Constantina Theofanopoulou, PhD, a leading researcher in neurobiology is an accomplished flamenco dancer. She’s also a mentor for The New York Academy of Sciences.

Published April 2, 2025

By Brooke Elliott
Education Communication Intern

Image courtesy of constantinatheofanopoulou.com.

Constantina Theofanopoulou, PhD, is an accomplished neurobiologist who served as a mentor for The New York Academy of Sciences Afterschool STEM Program from 2019 to 2022. She taught biological concepts to elementary and middle school students in underserved communities across New York City, serving as a role model to young people interested in the sciences.

“The skills I gained–communication, adaptability, and inspiring curiosity–continue to shape my approach to mentoring and leading research teams today,” she said.

Her favorite part of working with young students? Their unfiltered curiosity. As they grow older, Prof. Theofanopoulou finds that adults often hesitate to ask questions out of fear of seeming naive. Children don’t have these reservations, and their relentless curiosity is both uplifting and a reminder of how essential it is to maintain an inquisitive spirit in science.

Witnessing “eureka” moments, whether it was understanding a challenging concept or successfully completing an experiment, is what made the Academy program so rewarding.

Greece, Genomics, and Greatness

Prof. Theofanopoulou grew up in Greece, and her early educational life was marked by incredible teachers across all disciplines. “I was equally thrilled to win the Kid Fairytale Prize at age seven and to represent my school in highly competitive national mathematics contests like the ‘Thales’ competition,” she said, adding that the prize was awarded by the major Greek publisher Minoas.

Captivated by the ‘mystery’ of language, she pursued linguistics for her undergraduate studies, feeling that this field stood somewhere in between the sciences and humanities. “I do believe that scientists clearly benefit from skills traditionally associated with the ‘humanities’, such as crafting clear scientific writing or developing persuasive grant proposals. Interdisciplinary abilities are essential in science and scientific leadership,” said Prof. Theofanopoulou.

After earning her PhD in Neuroscience of Langue from the University of Barcelona, she completed research stays at Duke University and Rockefeller University which earned her a “Universal PhD” title. She then pursued postdoctoral research at The Rockefeller University, with a focus on the neurobiology of speech and the genomics of social communication. She joined the faculty of CUNY Hunter College from 2022 to 2023 and now holds a position as a research assistant professor at The Rockefeller University.

Connecting Neurobiology and Dance

In addition to being an influential scientist, Prof. Theofanopoulou is also an accomplished flamenco dancer. In 2012, she was awarded first prize by the Spanish Dance Society and has been dancing since she was five years old.

It wasn’t until recently that Prof. Theofanopoulou realized she could combine her love of dance with her passion for science, using her insights into the neurobiology of dance to benefit her research in the neurobiology of speech. Because humans and select bird species (including parrots) are the only beings with advanced vocal learning abilities and clear rhythmic entrainment (dance), she hypothesized that there might be a shared neural pathway and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these two behaviors. She began exploring the two fields in tandem, integrating her choreography skills into experimental designs.

“My goal is not to inspire others to follow my exact path but rather to encourage them to identify what truly excites them and pursue it with passion and dedication,” she said.

Commitment to Diversity in Science

For Prof. Theofanopoulou, supporting underrepresented communities in science is an obvious and necessary cause. “It is profoundly unjust to exclude individuals from pursuing their passions based on identity. Scientifically, a narrow pipeline of voices can never produce the best ideas,” she said. As a woman in a male-dominated scientific field and an international scholar navigating multiple cultural and linguistic contexts, she has experienced many of the challenges that underrepresented groups face.

It’s clear that improving representation requires both a top-down and bottom-up approach, according to Prof. Theofanopoulou. Systemic support structures, such as targeted initiatives and mentorship programs like the Academy’s Afterschool STEM Program, foster inclusive lab cultures through everyday actions. It’s through this mentorship that Prof. Theofanopoulou works to improve the community for the generations of young scientists she inspires.

