2025-26 Grants

Dr. Rebecca Adikes, Assistant Professor of Biology, received a subaward from Columbia University for $273,472, the prime sponsor is the National Science Foundation. This is a collaborative project between the Adikes lab at Siena, the Mace lab at Columbia University, and Matthew Parent from the Imaging Innovation Center at the Marine Biological Laboratories. The goal of this research is to understand how cells move through complex environments. The Adikes lab will recruit and train 2-3 undergrad students per academic year. The students will work with live cell imaging of biological samples from sample prep to image acquisition. Students will have the opportunity to present their work at local and national Biology conferences and receive career guidance for post-graduate studies.

Dr. Jim Teresco, Professor of Computer Science, received an award for $146,426 from the National Science Foundation under the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education program. The project team includes researchers from several institutions, including Washington & Jefferson College and Trinity Christian College. The funding will support a broad deployment and assessment of a novel context-driven curriculum design process which aims to transform how Computer Science (CS) programs at liberal arts institutions design, update, and implement their curricula. The project will accelerate curricular innovation and broaden the variety of educational models available to students by providing facilitated support for using the team's structured process for designing undergraduate CS programs, focusing on institutional missions and priorities and leveraging international curricular guidelines. Up to 26 liberal arts CS programs will be supported through the process.

Dr. Dan Bogan, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences received a $17,985 grant through the Catskill Science Collaborative Fellowship program in coordination with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. The grant will support two Research Fellows working under the leadership of Dr. Bogan and in coordination with Pine Roehrs (NYSDEC) to conduct a geospatial analysis of preferential and exclusionary criteria to identify candidate sites for an experimental research forest within the Catskill ecoregion. While other research facilities exist in the broader northeast region (e.g., Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest), the Catskills offer a unique yet underutilized opportunity to study biogeochemical and ecological processes. This project supports the mutual goals of the Catskill Science Collaborative (CSC) and the Catskill Environmental Research and Monitoring (CERM) group to increase the infrastructure needed within the Catskills to support locally, regionally, and globally significant environmental research. Funding for the grant program is sourced from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Dr. Jon Bannon, Professor of Mathematics, has been awarded the American Mathematical Society-Simons Research Enhancement Grant for Faculty at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs). This prestigious three-year grant titled "Correspondences of von Neumann Algebras" will support continuing work on the mathematics of quantum mechanics, as well as formalizing the foundations of the theory in the Lean 4 programming language. The latter project is particularly exciting for Siena students, who will continue to have opportunities to work with Dr. Bannon and his collaborators on the Mathlib project, developing a verified formal mathematical library for use in AI-assisted mathematics research. The grant will facilitate bringing expert visitors to campus to support this project, and will support travel for collaborative research.

Krysta Dennis, Associate Professor of Creative Arts has received $5,000 from the Albany County 250th AMREV Commission to write and produce her play To be Absolutely Free as part of the country's year long celebration of our 250th birthday. To Be Absolutely Free will provide an immersive theatrical encounter with the Capital Region (and world) of 1776, with performances at Mabee Farm and the Shaker Heritage Site in May of 2026. In addition to students being a main part of this production, Dr. Dennis will also partner with the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York, NorthEast Theatre Ensemble, Historic Cherry Hill, and the Shaker Heritage Society. It is a very unique and inspirational way for Siena and the students to celebrate our local heritage and be apart of our country's 250 celebration.

Siena University's Masters in Social Work program has entered into a partnership with the Caring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways, Inc as part of their Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program. The CPT is a vital initiative designed to elevate New York’s healthcare workforce 
and increase the number of credentialed professionals serving communities with high needs. (CPT) Program offers full coverage for tuition and books to individuals at the start of or advancing in their healthcare careers across 13 in-demand job including Licensed Master of Social Worker. In exchange, CPT participants commit to a three-year service requirement, working with a provider in New York State who serves a 30% Medicaid/uninsured patient base.

The Hearst Foundations awarded Siena $100,000 for Nursing Scholarships. These foundations fund educational institutions demonstrating uncommon success in preparing students to thrive in a global society. Additionally, in response to the shortage of healthcare professionals necessary to meet the country’s evolving healthcare demands, the Hearst Foundations also fund programs designed to enhance skills and increase the number of practitioners and educators across roles in healthcare.

Siena/Albany Medical College Science and Humanities Joint program received a $20,000 grant for Siena's AMC Summer of Service program. Students are required to perform two summers of service, one while at Siena and another while at Albany Medical College. Between Junior and Senior years, Siena-AMC students embark on this Summer of Service. These service activities will largely be done in areas where the population is underserved. This unique part of the program, combined with Siena's strong emphasis on a broad based scientific and liberal arts curriculum, gives our students a profound depth of knowledge, understanding, and compassion when they enter their medical careers.

The John, Marie, Joseph Whalen Foundation awarded Siena's Mission Office a $50,000 grant for the creation of a Liturgy Music Certificate program. Siena’s Music Ministry Liturgical Certificate program is geared both toward Siena students who are classically trained musicians who lack a strong foundation in liturgical studies as well as active student musicians looking to develop their musical background in the context of liturgical theology. The Program’s curriculum, overseen by Deacon Nicholas Ascioti, Asst. Campus Minister and Dr. Tim Reno, Associate Dean of Liberal Arts, will include the following; Introduction to Liturgy, Introduction to Sacraments, Sacred Music in the Catholic Church, Theology of Music or Liturgical Music Practicum, Choral Conducting, Rehearsal Techniques, and Vocal Pedagogy.

Siena's Academic Community Engagement Center $12,500 from the Bender Scientific Fund for ACE's Community Engaged Summer Research in Flood Resiliency and Floating Wetlands Project which will be completed in partnership with community organizations, Radix Ecological Center and Little Lake Park Association. The funds will be used for two projects that support the residents of the City of Albany, specifically to provide summer stipends to Siena student researchers, for faculty to oversee the research and for project materials. The goal of the flood resiliency project is to develop a three-year student-led, community-engaged interdisciplinary environmental science research project to better understand climate impacts, ecological and social vulnerabilities, and strategies to build flood resiliency in the City of Albany. The second project is the creation of a floating wetland in partnership with Little’s Lake, twenty five acres of woods and land that are open to the public.

Br. Michael Perry, OFM received a grant of $25,000 from the Province of Our Lady of Guadapule (Franciscans) Office of Evangelization for the Laudato Si Center for Integral Ecology at Siena. The grant is for a video project that focuses attention on the "Canticle of Brother Sun" (Of Creatures) and the Future of our Common Home. It is designed to be shared throughout our Siena community as well as the Province of Our Lady of Guadapule. The Laudato Si’ Center for Integral Ecology at Siena College promotes a holistic vision of the relationship between the social and environmental dimensions.