state university of new york research foundation

Office of Sponsored Programs

The research foundation for suny.

All applications for sponsored program support are made by Purchase College through the Research Foundation for the State University of New York , also known as the Research Foundation for SUNY, RF-SUNY, RF or SUNY-RF.

It is the largest, most comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country, supporting nearly $1 billion in SUNY research activity annually.

• Research Foundation Portal
• Research Foundation Fact Sheet
• Research Foundation Strategic Plan
• Agreement Between State University of New York and The Research Foundation for The State University of New York – June 1, 1977 (PDF)

The president of each campus designates one person to serve as the RF operations manager, who oversee all aspects of research on their campuses and serve as liaisons between the campus and the Research Foundation Board of Directors’ Committee on Research, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. Purchase College’s RF interim operations manager is Michael DeGrazia . He has the authority to approve applications that will be submitted on behalf of the Research Foundation for Purchase College, manage RF functions on the campus, and oversee campus compliance.

From time to time, the RF provides funding open to SUNY faculty. The Office of Sponsored Research sends these funding opportunities out to faculty and staff, as applicable.

RF policies include:

• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Electronic Records Management Policy
• Fringe Benefits Costs Recovery Policy
• Indirect Costs Recovery Policy
• Monitoring of Subrecipients Policy
• Patents and Inventions Policy of the State University of New York
• State University of New York Copyright Policy
• Protection of Intellectual Property Policy
• Computer Software Policy
• Guidelines for Implementing Federal Cost Accounting Standards

Information for:

• Current Students
• Faculty and Staff
• Parents and Families
• Lifelong Learners
• Visiting Students

Need Assistance?

• Accessibility
• Campus Directory
• Offices and Services
• NYS University Police

Other Resources:

• Email Login
• Editor Login
• Your Right to Know
• Information Privacy
• Foundation and Support
• Youth and Precollege
• Adult Noncredit Programs

Home > Research Foundation

Research Foundation

The Research Foundation (RF) helps the State University of New York (SUNY) acquire and manage grants and contracts from external sponsors.

Grants and contracts for research and training programs at SUNY are awarded to the RF - not directly to the principal investigator or the campus. By taking care of the day-to-day administration of sponsored programs - financial, human resources, procurement and reporting activities - the RF allows principal investigators to devote more time to their research and scholarship.

Through its ability to bring together the resources of organizations having different legal or management systems, the RF makes it possible for SUNY to build strategic partnerships with government, business and industry and other higher education institutions.

The RF consists of the corporate headquarters (central office) working in conjunction with operating unites at 29 campus locations across New York State.

The RF is not a New York State agency or public authority. While the RF works hand-in-hand with SUNY, it is a private, nonprofit educational corporation that has its own board of directors, programs, policies and procedures.

The RF does not receive services provided to New York State agencies or state appropriations to support corporate functions. RF employees are not on the New York State payroll and do not receive state pensions or other state employee benefits.

Operations Manager (OM)

Reporting to The Research Foundation President (RF), the Research Foundation Operations Manager (OM) serves as the top level Research Foundation executive on campus and is responsible for supporting SUNY’s research mission and the successful implementation of the RF’s strategic plan. The campus president nominates an individual from the campus to be considered for the OM role. The OM is responsible for all Research Foundation operations on campus, including;

• sponsored program administration services to the SUNY community (faculty, students, and staff) and stewardship to our sponsors of creating an environment to support and increase sponsored program funding
• creating an environment to increase technology transfer and commercialization in support of SUNY’s efforts to revitalize New York’s economy.

Shawn K Miller VP for Administration/Chief Financial Officer/Operations Manager French Hall 210 315-379-3820

For more information contact:

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs MAC 602 (315) 386-7686

Procurement & Travel Services

Beth Martin Purchasing Manager 315-386-7555 [email protected]

Debbie Keith Accounts Payable 315-386-7555 [email protected]

Megan Warren Office Assistant I (315) 386-7555 [email protected]

The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF) is the largest comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country. It exists to serve the State University of New York (SUNY) by providing essential administrative services that enable SUNY faculty to focus their efforts on the education of students and the performance of life-changing research across a wide range of disciplines including medicine, engineeering, physical sciences, energy, computer science, and social sciences.

