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Lyceum Society: Lithium Processing

An abstract graphic.

November 3, 2025 | 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM ET

Presented by the Lyceum Society

To attend, click the “Register” button at the time of the presentation. It will take you directly to the Zoom call.

Welcome and Introductions: 11:30 AM to 11:45 AM

Main Presentation: 11:45 AM to 2:30 PM

Lithium Processing: Challenges for Refining and Recycling

In the late twentieth century, lithium changed from a metal of limited economic importance to an essential component of the modern economy. The distribution of lithium resources on Earth and the technology for its recovery have implications for geopolitics, the economy, and the environment. Join us as we explore the connections between the properties of this unique metal, the challenges in its extraction and recycling, and its role in the modern world.

Speaker

Dr. Mark Kobrak received his BA degree in Chemistry and Integrated Science from Northwestern University, and his PhD in Chemistry from University of Chicago.  He joined the faculty of Brooklyn College in 2001, serving as Chair from 2009-2011 and again from 2020-2023.  His work centers on the physical chemistry of ionic liquids, a class of salts that are molten at room temperature.  Recent efforts have included the development of novel metal extraction technologies.  He has received multiple fellowships supporting research work at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and was a visiting researcher at University of Groningen in the Netherlands in 2017.

As a faculty member, Kobrak has pursued an eclectic collection of projects.  Examples include establishing the department’s industrial internship program, co-authoring a science education article on the physics of solar sails, and serving as a scientific consultant on a film featuring Paracelsian alchemy.  He has also revised the laboratory curricula of five different undergraduate courses and written a 480 page free textbook to help students transition from general to organic chemistry.

Pricing

All: Free

About the Series

The Lyceum Society is a collegial venue promoting fellowship, education, and discussion among retired members of The New York Academy of Sciences. Learn more and explore other events hosted by the Lyceum Society.

Autoimmunity Meets Innovation: Cell Therapies

Joining leading experts at the forefront of cell biology, immunology, and autoimmunity research for a one-day event on April 30th, 2026, in New York City. The New York Academy of Sciences invites you to Autoimmunity Meets Innovation: Cell Therapies, where top researchers from academic institutions and industry professionals, as well as regulatory experts, will explore the scientific and implementation opportunities for advancing cell therapy approaches in autoimmunity. Autoimmune diseases affect a significant portion of the population, imposing substantial economic and societal burdens due to their chronic nature and profoundly impacting the quality of life for those affected.

Cutting-edge cell therapies, including CAR-T cells, CAR-Treg cells, CAR-NK cells, and CAR-MSC cells, have the potential to transform the landscape of autoimmune disease treatment. Early-stage clinical trials are already underway for a range of autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and others.

This symposium will highlight progress in the development of disruptive scientific approaches and game-changing technologies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases in both pre-clinical and clinical contexts. Don’t miss the chance to engage in dialogue and collaboration with renowned experts who will pave the way for an ecosystem that supports future scientific breakthroughs in autoimmunity research and treatment.

Sponsors

Presented By

The Biochemical Pharmacology
Discussion Group

Lead Supporters

Pfizer logo

Let’s Talk Genetics: A Workshop for Educators and Science Communicators

A graphic with a DNA helix.

December 2, 2025 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET

How does your health relate to your genes? What can (and what can’t) commercial ancestry testing tell you? How does law enforcement use DNA in criminal investigations? Join Personal Genetics Education and Dialogue (PGED) for an interactive workshop about genetics advances and their applications, including how to foster conversations about these topics in classrooms and community spaces.

Participants will learn about how genetics can intersect with personal and societal interests, including the use of genetic information in health, ancestry testing, and law enforcement. They will participate throughout the workshop, including in an online game, and will be encouraged to ask questions and share their perspectives with other attendees. Although this interactive workshop is geared towards educators and scientists interested in public engagement, anyone interested in genetics is welcome to attend.

Please note that the workshop is limited to live attendance and will not be recorded.

Sponsor

Personal Genetics Education and Dialogue (PGED) is a public engagement with science program based in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. For over eighteen years, they have raised awareness and inspired curiosity, reflection, and dialogue about genetics. They create resources and offer programs that explore the relevance and impact of genetics in people’s lives. By highlighting the “personal” in genetics, they strive to help people build knowledge and confidence to speak up, ask questions, and make informed decisions based on their needs and values.

Speaker

Rob O’Malley, PhD

Strategic Engagement Lead, Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED), Harvard Medical School

Rob is a biological anthropologist who shifted from a career studying wild chimpanzees to one focused on public engagement with science. Rob has expertise in evidence-based public engagement approaches, with a particular interest in how history, culture, and worldview (including faith and spirituality) inform peoples’ perspectives on genetics and related sciences. He helps to develop and facilitate workshops, co-creates and edits formal and informal education resources, and identifies and pursues grants and other funding opportunities to support PGED’s work. Rob is also the education committee co-chair for the American Association of Biological Anthropologists (AABA).