Learn more about the Academy’s educational initiatives and how you can become an impactful mentor just like Prof. Theofanopoulou.

Prof. Theofanopoulou will give a short lecture and showcase her flamenco dance skills during the “Rhythms of Exchange: the Latin American Influences on Flamenco Arts” event on April 15 at The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, 10065, New York, NY. This free event begins at 5 p.m. and is open to the public. RSVP today if you want to attend!

Academy Member was Female Trailblazer in Astronomy

One of the early members of The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy), Margaret Burbidge, PhD was an influential astrophysicist and proponent of women’s equality in science.

Published March 31, 2025

By Brooke Elliott
Education Communications Intern

Astrophysicist Margaret Burbidge at the Science Research Council in Holborn, London, after the announcement of her appointment as Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, November 1971. Image courtesy of Michael Webb via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed via Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. No changes made.

Margaret Burbidge, PhD was the first woman to serve as director of the Royal Observatory, a recipient of the National Medal of Science, and a designer of instruments carried aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. She was also the first director of the University of California’s Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, paving the way for generations of women in the male-dominated scientific community.

Early Life

Eleanor Margaret Peachey was born on August 12, 1919, in Davenport, northwest England to chemistry lecturer Stanley Peachey and wife Majorie Scott, who had been his student. Her early life was defined by her parents’ scientific and intellectual curiosity.

It was at just four years old, while crossing the English Channel on holiday with her parents, that Margaret’s passion for astronomy began. As she looked up into the clear night sky, she saw stars in a way she never could have imagined in urban London. She became “smitten” with astronomy, and though she excelled in all her classes, it was science she took a special interest in as she grew older.

In 1936, Burbidge enrolled at University College London, where she studied astronomy, physics, and mathematics. She graduated in 1939 with first-class honors and stayed on to receive her PhD from the University of London in 1943. While she was a student, she met fellow student Geoffrey Burbidge, and the pair married in 1948.

Breaking Down Gender Barriers

In the late 1940s, there weren’t many women in the scientific community. When Dr. Burbidge applied for the Carnegie Institution for Science fellowship, which would have given her access to the Mount Wilson Observatory in Pasadena, California, she was denied based on her gender. Women were not allowed to use the prestigious telescopes because “men making the rules somehow developed the idea that the wives of the astronomers would not like the thought of their men working with women ‘during the night’!”

Dr. Burbidge wasn’t going to let this stop her, though, and in a bold move to continue her work, she posed as her husband’s assistant to gain access to the observatory. Even then, the pair was made to live in a rustic, unheated cottage miles from the other, male, scientists, who were accommodated with a private chef.

Contributions to Astrophysics

During her decades-long career, Dr. Burbidge made many contributions not only to astrophysics but to humanity. Some of her most influential work was done in collaboration with her husband, including the landmark article “Synthesis of the Elements in Stars.”

The paper, published in 1957 and often referred to as the BBFH paper, is one of the most influential scientific articles to date and revolutionized the public’s understanding of stellar nucleosynthesis–the process by which stars create nearly all of the elements in the periodic table. They demonstrated how the essential elements–carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen–were created in the cores of stars.

She also worked with quasars, short for “quasi-stellar radio sources,” which are the brightest and most distant objects in the universe. She extensively researched the origins of these fascinating phenomena and helped to demystify them.

A Big Bang in Research

Dr. Burbidge was always a free thinker and unafraid to challenge the prevailing theories of the time. Most notable was her skepticism of the “Big Bang Theory”–the majority view in the scientific community, which states that the universe was created by a single explosion and has been expanding ever since. The Burbidges were proponents of the steady state concept, which held that the universe has no beginning and end, only the continual creation of matter.

She also helped to design the instruments aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. Launched in 1990, it has revolutionized our understanding of the universe as it orbits Earth every 95 minutes and looks back billions of years into the past.

