News Archive

July 2022

I-STEM Receives NSF Grant for Science Teacher Preparation Program

October 2021
Stony Brook Research Group, in partnership with ISTEM, Awarded $1 Million from NSF for Robotics Proposal

June 2021
Erich Desmond receives Clifford Swartz Prize

Erich Desmond, a student in the Masters of Arts in Teaching Physics program, has received the Clifford Swartz Prize. Clifford Swartz was a founding member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook University who recognized the importance of high school physics teaching. This prize was established in his honor.

John Pedersen receives Edward Lambe Science Teaching Award

John Pedersen, a student in the Masters of Arts in Teaching Physics program, has received the Edward Lambe Science Teaching Award. The award is presented annually to outstanding students preparing for a career in science teaching.

February 2021
SBU's Physics Teacher Education Program Receives Top Recognition

October 2020
NYS Master Teacher emeritus Martin Palermo publishes in scientific research journal

December 2019
Drs. Thea Charles and Dawn Nachtigall participate in doctoral hooding by Dr. Keith Sheppard.

October 2019
Dr. Zuzana Zachar's cancer drug research leads to phase 3 drug trials for pancreatic cancer patients.

Dr. Zuzana Zachar's cancer drug research leads to phase 3 drug trials for pancreatic cancer patients. Dr. Zachar is also the advisor for the MAT Biology program housed in ISTEM.

Click here to view the news article.

September 2019
Dr. Linda Padwa publishes in the Journal for Chemical Education.

I-STEM's Linda Padwa has an article published in the Journal for Chemical Education. Linda received her Ph.D. in Science Education in May 2018. Drs. Angela Kelly and Keith Sheppard are co-authors on the paper.

Click here to view the article.

May 2019
Four students participate in Doctoral hooding ceremony on May 23.

Four students participated in Doctoral hooding ceremony on May 23. Richard Cohen, Lauren Slagus, Stacey Greengold and Robert Wankmuller successfully defended their theses in Spring 2019. Kimberly Christian will defend her thesis in Summer 2019.

Pictured above: Richard Cohen, Lauren Slagus, Advisor Angela Kelly, Kimberly Christian, Stacey Greengold, Robert Wankmuller, Advisor Keith Sheppard.

October 2018
Teslamania 2018

Teslamania is a show of physics teachers' ideas, inventions and activities aimed at improving physics education, making physics interesting for students, and giving both new and experienced teachers ways to improve their craft. Forty-two educators participated on October 20 in I-STEM.

Governor Cuomo announced the names of the 275 new Master Teachers

Great news! Governor Cuomo announced the names of the 275 new Master Teachers.

Press release at this link: https://www.suny.edu/suny-news/press-releases/10-2018/10-2-18/

The NYSMTP website has been updated: www.suny.edu/masterteacher. The Meet the Master Teacher page has the complete list of Master Teachers.>

September 2018

NYS Master Teacher Kristen Drury publishes "Reflections of an AP Chemistry Exam Reader

Congratulations to Kristen Drury on the publication of her article Reflections of an AP Chemistry Exam Reader on the American Association of Chemistry Teachers website (teachchemistry.org). Kristen shares pointers for fellow AP Chemistry teachers on how to better prepare students to take the exam. Some of the pointers that Kristen shares about the AP Chemistry Exam may resonate with those who prepare students to take AP exams in other content areas. You can read the article on the AACT website:

<https://teachchemistry.org/periodical/issues/september-2018/reflections-of-an-ap-chemistry-exam-reader>

NYS Master Teacher Natasha Murray publishes "Making Imaginary Roots Real"

Congratulations to Natasha Murray on the publication of her recent article "Making Imaginary Roots Real." In the article Dr. Murray describes how she supports first-year algebra students as they explore the relationship between imaginary roots and their non-imaginary counterparts. Published in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) journal Mathematics Teacher, the article can be downloaded for FREE.

https://www.nctm.org/Publications/Mathematics-Teacher/2018/Vol112/Issue1/mt2018-09-028a/

Stony Brook named one of 7 Thriving Physics Teacher Education Programs

Members of the Master Teacher Algebra 2 PLT met on September 1st to build solar marshmallow cookers

Members of the Algebra 2 PLT met on September 1st to build solar marshmallow cookers. The goal of the activity was to use the algebra skills taught in the Common Core Algebra 2 curriculum, to build parabolic cookers that, when brought outside, would make a toasty marshmallow. Since it was a cloudy day the group didn't get to test the devices, but on the next sunny day ... Thanks to Pam O'Brien for organizing this activity that brings a real-world application into the mathematics classroom.

