Symposium on Science, Technology and Health Making the World Smarter, Safer and Healthier Request Info Contact Us Artificial Intelligence Biotechnology Computer Science Cybersecurity Data Analytics and Visualization Digital Marketing and Media Mathematics Occupational Therapy Physician Assistant Physics Speech-Language Pathology 2025 Symposium on Science, Tech and Health New York City I May 15, 2025 Showcasing graduate research from across STEM and Health Sciences.VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS I ALL PROJECTS Video Highlights The Intergenerational Effects of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on a Child’s Development Kayla Bissell — M.S in Speech-Language Pathology The Intergenerational Effects of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on a Child’s Development Opportunity Assessment of Novel Peptide Antagonist cJun Christine Chery — M.S. in Biotechnology Management and Entrepreneurship Opportunity Assessment of Novel Peptide Antagonist cJun Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments of Unilateral Bell’s Palsy Cindy Salinas — M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments of Unilateral Bell’s Palsy Reducing Recidivism: An OT-Supported Transition Employment Program Amanda Brenner — Occupational Therapy Doctorate Reducing Recidivism: An OT-Supported Transition Employment Program Efficacy of Immediate Delivery vs. Expectant Management in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia Simone Northman — M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies Efficacy of Immediate Delivery vs. Expectant Management in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia The Intergenerational Effects of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on a Child’s Development Kayla Bissell — M.S in Speech-Language Pathology The Intergenerational Effects of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on a Child’s Development Opportunity Assessment of Novel Peptide Antagonist cJun Christine Chery — M.S. in Biotechnology Management and Entrepreneurship Opportunity Assessment of Novel Peptide Antagonist cJun Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments of Unilateral Bell’s Palsy Cindy Salinas — M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments of Unilateral Bell’s Palsy Reducing Recidivism: An OT-Supported Transition Employment Program Amanda Brenner — Occupational Therapy Doctorate Reducing Recidivism: An OT-Supported Transition Employment Program Efficacy of Immediate Delivery vs. Expectant Management in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia Simone Northman — M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies Efficacy of Immediate Delivery vs. Expectant Management in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia All ProjectsArtificial Intelligence & Data AnalyticsBiotechnology Management & EntrepreneurshipCybersecurity, Math & PhysicsData Analytics and VisualizationDigital Marketing & MediaOccupational TherapyPhysician Assistant StudiesSpeech-Language Pathology Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics RetinFormer: Augmented Vision Transformer-based Diabetic and Hypertensive Retinopathy Classification Author: Puneeth Batchu and Hyeonwook Kim, Artificial IntelligenceFaculty Mentor: Ming Ma, Ph.D. Diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy are major causes of blindness, but early detection is hard in places with limited medical resources. This project introduces RetinFormer, an artificial intelligence tool that uses advanced computer vision to automatically detect these conditions from eye images, making diagnosis faster and more accessible worldwide. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY LungAware: AI Lung Cancer Detection AppAuthors: Nikhil Deekonda, Artificial IntelligenceFaculty Mentor: Youshan Zhang, Ph.D. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, but diagnosing it early is difficult because of the huge number of scans and limited specialists. This study introduces a mobile AI tool that can sort lung scans as cancerous, non-cancerous or normal while also showing doctors which parts of the image guided its decision, making it easier to trust and use. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY AI-Powered Play Assessment Using Video Language Models Author: Dengyi Liu , Ph.D. in Mathematics and Chana Cunin and Vanessa Murad , Occupational Therapy Doctorate Faculty Mentor: Amiya Waldman-Levi, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA and Honggang Wang, Ph.D. Assessing children’s playfulness helps track development, but traditional observation methods can be slow and inconsistent. This study developed an AI-powered tool that uses computer vision and deep learning to analyze parent-child play videos, automatically scoring interactions with accuracy comparable to manual assessments. VIEW POSTER LLM-Enhanced mmWave Data Synthesis for Environment-Adaptive Human Activity Recognition Authors: Chengyi Liu, Artificial IntelligenceFaculty Mentor: Yucheng Xie, Ph.D.Human Activity Recognition (HAR) helps power technologies like fall detection for the elderly, fitness coaching and motion tracking in VR/AR, but current methods often struggle with privacy, comfort or performance issues. This study introduces a new approach that uses large language models to generate synthetic motion data and simulate signals, making mmWave-based HAR more accurate, adaptable and affordable in different real-world environments. VIEW POSTER Confident Pseudo-labeled Diffusion Augmentation for Canine Cardiomegaly Detection Authors: Shiman Zhang, Artificial IntelligenceFaculty Mentor: Youshan Zhang, Ph.D.An enlarged heart in dogs can be life-threatening, but current methods for measuring it are often inconsistent and depend heavily on the examiner’s judgment. This study presents CDA, an AI model that creates synthetic X-rays and refines its own training data, leading to more accurate and reliable detection of canine heart disease. VIEW POSTER DX-Mamba: Exploring State Space Model for Dog X-ray Report Generation  3Authors: Jialu Li, Artificial IntelligenceFaculty Mentor: Youshan Zhang, Ph.D. Thoracic diseases are a leading cause of death in dogs, but reading X-rays and writing medical reports takes time and skill. This study introduces DX-Mamba, a new AI tool designed to automatically create more accurate and reliable diagnostic reports, helping veterinarians detect these diseases earlier and more efficiently. VIEW POSTER Biotechnology Management & Entrepreneurship Building a Global Rare Disease Information Hub to Advance Knowledge, Diagnosis and Treatment Author: Naveen Khetarpal, Dandan Wang and Ebenezer Ajao, Prashant Soni, Biotechnology Entrepreneurship and Artificial IntelligenceFaculty Mentor: Youshan Zhang, Ph.D., and Rana Khan, Ph.D. Rare diseases affect millions of people worldwide, yet most lack approved treatments and patients often wait years for an accurate diagnosis. This project is creating an interactive database that organizes rare disease research and clinical insights in one place, helping doctors find information faster and make better treatment decisions. