Jenny Ross

�ճ���� in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) has made some big changes lately.

The department just added an astronomy major approved by New York State and recently overhauled the undergraduate curriculum to replace traditional labs with innovative “Experiencing Physics” labs—inquiry-based Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) targeted at improving both teaching outcomes and student retention in the physics major.

Current A&S Associate Dean for Creativity, Scholarship and Research  served as department chair when these initiatives were started.

For these notable initiatives, as well as her groundbreaking explorations in biophysics and active matter, Ross was awarded the prestigious ���ڰ��dz���. The STAR () Award recognizes outstanding achievements in both research and education.

����, Ross’s research explores how cells organize themselves using fundamental physics principles, with the goal of designing next-generation materials inspired by biology.

The award includes a $5,000 prize and will be presented at the 2025 Cottrell Scholar Conference in Tucson, Arizona, this July. As a recipient, Ross will provide mentoring to early career Cottrell Scholar colleagues throughout the coming year.

The College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) kicked off a new tradition for recognizing A&S faculty excellence and achievements from over the past year with its inaugural Scholarship and Research Gala. The May 1 event was held in the Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium.

University and college leadership, including Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer , Vice President for Research , Executive Director of Foundation Relations , A&S Dean and Associate Dean for Creativity, Scholarship and Research celebrated the impressive breadth and impact of research at �鶹Ƶ��University’s oldest and largest college, highlighting A&S researchers’ commitment to advancing knowledge across disciplines.

The College of Arts and Sciences launched a new tradition celebrating faculty scholarship

The celebration, which included a reception and dinner, underscored impressive scholarly achievements across the college:

• More than 30 faculty members have published books in the past two years
• Dozens of professors received prestigious awards, honors and fellowships
• A&S researchers secured $19 million in awarded federal research funding in fiscal year 2024

Ross noted that the event was designed to foster cross-disciplinary connections, with seating arrangements that encouraged faculty from different departments to learn from one another. Colleagues from across the college discussed their diverse research interests, discovering shared triumphs and challenges despite differences in topics and methodologies.

“Each person is passionate about their work and sharing it with their students, and there is a diversity of disciplines, approaches and timescales for the work,” Ross said. “Our wonderful team collaborated to bring this vision to life. Directors of research development for the College of Arts and Sciences, Melissa Whipps and Sarah Workman, developed the interdisciplinary aspects, while assistant director of events Jessica Allman and operations assistant Hailee Bosco transformed the concept into a seamless event through their logistical expertise.”

“The range of topics and the profound impact of these studies demonstrate the commitment of our researchers to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and understanding,” said Mortazavi. “Without the pioneering efforts and relentless pursuit of excellence by our researchers in the College of Arts and Sciences, we would not be able to teach, inspire and innovate in the ways that we do. Their contributions not only enhance our academic environment but also shape the future of their respective fields.”

The gala also acknowledged the crucial support provided by staff members from the , academic departments, , , , and the , whose contributions are essential to the college’s research enterprise.

Attendees departed with a renewed appreciation for the college’s supportive and accomplished academic community. Several commented that the night ended too early. Perhaps there will be dancing next year?

Maloney joined �鶹Ƶ��University in 2024. His research focuses on the connections between quantum information theory, field theory, statistical mechanics and quantum gravity.

Chancellor Kent Syverud, Dr. Ruth Chen, Alexander Maloney, Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew and A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi pose for a group photo following Maloney’s installation as Kathy and Stan Walters Endowed Professor of Quantum Science.

The Walters Endowed Professorship was established through a $2.5 million gift from �鶹Ƶ��University Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus and her husband, Stan ’72, as part of the Faculty Excellence Program supporting the recruitment and retention of high-caliber faculty.

Speakers at the installation ceremony included Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer , A&S Dean and Chancellor . Maloney also spoke after receiving his medallion.

“This endowed professorship represents a bold investment in the future of discovery, and the College of Arts and Sciences is proud to be home to both this research and Professor Maloney,” Mortazavi said. “Through his groundbreaking work, he is helping to unlock some of the most profound mysteries of nature—work that not only deepens our understanding of the cosmos but also holds transformative potential for fields as diverse as computing, cryptography and medicine.”

Maloney’s distinguished career includes serving as James McGill Professor of Physics and Sir William Macdonald Chair in Physics at McGill University, where he received the John David Jackson Award for teaching excellence. His previous positions include membership at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and research associate at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. A 2013 Simons Fellow in Theoretical Physics, Maloney earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University and both his M.S. in mathematics and B.S. in physics from Stanford University.

At Syracuse, Maloney will grow teaching and research in quantum science while providing students with opportunities to advance understanding of nature and design next-generation quantum technologies.

Oren and Ruth nest in the southern archway on the east side of Lyman Hall. (Photos courtesy of Anne Marie Higgins ’76, G’90)

�鶹Ƶ��University is the proud home to multiple generations of red-tailed hawks who continue a remarkable lineage of these majestic birds on campus.

Three hawk families—all descendants of the original mated pair SU-Sue and Otto—have established separate but adjacent territories around the �鶹Ƶ��University campus. Together, the families continue the legacy of their predecessors, who raised 28 chicks from 2012 through 2022. As the raptors have garnered a devoted following in the local community and beyond, with bird enthusiasts, students, faculty and alumni eagerly tracking their nesting activities and and social media updates, their resilience offers the �鶹Ƶ��campus a powerful demonstration of nature’s adaptation in an urban environment.

