2018 Conference Agenda
It was a day packed with exciting content, and multiple opportunities for networking during meals and breaks. Panels of external speakers from government agencies, foundations, corporations, investment firms and the media discussed the value of Diversity & Inclusion research across their respective organizations, and how it may be of relevance to the CUNY Communities. Lightning Pitches and CUNY-based panels showcased a broad range of Diversity & Inclusion activities taking place across CUNY.
Please click each section title or scroll below the session schedule for brief descriptions of each session.
Please click each section title or scroll below the session schedule for brief descriptions of each session.
2018 Session Schedule
(all sessions held in the Proshansky Auditorium)
(all sessions held in the Proshansky Auditorium)
Morning Sessions
8:30am-9:00am
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Breakfast and Registration
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9:00am-9:30am
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Opening Remarks
Gilda Barabino and Paolo Gaudiano, Co-organizers Chase Robinson, President CUNY Graduate Center Letitia James, Public Advocate for the City of New York Martin Ruck, Special D&I Advisor to the CUNY GC President Daniel McCloskey, CUNY Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research |
9:30am - 10:00am
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CUNY Lightning Pitches I
Timothy Paglione, Astrocon NY / York College Gilda Barabino, Grove School of Engineering, CCNY Andrew Mendelson, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Justin Brown, Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies |
10:00am-10:15am
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D&I as a Field of Research
Paolo Gaudiano, QSDI / CCNY and Aleria PBC |
10:15am-10:45am
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Morning Networking Break
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10:45am-11:15am
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Preparing Students for Careers
Bradley Michelson, Idealist & Tech Works Nakisha Evans, #CUNYcodes Jo-ann Rolle, Medgar Evers College, EEL Lab Judith Spitz, WiTNY Michele Valdez, LaGuardia TechHIRE - Open Code |
11:15am-11:45am
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Government Panel
Gilda Barabino, CCNY Grove School of Engineering Victoria Bowens, Department of the Navy Jessie DeAro, National Science Foundation Bridget Gonzales, US Minority Business Devel. Agency Gary Johnson, NYC Mayor’s Office |
11:45am-12:15pm
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Foundations Panel
Andrea Shapiro Davis, CUNY Vice Chancellor Lee Bynum, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Rahsaan Harris, Emma Bowen Foundation Chris Kasabach, Watson Foundation Noorain Khan, Ford Foundation |
12:15pm-1:15pm
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Lunch
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Afternoon Sessions
1:15pm-1:45pm
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Investors Panel
Glen Patterson, Harlem Tech Summit Brian Laung Aoaeh, Particle Ventures Jennifer Jones, Women You Should Fund Marcia Nelson, Alberleen Family Office Solutions Alicia Syrett, Pantegrion Capital |
1:45pm-2:15pm
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Corporate Panel
Angela Chitkara, CCNY BIC Rajesh Anandan, ULTRA Testing Lola Banjo, Salesforce Brad MacAfee, Porter Novelli Greg Reynolds, g-dii |
2:15pm-2:45pm
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Media Panel
Joanna Hernandez, CUNY School of Journalism Kate Brodock, Women 2.0 Katie Orenstein, The OpEd Project Jordan Weiss, Diversity in Action Kim Weisul, Inc. |
2:45pm-3:15pm
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Afternoon Break
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3:15pm-3:45pm
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Preparing Students as Entrepreneurs
Sage Ramadge, Grand Central Tech Jasmine Cardona, College of Staten Faith Fraser, CUNY Startups Lindsay Siegel, Zahn Center Ying Zhou, Queens College Tech Incubator |
3:45pm-4:15pm
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CUNY Lightning Pitches II
Ramona Hernández, Dominican Studies Institute, CCNY Marcia Y. Cantarella, Hunter College Brothers for Excellence Dionne Miller, LaGuardia College Barbara Bookman, CUNY Disability Services |
4:15pm-4:45pm
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Diverse Abilities
Rick Guidotti, Positive Exposure |
4:45pm-5:00pm
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Closing Remarks
Josh Brumberg, Dean for the Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center |
5:00pm-6:30pm
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Networking
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Session Descriptions
Preparing Students for Careers
This session features a number of CUNY initiatives that support the development of students as they prepare to embark on professional careers. Find out about these amazing initiatives and how they collaborate with industry to ensure that students are equipped with useful skills, and to establish a pipeline of career opportunities for CUNY's highly diverse student population.
This session features a number of CUNY initiatives that support the development of students as they prepare to embark on professional careers. Find out about these amazing initiatives and how they collaborate with industry to ensure that students are equipped with useful skills, and to establish a pipeline of career opportunities for CUNY's highly diverse student population.
D&I as a Field of Research
Diversity & inclusion are often seen as activities whose primary purpose is one of social responsibility. While the social benefits of a growing Diversity & Inclusion mindset are clear, there is an opportunity to establish D&I as a field of formal academic inquiry. This session describes the objectives and ongoing activities at the newly formed initiative on Quantitative Studies of Diversity & Inclusion, and its goals to combine qualitative and quantitative methodologies that can deepen our understanding of the value of D&I, while creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations across CUNY and partnerships with external companies, agencies and foundations.
Diversity & inclusion are often seen as activities whose primary purpose is one of social responsibility. While the social benefits of a growing Diversity & Inclusion mindset are clear, there is an opportunity to establish D&I as a field of formal academic inquiry. This session describes the objectives and ongoing activities at the newly formed initiative on Quantitative Studies of Diversity & Inclusion, and its goals to combine qualitative and quantitative methodologies that can deepen our understanding of the value of D&I, while creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations across CUNY and partnerships with external companies, agencies and foundations.