Academia and Accomplishments

Dr. Burbidge did more than introduce new ideas to the established scientific community; she expanded the field through her teaching. During the course of her career, she worked at the California Institute of Technology, the Harvard College Observatory, the Yerkes Observatory, the University of Chicago, and the McDonald Observatory. Her commitment to education, something that had been in her family since her father’s days as a chemistry professor, increased her status as a trailblazer for aspiring scientists.

In 1985, President Ronald Reagan awarded Dr. Burbidge the National Medal of Sciences, which only 10 women have received in its history. Further, she served as director of the Royal Observatory from 1972 to 1973 without being named Astronomer Royal, another act of discrimination against her gender. It was the first time in 300 years that the positions were not held simultaneously.

Equality for Women

Dr. Burbidge’s commitment against discrimination was an important aspect of her life and work, and in 1972, she refused the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy because it was only awarded to women. In an interview with Science Magazine in 1991, she said, “If my strong feeling is against any kind of discrimination, I have to stretch that to include discrimination for women too.”

She was the first woman to serve as president of the American Astronomical Society. Other accolades include the Helen B. Warner Prize from the American Astronomical Society and the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. She was also selected as an Honorary Life Member of The New York Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Burbidge passed away in 2020 at age 100. As part of the lasting testament to her legacy in astronomy, she has an asteroid named for her, Minor Planet 5490 Burbidge.

Also read: A Pioneer in Pap Smears and Cancer Research

Navigating Your Career Pivot: Opportunities in Science Nonprofits

A group of white arrows pointing upwards, with one red arrow angled diagonally toward the top right

April 15, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET | Hybrid Event

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

Science nonprofits stand at the forefront of shaping scientific advancement through impact investing, philanthropy, education, and advocacy, and an exciting array of career opportunities for scientists exist within these organizations. This workshop, presented by Brooke Grindlinger, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of The New York Academy of Sciences, is intended to help early-career scientists (grad students, postdocs, faculty) transition to and learn about nonprofit roles.

Through interactive sessions and case studies, participants will:

Gain knowledge about the kinds of science nonprofits and the types of roles available within these organizations
Delve into skills valued by nonprofits
Identify relevant skills already existing within their repertoire and determine strategies to fill skill gaps
Explore compensation trends within science nonprofits
Gain the tools needed to plan pathways for a lab-to-nonprofit transition and investigate long-term career paths within nonprofits

Attendees are strongly encouraged to join in-person at the Academy’s space on 115 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10006 to take full advantage of the event. The program will also be offered live online.

Please note the event will begin promptly at 6:00PM.

Speaker

Dr. Brooke Grindlinger

Microbiologist Dr. Brooke Grindlinger serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at The New York Academy of Sciences. Committed to leveraging science for positive impact, she strategically guides the scientific facets of the Academy’s diverse program portfolio, spanning life, chemical, and physical sciences, as well as social sciences, nutrition, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability. A sought-after expert speaker, Dr. Grindlinger has graced prestigious platforms such as the United Nations, South by Southwest, and the US National Institutes of Health. With a knack for addressing pivotal topics at the nexus of science and society, she contributes insights to podcasts and webinars and has written for esteemed publications including The Washington Post, International Business Times, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Formerly the Science Editor for The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Dr. Grindlinger’s impactful Academy leadership garnered her recognition as a “Most Notable in Nonprofits and Philanthropy” by Crain’s New York Business Magazine.

Pricing

Member: Free

Nonmember: $20.00

Become a More Inclusive and Effective Science Communicator

Advice and insights from sci-comm professionals on how to deliver your message so that everyone has the opportunity to engage with and benefit from scientific knowledge.

Published March 7, 2025

By Lydia Jennings, PhD, Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College
Elizabeth Bojsza, MFA, Assistant Professor of Practice, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science
Amy Sharma, PhD, Executive Director, Science for Georgia
Zamara Choudhary, MA, Program Manager, The New York Academy of Sciences

In fall of 2024, The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy) partnered with 2030 STEM to produce a five-part series, titled Inclusion in STEM. The series supported the Academy’s commitment to broaden a sense of belonging in science by empowering everyone involved to contribute ideas that develop innovative solutions to society’s challenges.