P.O. Box 9 Albany, NY 12201-0009 Phone: 518 434 7000

• Annual reports
• College offices
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Grand challenges
• Institutional Standing Committees
• Office of the President
• Tomorrow: Strategic Plan
• Academic Programs
• College Catalog
• Colleges & Departments
• Experiential Learning
• Extended Learning
• Graduate Studies
• International Opportunities
• Penfield Library
• Research/Scholarship
• SUNY Oswego in Syracuse
• Contact Admissions
• Cost/Financial Aid
• Excelsior Scholarship
• International
• Non-traditional Students
• Undergraduate
• Virtual Campus Tour
• Visit SUNY Oswego
• Campus Dining
• Career Services
• Commitment to Safety
• First Year Programs
• Health & Wellness
• Clubs & Organizations/Laker Life
• Orientation
• Residence Life & Housing
• Student Services
• About Oswego Alumni Association
• Publications
• Athletics home
• Events calendar
• News stories
• Photo galleries
• Search news
• Brightspace
• Academic Calendar
• Current Students
• Dining Menu
• Faculty / Staff
• Majors List
• Search Search oswego.edu
• Contact ORSP
• Internal Grants
• Recognition Opportunities and Awards
• Technology Transfer
• Travel: general information
• Policies & How-To Guides
• Research Committees
• Oswego home

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

We are now located in sheldon hall.

Please contact us by email with any questions or concerns; we will work to address your issues as quickly as possible. You can email [email protected] , or any of us individually .

ORSP will work with you to make funding and managing your research projects and scholarly activities easier. 

Our external grants team can help from funding and proposal development, through post-award management and compliance.  We also coordinate with SUNY Oswego to offer internal grants that jump-start your research, scholarship and creative activities, and re cognition awards to celebrate your accomplishments. 

External Grants

Internal grants and recognition awards

Research foundation for the state university of new york.

Founded in 1951, the RF exists to serve SUNY and to capitalize on the scope, scale and diversity of SUNY as an engine of New York State's innovation economy.  

The RF supports nearly $1 billion in SUNY research activity annually, providing sponsored programs administration and commercialization support services to SUNY faculty performing research in life sciences and medicine; engineering and nanotechnology; physical sciences and energy; social sciences, and computer and information sciences.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is SUNY Oswego's branch of the Research Foundation for SUNY, and is responsible for the development, coordination and financial management of all contracts and grants at the college.

Grants funded and award recipients

With over 75 external grants and 80 plus internal grants awarded last year, we’re proud of the scholarly and creative activity of our faculty, students and staff. View some of our past recipients of grants and awards below:

• Funded External Grants
• Funded Internal Scholarly and Creative Activity Grants
• Excellence and Scholarly Activity Award Recipients
• Award of Excellence in Research and Sponsored Programs Recipients

  Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

210 Sheldon Hall Phone: 315.312.2888  Email: [email protected]

About SUNY Press

Our Mission

We partner with scholars around the world, regional experts, and the SUNY community to publish works that

- expand knowledge in established and emerging fields,

- provoke critical thinking and conversations, and

- illuminate human experiences in all their diversity and complexity.

Founded in 1966 to support the State University of New York’s commitments to teaching, research, and public service, SUNY Press is an internationally acclaimed publisher of distinguished research and works of general interest. Capitalizing on the latest advances in digital communication, the Press offers an innovative range of print and electronic publications to fulfill the evolving needs of scholars, students, authors, and readers.

SUNY Press sponsors internationally recognized and rapidly growing lists of publications in a variety of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Through its Excelsior Editions imprint, SUNY Press showcases the diversity and abiding energy of the peoples, histories, and natural beauty of New York State in exceptional books meant for all readers. Our newest imprint, 64 ink , showcases the work of faculty from across SUNY, the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States. 

SUNY Press is an academic unit of SUNY System Administration, with its personnel and business functions administered by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York . The SUNY Press Editorial Board is composed of faculty from campuses throughout the SUNY system.

SUNY Press has a growing network of digital and publishing partners, as well as sales representation on six continents. SUNY Press is a proud member of the Association of University Presses .

How can I contact TIAA?

For help and advice, call us anytime at  800-842-2252 . You can also contact us online .

What do I do after I enroll?

• After enrolling, you'll receive a TIAA Welcome Kit and a Legal Package including your contract and contract number.
• Review your Welcome Kit carefully to verify the information is correct, including investments and beneficiary information.
• You may also review your existing accounts and make transactions online by logging into your secure account.

How can I see my accounts and perform transactions online?

When you enroll online, you create an individual account where you can view your balances, change your investment mix, make transfers and other transactions.

If you're already enrolled, log in to your secure account from the login button at the top of the home page of this site.

Can I get help choosing my investments?

For help and advice, schedule an appointment with a TIAA investment professional or attend a seminar Opens in a new window .

What is the difference between a mutual fund and an annuity?

There are a number of important differences between mutual funds and annuities when they are offered under a retirement plan.

• A mutual fund is a pool of securities, such as stocks and bonds, managed by an investment company.
• An annuity is an insurance contract with one or more fixed-rate and variable investment options.

As for income options, annuities offer you the opportunity for lifetime income with or without guaranteed payments for a fixed time period*. Or you can decide to receive income for a certain number of years or take a cash withdrawal (depending on your plan’s provisions). Mutual funds offer systematic withdrawals. Otherwise, mutual funds and annuities are treated very similarly when offered as part of your employer’s retirement plan.