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Using PNA Oligomers for RNA Visualization and Function Inhibition Author: Rutu J. Jagtap and Andres Romero, Biotechnology EntrepreneurshipFaculty Mentors: Rana Khan, Ph.D., and Irina E. Catrina, Ph.D. Messenger RNA helps cells make proteins, and scientists are exploring new ways to control this process for research and medical treatments. This study examines how Peptide Nucleic Acids—synthetic molecules that bind strongly to DNA and RNA—interact with genetic material, paving the way for future tools to block harmful protein production or track RNA inside living cells. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Studies of SUMO Protein and Spermatogenesis using Transgenic Mouse Models Author: Tahereh Ghafoori , Biotechnology EntrepreneurshipFaculty Mentor: Margarita Vigodner, Ph.D., Â鶹Çø/Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Benjamin Lucas, Ph.D., Â鶹ÇøInfertility often stems from problems in sperm development, yet many cases remain unexplained. This study explores the role of SUMOylation, a protein-modifying process that may be crucial for healthy sperm formation but is still not fully understood in living organisms. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Development of Radioimmunoconjugate for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteosarcoma with a Focus in Pediatric Population Author: Jenny Maharjan, Biotechnology EntrepreneurshipFaculty Mentor: Robert Friedman, MBA Industry Mentor: Natasha Shtraizent, Ph.D., Frezent Biological Solutions Osteosarcoma, a serious bone cancer affecting mostly young people, is hard to treat because existing therapies often harm healthy tissues and the disease frequently returns. This project evaluates a new radioimmunoconjugate therapy—a treatment that combines imaging and targeted radiation using tumor-seeking antibodies—while also analyzing its clinical potential, market opportunities, and path to commercialization. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Cybersecurity Beyond Geospatial Frontiers: Charting the Landscape of GEOINT, OSINT, and Innovative Intelligence Solutions Author: Laticbe Elijah, Joy Awoleye and Christine Macharia, CybersecurityFaculty Mentor: Elad Hod, M.S., CISSP Students and alumni often struggle to connect with like-minded peers because information is scattered across multiple platforms. This project creates a secure, user-friendly platform that centralizes communication, using strong cybersecurity practices to protect personal data while helping users network across universities in the New York area. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Data Analytics and Visualization A Dynamic Framework for Optimizing Reward Policies in the Sharing Economy Author: Chengkun Yao - M.S. in Digital Marketing and Media, Cheng Li - M.S. in Data Analytics and Visualization and Angela Li - Applied Mathematics and Physics, Stony Brook University.Faculty Advisor: David Li, Ph.D. The sharing economy, through platforms like Uber and Airbnb, changes how resources are used but needs better ways to reward users dynamically. This study proposes a data-driven framework that uses analytics and game theory to adjust incentives in real time, boosting participation, efficiency and fairness while keeping costs under control. VIEW POSTER Digital Marketing & Media Revolutionizing Sternotomy: A Precision-Driven Approach to Safer and Faster Recovery Authors: Sheera Kraitberg and Vani Nair, Digital Marketing and MediaFaculty Mentor: Thomas KennonTraditional sternotomy for heart and chest surgeries can cause long recoveries and discomfort due to straight-line cuts and metal wire closures. This project develops a go-to-market plan for Healers’ innovative curved-cutting device, aiming to improve surgical precision, speed recovery and strategically reach surgeons, patients and hospitals. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Beyond the Classroom: Shaping Student Identity Online Authors: Sagarika Shrestha, Digital Marketing and Media Faculty Mentor: Joseph Panzarella, M.A. Social media is a key tool for universities to engage students, but it’s unclear how it can be used most effectively to build community and include diverse voices. This project examines strategies that balance official messaging with genuine interaction, aiming to help universities use these platforms to foster belonging and meaningful connections. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Hilton NY Fashion District: AI-Driven Reputation Marketing StrategyAuthor: Mansi Kamboj, Digital Marketing and Media Faculty Mentor: Larry Cohen, MBA Online reputation is crucial in hospitality, but research rarely combines AI-driven sentiment analysis, visual branding and SEO to assess it holistically. This project uses AI tools to analyze Hilton NY Fashion District’s guest reviews, images and search visibility, revealing strengths in branding and location while identifying opportunities to improve interiors, pricing clarity and digital engagement. VIEW POSTER Occupational Therapy Disability Status, Cognitive Functioning, and Self Care among People with Multiple Sclerosis Authors: Arielle Caplan, Occupational TherapyFaculty Mentor: Marissa Barrera, PhD, MSCS, CCC-SLP and Gioia Ciani, OTD, MSOT, OTR/LMultiple sclerosis (MS) affects both physical and cognitive abilities, but common measures like the EDSS mainly focus on mobility and may overlook self-care and cognitive skills. This study examines how EDSS scores relate to self-care and cognitive assessments, highlighting its strengths and limitations in capturing the full impact of MS. