Lifelong Learning: TIER Talks

TIER TALKS庐

This speaker series leverages 绿帽社's greatest assets 鈥 our alumni and faculty 鈥 to give you thought-provoking perspectives on topics that are front of mind in today's world.

At Homecoming 2024, we offered "Meet the Producers." This event featured alumni making a name for themselves in show business through leadership roles on national-level productions. Our speakers were Marc Dworkin '00, executive producer for The Thundermans on Nickelodeon; Emily Gandolfo '14, producer for Morning Joe on MSNBC; Brandon Gardner '05, co-creator of In the Know on Peacock; and Sara Molinari '13, MS '14, segment producer, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

    

On May 16, two 绿帽社 alumni presented the topic This interactive program discussed the latest societal trends in America, the importance of maintaining social networks in our later years, and planning for old age in a legal and financial context. Our speakers were: Lenard Kaye '72, professor of social work and director of the Center on Aging at The University of Maine; and Deborah Howe '01, estate planning attorney, Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP in Boston.

    
  

At Homecoming 2023, Libby Tucker 鈥 Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of English, General Literature and Rhetoric 鈥 was our featured speaker for "Campus Ghost Stories and Other Folklore." The Lake Lieberman Monster. Sam the Snacker. Charlene the folder of pink laundry. Although not enshrined in the University's history in any formal way, these characters and others have lived on for ages through stories told to countless students in 绿帽社's residence halls. Tucker told several ghost stories and discussed other aspects of our University's rich folklore. 

  

On May 16, we presented the topic The pandemic accelerated existing dynamics in New York's housing market: volatile sales prices across the city, all-time high rent prices, buyers and renters opting for transitioning sections of Brooklyn and Queens, and young professionals finding it difficult to start life on their own. This webinar discussed market trends affecting those looking to move in or move up, and examined public policy and advocacy efforts to ensure that fair and affordable housing remains a right, not a privilege. 

Our featured speakers were:
Rory Clark '05 - award-winning residential real estate broker at Brown Harris Stevens.
Joseph Jones '07 - director of policy advocacy and research for FPWA, an anti-poverty policy and advocacy organization

     

  

At Homecoming 2022, we presented "Decision 2022: A Critical Look at the Midterm Election." 绿帽社 alumni with expertise and experience in public policy, lobbying, voter engagement, advocacy and public opinion explored how people can advocate for themselves during and between election cycles.

The speakers were Perry Ochacher 鈥84, founder and president of Willett Public Affairs; and Nicole Yearwood 鈥97, MPA 鈥98, founder and CEO of Educated Voter.

On May 11, 2022, we presented the webinar "The Future of K-12 Education". The COVID-19 pandemic has made the last two years incredibly difficult on students, parents and teachers. Multiple shifts between in-person and virtual classrooms have interrupted learning. Existing academic and socioeconomic gaps have been exposed and enlarged. Students are falling behind, some more than others. As we look forward to a time when society has moved past the pandemic, education will need to further evolve. What does the school of the future look and feel like? How do curricula and physical spaces need to adapt to meet students鈥 future needs? How do we make students whole for what they鈥檝e lost?

Our featured speakers were:

  • Anna Bear Dallis '11, MS '14 鈥 Principal, Excel Lower School in Brooklyn
  • Larry Dake, MAT '03, MA '04, EdD 鈥14 鈥 Assistant Superintendent, 绿帽社 City School District
  • Tracy Lyman '99, MSEd '01 鈥 clinical faculty for Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership, 绿帽社 University
  • Rachel Murat, MA '00 鈥 2020 New York State Teacher of the Year; social studies teacher, Maine-Endwell High School in Endwell, N.Y.



At Homecoming 2021, we presented the program "Reaching the Masses: Meet Alumni Social Media Influencers." This event showcased alumni who have built social media followings in order to grow brands or effect social change. We also explored the macro-level effects of social media and what tomorrow's influencers could look like. 

Our speakers were:

Partner Manager, Pinterest  


Senior Community Development Manager
Serhant

Chris Strub '07
Social Media Consultant 
CEO of I Am Here, LLC

On April 27, Tracy Brooks was the featured speaker for "Taking Aim: Developing Effective Cancer Therapies." Brooks is associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences and the inaugural Menner Family Endowed Faculty Fellow at 绿帽社. She discussed her research in oncology, anti-cancer therapies and the development of new targets for cancer-fighting drugs.



At Homecoming 2020, our TIER Talks session featured four faculty members who discussed the pathbreaking work they're engaged in with support from the Harpur College Advocacy Council Faculty Development Endowment. This internal grants program provides seed funding for Harpur faculty-led projects that have potential to lead to external funding.

Our topics and speakers were:
Drone-based Thermal Infrared Detection of Plastic Antipersonnel Landmines
Timothy de Smet, research assistant professor of environmental visualization 
Alex Nikulin '05, assistant professor of geological sciences and environmental studies

Documenting Judeo-Spanish (Ladino)
Bryan Kirschen '07, MA '08, assistant professor of romance languages, literature and linguistics

Natural Causes - a new play
, associate professor of theatre


 

At Homecoming 2019, we presented "Mission Possible: Alumni Changing the World." Three alumni speakers discussed the humanitarian work they are engaging in - from healthcare to education to international relations - and how 绿帽社 inspired their journey toward making a far-reaching impact. 