*Guarantees are subject to the claims-paying capability of the insurer. Payments from variable accounts will fluctuate based on investment performance.

What are the benefits of owning mutual funds?

Many participants enjoy the diversity of investing in mutual funds in their retirement plans.

• The mutual funds chosen for your retirement savings plan provide the opportunity to focus on specific market segments - all of which offer varying degrees of risk and reward opportunities.
• By owning a combination of funds with different investment characteristics, you may be able to offset the poor performance of one asset class with another that is benefiting from an upward trend. However, diversification doesn't guarantee against loss.

Who would benefit most from owning mutual funds?

Mutual funds offer diversification, professional management, relatively low investment minimums and fees, and a range of choices among different asset classes.

Owning mutual funds can reduce risk through diversification and professional management, and allow you to potentially invest in a broad range of asset classes – U.S. and non-U.S. stocks, bonds, and real estate – with smaller amounts of assets.

Is there a tax advantage to owning variable annuities versus mutual funds?

No, there is no tax advantage to owning variable annuities or mutual funds in your TIAA-funded retirement plan. Both options receive favorable tax treatment under the plan.

I have a form requiring notarization. How do I find an online Notary?

There are several technology companies that offer end-to-end notarization systems. TIAA has partnered with Proof.com (f/k/a Notarize.com) ( proof.com/customers/tiaa Opens in a new window ) to offer a digital and secure way for you to fulfill notarization requirements for your forms.

457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan

Ready to enroll, choose your plan and enroll today.

Select a retirement plan and begin the enrollment process. Contact your HR Benefits Office for additional information and assistance.

• Basic Retirement Plan Choose plan Selected

Keep in mind: You may need to complete the required form found at Research Foundation for the State University of New York - Employee Self Service  to tell your employer how much money you want taken out of each bi-weekly paycheck.

• Optional Retirement Plan (GSRA) Choose plan Selected
• 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan Choose plan Selected

Make a selection before beginning enrollment

Call TIAA at 800-842-2252

Research Foundation for the State University of New York offers this plan as part of workplace benefits. Now is a great time to understand what is offered - think about taking advantage of any opportunities to save and invest for the future.

Learn what plans allow eligible employees to do.

What contributions are available?

Who can participate in this plan.

Participation in the plan is limited to regular, full time active employees who: (1) Are "highly compensated employees" as defined by the IRS (adjusted annually by IRS for change in the cost of living); AND (2) Perform services in specific job categories established by the RF. See RF Benefits website for specifics. Opens in a new window

When are new employees vested?

Contributions to this account will be 100% vested immediately.

When can you take money out?

457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan does not offer a loan feature.

DISTRIBUTIONS

Age based distribution.

Your employer will typically allow you to withdraw funds once you've reached 70.5 .

Lump-sum distribution

You can withdraw all or part of your account in a single cash payment, depending on your plan rules and the terms of your contracts.

• Your right to a lump-sum distribution from your TIAA Traditional Account may be restricted to taking periodic payments under the terms of the contract. Please refer to your contract or certificate for full details or contact us at 800-842-2252.

Small-sum distribution

When you leave your employer, you may be eligible to withdraw your retirement savings. Your plan may distribute your entire balance if the value does not exceed $2,000. Even if your plan doesn't allow cash distributions, you can withdraw your entire retirement savings if your TIAA Traditional Account value does not exceed $2,000 and your overall account balance is below a limit set by your employer's plan (either $1,000 or $5,000).

Lifetime retirement income

• One-life annuity - provides income for as long as you live.
• Two-life annuity - provides lifetime income for you and an annuity partner (your spouse or someone else you name) for as long as either of you live.
• One- or two-life annuity with guaranteed period - guarantees income for up to 20 years, as long as the period you choose does not exceed your life expectancy. It ensures that income continues to go to your beneficiaries for the remainder of the guaranteed period if you (one-life annuity) or both you and your annuity partner (two-life annuity) die before the end of that period.

Single-sum death benefit

A set amount your beneficiary(ies) will receive from your retirement account if you die before taking income.

Fixed period

You can choose to receive income for a set period of two to 30 years, depending on the terms of our contract and your plan's rules (and not to exceed your life expectancy).

• Payments stop at the end of the period, during which you will have received all your principal and earnings.

Unforeseeable emergency

To withdraw money for an emergency with a 457(b) plan requires you to meet the rules for an Unforeseeable Emergency withdrawal. The IRS defines an unforeseeable emergency as a severe financial hardship to the participant or beneficiary resulting from, but not limited to:

• A sudden and unexpected illness or accident of the participant, a beneficiary, or the participant’s or beneficiary’s spouse or dependent.
• Loss of the participant’s or beneficiary’s property due to casualty.
• Imminent foreclosure or eviction from the participant’s or beneficiary’s primary residence
• Medical expenses, including non-refundable deductibles and the cost of prescription drug medication
• Funeral expenses of a spouse or dependent
• Other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the participant or beneficiary.