One of the sessions focused on inclusive science communication, recognizing that a culture of inclusion in STEM necessitates scientific information be accessible to all communities and individuals. The Academy convened a panel of experts, each with their own unique background, who prioritize inclusive science communication in their practice.

Meet the Speakers

Lydia Jennings, PhD, Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College

In my professional training as an Indigenous soil scientist, I saw that far too often researchers come to study Indigenous communities and our ecosystems, but rarely report the results back in ways that are accessible, relevant, and culturally cognizant. I was trained to be very specific in my professional science jargon, but if I cannot share this information with the very people it pertains to, or my own family members, then how useful is it and how does it help them?

In my own path to becoming a science communicator, I began practicing by talking with friends and family about soils and my research, everyone from my nieces and nephews to my elders. I also incorporated my love of trail-running with how I share my scholarship about soils. Since there are many talented Indigenous runners, and it is how many of us know our homelands, every run became an opportunity to talk about the soil around us.

This helped me refine how I talk about soil in an accessible and concise way, get people out on the land together to run, and bring my own cultural values to my science communication. Every run became a chance to practice how I was explaining my science in accessible ways, and when I began to talk to the broader public about my work, people found my explanations both coherent and culturally grounded. In this way, my science communication became very authentic to who I am as a person.

Elizabeth (E-Beth) Bojsza, MFA, Assistant Professor of Practice, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

I have a background in theatre, and I have been an educator for many years. I am passionate about curriculum design, program evaluation, and educational equity and access.

In my theatre work, I am often the person providing feedback, asking questions, and putting myself in the audience’s point of view to better understand and inform how meaning is conveyed through choices we make. What I do in my science communication work is not all that different: science is communicated whether or not we are intentional about our message design, and whether or not we tailor our communication to our audience.

This also opens potential for bias to creep in. I think for science communication to be inclusive it needs to be intentional, and it needs to be collaborative in some way. You must have a clear goal and strategy for how you are presenting your information that considers your audience, the message you want to convey, and the possible outcomes of you delivering that message.

Amy Sharma, PhD, Executive Director, Science for Georgia

I was the science nerd in high school. I was also really interested in science outreach, from science tutoring to STEM activities for kids. I love science. I love engineering. I want everyone else to love it as well!

Science and facts have become increasingly politicized in the past 25 years. Facts distorted into weapons and belief systems. I grew up in the Washington, DC area–so policy is in my blood.

I currently run an organization that works to ensure science is activated outside of the lab and shared with others. It enables me to employ my love of science, my wanting to share it with the world, my frustration with world events, my love of policy, and my inability to walk away from issues that affect the people around us. Just like the hypothetical tree that falls in the forest, I believe research is not heard unless it is acted upon.

In academia, we reward communicating science in the most obtuse, inaccessible, jargon-filled way. While this earns people tenure, it does nothing for society or to welcome people into the tent. I’ve learned that to be a science communicator, I must be willing to be a lay-person first and scientist second. Respect is a two-way street. People will listen to me when I listen to them and empathize with their situation. Not because “I am a PhD and I said so.”

Key Takeaways to Strengthen your Science Communication

Dr. Jennings sharing her research with fellow scientists at the American Geophysical Union Annual Conference.

Empower communities, activate your research, and support your career by strengthening your science communication. Systemic change is necessary for making STEM more inclusive, but there are ways we can contribute to this process as individual science communicators.

It’s about the Five “W’s”: Who, What, When, Where and Why

To effectively determine HOW to communicate your message, you first need to know WHO is your audience? What is the age range you are speaking with? WHAT are the cultural contexts that might be familiar to your audience? What are issues of concern in the community that science helps champion? Use these questions to help explain the WHY of your message to your specific audience while enhancing engagement.