Following the tragic loss of the beloved pair SU-Sue and Otto to avian influenza in January 2023, their descendants have returned to carry on their family lines. This year, curious viewers may observe two of the three couples through newly installed cameras. Since 2017, several SU hawk nest cameras have been ’76, G’90 in loving memory of her husband, the Honorable Thomas W. Higgins Jr. The couple were passionate bird watchers who particularly admired red-tailed hawks.

Oren, a 2020 offspring of SU-Sue and Otto, returned to campus in March 2023 with his mate Ruth. The pair initially built a nest in a ginkgo tree and successfully raised two chicks in 2024 after the third chick died in the nest of an unknown cause. The pair relocated this year to one of SU-Sue and Otto’s former nesting sites on the southern archway on the east side of Lyman Hall.

Oren is named in honor of Oren Lyons, an All-American lacrosse player and one of the first Native Americans to attend �鶹Ƶ��University. Ruth is named after �鶹Ƶ��alumna Ruth Johnson Colvin, founder of Literacy Volunteers of America and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.

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Another pair, Cliff and Ensley, have established themselves on campus light towers. Ensley, a 2016 progeny of SU-Sue and Otto, has been with Cliff since 2021 after losing her first mate. The couple initially nested in a tree near campus, raising two chicks in 2022 and three in 2023. After their nest fell when a branch broke, they relocated to a light tower on campus in 2024 where they successfully raised three more chicks.

This year, the mates have built a new nest on a different light tower. Ensley completed her clutch for the season with eggs laid on March 30 and April 2.

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Sarah and Jesse

Sarah, who hatched in 2020 and is Oren’s sibling, was spotted at her parents’ favorite perches shortly after their passing in January 2023. By February, she had attracted a mate named Jesse. Though they built a nest in a tree on the east side of campus that year, they did not produce any chicks. In 2024, the hawks moved to a tree off-campus and raised two chicks. They returned to the same nest this year and both are incubating. Time will tell how many chicks they’ll have in 2025.

Sarah is named in honor of Dr. Sarah Loguen, the first African American physician to graduate from the University’s College of Medicine in 1876. Jesse’s name honors Dr. Jesse Truesdell Peck, a �鶹Ƶ��University founder in 1870 and the first chair of the Board of Trustees.

Bob Mankoff

Bob Mankoff ’66, who melded academic interests in psychology and philosophy with comedy and satire to become one of the nation’s most influential cartoonists as cartoon editor of The New Yorker for 20 years, will deliver the alumni keynote address at the on Saturday, May 10, at 8:30 a.m.

His journey from a psychology student at �鶹Ƶ��University to a prominent figure in American humor illustrates his lifelong dedication to exploring what makes people laugh and his remarkable ability to translate that understanding into a successful career spanning cartoons, editing, writing and education. The Queens native has remained committed to understanding and teaching the psychology of humor, leading workshops at institutions like Swarthmore College and Fordham University. More recently, his popular TED Talks have explored whether comedy is a distinctly human trait or if artificial intelligence might master the art of comedy—“”

Mankoff exemplifies how the breadth and depth of a liberal arts education helps students develop the professional flexibility that serves A&S | Maxwell School graduates throughout their lives. “I think it is hubristic to only focus on one area of study and not engage with all this past knowledge that humanity has acquired,” he said in 2024. “A liberal arts education illustrates the idea that now is as it was and as it will be.”

“We are honored to welcome Bob Mankoff ’66, who perfectly embodies A&S’ mission of creating agents of change,” says A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi. “His use of humor as a means of cultural commentary reflects the critical thinking, creativity and social awareness all students cultivate here. His work not only entertains but also challenges us to see the world from new perspectives—and maybe even change it for the better.”

�鶹Ƶ�� Mankoff

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Mankoff attended the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art before choosing �鶹Ƶ��University. After graduating with a psychology degree in 1966, he briefly pursued doctoral studies before focusing on cartooning.

Success required persistence—Mankoff submitted approximately 2,000 cartoons to The New Yorker before his first publication. He eventually contributed nearly 1,000 cartoons to the magazine, including his famous “How �鶹Ƶ�� Never—Is Never Good For You?”

In 1997, he became The New Yorker’s cartoon editor, a position he held for 20 years, where he reviewed thousands of submissions weekly and mentored cartoonists. In 2005, he launched the “New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest,” later partnering with Microsoft and Google DeepMind to develop selection algorithms.

Mankoff’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to found the Cartoon Bank in 1992, which evolved into CartoonStock.com in 2018. This platform houses over 500,000 cartoons from an array of notable publications, supporting cartoonists while preserving the art form.

���ڳٱ����The New Yorker, Mankoff served as cartoon editor at Esquire and currently holds the same position at Air Mail. He co-runs Botnik Studios, using big data analytics to enhance creative processes, and has authored several books, including his New York Times bestselling memoir “How �鶹Ƶ�� Never—Is Never Good For You?: My Life In Cartoons.”

Convocation will be held in the JMA Wireless Dome with a reception to follow in the Quad at 10:30 a.m.

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A College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) professor recently received the highest recognition for his exceptional contributions to communication sciences and disorders from the field’s leading professional organization.

, a professor in the  at �鶹Ƶ��University, has been named an (ASHA) Fellow, one of the organization’s most prestigious honors. ASHA reserves this lifetime distinction for members who have demonstrated outstanding professional, clinical or scientific achievements that make significant impacts beyond their state and local communities.

As director of the  at �鶹Ƶ��University’s , Preston leads research focused on developing and evaluating evidence-based assessments and treatments for speech sound disorders. A certified speech-language pathologist, his research specializes in treating persistent articulation difficulties and childhood apraxia of speech, while exploring the neurobiological foundations of speech sound disorders in children.

Jonathan Preston receives the ASHA Fellow honor.