond uncertainty and toward informed, ethical, and effective use of AI to support teaching and curriculum design.

Presenter(s): Robert Manning

Showcase Advisor: Mila Gasco-Hernandez

Abstract: My project for the Experiential Learning Fellowship in association with the AI & Society College was to develop and enact a general strategy to boost the visibility of this initiative as a new college within the school. In this presentation, I outline some of the steps that I took toward this goal.

Presenter(s): Ashley Corsino Rodriguez

Showcase Advisor: George Berg

Abstract: Climate change has intensified pressure on high-emission industries, including commercial aviation, to adopt environmentally responsible practices. This study examines whether environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives influence the financial performance of U.S. commercial airlines. Focusing on the environmental dimension of CSR rather than broader ESG measures, the project analyzes the top 20 U.S. airlines by market share. CSR performance will be measured using environmental scores from the Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini (KLD) database, while financial performance will be evaluated using return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), and net profit margin. Regression analysis will test the relationship between environmental CSR and financial outcomes while controlling for firm characteristics such as airline size. The study aims to determine whether sustainability initiatives create measurable economic benefits, demonstrating that environmentally responsible practices may also support long-term airline profitability.

Presenter(s): Gayathri Gupta Samudrala

Showcase Advisor: Mila Gasco-Hernandez

Abstract: This project examines UAlbany faculty members' perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education through brief, one-on-one market innterviews conducted as a part of AI & Society College. The goal is to develop an internal understanding of current AI use in classroom contexts and various factors shaping faculty decisions.

Presenter(s): Krystal Santos

Showcase Advisor: Ben Schwab

Abstract: The Portfolio is a course-long project that results in a publicly shareable digital product that represents my learning and professional development during my internship at the Mental Health Association(MHANYS). The final product is a culmination of smaller assignments that help create the component parts of the portfolio, called Artifacts. Each Artifact assignment consists of planning, production, and reflection stages. The final Portfolio includes an introduction, three Artifacts, an explanatory Introduction to each artifact, and the portfolio’s overall design.

Presenter(s): Nevaeha Jones, Jennifer Agbanyo, Mercy Curry, Zachary Booth, Daniel Lirosi, Melanie De Los Santos, Mideline Clavien, Julia Nobrega Dos Santos

Showcase Advisor: Natalie Jackson

Abstract: Project SHAPE is a peer education group at the University at Albany that works to increase access to sexual health learning and resources for students.

As nationally certified NASPA Peer Educators, Project SHAPE students, supported by the Office of Health Promotion, bring evidence-informed, peer-led, open and brave spaces for health education to UAlbany students. To accomplish this, they utilize skills in program assessment, development, and evaluation.

Our poster will highlight the ways that Project SHAPE’s efforts promote learning, destigmatization, and increase access to sexual health resources. Initiatives that emphasize direct student engagement and interpersonal work through collaboration will highlight how Project SHAPE positively promotes access to sexual health education.

Presenter(s): Sai Sravani Nimishakavi

Showcase Advisor: Andrew Berglund

Abstract: Alternative splicing is a cellular process that determines which exons and introns are included in mature mRNA, allowing multiple isoforms to arise from a single pre‑mRNA. This process is regulated by RNA‑binding proteins (RBPs) such as Muscleblind‑like 1 (MBNL1). When MBNL1 function is disrupted, it contributes to Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1). In DM1, an expanded CTG repeat in the 3′ UTR of the DMPK gene produces toxic CUG‑repeat RNA that sequesters MBNL1 and causes widespread splicing defects. MBNL1 contains four zinc finger motifs arranged into two RNA‑binding domains (ZF1‑2 and ZF3‑4), separated by a 76‑amino‑acid linker whose functional role remains unclear. This project investigates how the linker influences splicing regulation by comparing wild‑type MBNL1 with linker‑modified MBNL1 constructs across a concentration gradient in HEK293 cells. Splicing outcomes will be measured using percent spliced‑in (PSI) values to identify linker regions essential for MBNL1 activity and inform future DM1 therapeutic strategies.