Pricing

All: Free

The New Wave of AI in Healthcare 2026

The New York Academy of Sciences is proud to present The New Wave of AI in Healthcare 2026.

Artificial intelligence and digital technologies are transforming healthcare at an unprecedented pace—reshaping how we diagnose, treat, and deliver care. From advanced machine learning applications to real-world evidence and patient-facing digital tools, innovation is accelerating rapidly, bringing both extraordinary promise and complex challenges for clinicians, researchers, and regulators.

To spotlight these breakthroughs, the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and The New York Academy of Sciences will host a two-day, in-person symposium in New York City The New Wave of AI in Healthcare. 

This premier event will convene leading scientists, clinicians, industry innovators, and policy experts at the intersection of computer science and medicine to share cutting-edge research, explore pressing ethical and regulatory considerations, and build collaborations that shape the future of healthcare. The symposium will not only showcase the latest scientific advances but also foster interdisciplinary dialogue and networking to ensure that AI-driven healthcare innovations are equitable, ethical, and impactful.

Sponsors

Presented By

The New York Academy of Sciences logo

207th Annual Meeting of The New York Academy of Sciences

An abstract graphic.

November 6, 2025 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET

115 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10006

Please note this is a members-only event. Any non-members who attempt to register will not receive any confirmation details as they are not eligible to attend.

The movie screening will be available exclusively to in-person attendees. Virtual participants will not have access to the screening.

Join us for the 207th Annual Meeting of The New York Academy of Sciences. Academy Chair of the Board Peter Salovey and Senior Vice President Chenelle Bonavito Martinez will kick off the event with a welcome, followed by President and CEO Nicholas Dirks, who will share updates on the Academy’s latest initiatives.

The program will also feature a special screening of Wild Hope: Mission Impossible. This compelling film highlights the late-career epiphany of renowned scientist Pat Brown, who abandoned his academic career to fight global warming and biodiversity collapse. Against all odds, he developed the revolutionary and delicious plant-based Impossible Burger, which has had a profound impact on the global food industry.

Members won’t want to miss this exclusive in-person-only screening, offering a unique look at one of the most impactful scientific breakthroughs of our time.

Sponsored by

HHMI and Tangled Bank Studios Logo

Official Business

  • During this meeting, you will vote for the 2025 Board of Governors.
  • You will be asked to approve the minutes of The New York Academy of Sciences 206th Annual Meeting of Membership held November 14, 2024.

Agenda

Please note the agenda is subject to change.

5:30 – 5:35 PM

Welcome Address to Academy Members – C. Martinez, P. Salovey

5:35 – 5:40 PM

New Business – P. Salovey

5:40 – 5:45 PM

Finance Report – C. Peeters, A. Miller

5:45 – 5:53 PM

President’s Report – N. Dirks

  • Update on Academy Programs

5:53 – 5:58 PM

Q&A

5:58 – 6:00 PM

Closing Remarks and Adjournment – P. Salovey

6:00 – 7:30 PM

Movie Screening of Wild Hope: Mission Impossible & Q&A

Available exclusively to in-person attendees.

  • Introduction of film, shared by Jared Lipworth, Executive Producer at HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
  • 40-minute movie screening
  • Q&A with Pat Brown and Jared Lipworth, moderated by Nick Dirks

Pricing

Member: Free

This event is exclusive to Academy members.

Moral Conviction

This special issue focuses on morality in a broad sense, including ideologies. Morality is often seen as a force for good in facilitating group living and cooperation, but it also has a darker side. Strong moral convictions can breed dogmatism, intolerance, and political polarization and even motivate violent collective actions—a phenomenon deserving deeper interdisciplinary exploration. Edited by Dr. Jean Decety, University of Chicago.

Distinguished Lecture Series: Kwame Edwin Otu

The logo for The New York Academy of Sciences Anthropology Section.

April 13, 2026 | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM ET

115 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10006
or join virtually by Zoom

Join us for our Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Kwame Edwin Otu.

Speaker

Kwame Edwin Otu

Associate Professor of African Anthropology,
African Studies Program,
Georgetown University

Pricing

All: Free

About the Series

Since 1877, the Anthropology Section of The New York Academy of Sciences has served as a meeting place for scholars in the Greater New York area. The section strives to be a progressive voice within the anthropological community and to contribute innovative perspectives on the human condition nationally and internationally. Learn more and view other events in the Anthropology Section series.

An Archaeology of Plastics: From Small Things Forgotten to the Synthetic Revolution

The logo for The New York Academy of Sciences Anthropology Section.

March 2, 2026 | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM ET

115 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10006
or join virtually by Zoom

Doors open: 4:15 pm
Presentation and Q&A: 4:30 – 6:00 pm
Reception with light refreshments: 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Join us for our Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Pamela Geller.

