8:30 AM: Breakfast at Mezzanine, SUNY Empire State University at 4 Park Avenue, New York
9:15 AM to 11:30 AM: Academic Experience Agenda
9:15 AM: Welcome Remarks by Dr. Lisa Vollendorf, President, SUNY Empire State University
9:30 AM: Institutional Presentations:
- SUNY Empire State University by Dr. Xiomara Giordano, Associate Vice President of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
- Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences by Ms. Katie Palmer, Director Pharmacy Admissions
10:00 AM: Student Presentations:
Presentation I (10:00 AM to 10:15 AM)
Presenter: Pamela Doran from SUNY Empire State University
Project: Beyond Words: Spanish, Business, and Machine Translation
Description of the project: This project built a coordinated, cross-trained bilingual support structure for Spanish-speaking students enrolled in the BBA program. It brought together linguists, support staff, and administrators across departments to create equitable access to academic and student services. Success came through public-facing web content, a bilingual student portal in Brightspace, and a glossary for consistent institutional terminology. With over 246,000 words translated and a fully functional Spanish-speaking chatbot, the initiative has already improved communication and built stronger trust with students. A key lesson: translation alone isn’t enough—collaboration, training, and attention to tone matter just as much as accuracy.
Biography: Pamela Doran is a Digital Accessibility Coordinator in higher education, an IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), and a doctoral student focused on DEI and Critical Race Theory in educational technologies. She specializes in machine translation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and language equity. Her work supports inclusive curriculum design and institutional access initiatives.
Presentation II (10:15 AM to 10:30 AM)
Presenter: Julianne Yates from Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Project: Cell Phones as Fomites: Pilot Study Assessing the Effects of UV Light Versus Antibacterial Wipes for Prevention of Spreading Pathogens
Description of the project: Almost every student carries a cell phone with them. These devices are placed on countless surfaces throughout the day and are in constant contact with our hands and our face. As such, cell phones constitute fomites, objects that may be contaminated with infectious agents and serve in their transmission. Students studying health professions benefit from being aware of fomites as well as methods of disinfecting them to protect the public. My study compares two different disinfecting methods for cell phones – UV light exposure and antibacterial wipes – in terms of effectiveness and cost efficiency. In terms of effectiveness, results show that antibacterial wipes reduced microbes by 62%, while UV light reduced microbes by 100%. In terms of cost efficiency, an antibacterial wipe station would cost ≈$5,000 annually, while a UV light station would cost ≈$5,000 for initial installation, with some maintenance required over time. Because of superior effectiveness and lower costs over time, I recommend a UV light station on campuses that train medical professionals.
Biography: My name is Julianne Yates. I received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences from ACPHS and receive a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from ACPHS in May 2025. I will receive a Master of Science in Biotechnology from ACPHS in May 2026. Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has been an invaluable asset and foundation to my academic and personal achievements. The college has been able to both guide and fulfill my career aspirations; receiving multiple degrees that support my interests from one college demonstrates ACPHS’ keen attention and investment in their students.
Presentation III (10:30 AM to 10:45 AM)
Presenter: Jennifer Juliana Ramirez from Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia
Project: MatchMind An AI-Powered Chatbot: Empowering International Medical Students Through Mentorship and Support
Description of the project: MatchMind is an AI-powered chatbot initiative designed to support international medical graduates (IMGs) as they navigate the complex path to medical residency in the United States. As an IMG myself, preparing for the USMLE and the Match, I experienced firsthand how overwhelming the process can be—especially when guidance is limited. That experience led me to create MatchMind, a tool that provides timely, personalized, and emotionally supportive responses to common questions about USMLE preparation, clinical rotations, residency applications, and wellness. The project was piloted with a group of Colombian IMGs and medical students from Latin America. Over 85% of users reported feeling more motivated, organized, and less anxious after engaging with MatchMind for just a few weeks. The chatbot also provides culturally sensitive advice, available in both English and Spanish, and encourages students to take ownership of their journey with confidence. A key takeaway has been the importance of combining technology with empathy, students value not just information, but emotional support.
Biography: Jennifer Juliana Ramírez is a final-year medical student at Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, currently pursuing clinical rotations in Miami, Florida. As an international student preparing for the USMLE and residency in the U.S., she created MatchMind to offer AI-based guidance to fellow IMGs. She is also an active member of Project IMG, where she contributes to a global student network that empowers future physicians through collaboration, mentorship, and innovation.
Presentation IV (10:45 AM to 11:00 AM)
Presenters: Mayra Beatriz Juelle Villate & Veronica Rivera Echeverria from EDP University
Project: EDP-Sushi by Bou Contest
Description of the project: The project was a contest to design a concept for Sushi by Bou’s new location. The technology used for this completion were design programs like: AutoCad, SketchUp & an AI rendering website.
Biographies: I am Mayra Beatriz Juelle, a spirited 31-year-old whose journey began with studying Business Administration, specializing in accounting. After spending a decade nurturing my skills within my family’s enterprise, I heeded the call of my true passion, immersing myself in the world of Interior Design. With a particular fervor for commercial design, I elegantly weave my creativity and expertise into every project. My work is characterized by a harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal, always tailored to meet unique needs. My design philosophy is rooted in the belief that spaces should inspire and energize those who inhabit them. I draw inspiration from diverse cultural influences and contemporary trends, ensuring each creation is both timeless and innovative.
Hello! I’m Verónica Rivera Echeverría, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico Campus. With years of experience in accounting, I’ve developed strong analytical and organizational skills that I’m excited to bring to my true passion-interior design. My unique background, combined with passion, lets me seamlessly combine creative design principles with technical expertise. I approach design with a fresh perspective-blending analytical problem-solving with artistic expression. I believe that design is about more than just creating beautiful spaces; it’s about ensuring those spaces are functional, efficient, and in perfect harmony with the people who use them. My goal is to craft environments that are not only visually striking but also practical and tailored to the needs of each client.
Presentation V (11:00 AM to 11:15 AM)
Presenter: Isaiah Le from University of Houston Downtown
Project: Single-Cell Genomic Profiling of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: Sex-Based Differences in Human and Mouse Models
Description of the project: With an emphasis on sex-based variations in tumor composition and gene expression, this initiative uses single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate anaplastic thyroid cancer in both human patients and a mouse model. applying methods including frequency analysis, dimensionality reduction, integration, filtering, and annotation. We used a variety of plots, such as bar graphs, violin plots, and UMAPs, to illustrate our findings. The findings emphasize the significance of sex and model system in cancer biology by demonstrating different immune and tumor cell population patterns between males and females as well as between species. In addition to highlighting the need of incorporating computational tools like as Seurat, Harmony, and DoubletFinder, this effort has shown how important it is to take biological variability into consideration when extrapolating results from mice models to human disease.
Biography: Isaiah Le (he/him) is an undergraduate double major in Data Science and Statistics. Growing up in a Vietnamese community, he became aware of healthcare disparities, particularly as many individuals, including his parents, avoided medical checkups due to cultural beliefs in alternative remedies and the high cost of healthcare. This early realization motivated him to pursue a career that combines data science with healthcare, aiming to address these challenges. As an intern at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Isaiah deepens his understanding of how data can improve healthcare outcomes. He is committed to using his skills to contribute to meaningful change. Outside of academics, Isaiah enjoys caring for his aquarium and plants, drinking matcha, and discovering new parks.