Please note that an unforeseeable emergency does not typically include the purchase of a home or payment of college tuition.

Generally, withdrawals are permitted if the hardship can’t be solved:

• Through reimbursement or compensation from insurance or otherwise;
• By liquidating or accessing personal assets including those associated with freely distributable amounts held in retirement and tax-sheltered savings plans (to the extent this would not itself cause a severe financial hardship); or
• By stopping deferrals under the plan.

457(b) In-service, non-hardship employee withdrawals

Some companies will allow active employees participating in a qualified employer retirement plan to withdraw a portion of their plan’s account balance upon request, without demonstrating a specific financial need - it’s called an “in-service withdrawal” or an “in-service distribution.” In service means you are still working for the employer sponsoring the plan.

When considering an in-service withdrawal, keep in mind:

• You may be able to roll the money over to another IRA or qualified plan or annuity without tax penalty, if you do so within 60 days.
• The in-service rule usually only allows payment of the employee’s money, but if you are terminated, you may be eligible for some matching funds.

For plans with balances of $5,000 or less, the following must be true in order to make 457(b) In-service withdrawals:

• You must still be employed
• You must not have made contributions within the last 24 months
• You must not have made this type of withdrawal request before

Please note that 457(b) In-service withdrawals may not always be at the discretion of the employer or specific to this plan.

If you're married, you may be required to get spousal consent to receive any distribution option other than a qualified joint and survivor annuity.

This plan allows you to receive a cash withdrawal. This may be restricted by the terms of your TIAA contracts. Taxes and penalties may apply.

What are the fees?

Understanding investment fees

Your financial well-being is TIAA's top priority and we are committed to helping you make informed decisions. Fees should be just one factor in your decision-making process since the lowest cost option may not be the best one for you.

Cost of plan services

Fees and expenses have always been part of a retirement savings plan-some fees are associated with the administration of the plan and may be covered by your employer, while others are paid by you based on the specific investments and services you choose. The following three categories of services are provided to your plan:

1. General record keeping and other plan services

Over the course of a year you pay for services like record keeping.

Many services are necessary for the day-to-day operation of your employer's retirement plan. General administrative services include recordkeeping, legal, accounting, consulting, investment advisory and other plan administration services. Some of these expenses are fixed and other expenses may vary from year to year. These costs are allocated to each participant in a uniform way.

A Services Fee is assessed to certain investments and deducted on a Quarterly basis. Details related to Plan Services Fees assessed to plan investments are listed in your Quarterly Investment Update Opens in a new window .

Your Plan provides credits to certain investments on a Quarterly basis, so that plan participants share equally in the cost of your Plan's record keeping and other plan services.

3. Personalized services

You can opt for extra features, like loan services.

Personalized services provide access to a number of plan features and investments that you pay for, only if you use them. The personalized services used most often are:

Brokerage account

To learn more about the brokerage service including fees call 800-927-3059 or Get the Basics Opens in a new window .

More information about retirement plan fees and expenses is available at TIAA.org/fees .

Learn which mutual funds and other investments are available

Enroll or make changes in your plan(s) today, plan forms & resources, enrollment form.

Salary Reduction Agreement Opens pdf in new window

Additional plan documentation

457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan informational handout Opens pdf in new window

• In Memoriam

LCRF welcomes new Scientific Advisory Board members

Foundation expands its research reviewing body to meet strategic research investment objective

NEW YORK, NY (April 30, 2024) – The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) has expanded its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) by five new members. Led by Katerina Politi, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, the Scientific Advisory Board’s primary purpose is to review, evaluate and select lung cancer research proposals worthy of financial investment. In addition, members of the SAB provide opinion and guidance on relevant lung cancer data.

“We are honored and delighted to have these exceptional lung cancer experts join our SAB,” commented Dr. Politi. “Advancing the most promising science in lung cancer is of utmost importance to the SAB and we are thrilled to have these leaders committed to fostering lung cancer research join the Board. This expansion is an important step as we work towards meeting our current strategic objective of tripling LCRF’s research investment by the end of 2024 and meeting our future strategic priorities.”

