The City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services announcedthat it selected Kleckner J. Charles, ‘01, to serve as director of its division of Intellectual Disability Services. Charles brings decades of experience in advocating for individuals of varying abilities, having previously served as chief operating officer for The Arc Putnam New York; assistant executive director for Program Development Services in Brooklyn; and assistant executive director for Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families in Brooklyn. Charles said he is most proud of the time he spent working as direct care staff at an intermediate care facility supporting individuals diagnosed with severe autism.
LIU Preceptor Wins Pharmacist of the Year Award
The Professional Compounding Centers of America named Gopesh Patel, preceptor at LIU Pharmacy, as its 2020 M. George Webber Compounding Pharmacist of the Year. The prestigious award is presented annually to an independent pharmacist who has demonstrated service excellence to patients, health care providers and pharmacy colleagues. Compounding is the pharmacy method of preparing customized medications to meet each prescriber’s and patient’s unique needs. Patel is a registered pharmacist at VLS Pharmacy in Brooklyn and New Drug Loft in Manhattan.
Brooklyn Nurse Receives “Nobel Prize” of NYC Public Service
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County announced that Chief Nursing Officer Opal Sinclair-Chung, RN, ’83, ’92, ‘12, will be one of this year’s recipients for the Fund for the City of New York’s Sloan Public Service Award. Chung, who is a member of the Nursing Honor Society of Long Island University, is recognized for her contributions toward improving nursing-related services during her nearly 11 years of service to NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, and for her critical role in the hospital’s COVID-19 response. The Fund for the City of New York’s Sloan Public Service Award is considered the Nobel Prize of city government and is the leading independent honor for New York City employees each year.
Graduate Student Earns Prominent National Scholarship
Alizia Flores, a graduate student in the physician’s assistant (PA) program, earned a scholarship from the PA Foundation. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants, the national professional society for PAs. Foundation scholarships are awarded to PA students who demonstrate a passion for the profession and healthcare-related community service.
Renowned Author Hosts Groundbreaking Writing Workshop
Zaina Arafat, an LGBTQ Arab/Muslim-American writer and visiting assistant professor for the Department of Communications & Film, hosted a “Writing About Identity” workshop to discuss the challenges of depicting nuances of identity in the written word. Arafat’s debut novel, You Exist Too Much, was recognized as the most anticipated book of 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her stories and essays have also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Vice, BuzzFeed, NPR, and other major national and international publications.
Business Insider Highlights Wall Street Alum
Business Insider published a profile of Kris Sidial, ’15, whose determination has led him to a high-ranking Wall Street position at the age of 28. Sidial credited his mentors at LIU for sparking his passion for finance and trading. Sidial worked his way up from an internship at a proprietary trading firm to become an associate at BMO Capital Markets, and he now serves as a vice president at the Ambrus Group.
Stanford University Report Ranks Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Mohammed Cherkaoui Among the World’s Top 2% of Scientists
Brookville, NY, Dec. 3, 2020: A recent study conducted by Stanford University ranks Mohammed Cherkaoui, Ph.D., vice president of academic affairs at Long Island University, among the top 2% of scientists in the world.
The report published in the prestigious PLOS Biology journal lists all scientists who are among the top 100,000 across all disciplines and/or the top 2% of their disciplines, compiled from more than 6.8 million prolific authors and scientists in fields ranging from chemistry, to engineering, to medicine and veterinary sciences.
In the discipline of “materials” science, Dr. Cherkaoui ranked in the top 3,000 of the world’s more than 177,000 researchers in the field. He is best known for his pioneering work in micromechanics and nuclear engineering, and he has authored more than 200 publications including the first-ever micromechanics textbook. His international accolades include the France Medal from the National Center for Scientific Research, the Obama Award under the Material Genome Initiative, and the Lorraine Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer. He has also achieved a tenured professorship at Georgia Institute of Technology and a Boeing Endowed Chair and professorship at Mississippi State University.