Government Panel
As diversity and inclusion become increasingly pressing societal issues, there are increasing opportunities to receive support from government agencies for D&I research. The Government Panel brings together representatives from various local and federal government agencies, who will share with the audience some of the more pressing areas where CUNY researchers can make an impact through sponsored research.
As diversity and inclusion become increasingly pressing societal issues, there are increasing opportunities to receive support from government agencies for D&I research. The Government Panel brings together representatives from various local and federal government agencies, who will share with the audience some of the more pressing areas where CUNY researchers can make an impact through sponsored research.
Foundations Panel
Foundations represent another potential source of funding for D&I activities - especially those that create direct impact. The Foundations Panel will showcase a number of foundations across a wide range of size and focus, to give the audience a sense of the variety of opportunities that exist to receive support for D&I activities.
Foundations represent another potential source of funding for D&I activities - especially those that create direct impact. The Foundations Panel will showcase a number of foundations across a wide range of size and focus, to give the audience a sense of the variety of opportunities that exist to receive support for D&I activities.
Corporate Panel
While most academics are familiar with government agencies and foundations for sponsored research, few realize that more than 60% of research and development in scientific and technical fields is carried out by industries, and that significant opportunities exist for university-industry collaborations. The Corporate Panel features private-sector experts from across a variety of industries, and ranging from relatively small startups to corporate leaders.
While most academics are familiar with government agencies and foundations for sponsored research, few realize that more than 60% of research and development in scientific and technical fields is carried out by industries, and that significant opportunities exist for university-industry collaborations. The Corporate Panel features private-sector experts from across a variety of industries, and ranging from relatively small startups to corporate leaders.
Investors Panel
How do you turn an idea or an academic project into a commercial opportunity? What sorts of D&I-related issues matter in the world of startup funding? What specific ideas and projects are investors supporting? The Investors Panel introduces the audience to D&I-related issues that impact fundraising for startups, while describing opportunities to raise capital that include crowdfunding, accelerators, angel groups, family offices and VC firms.
How do you turn an idea or an academic project into a commercial opportunity? What sorts of D&I-related issues matter in the world of startup funding? What specific ideas and projects are investors supporting? The Investors Panel introduces the audience to D&I-related issues that impact fundraising for startups, while describing opportunities to raise capital that include crowdfunding, accelerators, angel groups, family offices and VC firms.
Media Panel
Although academic publications play a crucial role in the exchange of ideas that drive further research, for areas like D&I that can have significant societal impact, mass media has the power to create popular support and even to influence legislation and policymaking. The Media Panel will expose the audience to a range of opportunities for disseminating ideas to the general public, from small, highly specialized media outlets to channels with national and international reach.
Although academic publications play a crucial role in the exchange of ideas that drive further research, for areas like D&I that can have significant societal impact, mass media has the power to create popular support and even to influence legislation and policymaking. The Media Panel will expose the audience to a range of opportunities for disseminating ideas to the general public, from small, highly specialized media outlets to channels with national and international reach.
Preparing Students as Entrepreneurs
This session features a number of CUNY-based accelerators and incubators, whose goal is to introduce CUNY students to the knowledge and skills required to take their work from ideas to commercially viable startups. Hear about these amazing organizations that help hundreds of CUNY students every year through specialized training, accelerator programs, hackathons and other entrepreneurial activities.
This session features a number of CUNY-based accelerators and incubators, whose goal is to introduce CUNY students to the knowledge and skills required to take their work from ideas to commercially viable startups. Hear about these amazing organizations that help hundreds of CUNY students every year through specialized training, accelerator programs, hackathons and other entrepreneurial activities.
Diverse Abilities
Because of the wide variety of disabilities, and because some of the disabilities manifest themselves as physical and behavioral differences that can make the fully abled uncomfortable, this is a facet of diversity that is often overlooked during conversations about diversity and inclusion. And yet, with nearly 13% of the U.S. population identifying as having a disability, and with unemployment rates above 80%, an inclusive mindset toward people with disabilities has the potential for great impact across all sectors of the economy, and on society as a whole. This session brings the day to a close by opening our eyes to the many facets of disabilities and the opportunities they present for D&I research.
Because of the wide variety of disabilities, and because some of the disabilities manifest themselves as physical and behavioral differences that can make the fully abled uncomfortable, this is a facet of diversity that is often overlooked during conversations about diversity and inclusion. And yet, with nearly 13% of the U.S. population identifying as having a disability, and with unemployment rates above 80%, an inclusive mindset toward people with disabilities has the potential for great impact across all sectors of the economy, and on society as a whole. This session brings the day to a close by opening our eyes to the many facets of disabilities and the opportunities they present for D&I research.
CUNY Lightning Pitches
The goal of CUNY Lightning Pitches is to showcase D&I research-related activities across all CUNY campuses and at major centers, institutes and CUNY-wide initiatives. Please check back for a full list and schedule of individual Lightning Pitches across four sessions. And if you want to suggest any specific initiatives that should be featured, please send us an email to info@qsdi.org with subject line: "Suggestion for D&I Conference Lightning Pitch."
The goal of CUNY Lightning Pitches is to showcase D&I research-related activities across all CUNY campuses and at major centers, institutes and CUNY-wide initiatives. Please check back for a full list and schedule of individual Lightning Pitches across four sessions. And if you want to suggest any specific initiatives that should be featured, please send us an email to info@qsdi.org with subject line: "Suggestion for D&I Conference Lightning Pitch."