LCRF’s newest members of its Scientific Advisory Board:

Shirish M. Gadgeel, MD Chief of Division of Hematology and Oncology, Associate Director, Henry Ford Cancer Institute/Henry Ford Health

Dr. Shirish Gadgeel is the Chief of Division of Hematology/Oncology at Henry Ford Health. A medical oncologist by training, his area of interest is lung cancer research in general and drug development in lung cancer, in particular. He has conducted and participated in many lung cancer-specific trials and in phase I trials, including investigator-initiated trials based on laboratory research. Dr. Gadgeel has also been a principal investigator of a Southwest Oncology Group trial, S0528, S1507 and NCI protocol 7389 and co-author on major phase III trials ALEX and Keynote 189 which changed the standard of care. He has also engaged in many epidemiologic studies in the field of lung cancer, publishing on features of lung cancer in African Americans and in young patients. He served as the co-leader of the Molecular Therapeutics Program of the Core Cancer Center Grant of Karmanos Cancer Institute before joining University of Michigan and was the site PI for the NO1 grant awarded to the California Cancer Consortium. Subsequently, he was co-leader of the Thoracic Oncology Research Program and the Mary Lou Kennedy Research Professor in Thoracic Oncology at the University of Michigan prior to joining Henry Ford Cancer. Dr. Gadgeel’s clinical research experience spans 20 years. He is a member of the steering Committee of the Lung Cancer Committee of Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). In addition, he is a member of the Editorial Board of Clinical Lung Cancer and a reviewer for many journals including New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology and Journal of Thoracic Oncology. He has served as faculty for the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and as a member of the Education Committee of ASCO, as well as a member of the Career Development Committee of the International Association of Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). Dr. Gadgeel received the NCI Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award in 2012.

Aaron Hata, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Aaron Hata is an Assistant Physician in Hematology-Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is Principal Investigator of a translational and basic research laboratory in the MGH Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research. Dr. Hata’s research focuses on understanding mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance to targeted therapies for lung cancer. His group has discovered mechanisms of clinical acquired drug resistance in EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET and KRAS-driven lung cancers, and he has played an instrumental role in the development of novel therapeutic approaches for overcoming drug resistance. His research has also yielded important insights into how tumor cells persist and evolve during therapy. Dr. Hata received his MD and Ph.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University and completed an Internal Medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Medical Oncology fellowship at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Hata is also an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, an Investigator in the Ludwig Center of Harvard, and a member of the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center Lung Cancer SPORE. In 2023, he was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Dr. Hata is also a 2012 grant recipient of LCRF’s legacy organization, United Against Lung Cancer (UALC).

David MacPherson, PhD Professor, Human Biology Division Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Dr. David MacPherson’s lab applies genomic approaches and in vivo models to understand the molecular underpinnings of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).  His lab studies patient tumor samples and employs genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models as well as patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in their interrogation of genes that drive SCLC initiation and progression.   They also employ GEM and PDX models in efforts to understand and improve responses to novel and to standard therapies, with an eye towards clinical translation. Dr. MacPherson co-leads the Fred Hutch Cancer Center Lung Program, and he co-leads a Lung Cancer NIH SPORE project focused on inhibition of the LSD1 demethylase in SCLC and translation of this therapeutic approach to the clinic. He is a member of the SWOG Lung Committee and member of the Gene Regulation in Cancer NIH Study Section. Dr. MacPherson is also an Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington.  He is committed to training and teaches an introductory graduate course, MCB539, The Biology of Neoplasia.

Taofeek Owonikoko, MD, PhD Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor in Oncology & Executive Director University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center

Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD, is the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor in Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Executive Director of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He also holds the role of Senior Associate Dean of Cancer Programs at the School of Medicine and the Associate Vice President of Cancer Programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. A translational physician-scientist, board-certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine, he has a clinical focus on the management of patients with lung cancer. His research interests span the spectrum of preclinical experimental therapeutics, biomarker discovery, and translation of promising laboratory findings into lung cancer clinical trials.

He is currently an elected member of the Board of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Treasurer-Elect of ASCO. He serves as an Editorial Board Member for several highly regarded academic journals including Cancer, Journal of Thoracic Disease, and Translational Lung Cancer Research. Dr. Owonikoko is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Society for Hematology, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Lastly, he has been an NIH Study Section Member for the past 11 years and is a chartered member for the NIH Clinical Oncology Study section.

Dr. Owonikoko has authored/co-authored more than 250 peer-reviewed original manuscripts including reports of original research in leading journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Cell, Science, Nature, JCO, Lancet Oncology, Cancer Discovery , and Cancer Cell . His work has been broadly cited with more than 50,000 citations and an h-index of 85. He has received peer-reviewed extramural grant funding in support of his research from the US National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, private foundations, and pharmaceutical partners.

Rocio Sotillo, PhD Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Head of the Division of Molecular Thoracic Oncology German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ

Dr. Rocio Sotillo, a Pharmacist from the University San Pablo-CEU in Madrid, made significant contributions to cancer research during her Thesis at the Spanish National Cancer Center (CNIO) and her postdoc at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her work illuminated the roles of cyclin dependent kinases and mitotic checkpoints in tumor development.