June 2018

New York State Master Teachers enjoyed a field trip to the Palmer Vineyards to learn the science of wine making

Some members of the Long Island cohort of the New York State Master Teacher program enjoyed a field trip to the Palmer Vineyards where they learned about the science of wine making, from soil to glass. This trip exposed the participants to agricultural practices, including: soil management, grafting and cloning of vines, and selection of varietals for Long Island’s climate. A follow-up trip will take place in September where participants will learn about bio-fermentation and microbial interactions.

The Long Island cohort of the New York State Master Teacher program had its first graduates in June 2018. Thirty eight teachers completed four years in the program.

The Long Island cohort of the New York State Master Teacher program had its first graduates in June 2018. Thirty eight teachers completed four years in the program. Congratulations to Sonja Anderson, Ashley Bloch, Stephanie Burns, Amy Cappiello, Olga Crnosija, Kristen Drury, Ellen Fraser, Richard Gearns, Catherine Hantz, Kristin Holmes, Michael Jantzen, Kimberly Libertini, Lawrence Maggio, Soowook Lee, Keith Lundquist, Keith Millman, Natasha Murray, Dawn Nachtigall, Stephanie O'Brien, Cody Onufrock, Mary Alexis Pace, Christina Pawlowski, Elizabeth Philp, Derek Pope, Marianne Schoepflin, Michael Shanzer, Nora Sheppard, Richard Slesinski, Michael Stano, Jon Steigerwald, Charles Vessalico, Alicia Walsh, and Gillian Winters.

May 2018

ISTEM's own Linda Padwa received her Ph.D. in Science Education on May 18.

ISTEM is proud to announce that our very own Linda Padwa, Associate Director of Science Education, received her Ph.D. in Science Education on Thursday, May 18. Dr. Padwa's thesis is entitled "All Alone: A Study of Isolated Chemistry Teachers in New York State". Congratulations, Linda!

December 2017

Eleven MAT Science students graduated in December 2017

Back row: Kevin Talento, Daniel Alkon, Alexandra Sasso, Professor Linda Padwa, Kamai Silber, Wala Canario, Paul Paredes

Front row: Aneta Iordanova, Kerry Bunyan, Professor Caren Gough, Yong Ju Reichenberger, Ashley Leung, Maria Zambuto

Eleven students in the MAT Science program graduated in December 2017. The Science Education Program at Stony Brook offers a palette of coursework, clinical practice, seminars and special projects that prepare students with undergraduate majors in biology, chemistry, earth science and/or physics to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching and to assume teaching positions in grades 7-12.

November 2017

NYS Master Teacher Marianne Schoepflin named state finalist for national honor

PhysTEC recognizes Stony Brook University with Fourth 5+Club Award for Leadership in Physics Teacher Preparation

Stony Brook University receives fourth PhysTec 5+ Club Award. "The 5+ Club" is designed to recognize institutions that graduate 5 or more physics teachers in a given year. The great majority of institutions graduate less than two physics teachers a year, and the most common number of graduates is zero. Thus, graduating 5 or more physics teachers a year is a significant achievement, helping to address the severe national shortage of high school physics teachers.

Physics Teacher preparation is thriving on Long Island. Stony Brook University (SBU) has been awarded a PhysTEC 5+ award for the last three years and is on course to graduate at least six physics teachers with majors in physics in 2016 -17. SBU is unusual in that it does not have a Department of Education, and teacher preparation for all of the sciences is distributed across the various scientific departments in collaboration with the Institute for STEM Education (I-STEM). The university has enjoyed a strong partnership between the Physics department, the Institute for STEM Education (I-STEM), and regional K-12 schools for many years, and that has been integral in its success in producing physics teachers.

