Many Reasons To Celebrate This Spring!

February 24, 2022

As we move forward with spring semester, there are many things I want to share with you. I continue to be inspired by the contributions and achievements from across campus. And I continue to be sincerely grateful for the dedication and collective efforts of students, faculty, and staff to keep us all progressing on a great track. 

Just before we get to all that, I want to share with you the first of many blog posts I will be writing, this one on photography and perspective. I have been grateful for the opportunity to get to know some of you better, so I wanted to provide the opportunity for you also to get to know me a little better. 

Strategic Planning Initiative Project REACH Launches

Project REACH is getting underway with the Visioning Committee beginning its work. In case you missed it, here is the latest message, Introducing the Project REACH Visioning Committee. At the same time, we continue to make important progress in implementing various Strategic Budget Initiative (SBI) projects … work that will be foundational to Project REACH moving forward. 

Progress on recommendations from SBI’s Research & Innovation Working Group include: hiring four of the six new positions approved in the Office of the Vice President of Research to increase support for faculty, from proposal development through grants management; launch of a strategic research group composed of Associate Deans for Research to strengthen our ability to share ideas and opportunities to enhance research at Stony Brook; and, a new Vice Provost for Research and Infrastructure role, filled by Alfredo Fontanini, to help us expand our research capabilities. From the Academic Portfolio Working Group, we have implemented a new graduate (Master’s degree) tuition revenue share program designed to create a straightforward and more transparent approach to inform enrollment and resource planning.  

Dr. Sharon Nachman in the News

Since the start of the pandemic, Dr. Sharon Nachman has been keeping the public engaged and informed by sharing her expertise on the evolution of the COVID virus, the importance and efficacy of vaccines, the impact on at-risk populations, and more. Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Director of the Office of Clinical Trials, and Professor of Pediatrics at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Dr. Nachman has appeared in TV news, radio, and print stories as part of her mission to serve the public by communicating the latest information. Her widespread media presence speaks to the experience and expertise we have at Stony Brook, and her frequent presence has played a significant role in safeguarding public health by disseminating accurate information and dispelling myths. Here’s a glimpse of some of Dr. Nachman’s most recent media appearances: 

• Washington Post: Pfizer and BioNTech seek emergency use authorization of the first coronavirus vaccine for children under 5
• Newsday: Sharon Nachman, pediatric doctor, talks COVID-19 booster shots
• News12: The New Normal: What should parents do if a child gets COVID-19?
• Live Science:Will we need more COVID-19 boosters to end the pandemic?

Highly Notable Mentions …

• SBUH makes the grade, earning 2022 ‘America’s Best Hospitals Awards’ for the fourth year in a row!
• Dawn Smallwood is named our first female Chief of Police. See WNBC-TV new coverage too: First Woman of Color Named Stony Brook University Chief
• See how professor Carol Carter’s discovery 20 years ago changed the future of antivirus drugs
• Distinguished Professor Scott A. Smolka was recently named an ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Fellow
• Professor Erez Zadok received the honor of being named a 2021 ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Distinguished Member 
• Professor Klaus Mueller was named to the prestigious IEEE VGTC Visualization Academy
• Stony Brook University graduate, class of 2020, Meredith Boulter, was chosen by theKnowles Teacher Initiative as a member of its 2021 Cohort of Teaching Fellows
• Four SBU faculty members were  named 2022 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellows
• Stephanie Kelton, professor of economics and public policy in the College of Arts and Sciences, was recently featured in The New York Times, "Is This What Winning Looks Like?" Read the feature here
• Anne Green ‘22 was one of only 15 students from across the U.S. selected for the Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship. Green is majoring in environmental design, policy, and planning, with a minor in globalization studies and international relations

Great work everyone! Please continue to share your success stories with me at mauriemessages@stonybrook.edu

 Opportunities

• Literature – On Wednesday, March 9, the Department of English will host a roundtable featuring three English department faculty members discussing the value and import of an early edition volume of James Joyce's Ulysses that the department owns. Sign up here
• Music – As we welcome our new Chair of the Department of MusicChristina Dahl, see if you can carve out some time to enjoy the wonderful array of musical programs being offered this spring, and beyond
• Honorary Degree Nomination – If you haven’t yet, please submit your nomination for SUNY Honorary Degrees(the deadline is March 25)

In Case You Missed It …

See the message from Judi Brown Clarke, Ph.D, Vice President for Equity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, on Being Kind and Caring for Ourselves

Continuing to Fight for Our Student Athletes

I want to close with an update, letting you know that we are continuing to oppose what we consider the punitive and unjust recent decision of the America East Conference to ban Stony Brook University student-athletes from participating in conference championships this year. 

Please read my full message here.

 Until next time ... thank you again for all you do.