In 2010, she established her lab at the EMBL-Mouse Biology Unit in Italy, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and the European Research Council (ERC). In 2015, she became a full Professor at the German Cancer Research Center, focusing on understanding the mechanisms that drive lung and breast cancer development, progression, and therapy response. Her recent achievements include developing unique mouse models to induce different oncogenes in somatic lung epithelial cells in vivo using CRISPR/Cas9 that will serve as preclinical models to study the most efficient combinational therapies in lung cancer. Dr. Sotillo is a 2009 grant recipient from LCRF’s legacy organization, United Against Lung Cancer (UALC.)

About the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF)

The Lung Cancer Research Foundation® (LCRF) is the leading nonprofit organization focused on funding innovative, high-reward research with the potential to extend survival and improve quality of life for people with lung cancer. LCRF’s mission is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. To date, LCRF has funded 419 research grants, totaling nearly $44 million, the highest amount provided by a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding lung cancer research. For more information about the LCRF grant program and funding opportunities, visit LCRF.org/research .

Three Earn National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

Three Syracuse University students have been awarded prestigious graduate research fellowships through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), and two students have been recognized with honorable mentions.

The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in the U.S. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $37,000 and a $16,000 educational allowance.

The 2024 recipients of the NSF GRFP are the following:

• Edward (Cole) Fluker, a senior chemical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). Fluker will be joining the Ph.D. program in chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Pennsylvania upon graduation.
• Dan Paradiso, a second-year Ph.D. student in physics in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Melissa Yeung, a first-year Ph.D. student in mechanical and aerospace engineering in ECS.

  Edward (Cole) Fluker

Fluker, who was recently named a University Scholar, initially got involved in research in his sophomore year and took on his first significant research project the following summer. Through the University’s Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, he worked under Ian Hosein, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, analyzing a gel polymer electrolyte system as an alternative to liquid electrolytes in calcium-ion batteries. The research resulted in a paper, on which Fluker was first author, in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Physical Chemistry.

That experience led him to pursue more research opportunities in energy storage. In summer 2023, he completed the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture REU at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied the power and energy performance of aluminum air batteries (AABs) with Ag-based cathodes.

“By the end of the project, I had successfully fabricated cathodes that resulted in power performance of 70% of the commercial option at less than 1/4,000th of the cost,” Fluker says. “I was especially interested in creative efforts to improve efficient agricultural practices, and I hope to continue contributing to them while at UPenn.”

Fluker says the NSF GRFP will give him financial resources to help broaden his research to be more sustainable and inclusive. “There is a severe underrepresentation of Black students pursuing advanced degrees, and I believe this program will help me launch a pipeline program for African American students to support their advanced degree aspirations,” he says. “On top of my research goals committed to next generation energy storage, I want to pave a path for underrepresented students that opens doors they never thought were meant for them.”

Dan Paradiso

Paradiso’s research is focused on the deaths of massive stars in the universe, known as core-collapse supernovae. These stars, which have masses of around 10 to 100 times the mass of the sun, end their life in a cataclysmic and explosive death that produces light that can be detected with ground and space-based telescopes. Decades of research, however, suggests that not all stars that undergo core-collapse result in a successful explosion and instead the star can continue to implode until a black hole is formed. These events are referred to as failed supernovae, and it is estimated that approximately 20-30% of stars that undergo core-collapse result in a failed supernova.

“In my research I focus on the dynamics of shockwaves, which are ubiquitous with core-collapse supernova physics, using analytical and numerical methods to understand these failed supernova explosions,” Paradiso says. “I then use these techniques to make predictions about observable properties of failed and sub-energetic explosions.”

“As a second-year graduate student, the generous support from the GRFP is very welcome, and I am excited to continue my research with this support,” he says.

  Melissa Yeung

Yeung works in the fluid dynamics lab of Yiyang Sun, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, where she focuses on supersonic jet engines.

High noise levels have always been associated with supersonic aircraft, restricting their flight range to over sea. “The goal of my work is to alleviate the undesired features through strategically placed small micro-jets of air. I am currently focused on optimizing these micro-jets such that they can continuously modulate themselves to adapt to various flight conditions. By doing so, the flow can be controlled even in off-design conditions and with minimal energy input,” Yeung says. “Understanding these complex flow physics is vital for the development of next-generation high-performance aircraft. Successfully controlling this flow can improve upon the aircraft’s performance and ensure the safety of nearby workers or civilians. This work is one of many steps in pushing supersonic flight for commercial use.”

Yeung says the GRFP fellowship will allow her more flexibility in her research direction, fund her research activities and allow her to attend more conferences.

