Binghamton hosts new employee reception, celebrates SUNY initiative aimed at growing faculty research in key areas
Binghamton University has had an exemplary year of faculty searches, thanks in part to a SUNY-wide hiring initiative.
As part of a larger $53 million fund, Binghamton University received a total of $6.5 million, which will be used to bring 36 professors to campus. The University has already hired 20 in key research areas.
On Tuesday, Oct. 10 in Old Union Hall, President Harvey G. Stenger hosted a new employee reception to welcome those new to Binghamton, including these faculty members and other staff across the wider campus network.
“We’re doing really well right now as a university,” Stenger said. “We are hiring a lot of people. This year, the state of New York and SUNY gave us enough money for this fall to hire 35 net new faculty. That means 35 faculty more than we had last fall. It also meant that we had to replace any faculty that left, which is usually around 30 [people]. We had the potential to have 65 new faculty! The staff hires this year, along with some new faculty hires, are going to bring 58 new staff members to Binghamton.”
475 members of the campus community were invited to the event, including members of the Research Foundation, and the room quickly filled with laughter and conversation as old friends met and new relationships were created over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
In his address to the attendees, Stenger remarked on the growth of the campus, the high rankings the university has achieved recently and the new funding — $113 million from the Build Back Better Regional Challenge — that has been awarded to pursue a lithium-ion battery training and manufacturing site. Stenger also referenced the ongoing site visits for the $160 million proposal that will also be used to fund the same project, of which we are currently one of 16 finalists, and the EXCELERATE program, a donor-funded initiative that has already raised $220 million and aims to continue past a quarter billion dollars.
“But all those things aren’t as important as the people that you’re going to meet here today, the people who you’re going to work with — hopefully for your entire career here at Binghamton University — and the students who work so hard to make us proud of the things that they accomplished. And I love saying it — Welcome to Binghamton, thanks for being here.”
Binghamton University’s new faculty, so far, includes two new biomedical engineering faculty; three in computer science; one in mechanical engineering; three in system science industrial engineering; one in teaching, learning and educational leadership; one in management; two in biological sciences; two in chemistry; one in environmental studies; one in geography; one in mathematics; and two in psychology.
Take a look below to hear from some of the new faculty members who’ve joined the campus community in fall 2023:
What made you choose Binghamton?
Michael Dulas: ““Picking Binghamton was all about fit. The Psychology Department was conducting a cluster hire on the neuroscience of aging, which is exactly what I study. Moreover, they had just installed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, a Siemens 3T Prisma Scanner, which is exactly what I have been using to investigate the cognitive neuroscience of memory and aging. Beyond the research fit, the culture of the department and university really stood out; faculty and staff were clearly happy in their roles/lives, inclusive to new members, and excited about the prospect of adding someone with my research background to their already strong group. On a personal note, I also went to high school in Upstate NY (Rochester), so there was a sense of familiarity with the region that really helped it feel like a potential home.”
Kimberly Harry: “Binghamton University is an exemplary R1 research university that has cutting-edge research programs and specialized research areas related to healthcare systems engineering. I elected to attend Binghamton University because of the rewarding opportunity to positively contribute to research, scholarship, and teaching within this pioneering higher education institution and within the SSIE department.”
Dali Ismail: “The short answer is research support. In my department, there are several faculty who won the NSF Career Award. After speaking to almost every faculty in the department, I was impressed by the support the computer science department and Watson College provide to the faculty to succeed in their academic careers. After joining Binghamton, I can attest to such support and encouragement.
Sadamori Kojaku: “I decided to attend Binghamton University because of its renowned reputation in the field of complex systems and the exceptional research opportunities it provides. Additionally, one of the main factors that influenced my decision was the welcoming atmosphere I experienced during my interview visit. It was a very cold day, but everyone I met was very warm and friendly!”
Adam Mathews: “I was attracted to Binghamton University because it is a leading public university that equally values and supports high-level teaching and research, which are both important to me as an academic.”
Kathleen Provinzano: “There were two primary reasons I chose Binghamton. I am a social science researcher and Binghamton’s reputation as a premier public research university was the driving force behind my decision to apply for my current position. My scholarship examines comprehensive school transformation efforts, primarily in full-service community schools. I use mixed methods designs to research and evaluate school improvement programs intended to target systemic educational inequities and improve the educational experiences of youth in under-resourced communities. This agenda aligns with the values of unity, identity, and excellence espoused by the University, College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA), and Binghamton University Community Schools (BUCS). Secondly, upon completing the on-campus interview process, I knew Binghamton was the ideal place for me because of the people and the energy and excitement they bring to campus. I have experienced a real sense of community in my short time here, which is pretty incredible.”
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