The SBU Physics Teacher preparation program has a long rich history, with Clifford Swartz, a faculty member of the Physics Department and for 30 years an editor of “The Physics Teacher”, being integral in its establishment and development. Cliff was legendary for his innovative lectures and dedication to physics teacher education, and he helped to train several generations of Long Island physics teachers. Since 1994, when record keeping began, the university has produced 85 certified physics teachers (60 majors and 25 minors).

The Physics Teacher preparation programs at SBU are characterized by what we describe as the “6 C Model”. Most importantly the programs are Content Rich. Prospective physics teachers can follow one of three pathways to New York state certification – an undergraduate route, a graduate MAT route, and a combined BS/MAT route. The undergraduate route requires completion of a BS degree in Physics. The graduate and combined routes require the completion of a BS degree in physics plus 15 graduate credits in physics. With New York State requiring teachers to complete a master’s degree for the award of a professional license, the vast majority of our Physics teachers complete the graduate or combined pathway options. All of the physics courses are taught through the Physics department.

In addition, our programs are Clinically Rich. All program graduates have been exposed to extensive school-based experiences, before student teaching. Methods courses are taught by highly experienced former teachers. There are two tenured faculty members who hold physics certification and who have extensive experience teaching high school physics, one teaches undergraduate physics courses and the other directs the science teacher education programs. This clinical richness is enhanced by the demographic factors of the Long Island region. The region (Nassau and Suffolk counties) is a ‘hotbed’ for physics teaching, with over 250 NY certified physics teachers teaching in the region’s 108 high schools; this includes more than 110 teachers who teach AP Physics. For the majority of physics teachers in the region, physics teaching is their only assignment, and the vast majority of the schools have more than one physics teacher. In addition to Nassau and Suffolk county schools, the Queens and Brooklyn boroughs of New York are on Long Island and employ an additional 150 physics teachers.

This environment leads to the programs being Context Rich, with extensive professional physics teacher support in region. The Long Island Physics Teacher Association (LIPTA) is large and very active. The New York State Master Teacher Program (NYSMTP) for Long Island also has a large and active Physics Teacher section that is involved in numerous professional development activities for teachers. The region holds its own annual, well-attended physics teacher demonstration competition, Teslamania, which is organized and run by physics teachers from Long Island. The rich environment provides a cadre of highly qualified, experienced physics teachers who are able to act as co-operating teachers for student teachers in physics.

The need for physics teachers in the region is considerable, which has given rise to a relatively stable population of Physics teachers. The SBU physics teacher program has a 86% five-year retention rate, i.e., 86% of the physics teacher graduates are teaching high school physics five years after graduating. We describe this as being Continuity Rich and many of our graduates are now our program’s cooperating teachers. A factor contributing to physics teacher retention are the salaries offered in the area. Starting salaries for Physics teachers with an MAT degree are approximately $60,000 and the majority of physics teachers in Nassau County earn in excess of $100,000, though it should be noted that the region has a very high cost of living.

In common with many programs that produce multiple physics teachers, the SBU physics teacher program is Champion Rich – with, as previously described, strong advocates in multiple areas -- the Physics Department, I-STEM, and the region’s K-12 school community. These champions have allowed us to actively recruit undergraduate students (SBU has a relatively large UG physics population), and funding from the NSF Noyce Program and Petrie Foundation has allowed us to financially support students as they complete the teacher preparation program. And the final C is Capacity Rich. SBU has the capacity to double or even triple its production of physics teachers.

Keith Sheppard directs the science teacher preparation programs and has taught high school physics in England, Tanzania and the USA, before moving into higher education. Robert McCarthy is a professor of Physics, the Undergraduate Physics program director and the Physics Education program advisor. Angela Kelly taught high school physics in New Jersey and now teaches undergraduate physics courses. Axel Drees is the Chair of the Physics Department and an ardent supporter of Physics Teacher Preparation Programs.