Yeung also notes the tremendous amount of support she received from Sun, Professor Emeritus Mark Glauser and Gina Lee-Glauser, retired vice president for research, throughout the application process. “Their guidance has been crucial to my success and without them I would have not have the honor of being an NSF GRFP recipient, she says.

Nicholas Rubino and Elizabeth Su

Two students also received honorable mentions in this year’s NSF GRFP competition. Nicholas Rubino, a second-year Ph.D. student in mechanical and aerospace engineering in ECS who is researching robotic devices for physical rehabilitation, and Elizabeth Su, a senior graduating with a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering and neuroscience from the College of Arts and Sciences. Su will pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Purdue University, researching enhanced visual prosthetics.

The CFSA will hold an NSF GRFP virtual writing bootcamp the week of June 10-14. The bootcamp is for rising seniors and first- and second-year graduate students who are eligible for and plan to apply for the NSF GRFP this fall.

Students interested in learning more about or applying for the next NSF GRFP award cycle or any other nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships should visit the  CFSA website  or email  [email protected]  for more information.

Kelly Rodoski

• Libraries Announces Winners of Raymond von Dran iPrize, Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award Tuesday, April 30, 2024, By Cristina Hatem
• Unlocking Global Opportunities for Science Majors Tuesday, April 30, 2024, By Caroline K. Reff
• College of Professional Studies Announces 2024 Convocation Keynote Speaker Monday, April 29, 2024, By Hope Alvarez
• Mountain Goat Run May 5 to Lead to Road Closures, Shuttle Delays on Campus Monday, April 29, 2024, By Jennifer DeMarchi
• Carnegie Hall Chief Marketing Officer Sara Villagio ’04 Named VPA Convocation Speaker Friday, April 26, 2024, By Erica Blust

More In STEM

Professor qinru qiu named distinguished professor.

Electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) Professor Qinru Qiu has been named a distinguished professor by the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). Qiu previously received the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) SIGDA Distinguished Service Award and the National…

Undergraduate Spearheads Study Using Physics to Understand How Cells Self-Sort

Erin McCarthy ’23, physics summa cum laude, is a rarity among young scientists. As an undergraduate researcher in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Physics, she guided a study that appeared in March 2024 in Physical Review Letters….

Professor Receives NSF CAREER Award to Research Context Sensitive Fuzzing for Networked Systems

Despite advances in cybersecurity, even the most protected networks are vulnerable to cyberattacks due to software bugs or security flaws. Though vulnerability detection methods such as fuzzing can detect bugs, these methods have some limitations. Endadul Hoque, assistant professor in…

National Science Foundation Funds Physics Internship Program for Syracuse High School Students

A University initiative that aims to provide Syracuse-area high school students with experience in emerging technologies has been awarded nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program. The…

$2.15M Forever Orange Campaign Gift Will Establish New Student Center for the College of Engineering and Computer Science

Since childhood, Marco Campos has carved his own path, one that took him from poverty to great success. Today, Campos, together with his sister, Deanna Campos-Miller, are committed to creating opportunities for educational institutions and communities in support of student…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact [email protected] .

Connect With Us

For the media.

Rochester News

• Science & Technology
• Society & Culture
• Campus Life
• University News

Awards and honors highlight accomplishments of Rochester’s faculty

• Facebook Share on Facebook
• X/Twitter Share on Twitter
• LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn

Rochester faculty are being honored for notable and longtime contributions to their fields.

Share your updates.

Know of a faculty member receiving an award or honor? Contact us  so we can help share the news.

University of Rochester faculty regularly earn regional, national, and international awards and honors for their professional contributions to research, scholarship, education, and community engagement.

As part of an ongoing series, we’re spotlighting their accomplishments.

Mark Adams elected VP of Medical Society of State of New York

Mark Adams , a professor of clinical imaging sciences, was elected vice president of the Medical Society of the State of New York. A member of the society for more than two decades, he was treasurer from 2018 to 2023 and serves as chair of the Legislative and Physician Advocacy Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee. He also serves on the Investment Committee of the society’s Board of Trustees.

• Read more about Adams’ service to regional and national organizations . (URMC Intranet login required)

Robert Doran recognized with Alan Walker Book Award

Liszt and Virtuosity , edited by Robert Doran, a professor of French and comparative literature, is co-winner of the triennial  Alan Walker Book Award , sponsored by the American Liszt Society.

Doran’s collection of essays, published by the University of Rochester Press in 2021 as part of its Eastman Studies in Music series, was one of two books awarded the recognition. It’s the third time over the past four award periods that an Eastman Studies book has won the Alan Walker Book Award.

• Read about the star power Franz Lizst brought to 19th-century music .

