Open AI: Elevating Website Interaction Through Chatbot

Unaiza Nizami, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Computer Science and minor in Mathematics

Research papers take a lot of time and effort, and one hopes it will be a great learning experience. When deciding on my research paper topic as a computer science major, I initially wanted to begin my capstone at the start of my senior year, but didn’t begin it until my final semester.

My research topic originated from my senior seminar class I that took on ChatGPT. As you are probably aware, ChatGPT is a popular website that many people enjoy using. In my seminar class, I concentrated on the impact of ChatGPT, the architecture it is built on, and how it came to be. For my project, I wanted to take this topic a step further. Despite the fact that the website has sparked a lot of security and educational concerns, I wanted to use it to make websites more accessible.

Many people believe that this tool is not useful because it provides most of the answers, whether the question is about history or how to make a website. This tool can solve the problem and provide the answer, but using the tool to benefit you is a skill that only a few have mastered.

This capstone project focused on the enhancement of a website and how to make it more user-friendly. I examined the CSI website to see how it could be improved, and I found that the only thing missing was a bot that could direct students to the proper location or provide them with the necessary information. Our college website has a lot of pages and information, and students frequently have trouble navigating it.

Another part of this project was researching how to do it. Since ChatGPT has been out for a little while and still improving, there were not a lot of resources on how to approach this problem. I found some YouTube videos and the open AI documentation aspect of this project to help my research. The most enjoyable aspect of my project was coding the server-side code, which was implemented as a chatbot. With the resources provided, I found it to be quite simple to follow along.

I wish I had started my project earlier or had more time to complete it. If I were to give some general advice to students undertaking a research project, it would be to start planning early. If you leave it to the last semester of your college career, you will be under a lot of pressure to complete everything in a rush. It is better to start early and give yourself plenty of time to go through the research process, find the right resources, and learn thoroughly.

Research projects are an opportunity to learn new material and challenge yourself. They can be a highlight of your college experience, and you might learn something you never thought possible.

The Happiness of Chinese Immigration in the United States: Past, Present, and Future

Giselle Chen, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Psychology & Philosophy

As a child of immigrant parents, I often find myself wondering if my parents are satisfied and content with their lives. My father immigrated to the United States of America long before I was born. He had to temporarily say goodbye to my mother and older sister who were living back home in a small village called Taishan of Guangdong, China. Eventually, my mother and older sister joined my father in the U.S., and then I was born. When I was born, my family had to take me back to China so my uncle and aunt could take care of me while my family worked hard to be financially stable.

Growing up, we lived in a cramped basement. I was often ashamed of the living conditions and envied my classmates that lived in single-family private homes. In order to make a bit more money, my mom and I would collect cans and recycle them for five cents each. I always found myself embarrassed to be seen in public by my classmates. I would be embarrassed to bring dumplings to elementary school because my classmates found it stinky. While my older sister had to learn English at 11-years-old, I was trying to retain my parents’ native language, Taishanese.

Now at 22 years old, I understand that my parents were doing their best to always ensure that my siblings and I had a roof over our heads, full stomachs, clothes to wear, and resilience—even if it meant detracting from their own happiness. At 22 years old, I still see Chinese elders rummaging through the trash cans of Chinatown to collect recycling cans.

Professor Stephen Morris’ senior seminar course on the nature of happiness inspired me to develop my capstone on the experience of Chinese immigrants in the U.S., and how immigration has impacted their happiness and life-satisfaction. It is established that a high level of life-satisfaction is positively correlated to education and income. Typically, on average, Asian Americans tend to have higher levels of education and income. Therefore, they should also have higher life-satisfaction and be happier. But this was not the case, and I was very interested and determined to investigate why this was the case.

During my research, a consistent finding in over 33 studies was that Asian Americans significantly score lower on life-satisfaction when compared to European Americans, but did not significantly differ to Asian populations. This was due to a combination of both cultural values and a myriad of factors due to immigration. These factors included income, education, discrimination, acculturation stress, collectivism, and acculturation gaps between different generations.

