Faculty and Staff Achievements Roundup: Williams recognized by Science Teachers Association of New York State

This is part of a monthly series highlighting the honors and achievements of Buffalo State University faculty and staff. The roundup is compiled from the previous months’ submissions to the Daily Bulletin and department newsletters.

Kevin Williams, associate professor of geosciences and director of the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium, was honored with a service award from the Western division of the Science Teacher Association of New York State (STANYS), which recognizes STANYS members who have made exceptional contributions in science education. Williams was nominated by former student, Samantha Stone, ’14, ’16, a science teacher in an English as a New Language co-taught classroom International Preparatory School in Buffalo, specifically for his work with Buffalo Public Schools and role in providing planetarium shows.

“Dr. Williams has transformed the planetarium into far more than a building—it has become a gateway to the universe for students of all ages and backgrounds,” Stone said in her speech. “Whether he's presenting to K–12 students from Buffalo Public Schools, college undergrads, or curious members of the community, Kevin brings the stars a little closer to each of us.”

In addition to Williams’ award, here are some other recent outstanding achievements by Buffalo State faculty members:

Tina Colaizzo-Anas, associate professor of health, nutrition, and dietetics, was the featured speaker at the meeting of the Council of Canonical Orthodox Churches of the Niagara Frontier in Niagara Falls. In addition, Colaizzo-Anas published a chapter in the newly released American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Adult Nutrition Support Core Curriculum, 4th edition. The ASPEN Core Curriculum is the volume used to guide exam preparation for the multidisciplinary Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) credential. Colaizzo-Anas has written chapters for all four editions.

Lisa Berglund, professor of English—along with Heather Gring, rare book curator at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, and Walter Hakala, associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo—is a co-curator of the exhibit, “What Does It All Mean? Exploring the Dictionary,” which opened in April at the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library's Central Library Rare Book Room.

Bridget María Chesterton, professor of history and social studies education, published an article in the Paraguayan newspaper, La Nación, that argues women were fundamental in restoring the image of national honor after the crushing defeat in the War of the Triple Alliance.

Kim Chinquee, associate professor of English, participated in the Association of Writers and Writing Programs’ Annual Conference and Bookfair in Los Angeles, California, where she read work from three of her forthcoming books. She also represented three of the journals she edits: New World Writing Quarterly (senior editor); Midwest Review (nonfiction editor); and Buffalo State's Elm Leaves Journal (chief editor).

Leigh Duffy, associate professor of government, planning, and philosophy, presented her paper, “Me, Myself, and Music: Personal Identity and the Art of the Mix-Tape” at the Philosophy session of the Popular Culture Association National Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The work is a chapter in a forthcoming book, 90s Alternative Music and Philosophy, being published by McFarland & Company Inc. 

Carolyn Guzski, associate professor of music, was invited to speak at Chancellor John B. King, Jr.'s annual Women's History Month reception in Albany as a 2024–2025 recipient of the SUNY-Dr. Virginia Radley Fellowship award. She also contributed audio commentary for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's recently acquired painting Music Lovers (1915) by Theresa Bernstein, as part of the Met's American Wing Centenary.

Jason Knight, associate professor of government, planning, and philosophy, was invited to present to members of the Amherst Town Board, Zoning Board, and Planning Board, as well as the Amherst Industrial Development Agency on March 25 on the current state of housing and affordability in the Buffalo region. 

Ram Rai, professor of physics, coauthored two articles: “Magnetic structure and magnetodielectric behavior of the chiral magnet CoTeMoO6” in Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials and “Magnetic properties of (Mo2/3Dy1/3)2AlC arc melted polycrystalline samples” in Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. These articles are the outcome of collaborative efforts between national labs and several universities.

Giovani Russo, coordinator of Student Leadership and Engagement; Yeshevie Hubbard, assistant to the vice president, enrollment management; and Catherine Barbera, administrative assistant in Intercollegiate Athletics; were recognized by the Professional Staff Caucus kudos program. Russo was commended for being timely and helpful with problem-solving; Hubbard was recognized for her pleasant nature and efficient work ethic; and Barbera was highlighted as going above and beyond to assist student athletes while being accessible, professional, and a good listener.

Anita Senthinathan, assistant professor of speech-language pathology, along with colleagues in Canada, published the study “Loudness perception deficits during altered and absent auditory feedback in Parkinson’s disease” in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, which examined sensorimotor processes and how they impact individuals with neurodegenerative disease. The open access publication of this work was made possible in part by the Buffalo State University Open Access Assistance Fund.

Angela Thering, lecturer of higher education administration and adult education, was an invited panelist for the SUNY DEISJ Fellows Webinar Series 2025, which explored the ethical implications and biases inherent in artificial intelligence, with a focus on fostering equity in innovative teaching and learning. The panel included faculty experts from across SUNY and invited dialogue on how AI intersects with diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and access in higher education.

Julie Wieczkowski, associate professor of anthropology, along with colleagues from the U.S., Kenya, and the United Kingdom, published an article in the most recent issue of Cartographic Perspectives. The article, “A discussion on the ethics of mapping place names for riverine forests in Tana River, Kenya,” was an invited contribution to a special issue on ethics in cartography.

Jie Zhang, SUNY Distinguished Professor of sociology and director of Buffalo State’s Center for China Studies, published five papers: “Couples’ Educational Comparability and Their Marital Satisfaction” in Interdisciplinary Education and Psychology with coauthors Wenhui Yang and Dwight A. Hennessy; “The Impact of Intergenerational Support on the Elderly’s Life Satisfaction in China: A Comparison of Males and Females” in OBM Geriatrics with coauthors Jichao Wang, Jill M. Norvilitis, and Wanting Fang;  “Digital Media Usage and Individual Well-being: Evidence from the China Family Panel Survey” in Archives of Depression and Anxiety with coauthor Jiajing Liu; “Attitudes towards Gender Inequality and Acceptance of Homosexuality: A Study of Chinese Populations” in Archives of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care with coauthors Junnan Li and Jichao Wang; and “Psychometric Properties of the Malay Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) in Malaysian Undergraduates” in Behavioral Sciences with coauthors Siau, Ching Sin, Yee Kee Tan, Norhayati Ibrahim, Kairi Kõlves, Muhamad Nur Fariduddin, Bee Seok Chua, Whye Lian Cheah, Sharifah Munirah Syed Elias, Siti Nazilah Mat Ali, Serena In, Alex Lian Sheng Lim, Geetha Subramaniam, Walton Wider, Sherina Mohd Sidik, Siew Tin Tan, Bob Lew, and Lai Fong Chan.

Photo by Buffalo State Marketing & Communications.