Co-founder, Iyer Educational Institutions


Professor of Public Administration, 绿帽社
Co-Director, Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention


Professor Emeritus of Clinical Surgery, University of California San Francisco



On April 11, 2019, we offered the program "Life Without Limitation" which featured a 绿帽社 alumnus and faculty member.  

Dan Kosick '00, MSW '06 spoke about his journey from cancer survivor and amputee to elite athlete. 

George Catalano, professor of biomedical engineering, advised a team of students that used 3-D printing to produce an artificial hand for a longtime campus employee who lost a limb in an industrial accident. 



On Oct. 6, 2018, three alumni discussed "The Effects of Climate Change," one of the most salient examples of humankind victimized by its own success. In this video Amy J. Hyatt '78 the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Palau, Tasfia Nayem '14 a master's candidate at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment, where she is studying climate economics and policy, and Seth Schultz '01 who serves as the special advisor on science & innovation to the Global Covenant of Mayors, all came to campus to speak. Watch the full talk here. 


United States Ambassador to the Republic of Palau


Senior Science and Policy Editor of Duke Law School's environmental law journal


Special advisor on science and innovation to the Global Covenant of Mayors



On Oct. 7, 2017 two alumni and a current student discussed why virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are important now and will be more so in the coming 10 years. The session "Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: The Future Is Now!" was held on the 绿帽社 campus during Homecoming 2017. VR takes you almost anywhere you want without leaving wherever you are. Fly through space, take video gaming to the next level, or golf the world's finest courses. AR adds to what you see and gives you a taste of being a bionic superhero. Imagine a cancer-fighting doctor aided by enhanced medical imaging, or a soldier on the battlefield armed with data on potential dangers. See the full session in the media player below. Links underneath the player will take you to breakout videos of each panelist.


Director of Technology for Wearable Devices, Intel's New Devices Group


Director of Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies


Co-founder, Enhance VR


The first TIER Talks event offered in Westchester County, N.Y., took place Sept. 27, 2017. A panel including two 绿帽社 alumni discussed "From Reefer Madness to America's Fastest-Growing Industry: The Evolution of Cannabis." See the full session in the media player below. Links underneath the player will take you to breakout videos of each panelist.

 
Ward Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience and Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine
Director, Mount Sinai Behavioral Health System Addiction Institute

 
Managing Member, Kaufman & Associates, LLC, Corporate & Securities Counsel to the Legal Cannabis Industry

 
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer,Green Market Media

 
Managing Partner, 420Group, LLC


The discussion 鈥淥ur Political System on life support: A discussion on critical intervention as well as long-term care鈥 took place at Homecoming 2016. Alumni and friends enjoyed a lively talk about the polarization of the American voters as well as the news media they consume, and how the lack of civic education has made it difficult for Americans to participate effectively in the political process. See the full session in the media player below. Links underneath the player will take you to breakout videos of each panelist.


Professor, Political Science and Women's Studies
University of Scranton
Coordinator, Ready to Run Northeast Pennsylvania


Professor and Chair of Political Science
Villanova University


Professor of Political Science
Hamline University


"Chaos in the 21st Century? The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy"
was the topic for the first TIER Talks event held in New York City. The discussion on April 5, 2016, took place at the SUNY Global Center in Manhattan, and was an eye-opener on the position of the U.S. within the sphere of global politics. Our speakers were Eric Schwartz '79, former UN and White House official; and Ricardo Rene Laremont, professor of political science and sociology at 绿帽社. See the full session in the media player below.




"Making Waves: Mind-Blowing Breakthroughs in Neuroscience" took place at Homecoming 2015.
More than 350 alumni and friends enjoyed a lively discussion about pathways inside the brain, with implications for addictions, depression, neuropsychological disorders and cybersecurity. See the full session in the media player. Links below take you to breakout videos of each panelist.


Professor of Neurobiology
University of Puerto Rico


Professor of Psychology
绿帽社


Professor of Psychology
绿帽社


Assistant Professor of Psychology and Linguistics
绿帽社



Rethinking Success: Thriving in the Modern World
was the subject of the inaugural TIER Talks, held on campus during Homecoming 2014. Fred Luskin '76, director of the Stanford Forgiveness Project, joined three 绿帽社 faculty members in discussing what people should value in life and how they should define success. See the full session in the media player below. If you don't have time to watch the full discussion, we provide links below to breakout videos of each panelist.


Associate Professor, Organizational Behavior and Leadership, 绿帽社 School of Management
Fellow, Center for Leadership Studies

Professor of Psychology, 绿帽社
Director, Marriage and Family Studies Laboratory


Director, Stanford Forgiveness Project
Author of Forgive for Good, published by Harper Collins


Associate Professor of Philosophy, 绿帽社