Moving forward, immigration itself (no matter the nationality or ethnicity) is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, with a long and rich history. Regardless of one’s political or personal beliefs, it is important to remember that immigrants too are human beings. To understand and to heal is to see beyond what we have experienced and what we have known throughout our lives.

 

 

 

           

 

The Class of 2020

Lauren Curcio, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Psychology and minor Cinema Production

This project was the first big documentary I ever directed and produced. It was definitely tough, but I made it work. I was able rent equipment from Media Culture for two weeks in early June. I reached out to my friends who I graduated high school with in 2020, and they agreed to being interviewed. I was able to get four people, which was enough to fit in my timeframe.

The interviews were scheduled during the summer since everyone was off from school. Everyone had work but luckily, it worked out with three of my friends. The fourth person I was able to film at a later time.

When conducting the interviews, I wanted to make them feel more comfortable by conducting them in their own personal spaces. I wanted the interviewees to not only answer the questions, but show something that was a part of them. For example, Rosa gave a room tour since she moved into her new house and had her own room for the first time during Covid. Joe shared his retro collection, Iris showed her computer and desk, and Gianna showed her new desk and bookshelf. Each space demonstrated something about the person. I wanted the viewers to not only hear their stories, but see and get to know the people themselves. Each subject did a great job with their interviews. They went into such great depth with each response, while also showing what best represents them.

After shooting, the editing process took a while. Even though the project was almost twenty-two minutes long, the editing process could take days, even weeks. I took it one step at a time and spoke with my supervisor. I showed her parts of the project I edited and she shared her thoughts. I had to reshoot some parts and also add new clips.

I ended up shooting scenery at different schools and towns early on a Sunday morning. It was great because everywhere was practically a ghost town. I was able to film without worrying about pedestrians. I enjoyed working on this project and will continue to work on projects like this post-graduation.

Infinite Dance Sport

Julia Seleznyov, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Computer Science

For my final project, I worked on something super cool that combined my love for computer science and my deep knowledge of ballroom dancing. I am creating a special app or website that makes judging big ballroom dance competitions easier and more organized.

In the world of ballroom dancing, they use a detailed point system to make sure everyone gets a fair shot and to help dancers figure out where they can improve. It's similar to how they judge Olympic figure skating, looking at things such as how technically good the dance is, the overall performance, the music, and the choreography.

Currently different dance organizations around the world have their own ways of scoring. But in the United States, we're trying to make our own system by taking the best parts from other systems. I found out about this when I was involved in competitions, and my coach asked me to help because there aren't many examples of point systems for ballroom dancing online. We're mostly relying on what we can see with our own eyes.

The main idea behind our app is to give each judge their own login, where they can focus on the specific things they're judging. All of their scores get sent to one central place, making everything more organized. We also want to store this information in a way that makes it easy for dancers to see and use the results to improve. Our big dream is to use this system in competitions all across the United States and connect American and European competitions.

To build the app, we chose Snowflake, a web-based platform. We set up three judges with their own logins and put in information about six top dancers and five different dances. Judges would pick a couple and dance, then give scores in four categories: how technically good it was, how well they moved to the music, the choreography, and how well they performed and partnered. Once the scores were in, a success message would pop up, and the scores would go into a big database. We also made charts and graphs to make the scores easy to understand.

Snowflake was super helpful because it let me handle both the look of the app (the front end) and the technical stuff behind the scenes (the back end). I used Python and Streamlit for the front end, making it easy to edit the app in real-time. For the back end, I created databases on Snowflake and input the info using an Excel sheet, making sure everything connected smoothly. I even designed the logo using Canva and put it online for the project.

In the end, finishing this project makes me really happy, and I'm excited to keep making it even better. This mix of computer science and ballroom dancing isn't just solving a problem in competitions—it's laying the groundwork for more cool ideas in the future!