Effective communication of all types is best told through the “story of one.” Throwing large numbers around does not resonate with individuals who typically look for the “what’s in it for me” value proposition. If you are discussing advances in vaccine development, cite specific case studies WHERE it helped save lives, or conversely about the spread of a virus because of miscommunication about vaccines.

In the age of scientific distrust and misinformation, communicating information in an inclusive way is an opportunity to address misconceptions, fears, and false information directly, while building trust and encouraging action.

Listen and Ask Questions First

E-Beth facilitating the Alda Healthcare Experience healthcare team communication workshop.

Communication is something we do with our audiences. Before we sprint ahead to showcase our expertise, we should intentionally shape our communication to hear from our audiences first. Be curious about their motivation to be your audience. What are their concerns, hopes, and/or issues that can help them to see value in your science communication? What do they care about and why would your message matter to them? What are their lived experiences in relation to what you are communicating that connects to your content? Remember, your audience has their own lived expertise that can expand your understanding of the content. It’s about the story of “one”!

An important part of science communication is co-learning with your audience. What we discover in remaining curious can help us adapt our messages to empathetically meet them where they are–what terminology they know, what prior knowledge they have, what they value, and how our science is relevant to their lives.

Less is More

When talking to people about a subject that might be new to them, our tendency is to overcompensate and pile on the facts, figures, and explanations. “How could someone possibly understand the energy grid without first understanding particle physics?”

Our audience is then almost guaranteed to become disengaged and overwhelmed. Instead think about: What is my goal here? If a person remembers only one thing from our conversation and then tells it to their neighbor, what do I want it to be? Ground your communication in that one thing. And then think about a way to get it to relate to your audience. Use that strategy to keep your science communication straightforward and oriented on your goal. Remember, the five “W’s” and the story of “one”!

Tell Your Story and Share Your Knowledge with Everyone

Dr. Sharma speaking at the annual Environmental Justice and Climate Protection Conference.

We are all lifelong learners with knowledge to offer and to gain. As science professionals, we may be experts in our fields, but there is always so much to learn from those around us, regardless of their background or career stage. By connecting science with storytelling and shared experiences, we open avenues of communication that break down hierarchies and expose us to dynamic new ideas and perspectives. Our science and research are made better when we acknowledge all perspectives.

When sharing this knowledge, it is important to acknowledge and give credit to our sources, even if they may be nontraditional. As science professionals, we have an obligation and duty to be stewards of knowledge. We engage in this work because we believe in the ability of science to create a better world, and we are passionate about learning and getting others excited about science. A great science communicator not only contributes to their field, but also a more broader, well-informed citizenry that serves society as a whole.

Resources for Further Learning

Inclusive Science Communication Resources: from University of Rhode Island’s Inclusive SciComm Symposium at the Metcalf Institute
Run to Be Visible: short film by Lydia Jennings, PhD, where she honors Indigenous scientists of the past, present, and future
Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science: located at Stony Brook University, the center provides professional development and graduate programs dedicated to science communication
Science for Georgia: a nonprofit dedicated to getting science out of the lab and onto the street. Provides SciComm training, stand-up comedy training, and advocacy training and ways to act upon your knowledge.

Course: How to Effectively Communicate Your Science to Any Audience

Format & Duration

Online synchronous

4 weeks

Time Commitment

4 one-hour Online Sessions 
February 28, March 5, March 12, March 19 

9am – 10am EST

Post-Course Recognition

A certificate of completion from the New York Academy of Sciences

A personalized endorsement on LinkedIn for science communication skill written by your instructor

Course Objectives

This course and community are custom-built for scientists to help you:

Get funding for your research or investment in your startup
Effectively present your work to your key stakeholders in ways that demonstrate its impact and value
Land your dream job

This course will teach you a proven system that course graduates have used to achieve these actual results:

Successful grants unlocking research funding from state and federal agencies
“Game-changing” presentation skills for demonstrating impact to key leaders
Aced job interviews leading to industry positions straight from Ph.D. programs