We would like to acknowledge the NSF Noyce Program and Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, for their financial support of Physics pre-service students. Their funding has allowed Stony Brook to move from producing 3-4 physics teachers per year to 5-6 teachers per year.

October 2017

Keith Millman and Anthony Rohm present at the Suffolk STANYS conference

Anthony Rohm and Keith Millman presented at the Suffolk STANYS conference on October 16. The title of their presention was "Seeing the Future with the NYS Science Standards: Bringing NYSSLS Alive in Your Classroom".

Twenty-eight educators participated in Teslamania 2017

Teslamania 2017 is a show of physics teachers' ideas, inventions and activities aimed at improving physics education, making physics interesting for students, and giving both new and experienced teachers ways to improve their craft.  Twenty-eight educators participated on October 21 in I-STEM.

Long Island Master Teachers participated in a field trip to learn the true story of General George Washington’s Setauket Spy Ring

Some of the Long Island Master Teachers participated in a field trip to learn the true story of General George Washington’s Setauket Spy Ring. Offered by the Three Village Historical Society, the tour provides a guide who takes cyclists, walkers and kayakers through the actual trails where the British and Patriots once roamed. Participants followed the footsteps of the Culper Spy Ring, and have the opportunity to visit the proposed site of the famous “Nancy’s clothesline” where Anna Smith Strong hung petticoats and handkerchiefs as a means of passing along secret information and see the home where Benjamin Tallmadge was born.

May 2017

Gregory Rushton & Keith Sheppard receive NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grant

Greg Rushton and Keith Sheppard, science education faculty in I-STEM, have recently been awarded $1.02M by NSF to study early career teachers at five sites across the US. Using social network theory and social network analysis techniques as experimental methods, they will answer critical questions about Noyce teacher programs and the links between communities of practice (CoP) and teacher retention. Specifically, they seek to determine (i) how different Noyce program types and support features have influenced the development of teacher communities of practice, (ii) the extent to which Noyce programs and teacher communities of practice impact teacher disposition toward remaining in the profession, and (iii) the effect of different Noyce programs and teacher communities of practice have on teacher identity. Congratulations Greg and Keith!

Linda Padwa receives Stony Brook University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa International "Friends of Education" award

Each year, the Stony Brook University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa International bestows "Friends of Education" awards to honor the commitment and accomplishments of outstanding educators, staff members, and community members throughout Nassau and Suffolk County. We are pleased to announce that Linda Padwa is a recipient of this award. Congratulations, Linda!

April 2017

PhysTEC recognizes Stony Brook University as Leader in Physics Teacher Preparation

The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC), a joint project of American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), commend Stony Brook on its outstanding contributions to the education of future physics teachers. Stony Brook received its third consecutive “5+ Club” award from the PhysTEC.

Stony Brook University graduated 6 highly qualified physics teachers in the academic year 2015-2016. To put this number into perspective, fewer than 20 institutions in the United States graduate 5 or more highly qualified physics teachers in most years.

In 2013 the National Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics reported, “the need for qualified teachers is greater now than at any previous time in history.” Of the approximately 1400 new teachers who are hired to teach physics each year, only 35% have a degree in physics or physics education. Stony Brook University’s efforts are an essential part of helping to address the critical shortage of qualified physics teachers.

Stony Brook University offers three programs registered and approved by the New York State Education Department for individuals seeking New York State certification to teach physics in secondary schools, grades 7 – 12.

Five Long Island Master Teachers present at the NSTA Conference in April '17

Five of the Long Island Master Teachers presented at the National Science Teachers Association National meeting in
Los Angeles from March 30 - April 2, 2017.

(http://www.nsta.org/conferences/national.aspx)

Ashley Bloch, Stephanie Burns, Jessica Conrad, Olga Crnosija and Catherine Hantz gave a presentation entitled "Inquiry Beyond Four Walls: Topics in Earth and Space Sciences".

The presentation described ways to use local outdoor settings to cultivate student-centered learning while using an Earth systems approach to inquiry labs.