Ketamine as a Pain Medication for Chronic Pain and Acute Kidney Pain

Tashia Seneviratne, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Biology 

Research literature reviews on particular subjects, including ketamine and its possible effects on kidney function and chronic pain, can be insightful and beneficial. Since ketamine has generated interest for its possible analgesic qualities and its impact on renal function, I expected to find a substantial quantity of previous study on the subject. I also anticipated seeing a range of study designs, such as observational studies, clinical trials, and systemic reviews. I gained a lot of knowledge about the current status of research on ketamine's effects on renal function and chronic pain while doing a literature study.

I learned that ketamine has demonstrated promise as a possible treatment for chronic pain disorders, despite being best recognized as an anesthetic and recreational medication. According to the majority of research, ketamine may reduce pain through influencing the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which is involved in the transmission of pain. Moreover, studies I read suggested that ketamine has complex and varied impacts on renal function. Ketamine could prove to be advantageous in a variety of ways such as NMDA receptor modulation, central sensitization, anti-inflammatory effects and neuroplasticity which is when the brain adapts to changes. Ketamine is usually administered in small doses for chronic pain than when it is used for other purposes such as general anesthesia. It can be administered through many methods such as the oral route, nasal sprays, intravenously and topical creams. The NMDA receptor is important in controlling synaptic change, learning, and memory in addition to transmitting pain signals. As an NMDA receptor antagonist, ketamine blocks the receptor's ability to function. Ketamine binds to these NMDA receptors and acts as an antagonistic of NMDA. Ketamine can potentially lessen pain perception by changing the transmission of pain signals in this way.

While some research has indicated that ketamine use may cause kidney damage, other studies have indicated that the drug may not have a significant or even positive effect on renal function. When interpreting the results, it is essential to recognize the subtle differences and the limitations of the available evidence. As I read through academic literature through OneSearch accessed by the CUNY library, I came across some unexpected and surprising discoveries. For example, I found contradictory results from several studies, which emphasize the need for greater investigation and a deeper comprehension of the subject. Furthermore, research has been conducted on the possible advantages of ketamine in the treatment of chronic pain problems, like limb ischaemia, which I was not previously aware of.

Completing a study literature review helped me grow personally by improving my analytical and critical thinking abilities. It enabled me to gain a greater comprehension of research techniques, the scientific method, and the significance of evidence-based practice. In addition, performing a literature review can help me become more skilled at combining data from many sources and clearly communicating complicated concepts.

In conclusion, performing a research literature study for the capstone on ketamine and kidney/chronic pain is rewarding. It enabled me to expand my critical thinking abilities, obtain an in-depth understanding of the subject, and contribute to progress within the field of science and this topic.

A Reflection on The Miseducation of Cameron Post and the Harms of Conversion Therapy

Hunter Guttenplan, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Psychology and minors in English Literature and Political Science

My capstone project was about the negative effects of conversion therapy and how it is portrayed in The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, as well as research on how the portrayal of conversion therapy in the novel relates to conversion therapy in the United States.

I learned a lot about conversion therapy with the assistance of my former English Professor, Harry Thorne. I took his Coming of Age Narratives class, and we read a book called The Miseducation of Cameron Post. The novel immediately captivated me. Reading a young adult novel about mental health and psychotherapy was very enjoyable, especially as a Psychology major. The novel was so enjoyable that I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do for my capstone project. I could combine two of my academic interests, English and Psychology.

The results I found in the research were actually exactly as I expected. The representation of the oppression of people with queer identities in The Miseducation of Cameron Post was supported by real-world statistics. I learned a lot about Gender Dysphoria, therapeutic interventions in relation to conversion therapy, the fact that people in the LGBTQIA+ community are eight times more likely to report having attempted suicide, almost six times more likely to report high levels of depression, more than three times as likely to use illegal drugs, and are three times more likely to be at high risk of HIV and other STDs. I also learned about the public opinion in the United States regarding conversion therapy, and the influence of negative beliefs and clinical competence on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual individuals.

One of the most interesting parts in my opinion was the high economic burden of conversion therapy. To be more precise, that economic burden is about nine billion dollars, which is outrageous.