What Participants Get

In this highly interactive online course, you’ll get:

4 live, one-hour webinars
One-on-one feedback and responses to your questions
A video you’ll record yourself – and get to keep – that incorporates two rounds of personalized feedback you’ll receive on your application of the course’s proven methodology to your own specific research or priority issue
Recordings of all group sessions to watch at your convenience
Responsive email support to address any questions or issues arising between session
Mentoring and networking opportunities with easy-to-approach fellow group members
Fireside chats with experts in professional development, communication and more
Ask-Me-Anything with special guests

You’ll also get:

A certificate of completion from the New York Academy of Sciences
A personalized endorsement on LinkedIn for science communication skill written by your instructor

Note: Participants must satisfactorily complete the required course assignments to be eligible for a certificate of completion and a personalized LinkedIn endorsement from the instructor.

BONUS:

The first 10 people who register for the course also will receive a 30-minute consulting call with the instructor FOR FREE - in addition to the 4 group sessions.

During the call, you can focus on topics such as how to:

Improve the lay abstract for a grant you’re writing
Prepare for your upcoming job interview
Refine a presentation you will be giving to colleagues

Instructor

Mark Bayer is President of Bayer Strategic Consulting and specializes in helping scientists sharpen communication and leadership skills so they can get funding, accelerate career advancement, and build key professional relationships.

A former Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Mark developed the Savvy Scientist System TM to enable scientists to achieve their goals in corporate, policy, and non-profit environments.

Mark is an international keynote speaker and online course instructor. His work has appeared in Science Magazine, The New Yorker, The National Postdoc Association’s Postdocket online magazine, Politico and other publications.

A magna cum laude graduate of Cornell University, Mark earned his Master in Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Syllabus

Session 1

”Know your audience” is a typical, yet vague and essentially unhelpful, guide for communicators. This session delves deeply into the specifics of why connection is a prerequisite for communication, the variety of different – and key – connection points, how to identify which connection points will resonate with your particular listeners, and where to find such connections.

Session 2

Guided by learnings in Session 1, participants see how proven rhetorical devices like allusion and metaphor and persuasion principles such as social proof, authority, and specificity, can help them translate descriptions of their work into concise, accessible, and interesting presentations. In the post-session exercise, students practice what they’ve learned by self-recording a 90-second video description of their research to be workshopped in Session 3.

Session 3

This session is devoted to working through and providing personalized feedback on participant videos. Specific takeaways are shared with each participant, who then records a Version 2.0 of his or her video reflecting feedback.

Session 4

Session 4 integrates learnings from the previous three sessions and focuses on review of participants’ Version 2.0 videos. After two rounds of personalized feedback, each participant has a durable example of high-impact communication about his or her priority content that can serve as a resource moving forward.

Chat with a Scientist: Marine Conservation

October 22, 2023

Join The New York Academy of Sciences, in partnership with NEOM, for a virtual Chat with a Scientist series, where you will gain insights into the significance of the oceans and their impact on our global ecosystem.

The ocean covers approximately 70% of Earth’s surface, and is a vital force in supporting the planet’s biodiversity and sustaining life, yet there is still so much left to be discovered and explored. Each one-hour event in this six part series will feature scientists, advocates, and leaders whose work focuses on marine life and the oceans themselves, and who will help shed light on the importance of understanding these vast bodies of water and their connection to life on land.

Participants will not only expand their knowledge, but also gain valuable insights into the world of scientific exploration and discovery. Most importantly, guest speakers will be available to answer questions directly from viewers, allowing you to engage with these experts in a meaningful way. While the events primarily target middle and high school students, attendees of all ages are welcome, and we especially encourage students to participate alongside their families.

About the Series

The Chat with a Scientist series inspires young people by offering relatable role models, raising awareness about the range of STEM careers, and fostering a lifelong love for science. Learn more about the series.

Q&A with Academy Board Member Armen Avanessians

A man in a suit and tie poses for the camera.

