Faculty Staff Achievements April 29, 2026
Diana Barnes, teaching professor of Spanish, was invited to speak at the Senate of the Republic in Mexico City on child migrant art and education initiatives. Her talk examined efforts to mitigate generational trauma among migrant youth through creative art and play, drawing on the 2019 traveling exhibit 鈥淧ainting the Border; A Child鈥檚 Voice,鈥� created by children in Ciudad Ju谩rez and now on view at the Refuge Gallery at Fordham University.
Stephen Ives, professor and chair of the department of health and human physiological sciences, mentored several students who presented research at scientific conferences. Kyle Heise 鈥�26, Melissa Severino 鈥�26, and Ben Melnick 鈥�26 presented research at the in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hashim Ghias 鈥�26 presented related research at the at NYU Langone Medical Center. All the projects stem from an American Heart Association grant awarded to Ives, 鈥淚mpact of Sex in the Effect of Dietary Capsaicin on Cardiovascular Health.鈥�
Nurcan Atalan Helicke, associate professor of environmental studies and sciences, was elected to a five-year term as a trustee of Saratoga Springs Public Library, effective July 2026. She also co-authored a paper 鈥溾�� that was published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.
Hajar Hussaini, assistant teaching professor of English, received a , a prestigious national prize recognizing emerging writers for the promise of their work. The award has drawn national media attention, including coverage by , The New York Times, , and .
Ruth McAdams, associate teaching professor of English, published an article, "," in the journal Victorian Poetry.
Laurie Rabinowitz, assistant professor of education studies, delivered three talks at Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia, Chile, including inaugural lectures for the master鈥檚 programs in social inclusion and teaching English. She also met with student support staff. Her talks focused on her research on the knowledge, experiences, and assets of disabled and neurodivergent K-12 educators.
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