If I were to continue developing this project, I would research the difference in conversion therapy throughout the years, as well as look at countries other than the United States. That way I can broaden my research on the issue since it doesn’t just apply to our country. I would also look at the difference in how conversion therapy was done throughout the decades. For example, I assume that conversion therapy was done differently in 1975 than it is now, especially due to the fact that homosexuality was not as socially acceptable back then as it is now.

It was a pleasure to work on this project under the guidance of Professor Thorne, and it was a rewarding experience doing this capstone project for the Verrazzano Honors Program.

 

An Unforgettable Experience in an Ensemble

Huma Ahmad, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Political Science and minor in Spanish

It seems like just yesterday when I participated in my final performance for A Doll’s House alongside my fellow actors. The atmosphere in the dressing room was charged with anticipation as we readied ourselves for the stage. It was during this preparation that a fellow actress proposed the idea of collaborating on an independent play with the current ensemble. Recognizing the merit of this suggestion, I embraced the concept wholeheartedly, and the journey from that moment has brought us to the present.

The subsequent day marked the culmination of our efforts in a directed student-based production titled Rossum’s Universal Robots. The array of emotions I experienced—ranging from joy to a tinge of melancholy—reflects the myriad challenges and lessons that have defined our collective journey over the months. The exhaustive hours, days, and months invested in rehearsals ultimately allowed me to immerse myself in the role of Helena Glory. This transition posed a personal challenge, as my prior commitment to embodying the character Nora from A Doll’s House raised concerns about seamlessly adopting a new persona. However, overcoming this apprehension enabled me to authentically connect with the essence of Helena Glory.

As I reflect on my acting journey spanning the last year and a half since my initial foray into the discipline, I am struck by the sense of completion. From my inaugural class with Professor Wickstrom to the mastery of acting fundamentals, I am profoundly grateful for the experiences and opportunities afforded to me by Staten Island College. The recent trilogy of performances was not merely a conclusion, but a celebration of profound emotions and significant accomplishments, instilling in me a desire to perpetuate such experiences in my future endeavors.

Looking ahead, I aspire to sustain my involvement in theatre beyond my tenure at CSI. I am hopeful that, post-graduation, avenues to participate in diverse theatrical productions will continue to unfold. The last three nights of my performance have solidified my commitment to the craft, and I eagerly anticipate the prospect of contributing to and participating in future theatrical ventures.

The Importance of Transcultural Nursing on Child and Adolescent Health Outcomes

Emily Torres, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

I learned so much about myself from developing and completing my capstone project. I began my project during the summer and feel very accomplished now that everything is complete. Many things can go wrong, which is one of the first valuable lessons I learned. It is important to remember that the work can take longer than anticipated, but it will be worth it in the end. Preparing for this is critical by setting realistic goals and accounting for failures. It is crucial to remember to maintain composure and consider the wider view because this lesson applies to everything in life.

I feel like I have evolved in many ways from this experience, by improving my ability to ask for help. This has been a significant aspect of my growth as learning to and understanding how to ask for help can help me become a better nurse. Effective communication and collaboration are extremely important aspects of being a nurse and by enhancing my willingness to know when to ask for help I am strengthening my teamwork skills overall. In the healthcare field, no one is alone and I feel that I am more prepared to work in a team setting.

There were many challenges I faced in producing my capstone, and throughout those challenges, they helped me realize why I always felt so pulled to pediatric nursing. The obstacles I faced made me even more determined to change nursing for the better. This project wasn’t just about completing a requirement to receive the title of graduating with honors. This project was about gaining skills and knowledge, along with experience that can make real changes to myself, and benefit my journey as a nurse.

I am filled with insight from completing my capstone, and I feel a stronger sense of purpose to want to work with children and adolescents. My capstone was transformative, and deepened my understanding of nursing.

Perspective Shifts: Understanding Both Sides of Growth with Psychology

 Food Taang Zheng Gimenez, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Psychology and minor in Spanish

Throughout the challenging journey of completing my capstone, I held onto the expectation of a seamless and timely conclusion, balancing the myriad responsibilities associated with graduation, my job, and other commitments. Navigating this intricate web of tasks not only taught me time management but also instilled in me the importance of resilience. Juggling these responsibilities compelled me to master the art of not just meeting deadlines but doing so with a keen sense of quality and precision. In terms of personal growth, I learned effective time management and discovered the invaluable skill of recognizing when to pause and recharge during moments of saturation. As I worked on this project alongside my mentor, the depth of my academic exploration expanded.