­Small plastic things forgotten, to riff on historical archaeologist James Deetz, are born from scientific innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. As a case study, I consider the ubiquitous though taken for granted polyethylene T-shirt bag. Low-cost, convenience, and durability are some reasons it is accorded utilitarian value. But at what price, in what kind of conditions, and for how long? In answer, I track the lifecycle of this plastic artifact, “excavating” backwards from landfill (or incinerator) to recycling facility to storage space to factory floor. This contextualization reveals typological attributes and degradation processes that refute commonsensical narratives, most of which have been industry generated, about the plastic bag’s harmlessness and inevitability.

Beyond description, analysis of small plastic things forgotten also invites us to draw inferences about the human condition as it has unfolded from the early 20 th century onward. An archaeology of plastics—not just of polyethylene bags but also of Bakelite buttons, nylon stockings, PET bottles, red Solo cups, dental floss picks, etc.—certainly evidences the Plastic Age, as prior writers have remarked. Here I argue for plastics as the catalyst of a more sweeping Synthetic Revolution. Relationally speaking, what attributes does this revolution share with prior ones (i.e., Neolithic, Urban, Industrial), and how is it distinctive? There is also a sense of evolution in the revolution. Does the Synthetic Revolution’s radical transformation of societies, ontologies, ecosystems, and species herald progress or retrogress? Or does the linearity of cultural evolutionary logic prove inadequate for understanding life on a damaged planet?

Speakers

Speaker

Pamela Geller
Pamela Geller

Professor of Anthropology,
University of Miami

Discussant

Zoe Crossland
Zoe Crossland

Professor of Anthropology,
University of Miami

Pricing

All: Free

About the Series

Since 1877, the Anthropology Section of The New York Academy of Sciences has served as a meeting place for scholars in the Greater New York area. The section strives to be a progressive voice within the anthropological community and to contribute innovative perspectives on the human condition nationally and internationally. Learn more and view other events in the Anthropology Section series.

Anthropology Graduate Student Speed Networking Night

The logo for The New York Academy of Sciences Anthropology Section.

December 10, 2025 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET

CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5th Ave, Room 6402 (Brockway Room),
New York, NY 10016

Meet fellow New York area anthropology graduate students in this fast-paced networking event! Rotate through 3–5 minute chats and connect across research interests. Refreshments will be served. All Master’s and PhD students in anthropology and anthropology-adjacent fields in the New York area are welcome.

  • Build spaces of collaboration
  • Practice your elevator pitch
  • Find people with similar interests

Note: CUNY students are required to show a valid CUNY ID at the front desk in the lobby and non-CUNY visitors are required to show a government-issued photo ID upon entering the building.

Pricing

All: Free

About the Series

Since 1877, the Anthropology Section of The New York Academy of Sciences has served as a meeting place for scholars in the Greater New York area. The section strives to be a progressive voice within the anthropological community and to contribute innovative perspectives on the human condition nationally and internationally. Learn more and view other events in the Anthropology Section series.

Academy’s Past – Moving on Up(town)

An old shot of the exterior of an NYC mansion.

The Academy would spend more than half a century in its next home, which was located on the city’s Upper East Side.

Published August 28, 2025

By Nick Fetty

Ziegler-Woolworth Mansion | 2 E. 63rd Street | 1949-2005

When the Academy moved into the Ziegler-Woolworth Mansion on East 63rd Street it once again had its own standalone facility. The mansion served as the Academy’s home into the 21st century.

The Academy’s procurement of this space can be directly attributed to Eunice Miner, the Academy’s leader as Executive Director for three decades, from 1939 to 1967. Among her many accomplishments, Miner played a significant role in growing the Academy’s membership through the middle of the 20th century. She also directly inspired Norman Woolworth to gift his mansion to the Academy after hearing a talk she gave about the need for a permanent home.

The 32-room mansion, designed by Frederick Sterners and constructed in 1921, first served as a home for William Ziegler, Jr., the Iowa-born, adopted nephew of William Ziegler, Sr., who made his fortune as a co-founder of the Royal Baking Powder Company. Junior, and his first wife, lived in the mansion for barely a year before their marriage ended in divorce. Though plans were initially discussed to convert the building into an actors’ hospital, the mansion was instead purchased by Norman Woolworth in 1929, where he would reside with his family before giving it to the Academy.

Essentially in its Native State Today

The massive neo-Italian Renaissance style house is roughly 75-feet wide and extends to the back of the property line. The building features a courtyard reminiscent of “a Roman villa.” The New York Times reported that several of the architectural highlights were imported from Europe, including a mantel from Florence and marble flooring from Tuscany, as well as wood paneling from London. At the time the Academy moved in, the house was full of spike-studded oak and bronze doors while the first-floor ceilings were adorned with intricate plaster reliefs.

Because of its elegant architecture, the building was often rented out for weddings and other events, providing the Academy a source of revenue. To move its headquarters to 7 World Trade Center, the Academy sold the mansion in 2005. While it has since undergone renovation and a name change to the Academy Mansion, it retains many of its original features.

The Academy was now ready to return to its roots with its move back to lower Manhattan.

This is the ninth piece in an eleven-part series exploring the Academy’s past homes. Read:

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