“I am humbled by this recognition, and I owe a debt of gratitude to all of my co-authors and the vast network of Ph.D. students and contributors who have supported my work throughout my career,” said Dr. Cherkaoui. “I am proud to bring LIU to the forefront of global research as we strive to become a world-leading, pioneering university of the future.”
Dr. Cherkaoui was a pioneering influence of the International University of Rabat in Morocco, the International Joint Units (UMI) research institution between the French government and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the France National Center for Scientific Research. He is a member of the European Commission material science division, and he is the associate editor of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology.
“Dr. Cherkaoui’s visionary leadership and collaborative approach to interdisciplinary research across LIU has led to some of our most forward-thinking initiatives such as our Digital Health Institute and competitive artificial intelligence program,” said LIU President Dr. Kimberly R. Cline. “I am proud to see him recognized as one of the world’s greatest scientists; an honor he truly deserves.”
About Long Island University
Long Island University, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high-quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its “value added” to student outcomes, LIU offers over 250 degree programs, with a network of 270,000 alumni that includes industry leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.
Long Island University Celebrates Giving Tuesday With Inaugural Kickoff of LIU RISE
Brookville, NY – This Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2020, Long Island University will inspire generosity by launching an inaugural, university-wide LIU RISE campaign that runs through December 31st to support student scholarships.
Giving Tuesday, celebrated annually on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world. Giving Tuesday will kick off the generosity season this year by inspiring people to give back on December 1 and throughout the year.
Long Island University’s LIU RISE initiative will help provide critical, long-term support for student scholarships at the University. Scholarship donors provide opportunities for competitive students to gain a world-class education while also propelling LIU towards becoming a Top 100 national university. For more details, and to learn how to donate, please visit the LIU RISE web page.
“Grassroots donations from our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends are an important way to support critical scholarships to equip thousands of our students to be leaders and champions for a lifetime,” said LIU’s Chief of Strategic Planning and Advancement Andy Person. “Every small donation counts!”
“Giving Tuesday inspires people all around the world to embrace their power to drive progress around the causes they care about, not just on one day but throughout the year,” said Asha Curran, Giving Tuesday’s CEO and co-founder. “With country and community leaders, millions of organizations, and countless givers of all kinds, Giving Tuesday is creating a shared space where we can see the radical implications of a more generous world.”
About LIU RISE Student Scholarship Campaign
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Donors to the LIU RISE campaign provide critical, long-term support for student scholarships at Long Island University. Scholarship donors provide the opportunities for competitive students to gain a world-class education while also propelling LIU towards becoming a Top 100 national university. Most importantly, donors equip thousands of our students to be leaders and champions for a lifetime. ACT NOW!
About Long Island University
Long Island University, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its “value added” to student outcomes, LIU offers over 250 degree programs, with a network of 270,000 alumni that includes industry leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.
LIU Partners With Fortune Future 50’s Dassault Systèmes
Long Island University and Dassault Systèmes, a world leader in 3D design and engineering software, announced an international partnership to deliver cutting-edge artificial intelligence and digital engineering technologies. The collaboration will establish a dynamic pharmaceutical ecosystem and innovation platform that fosters research, education and training through a state-of-the-art learning lab and design center.
LIU Gala Honors Lai, Haynes & Distinguished Alumni
Long Island University paid tribute to the exceptional careers of Mary M. Lai ’42, Gale Stevens Haynes ’72, and distinguished alumni at the annual LIU Gala. Attendees watched a moving tribute video celebrating the life and extraordinary legacy of the late Mary Lai. Gale Stevens Haynes received a lifetime achievement award for her 46 years of service to LIU. Additional achievement awards were conferred to the following alumni: Alfonso Duarte ’59; Irene Natividad-Cortese ’71; Andrea Cortese ’71, ’79; Nick Signorile ’86; Robin G. Senior ’90; Mohammed Taher ’09; and Lewis Lirosi ’15.