The journey was not just about completing a capstone; it was a transformative process where I acquired my ability to sift through vast amounts of information, distinguishing between what was essential and what was not. The effort that I set not only improved the solidity of my papers but also elevated my approach to academic research, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the materials vital for my education and my capstone. This journey showed me that challenges are not just hurdles but opportunities for growth and refinement.

My capstone revolves around the topic of bullying. Initially, I attempted to focus on the victims, but considering the abundance of research in that area, I decided to take a different approach and shifted my focus to explore the perspective of the bully.

To be honest, I harbored negative feelings towards bullies, influenced by my proximity to individuals who were victims of those situations. However, as I researched for this capstone, my perspective underwent a complete transformation. I now see this as a significant personal growth journey. The title of my Capstone is, “Bullying, Factors and Rehabilitation: The Perspective from the Bully and the Factors that Can Contribute to Bullying”.

With my major of Psychology, I aspire to become a School Counselor, and this capstone has immensely broadened my understanding, emphasizing the importance of considering both sides of the bullying dynamic. It has become a valuable addition to my knowledge base, providing insights that will undoubtedly shape my future role in guiding and supporting individuals.

Collaborating with Professor Valkiria Duran-Narucki, I not only gained the skills to analyze data, construct more precise arguments, and critically examine academic articles, but also discovered the transformative impact of mentorship. Professor Narucki's guidance extended beyond the technicalities of my capstone, providing insights into the broader landscape of academic and professional growth. The mentor-student dynamic was not just about receiving instructions; it became a dialogue that enriched my perspectives and fostered intellectual curiosity.

This experience underscored the crucial role that mentorship plays in shaping not only academic endeavors but also personal and professional development. It reaffirmed the belief that having a mentor like her is an investment in one's journey, offering not just guidance but a supportive partnership that propels you toward your goals.

The Comprehensive Benefits of Peer Tutoring on Nursing Students

Theodoro Mercado, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

In my nursing program at the College of Staten Island, I had the opportunity to learn an array of skills and interact with various individuals throughout my journey as a nursing student. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with numerous teachers and peers alike who have served to guide and mentor me in growing as a student and future nurse.

My capstone explored the ramifications of mentorship on personal, academic, and professional growth. When completing this project, I was grateful to be able to work with my mentor Professor Danielle Hunton, who taught my Nursing 310 course titled, Interpersonal Dynamics for Professional Nursing.

Peer tutoring is a specific form of mentoring, and it is a form of communication that I employ either consciously or instinctively with patients and peers. The innate process of peer tutoring compels individuals to foster more effective forms of communication and reinforces their own knowledge of the respective subjects in question. It is inexplicably tied to the profession of nursing, and is a skill that is seemingly encouraged throughout the curriculum and serves to prepare students to perform well academically and to carry these skills into their eventual careers as nurses; it is for these reasons that I am ecstatic to be able to relay the implications of this skill amongst my peers.

The creation of this capstone project served as a reflection into the ways peer tutoring shaped my academic career in nursing, and while not all of its benefits were explicitly clear to me at the time, through the completion of this paper I can more succinctly identify how this form of communication shaped my experience as a fledgling nurse. Reviewing the literature for this capstone project granted me an opportunity to examine current nursing research on the employment of peer tutoring and the teach-back method in academic, clinical, and personal settings.

It was through this literature review that I am able to share my findings of these studies with my fellow students and future nurses, so that they may be able to appreciate the significance that mentoring and peer tutoring has on their future endeavors.