Armen Avanessians is the former Head and Chief Investment Officer, Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s (GSAM) Quantitative Investment Strategies Group and is currently a member of the Board of Governors for The New York Academy of Sciences. With an educational background in electrical engineering, and extensive professional experience in finance, he brings a valuable perspective to the Board. We interviewed him to learn more about his background, how engineering principles can be applied to the world of finance, and why he chose to get involved with the Academy.

Published February 4, 2025

By Nick Fetty
Academy Contributor

*some quotes have been edited for length and clarity

What does being a member of the Academy’s board mean to you?

The highest value I can find is being useful — offering my support in ways that inspire and bring value to others.

How did you first become interested in the Academy’s work?

Several colleagues of mine have served on the Board. I became more engaged when Nick Dirks, who knew me from Columbia University, joined the Board. He brought me in to help reimagine the Academy. Given my engineering background and experience on other boards like Columbia, MIT, the National Museum of Mathematics, and FIRST robotics, Nick felt I could add value, and I joined with that intent.

How does your personal or professional background inform your involvement or your commitment to the Academy?

I started as an electrical engineer at Bell Laboratories in the early eighties, working on chip design. Bell Labs had a unique model: research work, even theoretical, could be capitalized by AT&T. After the divestiture, that model broke, and AT&T shifted to focusing on making money more directly. This shift led me to be interested in understanding money itself, which ultimately led me to Goldman Sachs. Finance, at its core, is the study of money, and I saw an opportunity to apply my quantitative skills to this field, helping create what became known as “strats”.

Strats brought the scientific method—making observations to build models that explain the past and testing their ability to predict the future—into finance.

Which is the one Academy program or initiative that excites you the most. And why?

Education. My focus across philanthropic efforts, from MIT to the Fund for Armenian Relief, has always been on science education—at all levels. Whether it’s inspiring children in grade school or engaging university students, I believe science is more than subjects like physics or chemistry. It’s a mindset, a method for understanding the world.

Engaging young people in the scientific method—observing, building models, testing ideas—helps them gain knowledge, and that excites me most about the Academy.

Chat with Experts featuring Munazza Alam, PhD

May 15, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET

Are you interested in building a career in STEM? Join The New York Academy of Sciences for an exciting monthly online event series designed to explore the vast opportunities within STEM fields. This series offers unique access to experts across industries.

Each session features guest speakers from distinguished organizations, including Noven Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and more. Gain invaluable insights into their career journeys, the roles they hold today, and the innovative work they do.

Engage in live Q&A sessions to ask questions that will help shape your own career path. Whether actively pursuing a STEM career or simply exploring possibilities, this event series provides the tools and knowledge you need to succeed.

This series is open to all, regardless of age or background, and is the perfect opportunity to network and learn. Don’t miss your chance to connect with leading STEM professionals and take the next step in your career journey!

This is the eighth session in the Chat with Experts series, and it will feature Munazza Alam, PhD, Assistant Astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSCI). Explore the full lineup of events in the series.

Speaker

Munazza Alam, PhD

Dr. Munazza Alam is an astronomer, National Geographic Young Explorer, and staff scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD. Munazza uses data from the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes for her research, as well as world-class ground-based facilities at the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawai’i and the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

Pricing

Member: Free

Nonmember: $10.00

By attending this session, you will receive an exclusive 50% discount for upcoming events in the series.

Chat with Experts featuring Tom Ulrich, ScM

April 10, 2025 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET

This is the seventh session in the Chat with Experts series, and it will feature Tom Ulrich, ScM, Associate Director of Science Communications at Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Explore the full lineup of events in the series.

Speaker

Tom Ulrich, ScM

Tom Ulrich is the associate director for science communications at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He has worked as a science writer and communicator for nearly 25 years, after completing a master’s degree in microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and realizing he was much better at talking and writing about science than actually doing it. Over the years, he worked in philanthropy, marketing, public relations, and academic communications, including at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, and Boston Children’s Hospital.