Presenter(s): Aatia Mreedu

Showcase Advisor: Kaalak Reddy

Abstract: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a neuromuscular disease caused by expansion of a CTG repeat in the DMPK gene. Transcription from expanded DMPK forms toxic RNA containing many CUG repeats that trap important RNA splicing regulators called MBNL inside nuclear foci. This MBNL sequestration leads to widespread RNA splicing defects in patients which contribute to symptoms.

A previous study in the lab identified several candidate genes, including RANBP17, NUP214, NXF1, and RAN, that regulate toxic CUG RNA levels. These factors are involved in RNA export from the nucleus hence they may influence how toxic CUG RNAs are cleared from cells. I am validating these genes by knocking them down using siRNA transfection in DM1 HeLa cells and measuring toxic CUG RNA levels and splicing. Understanding how toxic CUG RNA is regulated inside the cell may help identify new therapeutic strategies for DM1.

Presenter(s): Isabelle Giammichele

Showcase Advisor: George Berg

Abstract: I am exploring the ways in which a “basic” assault against a child through “hands on contact” can be raised to assault 1st, a Class B felony carrying a sentence of 3 to 25 years in prison. My specific question is, should the psychological effects of physical child abuse on a child (newborn-12) be significant enough to fulfil the element of New York penal law 120.10 [Assault in the 1st degree] that states a person is guilt when they commit the crime “with intent to disfigure another person seriously and permanently, or to destroy, amputate or disable permanently a member or organ of his body, he causes such injury to such person or a third person”. I conducted research in the legal and medical context that can be used to help prosecutors charge crimes in this fashion and conduct the legal proceedings.

Presenter(s): Rawan AlMakinah

Showcase Advisor: Sarah Domoff

Abstract: AI is no longer a general idea; it is becoming part of daily life, including how people seek emotional support and mental health care. As these systems move closer to therapeutic settings, it is increasingly important to understand their capabilities and their limits. AI can contribute to mental health through early detection, personalized support, improved access, and tools that assist clinical practice. At the same time, its use raises critical concerns about privacy, bias, security, accountability, and the risk of overdependence on automated systems.

This poster explores how AI can be developed for mental health in ways that are socially governed, ethically grounded, and responsive to human needs. It presents research directions focused on multimodal mental health detection, privacy-aware supportive chatbots, AI-informed modeling of therapy processes, and machine unlearning to address harmful data retention and bias. These approaches argue for responsible AI systems that support human-centered mental health care.

Presenter(s): Victoria Pincus

Showcase Advisor: George Berg

Abstract: This study analyzes the knowledge of constitutional rights, specifically the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as Miranda rights, among undergraduate college students. As most college students are considered legal adults, it is important for them to be well-versed in their legal protections. The study focuses on undergraduate students at the University at Albany and asks the question of how well do undergraduate students at UAlbany understand their constitutional rights? This question will be explored through an online survey that includes demographic questions and knowledge-based choices. The results will help to highlight potential gaps in students’ understanding of these constitutional protections and, in turn, suggest a need for greater education on legal rights among college students.

Presenter(s): Ashley Williams

Showcase Advisor: George Berg

Abstract: Belonging is widely recognized as a key factor in student persistence and success in higher education, particularly in mathematics, a field often characterized by exclusivity and rigid norms. Students with marginalized identities frequently navigate classroom environments shaped by implicit bias, stereotype threat, and traditional pedagogical structures. However, much of the existing research examines identities in isolation rather than considering how intersecting identities shape students’ lived experiences.

Beyond the typical quantitative research approaches, this study explores the narratives of both students and professors to better understand how belonging is experienced, negotiated, and constructed within mathematics classrooms. By examining these perspectives, the research aims to provide deeper insight into the ways classroom dynamics, institutional practices, and interpersonal interactions influence students’ sense of belonging in mathematics.