I am grateful to have been able to compile a formal literature review of this topic with the aid of Professor Hunton. Courses within the CSI nursing curriculum mention the role communication has within the profession, however, seldom do courses review the topic as extensively as Nursing 310. This course stressed the implications and benefits of mentoring and peer tutoring, and it is only following the completion of this capstone that I can adequately conceptualize the profound impacts that these skills have on students and nurses. This capstone project serves as a source of academic analysis and personal pride, as I was able to compile a comprehensive analysis of the benefits of a tool that was employed extensively throughout my tenure as a student.

Nurse’s Action Towards Stroke Awareness and Prevention: A Case Study

 Gabrielle Artz, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing 

These past four years in the nursing program taught me so much and has helped shape the person I am today. I feel like for most students who have to complete a thesis or a capstone project, they will say that it crept up on them very quickly. I am one of those students.

Throughout my time in the nursing program I was able to figure out what I was interested in perusing and what areas I was not too fond of. My main interest is in neurological critical care, and I focused on that area for my capstone project.

I was inspired by both the Medical Surgical Nursing III course and my experience as a volunteer on the Neurology Stroke unit at a local hospital on Staten Island. I have had the privilege to work with Professor Regina Lama for this project. She has an immense amount of knowledge to contribute, and she guided me through this project, as she was a neuro critical care nurse. She also taught the course that sparked my inspiration for this project.

While volunteering on the stroke unit I heard of many cases where patients suffered from ischemic stroke who could have received treatments but did not receive the medications because the patient did not seek treatment in enough time.

I struggled trying to organize all of the points that I wanted to touch upon in my project. Professor Lama guided me to speak to people working on the stroke unit to learn more about the protocols. I did just that, and spoke with a staff nurse and the nurse manager on the unit, where they provided me with teaching handouts and the protocols they follow when they are treating a patient in the hospital.

Further reflecting on this capstone project, I gained so much knowledge in wanting to spread more awareness of stroke in the community. I was so grateful to be able to work with Professor Lama, who also teaches the nursing course 411, Community Nursing. I am proud to have been able to create a case study and analysis to provide stroke awareness and work towards preventing this life threatening event. To say the least, it has been a journey and I do not take this experience for granted. 

Researching Political Influence and Fame

Mehdi Mesbahi, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Accounting and minor in Legal Studies

I had a lot of fun writing out my capstone project and formulating everything together to connect it all. It had some low parts though. When I first began, my original plan was to mainly focus on politicians. I thought this would be more beneficial, as it would show how those who are supposed to oversee us are often the ones doing the most wrong but still manage to slip away. Eventually after some thought I decided to put politics on the backburner and try to research financial crimes. I thought this would have the best correlation because I am an accounting major, and I was fortunate enough to be exposed to some great people over the summer.

While interning at Stout, I met some great people working in the Disputes, Claims, and Investigations department. One person I spoke is a renowned financial crimes expert, specifically working with banks analyzing data and determining whether someone’s transactions are illicit enough to warrant an investigation. The other person I spoke with has an interesting career in the FBI where he investigates the finances of terrorist groups, trying to connect the dots to who funds these organizations.

I continued to speak with others who worked more on the legal side of things before I realized how difficult it would be to garner information about rich people who got away with financial crimes. I was put in touch with a few attorneys who all told me the same thing. The best person to talk to would be a district attorney who handled cases like this, but no district attorney would be caught on record saying that someone got off easy because of their status. After that, I moved onto the next idea which was fame and political influence.

While writing my essay an awful lot of research went into it and I was trying to make myself appear as little biased as possible, which was difficult to do as I had some personal opinions about what I was writing. Once I made it past that, the hardest part was figuring out the right way to present it all. Slowly but surely the pieces started to click, and I was left with what I think is a great informative poster. The skills with that will definitely carry over for the future.

Creating an AI Powered Color Matching Wardrobe

Steven Ceron, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Engineering Science

As I reflect on my senior engineering design project, which centered on creating an innovative clothing matching and coordination solution, I am imbued with a sense of achievement and enriched learning. The goal of my project was to design an AI-powered Color Matching Wardrobe, addressing the common frustration of not knowing what to wear in the morning.