Janet Kaczmarek and Peter Schuchman also contributed to the preparation of this presentation.

January 2017

I-STEM and CEAS Host Inaugural Engineering and Science Outreach Symposium

outreach5

At the Stony Brook-hosted Engineering & Science Outreach Symposium for Long Island Superintendents, Jan 17, 2017, left to right, Robert Kukta, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, CEAS; Monica Bugallo, Faculty Director, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD; David Ferguson, Chair of the Department of Technology and Society; Angela Kelly, Associate Director of the Science Education Program and Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy.

The Institute for STEM Education (I-STEM) and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) hosted the inaugural Engineering and Science Outreach Symposium on January 17, 2017. This event initiated K-12 partnerships to engage students, teacher/counselors and faculty in the passion, challenge and opportunity of engineering - a profession that promotes social and economic mobility. At this event - sponsored by Rodney Morrison, Associate Provost for Enrollment and Retention Management, and Judith Burke-Berhannan, Dean of Admissions - 50 school districts from Long Island were represented.

Professors Dr. Monica Bugallo, Dr. Angela Kelly, Dr. David Ferguson, Dr. Robert Kukta and Dr. Keith Sheppard presented a program titled “Education, Guidance, Advancement, and Learning in Technology and Engineering” (EGALITE) to bolster pre-college and university students’ recruitment and retention in engineering fields. EGALITE is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and corporate partners National Grid and PSE&G. Phase I is focused on educating high school students, teachers, and guidance counselors on engineering design and career pathways, consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards. Phase II is focused on retaining a diverse pool of candidates in engineering majors at SBU.

As part of the EGALITE initiative, I-STEM and CEAS are offering the following resources:

Professional development aligned with NGSS designed and provided by SBU faculty and master teachers.
School counselor workshops on engineering education.
Engineering teaching labs (ETLs) - subsidized for high needs schools.
Engineering and science education faculty, staff and students designing and instructing activities.
Engineering and science education faculty to serve in advisory capacity for standards alignment.
Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) programs.

I-STEM and CEAS will hold a second event in the spring for Long Island school guidance counselors and science education administrators. Through this partnership, SBU will lead the way in integrating engineering education into classrooms, thereby creating well prepared engineers for successful careers in industry and research.

The symposium presentation can be accessed here.

angela

Angela Kelly, Associate Director of the Science Education Program and Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, reaches out to Long Island school superintendents.

keith

Keith Sheppard, Director of Science Education at Stony Brook University and Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, reaches out to Long Island school superintendents.

Martin Palermo is named one of Stony Brook's Top 40 Under 40 Alumni

Martin Palermo received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Stony Brook in 2004 and his MAT Teaching Biology degree in 2006. He will soon be a doctoral student in the Science Education Program at Stony Brook as well.

He is currently a chemistry teacher at William Floyd High School and a New York State Master Teacher.

See here for more information.

Congratulations, Martin!

November 2016

BioPREP summer research student wins award at a national biomedical research conference

BioPREP Program directors, Drs. Dan Moloney and Jennie Williams, and thirteen college students from Stony Brook University’s BioPREP summer research program attended the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in Tampa, FL in November 2016.

Front row (from left): Francisco Caban, Destinee Semidey, Lily Munguia, Catherine Hernandez, Thalia Cepeda, Leyda Mata, Bernice Essuman and Joselin Vargas
Back row (from left): Dan Moloney, Amanda Valverde, Hugo Concha, Oscar Zagalo and Margaret de los Santos

BioPREP participant (summer 2015), Jon Millings, formerly from Suffolk County Community College and currently attending Stony Brook University, won an award for his research poster presentation in the field of Cancer Biology. For the past year, Jon has been conducting cancer research in the labs of Dr. Gerardo Mackenzie (currently at UC-Davis) and Dr. Jennie Williams (department of Preventive Medicine, SBU). This is the 5th year in a row that a BioPREP student has won an award at the ABRCMS conference.

October 2016

Mónica Bugallo is Inaugural Faculty Director of WISE

When the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) created a new faculty director position for the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) honors program, Mónica Bugallo was appointed to serve in the inaugural role. An Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, she will help support WISE’s strong commitment to STEM diversity.
Read more here.

