In consortium with the Engineering, Food Studies, HEAT, CSTEP, BMI, Physics, Robotics, Science Clubs, and STEM student leaders pulled off an extraordinary week of field trips, film screenings, science contests, class discussion, informational tabling, research presentations, and a STEM Olympiad.
The Hostos Science Week 2019: Artificial Intelligence in Science - Creativity, Discovery and Development featured keynote speaker Ambrose Plante, a Ph.D. candidate at Weill Cornell Medicine who enlightened the audience with “What is Artificial Intelligence and why we use it to understand how molecules work in the body.” The science week celebration also included three timely panel discussions:
- “Careers in Science – Where to Start and What to Expect,” with keynote speaker Plante; Afam Nwokolo and Esther Calvo Fernandez (Columbia University); and Julius Moyo and Kristian Roopnarine (New York Hall of Science).
- “Women in Science – Navigating Career Challenges,” with Prof. Delgado-Cruzata (John Jay College); Prof. Joanna Giza (BMCC), Dr. Hala Iqbal (NYU Langone Health); Prof. Irina Grishina (NYU Langone Health/Hostos); and Prof. Carmen Inda García (moderator).
- “Conversation with Advanced Science and Engineering Students” with Vanessa Pujols and Santa Barrott (Civil Engineering, The Grove School of Engineering of The City College of New York); Paul Torres (Physics, The City College of New York); Raider Rodríguez Del Orbe (Toxicology, John Jay College); and Andrey Lavrentyev (Computer Science, Stony Brook University).
The wide-ranging gamut of student presentations and discussions that took place during the Hostos Science Week 2019 demonstrated the force of the academic work happening at Hostos. Topics like “Environmental Issues and Evolution;” “Sharing 3D Information of the Environment with the Visual Impaired;”
“Relevance of STEM in our Lives;” “The Chemistry of Modern Dental Filling Materials;” “The Changing Face of Organic Reactions;” “EIDs Meet AI;” “Physics in Biomedical Engineering;” “Batteries in our Lives;” “EcoJeans: Jeans Made by Microorganisms;” “Microbes in our Lives;” “Discussion about the Nacirema People;” and “The Essential and Expressive Nature of Blood” were featured throughout the week.
Discussions and presentations on food justice in the urban landscape were included in the slate of learning offerings, among them “Urban Agriculture: Aeroponic Farming in the Classroom;” “Food Systems at Hostos;” and “Food Security Support at Hostos.”
The Hostos faculty is distinguishing itself for contributing to the future of science right here in the South Bronx. The adage “it takes a village” rings true. Without the engagement and vision of Professor Francisco Fernández, Chairperson of the Natural Sciences Department, and event coordinators Professors Anna Ivanova, Yoel Rodríguez, Flor Henderson, and Vyacheslav Dushenkov together with faculty and staff of the Natural Sciences Department, the 2019 Science Week at Hostos would not have been possible.
A special thank you to the Hostos Office of Academic Affairs, Library, Duplicating Office, Office of Communications, Conference Center, Office of Student Activities, and the Student Government Association.