The culmination of my four years of undergraduate education enabled me to apply the technical knowledge I had acquired. This project, which integrated my understanding of electrical engineering and computer science, was rewarding as I saw the skills and knowledge I had gained materialize in a functioning prototype. In terms of electrical engineering, ensuring that the circuit operated without mishaps was crucial. Potential risks included short circuits or component damage, although these were unlikely due to the low voltage used. To prevent such issues, it was imperative to select the correct components, requiring calculations with specific formulas, and to adhere to strict engineering safety measures. On the computer science front, the ability to create and modify code to function precisely as desired was key. Employing machine learning was essential to my project since it formed the backbone of the design. The AI needed to accurately detect objects, which, in my case, were clothes and their colors. This was much easier said than done.

The most challenging aspect of this project was undoubtedly the software component, more so than the hardware. Throughout the project, I encountered numerous problems that halted my progress for days until I found a solution. Tasks I initially considered straightforward, like installing certain programs, turned out to be the most troublesome and time-consuming. Moreover, there were issues with the coding itself. Minor changes made to improve user-friendliness often caused the program to malfunction. For instance, increasing the resolution of the live feed resulted in label boxes misaligning with the objects.

This experience has taught me that, even as I near the end of my undergraduate education, there is still much for me to learn and improve upon. However, these struggles have been enlightening. I have learned various methods to solve these issues and the importance of broadening my thought process. Often, I was overly fixated on a single solution, overlooking simpler fixes that didn't initially occur to me. The project also taught me the value of patience; rushing through certain tasks, which needed slow and precise development, led to starting over from scratch after a rushed error, a completely demoralizing experience. Yet, this has made me more cautious and attentive to ensure proper execution, helping me avoid similar setbacks in the future.

I can confidently say that, despite its stressful nature, this project has been the most enjoyable and rewarding experience of my student life. I am grateful for all the support I received, especially from my mentor Professor Changmin Kim, whose pressure was instrumental in ensuring the project's timely completion.

When a Door Closes, There’s Still a Window

Alessia George, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Psychology and minor in Business Marketing

Hello! My name is Alessia George and my capstone is titled “Hippocampal Development and Depression” and was developed under the supervision of Professor Rotondo.

Originally, I was in a research lab and I was going to use the work I’ve done there as my capstone. However, as time in the lab progressed, I began to realize where my interest in research was and that the lab was not a good fit for me and my ambitions. This realization was extremely upsetting at first. I did not view this as an incompatibility, but as an inadequacy on my end. Looking back, I understand that sometimes something isn’t for you and that it is okay to walk away and close that door of opportunity. When you’re surrounded by so many brilliant minds and interact with peers who seem so much more aware of what they’re doing, it is hard to realize that you’re still figuring things out. You have this expectation that you need to take this opportunity and stick to it, that it will make you better, yet sometimes it doesn’t. And that’s ok.

This isn’t to say that you should not do research within the labs on campus, I advise that you do, as soon as possible in your undergraduate career. Explore your options on research within the campus. There is so much knowledge and experience to gain from so many brilliant minds that will inspire you to be and do better.

Even so, when you do explore an option please remember that you can always try something else. For me, I did not enjoy the research that I was doing as much as I thought/hoped I would. Thus, when I left the lab I didn’t really have enough time to explore my other options, so I looked back on my undergraduate career and tried to remember what I did enjoy. This reflection reminded me of a previous topic that I really enjoyed learning about, which was the relationship between depression and the hippocampus, which opened a new window of opportunity.

My enjoyment and love for this topic inspired me to use it for my capstone, which I developed under the supervision of Professor Rotondo (I highly recommend him, an absolutely stellar teacher and mentor). I developed a meta-analysis of different peer-reviewed studies on this topic and cultivated cognitive and biological functions of the hippocampus, which is a brain structure responsible for memory and learning, and how they are affected by depression.

This topic is very multi-dimensional and has a lot of topics that relate and can be studied further which is exciting to even consider. It would be nice to further develop this research by looking at other details of this relation, such as a more neurological approach where there is an evaluation of cell production in memory and neurological pathways formed in the gray matter of the brain, or how antidepressant medication affects the hippocampus and how this relation can address other disorders/diseases that affect cognitive functioning, etc. There is so much to explore and it's extremely interesting.