Luisa McHugh receives first Ph.D. in Science Education degree at Stony Brook

Congratulations to Dr. Luisa McHugh! Luisa received her doctorate in Science
Education on May 19. She is the first graduate of Stony Brook's Ph.D. in Science Education Program.

Luisa is pictured here with her research advisor, Dr. Angela Kelly and the Science Education Program Director, Dr. Keith Sheppard.

Dr. Angela Kelly receives SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Angela M. Kelly, Associate Professor in both the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Institute for STEM Education has received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

She and other faculty and staff from Stony Brook will be honored at the annual University Awards Dinner to be held on October 13 where they will receive a certificate and a Chancellor’s Excellence Medallion to commemorate this prestigious selection.

“Faculty and staff who receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence have served their students, fellow faculty and staff, campuses, and communities with the utmost distinction,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees across New York State.”

The honor provides system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and encourages the ongoing pursuit of excellence. Individuals selected for this honor are role models within the SUNY community.

March 2016

Kate Aubrecht receives 2016 ACS-CEI Award for Incorporating Sustainability into Chemistry Education

Kate Aubrecht receives the 2016 ACS-CEI Award for Incorporating Sustainability into Chemistry Education, sponsored by the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Environmental Improvement. She was chosen based on her work, “Connecting Chemistry to Sustainability for both Science Majors and Non-Science Majors.”

Aubrecht is also a faculty member in Stony Brook’s Sustainability Studies Program as a chemist whose research and teaching interests include the development of learning materials about sustainability for the chemistry curriculum, context-based approaches in chemical education, biodegradable and biorenewable polymers, and environmentally benign synthetic methodology.

Aubrecht will be honored for her accomplishments at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Diego, March 13-17, 2016. In the award symposium, she will give a talk titled “Connecting Chemistry to Issues of Sustainability: Preparing Students for Transdisciplinary Challenges.”

David Kahn Receives Excellence in Teaching Award

David Kahn has received this year's College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Excellence Award for Mathematics. The award exemplifies faculty who have demonstrated not only excellence in teaching, but a warmth of spirit and true caring for students in and outside of the classroom. Over 200 nominations were received during the first part of this semester. This award is all the more meaningful because award nominations are submitted by students and the recipients are chosen by students.

Dean Sasha Kopp states "I am all the more proud hearing first-hand accounts of the great efforts you all have put forth on behalf of our students." David will be recognized at the College of Arts and Sciences Awards and Recognition Ceremony on April 12, 4-6pm in SAC Ballroom A.

Jennie Williams named Assistant Dean for Student Diversity at Stony Brook Medicine

Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, Dean, School of Medicine, Stony Brook Medicine, announces that Dr. Jennie Williams, Associate Professor of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, has been appointed Assistant Dean for Student Diversity.

As this is a newly created position in the School of Medicine, Jennie will be the Founding Dean for Student Diversity, a position that will serve as the primary liaison between Stony Brook Medicine and Stony Brook University, acting to encourage our very best undergraduate students of color to seek out and succeed in careers in the health sciences. Jennie’s role will be to mentor Stony Brook undergraduate and graduate students and attract more than at present into careers in the health sciences

Jennie received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at Savannah State University, her Master’s in Microbiology at Tuskegee Institute, her PhD in Molecular Biology at Purdue and a post-doctoral fellowship in Infectious Disease at Harvard. Jennie then joined Harvard as a research scientist, and was then recruited to Stony Brook as a Research Assistant Professor, being promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2013.

Jennie is also an affiliate faculty member in the Institute for STEM Education where she works with underrepresented community college students who are interested in biomedical careers.

Jennie’s research interests focus on the prevention of cancer, and studying disparities in healthcare in the cancer realm. Jennie has secured several research grants to support her work, including two current grants from the NIH, as well as playing a pivotal role in a NIH planning grant designed to bring a large collaborative study to Stony Brook University to study gastrointestinal malignancies in underserved populations.