Faculty News & Kudos

Professor Gaffar Gailani, with co-PIs Professor Denise Sutton, and Professors Sidi  Berri, Akm Rahman, and Angran Xiao were awarded a $570K grant

Professor Gaffar Gailani (Mechanical Engineering Technology), with co-PIs Professor Denise Sutton (Business), and Professors Sidi  Berri, Akm Rahman, and Angran Xiao (Mechanical Engineering Technology) were awarded a $570K grant from the National Science Foundation’s ATE program for Technician Training for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials. The project is a collaboration between NYU and City Tech’s Mechanical Engineering and Business departments, and will include a college-wide “Smart Tank Competition” to promote student entrepreneurship

Professor Ashwani Bedi (Adjunct, Architectural Technology) was recently promoted to Director of Structural Engineering

City Tech Adjunct Professor of Architectural Technology, Ashwani Bedi, was recently promoted to Director of Structural Engineering at the New York City Department of Design & Construction (DDC).

He brings close to 40 years of experience, working with various national and international consulting firms, and has been with the DDC for over 17 years.

Bedi started with the DDC as a Senior Structural Design Review Engineer in 2005 and had been the Deputy Director of Engineering there since 2016. He has been involved in several in-house design projects and has led the Forensic and Building Sciences group analyzing and assisting with engineering issues, Mayoral priorities and emergencies arising on various projects.

Licensed in New York and New Jersey as a Professional Engineer, Bedi holds a Master’s in Structural Engineering from NYU, a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Pratt and an Associate’s in Construction Technology from City Tech. He has been an Adjunct Professor in the College’s Department of Architectural Technology since 2006 and is the co-author of Structure for Architects (Wiley, 2012) and Structure for Architects: A Case Study in Steel, Wood, and Reinforced Concrete Design (Routledge, 2019).

The DDC is New York City’s primary capital construction project manager, building many of the civic facilities New Yorkers use every day. Its staff members provide communities with new or renovated structures such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, courthouses and senior centers. They also design and improve vital infrastructure such as roadways, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs to ensure a healthy and resilient city.

For more information about the New York City Department of Design and Construction, visit www1.nyc.gov/site/ddc/index.page.

Professor Viviana Acquaviva (Physics) is one of seven researchers selected for the Simons Foundation’s first class of Pivot Fellows

Professor Viviana Acquaviva (Physics) is one of seven researchers selected for the Simons Foundation’s first class of Pivot Fellows. The program will support the seven accomplished researchers as they apply their talent and expertise to a new field in mathematics or the natural sciences. Each fellow will receive support for one year of training in their new field under a mentor, followed by the opportunity to apply for up to three years of research funding in the new discipline. Professor Acquaviva is an astrophysicist using data science techniques to study the universe, and she will be a Climate Scientist in training under the new program. Read more about her work and the program here.

Dr. Reginald Blake, Dr. Hamid Norouzi, and Dr. Akm Samsur Rahman were awarded a $88,445 grant

Dr. Reginald Blake, Dr. Hamid Norouzi, and Dr. Akm Samsur Rahman were awarded a $88,445 grant for a 22-month period for their collaborative research project “Understanding Climate and Extreme Weather Events in the Greater New York Area” as part of the Department of Energy (DOE) Research and Development Partnership Pilots program. The DOE granted $4.7 million in funding for 35 new projects to colleges and universities that are under-represented in its foundational climate, earth, and environmental science research investments. The grants aim to position under-represented academic institutions to make major scientific contributions in support of the DOE’s science mission.

CUNY’s Black, Race and Ethnic Studies Initiative (BRESI) recently announced the award of 126 grants to fund BRESI-related projects from more than 500 proposals submitted across the University in July. Congratulations to our City Tech awardees and their teams!

• Professor Marzi Azarderakhsh (Construction Management & Civil Engineering Technology)
  Providing Mentored Student Research Opportunity to Achieve Equity and Environmental Justice
• Professor Mary Ann Biehl (Communication Design)
  Self Portraits: Explorations of Identity
• Professor Renata Ferdinand (African American Studies)
  Where My Girls At?: Bringing Black and Latinx Girlhood from the Margins to the Center

BRESI is supported by a generous gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. A complete list of awardees can be found here.

Julia V. Jordan has been selected as the Department’s Distinguished Alumna

Ms. Julia V. Jordan is a Professor Emeritus from New York City College of Technology, CUNY, where she dedicated 40 years of service to excellence in education at her alma mater. Professor Jordan retired in 2021, not before leaving an indelible mark on the department and college. As an educator, Julia inspired countless students and as the Director of the College’s Faculty Commons, she mentored and influenced a myriad of faculty and staff members. Among her contributions to the community, Ms. Jordan serves on the Board of Directors for Spoons Across America as Founding Member and Trustee Emeritus.

Spoons Across America has been selected as the Department’s Outstanding Industry Partner

Spoons Across America, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating. Spoons mission is to influence the eating habits of children through hands-on education that celebrates the connection to local farmers and the important tradition of sharing meals around the family table. For years, Hospitality Management students have volunteered to help carry out their mission through classroom visits culminating in a prestigious “Dinner Party” event which included students, their parents and friends.

Laura Fung has been selected as the Janet Lefler Academic Achievement Award recipient

The Janet Lefler Academic Achievement Award is given to the graduating Hospitality Management student who demonstrates a sustained commitment to outstanding scholastic achievement.

To see Ms. Fung’s address to her classmates as well as a complete list of the Department’s student awardees, visit the Hospitality Management webpage on the New York City College of Technology website on May 31, 2022. The video presentation will also include messages from Distinguished Alumna, Professor Emeritus, Julia Jordan and Mr. James Grosso, Executive Director of Spoons Across America.

Keith Whitmoyer translated a book written by foundational philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty

Professor Keith Whitmoyer, adjunct assistant professor of philosophy (Department of Social Sciences) translated a book written by foundational philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty that has just been published (January 2022) by Northwestern University Press. Titled The Possibility of Philosophy, the book presents the notes that Maurice Merleau-Ponty prepared for three courses he taught at the Collège de France. They provide indications of the new ontology that informed The Visible and the Invisible, a posthumously published work that was under way at the same time. 

Caroline Hellman appointed Executive Assistant in the Office of the President

Professor Caroline Hellman has been appointed Executive Assistant in the Office of the President assuming many of the responsibilities formerly held by Dr. Stephen Soiffer, who recently retired. She will oversee the Offices of Communication, and Image and Visual Communication, and play a leadership role in managing the external image of the College. Dr. Hellman has served as a Professor in City Tech’s Department of English since 2007 and is a CUNY Leadership Institute Fellow with a strong interest in public higher education policy. We welcome Caroline to her new role at the College!