Varchas Gopalaswamy awarded Sylvie Jacquemot Early Career Prize

Varchas Gopalaswamy, a scientist at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 EPS-PPCF Sylvie Jacquemot Early Career Prize. The prize, awarded on behalf of the board of the EPS Division of Plasma Physics, is in recognition of his “impressive contribution to the development of statistical modeling to achieve accurate predictions of laser fusion experiments thereby improving implosions and achieving record Lawson products for direct-drive on OMEGA.”

• Find out more about the honor .

Terrance Kessler elected an Optica Fellow

Terrance Kessler, a senior research engineer and diversity manager at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, was elected a fellow by the Board of Directors of Optica, an honor that recognizes his contributions to the optics and photonics community.

Kessler is being recognized specifically “for pioneering innovations in the technology and applications of large-aperture optics used for fusion and chirped-pulse amplification lasers.”

• Read more about Kessler and his contributions to the field.

Lisa Kitko to lead Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing

Lisa Kitko , the dean of the School of Nursing and a professor of nursing and geriatric medicine, was named chair-elect of the American Heart Association (AHA) Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. The council serves as a home for cardiovascular nursing science, provides resources for nurses’ professional development at all stages and career paths, and advocates for nursing and cardiovascular and stroke conditions across the lifespan.

An award-winning nurse scientist, Kitko sheds light on the role of family caregivers in managing heart failure in her research. She has contributed to the development of interventions and support programs aimed at addressing the needs of both heart failure patients and their caregivers, and her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and AHA.

• Read more about Kitko’s involvement with the American Heart Association and its Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing.

Susana Marcos and team recognized by Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery

Susana Marcos , the David R. Williams Director of the  Center for Visual Science , the Nicholas George Professor in  Optics , and a professor of ophthalmology at Rochester, was recognized for her work on a study in the  Journal of Cataracts & Refractive Surgery (JCRS). Marcos and her fellow authors received the JCRS 2023 Mamalis Award.

The annual award is presented to the best laboratory science article published in the publication in the year, as voted on by the journal’s editors. The authors were recognized at the 2024 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Meeting in Boston.

• Read about the study, which uses artificial intelligence to bring clarity to LASIK patients facing cataract surgery .

Maiken Nedergaard receives Nakasone Award

Maiken Nedergaard , a professor of neurology, has been recognized by the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization with its  2024 Nakasone Award  for her “groundbreaking discovery and exploration” of the glymphatic system, the brain’s unique waste removal system, and the role that sleep plays in its function.

Nedergaard is codirector of the  Center for Translational Neuromedicine , which maintains research facilities at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the University of Copenhagen. In 2012, her lab  first described the glymphatic system , a previously unknown network of channels that piggybacks on blood vessels. The system is used to transport cerebrospinal fluid deep into brain tissue and flush away toxic waste, including beta amyloid and tau, two proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Learn more about the award and Nedergaard’s pioneering research.

Christie Petrenko recognized for her work on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Christie Petrenko , a research associate professor at the University’s  Mt. Hope Family Center , director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology , and an associate professor of pediatrics, has been recognized with the 2024 Starfish Award , presented at FASD United’s  9th International Research Conference on Adolescents and Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders . The award, whose recipients are selected by a committee of adult self-advocates with FASD, recognizes Petrenko’s considerable contributions as a researcher and an advocate in the field.

Petrenko is the codeveloper of an FASD mobile app . She has coauthored a training manual to help medical professionals diagnose the disorder as well as a comprehensive FASD resource for clinicians and researchers.

• Read about Petrenko’s work to help people with FASD thrive .

Jannick Rolland named to Augmented World Expo’s XR Hall of Fame

Jannick Rolland , the Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering and director of the  Center for Freeform Optics , has been inducted to Augmented World Expo ’s (AWE) inaugural class of the XR Hall of Fame . Featuring 101 inaugural inductees, the XR Hall of Fame honors the pioneers whose groundbreaking contributions have shaped and propelled the extended reality industry forward.

The XR Hall of Fame noted Rolland as an “optical see-through head-mounted display pioneer .” She and her fellow inductees will be recognized at the AWE USA 2024 event taking place in June in Long Beach, California.

• Read more about how Rolland uses freeform optics to make AR/VR headsets look more like regular glasses .

Jessica Shang named Young Engineer of the Year

The Rochester Engineering Society (RES) named Jessica Shang , an associate professor of mechanical engineering and a scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), as the 2023 Young Engineer of the Year, an honor for which she was a finalist in 2022 . The award recognizes outstanding achievement and contributions to the profession by young engineers in the Rochester region and promotes the importance of engineering practice to society. Shang will be recognized at the RES Awards in May.

Shang’s research spans many disciplines, including fluid dynamics of the brain, turbulence and viscosity at high-energy-density conditions, and biologically inspired hydrodynamic sensing. Her group collaborates with the University of Rochester Medical Center, LLE, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, among others.

• Read about Shang’s research on the role viscosity plays in fusion experiments .

More in University News