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Resource for Dental Professionals Providing Care to Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through Sensory and Environmental Modifications Authors: Lior Nissanian , Occupational TherapyFaculty Mentor: Amiya Waldman-Levi, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTAChildren with autism often face challenges in dental care due to sensory sensitivities, uncooperative behavior and limited provider knowledge. This project develops an educational resource for dental professionals that offers evidence-based occupational therapy strategies to improve visits and oral health outcomes for individuals with ASD. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Author: Briana Tucci , Occupational TherapyFaculty Mentors: Alexandra Laghezza, Ph.D., OTR/L, CDPFalls among older adults are common, with half occurring outdoors, yet most prevention efforts focus only on indoor risks. This project develops an outdoor fall prevention program and resource sheet to help occupational therapy practitioners support older adults in staying safe while navigating outdoor environments. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Physician Assistant Studies Effectiveness of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Adults with Active Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review Author: Ewa Gerlak, M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Mentor: Margaret Ewen, M.S., PA-CUlcerative colitis is a chronic bowel disease causing inflammation, pain and fatigue, with standard treatments often having limited effectiveness and side effects. This systematic review examines whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can safely improve remission rates and restore gut microbiome balance compared to placebo or corticosteroids. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Safety and Efficacy of Topical Ruxolitinib Versus Topical Corticosteroids in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review of the Literature Author: Allison Moore, M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Mentor: Margaret Ewen, M.S., PA-CAtopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition often treated with corticosteroids, which can cause side effects with long-term use. This systematic review evaluates topical ruxolitinib, a JAK inhibitor, as a safer alternative, comparing its effectiveness and safety to corticosteroids in reducing inflammation, itch and affected skin areas. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Efficacy of the Ketogenic Diet in Reducing Hemoglobin A1c in Overweight Type 2 Diabetics: A Systematic Review Author: lIana Rouhani, M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Mentor: Margaret Ewen, M.S., PA-CType 2 diabetes is a widespread condition managed through medications and lifestyle changes. This systematic review evaluates whether a ketogenic diet can better improve blood sugar control and related health measures in overweight Type 2 patients compared to other diets. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Speech-Language Pathology The Intergenerational Effects of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on a Child’s Development ´¡³Ü³Ù³ó´Ç°ù:  Kayla Bissell, M.S in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Mentor: Elisabeth Mlawski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have lasting effects and parental ACEs may increase the risk of developmental delays in children. This study systematically reviews research on intergenerational trauma to understand its impact on early childhood development, including language, behavior and social-emotional skills. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Exploring Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): A Multi-Factor Approach Author: Samantha Golin, M.S in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Mentor: Marissa A. Barrera, Ph.D., MSCS, CCC-SLP and Kathleen Fitzgerald, M.S., CCC-SLP Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder where individuals limit food intake for reasons other than body image, leading to nutritional and psychosocial challenges. This project uses a systematic review to explore ARFID’s biological, sensory and co-occurring conditions, aiming to improve understanding of the disorder. VIEW POSTER Maximizing Speech Outcomes in Children with ASD: Group vs. Individual Therapy Author: Sharon Matalon, M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Advisor: Andrew Christler, M.A., MBA, CCC-SLP Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often experience articulation deficits that affect speech clarity and classroom participation. This project reviews research on individual versus group speech therapy to determine how therapy format and severity of deficits influence improvements in speech sound accuracy. VIEW POSTER | READ STORY Shaping Androgynous Voice: Bridging the Research Gap in Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy Author: Genevieve Shaffer, M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Advisor: Andrew Christler, M.A., MBA, CCC-SLP Voice is an important aspect of gender identity, but there is limited understanding of androgynous voices, which may combine masculine and feminine traits or be perceptually neutral. This project systematically reviews acoustic and perceptual research to define androgynous voice characteristics and inform evidence-based approaches for gender-affirming voice care. VIEW POSTER The Correlation of Executive Function and PTSD in Veterans: The Role of Medical Speech-Language Pathologists Author: Brooke Smith, M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Advisor: Marissa Barrera, PhD, Assistant Dean of Health Sciences, Program Director, Associate Professor, Graduate Program in Medical Speech Language Pathology Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in veterans affects executive functions like decision-making, problem-solving and cognitive flexibility, which can impact daily life and independence. Research shows a strong link between PTSD and cognitive impairment, especially when combined with other conditions, highlighting the need for greater recognition and treatment of these executive function deficits. VIEW POSTER