Tom is dedicated to supporting the development of science communications professionals through collaboration, mentorship, and community building.

Pricing

Member: Free

Nonmember: $10.00

By attending this session, you will receive an exclusive 50% discount for upcoming events in the series.

New Journal Provides Career Advancing Platform for Teen Researchers

The new publication will follow the same rigorous standards as traditional academic journals, and will foster interdisciplinary dialog and thoughtful innovation among emerging changemakers.

New York, NY | January 13, 2025 – Convergence, a new peer reviewed journal launched today by Indigo Research and The New York Academy of Sciences, will provide a platform for aspiring students in the humanities and STEAM, to publish their own work across a variety of genres including academic research, essays and opinion pieces.

Convergence, published in partnership with The New York Academy of Sciences, was founded on the principle that fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and innovation among emerging scholars will enable the development of future STEAM talent, crucial to solving global issues and advancing sustainable development. Convergence will also feature genres that allow students to express themselves to different audiences, building communication skills that are vital for building trust in science and experts in general.

As a double-blind peer-reviewed publication, Convergence will advance the most rigorous academic work produced by young scholars today. Its mission is to promote curiosity, critical thinking, and creative expression among the next generation of scholars and thinkers. Its rigorous standards are designed to ensure that all published research meets the highest standards of scientific inquiry, including ethical considerations, rigorous methodology, and appropriate data analysis techniques.

“The launch of this new journal is another step in the Academy’s mission to advance science by supporting and promoting diverse voices in the sciences,” said Meghan Groome, PhD, Senior Vice President, Education, The New York Academy of Sciences. “Our partnership with the Indigo Research team provides us with the perfect alliance to fulfill a critical need in professional development of young scientists.”

“Until now, the best and brightest high school students have lacked a venue to publish cross-disciplinary research that maintains the standards and practices of a professional academic journal,” said Gabe Gladstein, Founder of Indigo Research. “Working with thousands of these students over the past decade, I’ve seen the remarkable talent and innovation that exists globally in this age group. I’m proud that The New York Academy of Sciences is leading the charge to remove barriers, from age to institutional associations, that have limited access to publication and recognition for far too long. For students, the value of publishing in Convergence will be felt for years to come, activating and evidencing their intellectual curiosity and sparking an investigative passion that will last long into their careers.”

English-language submissions from students under 18 years of age are welcome on a rolling basis. Submissions may cover various disciplines, with particular interest in interdisciplinary work straddling both STEM and humanities topics. This includes Engineering, Medicine, Computer Science, Law, Politics, Humanities, Philosophy, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, and Mathematics. Manuscripts should be between 5,000-10,000 words and formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style. Comprehensive submission requirements are detailed in the submission guidelines.

Submitted manuscripts will be reviewed by an editorial board consisting of academic researchers who collectively share decades of experience in publishing and higher education. The editorial board will determine viability for peer review by experts in the related discipline of study. Authors who are selected to move forward with revisions will have one month to implement the recommendations made by the reviewers.

Accepted manuscripts will be copy edited and then reviewed as a complete issue by the editorial board prior to the publication of the journal. As with most academic publications, Convergence Journal has a table of submission fees which are waived in the case of financial need. More information may be found at: Convergence Journal.

Available for interview and comment:

Meghan Groome, PhD
Senior Vice President, Education
The New York Academy of Sciences
media@nyas.org

Mohini Bishnoi
General Manager
Indigo Research
convergencejournal@indigoresearch.org

About Indigo Research

Indigo Research is the premier provider of academic research mentorship for students in high school and college. With a curriculum designed by graduates of Harvard and Oxford, Indigo Research pairs students with a professor, or PhD teaching fellow at a top university to provide one-on-one guidance as they produce exceptional, publishable research, nurturing their intellectual curiosity and enhancing their academic profile in preparation for college, graduate school, and beyond. Please visit us online at: Indigo Research.

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