This entire experience of doing research was refreshing since it was a very in-depth look at a topic I truly enjoyed. It was such a wonderful opportunity I am very fortunate to have experienced and stuck with and has made me a much better participant in academia. It has opened my eyes to how if a door of an opportunity closes you still have a window to go through.

Health Promotion for Adolescents at Risk for Homelessness

Navya Nibu, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing 

From the moment the idea of the capstone project entered my mind, I knew I wanted to research a meaningful topic. I had many ideas but none of them touched my heart as much as youth homelessness. My mentor, Dr. Brillhart, is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, who has seen and cared for such patients throughout the course of her nursing career.  My research involved reading through current research on the risk factors and health promotion strategies for homeless adolescents. I was especially interested in health promotion because as a nurse, one of the many aspects of patient care is encouraging patients to have control over their health and improve their health.

Working on my capstone was an eye-opening experience. I am working-full time as a nurse, in school finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and also working on my capstone. It was a collection of factors that helped me finish my capstone – my family, friends, my mentor, my advisors, and sheer determination and perseverance. Time management was a key personal skill that I learned to get better at since I had many responsibilities. Planning, writing out schedules, checking off what I had to get done so that I could visualize my progress throughout the day were great strategies that kept me on track.

When working on my capstone, I wanted to further my knowledge about the topic and bring more awareness to the issue of youth homelessness, as well as find out health promotion strategies that nurses have implemented in their practice for this population. I am grateful for this opportunity to research, educate myself, work with my mentor, and disseminate knowledge. At the end of the day, I am pleased with my efforts in completing my capstone.

Experimental Synthesis and Characterization of Perylenetetracarboxyl Diimide Derivatives

Fan Hu, Verrazzano Class of 2023, completed major in Molecular, Cellular & Development Biology  

I started this research in October of 2022, the semester where in-person lectures were back in session and pandemic quarantine policies had loosened up but the effects and lasting impacts still loomed.
This was also around the same time of the global chip shortage (I also bought a Desktop during this shortage in December of 2021 where prices were inflated). When Dr. Jin invited me for an independent study I was intrigued, as he works on organic semiconductors. He mentioned that his research entailed the potential use of Perylene as a replacement for silicon in chips, which may be a more cost-effective alternative.
During this time, I was also shadowing my mentor in Northwell Staten Island University Hospital’s Emergency Department. I heard that the hospital has plans to upgrade their medical software system and it would cost them in the billions to do so! Their computer’s hardware was also getting slow, so if they needed to replace and update all those computers as well then wouldn’t the cost be far greater? Of course, the actual applications of Dr. Jin’s research may be well into the future, but it was a wonderful opportunity that fascinated me. That’s just a tie into healthcare as someone interested in going into medicine.
Going into chemistry research as a biology major was, admittedly, daunting. But once I did begin, the research itself made a lot of sense. It followed the basic cornerstone of chemistry knowledge that was taught in general chemistry and organic chemistry and merely built upon it, layer by layer.
What surprised me was how simple the physical procedures themselves were. Syntheses involved measuring compounds and transferring them into a vial with a stirring bar. Then they were left on a hot plate and heated. But the theory behind this simple procedure, the mechanisms, and the interpretation of results required a thorough understanding of chemistry principles. Thus, I believe this experience in undergraduate research provided me an opportunity to work on my critical thinking skills; something that will no doubt be held in high regard with the advance of artificial intelligence.
More optimizations can be made to the synthesis procedures if given more time; testing it in a lower temperature, conducting the chromatography in one single sitting, or perhaps testing the effects of different length alkanes. These attempts may increase the product’s yield from the current 20%—allowing greater versatility and equally advantageous yields. I also had the opportunity to visit a biology laboratory and from what I’ve seen, the inherent principles of research in a laboratory are similar. I believe this undergraduate research experience has prepared me well, no matter the type of laboratory or research I may participate in.