Rebekah Yates, Ph.D., professor of mathematics at Houghton, received a prestigious grant to spend the first week of June with her fellow research collaborators at the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics at Brown University, continuing her groundbreaking work on numerical ranges over finite fields.

����ɬ hosted its Second Annual ����ɬ Research Day on Tuesday, April 29, featuring oral and poster presentations that highlighted the innovative research conducted by undergraduate students working alongside faculty mentors.

Students presented their research on subjects such as “Preserving a Faith in Humanity” and “A Low-Cost Solution for Accessible Audio Transcription and Language Translation.” In addition to the oral presentations, poster presentations were held in the Van Dyk Lounge, Campus Center, alongside the Math & Science Colloquium. Students explored topics like “Ink and Identity: How Major and Gender Influence Writing Utensil Preferences” and “Effects of Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) on Differentiated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell (dVSMC) Wound Recovery.”

The presenting students represented diverse academic disciplines, with several having previously shared their research at off-campus conferences, reflecting the quality and breadth of undergraduate research at Houghton.

����ɬ welcomed students and faculty from five regional institutions for the 2024 Penn-York ����ɬ Research Conference. The event, co-chaired by Houghton faculty Mark Borchert, Ph.D. and Laurie Dashnau, Ph.D., demonstrated the University’s ongoing commitment to undergraduate research.

Regional Collaboration

The November gathering brought 35 students and 10 faculty members to Houghton’s campus, representing Alfred University, St. Bonaventure University, PennWest University, St. John Fisher University and University of Pitt-Bradford. Houghton’s Eli Knapp, Ph.D. delivered the keynote address, “Shacking Up with [Aldo] Leopold: Research as the Ultimate Inclusive Sport.”

The presentations showcased the depth and variety of undergraduate research opportunities available at Houghton, where students work closely with faculty mentors to pursue their academic interests.

“Participating in the post-pandemic revival of this conference—which Houghton has been affiliated with since 2005 and which last occurred virtually in 2020—was extremely gratifying,” remarked Dashnau. “We already are looking forward to taking many Houghton students to next year’s conference, which will be hosted at the University of Pennsylvania at Bradford.”

����ɬ announced that Babafemi Sorinolu has been hired as Assistant Professor of Computer Science. Currently acting as Visiting Assistant Professor, Sorinolu will make the transition to full-time beginning in the Fall 2024 semester. His promotion is a testament to the investment he has already made in the lives of students this last year and reflects the ongoing significance of Computer Science at Houghton.

“At Houghton, we seek to hire faculty who are not just expert scholars and educators, but who also have an authentic relationship with Jesus and a desire to help students draw essential connections between their faith and their scholarship. I saw these traits in Professor Sorinolu when he interviewed for the Visiting Professor position this year, and I am thrilled that he will be joining the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the coming academic year. Bringing Babafemi on board brings stability to this important and growing program at Houghton, and I look forward to seeing how he will work with colleagues and students to shape and develop it in the years to come, ” said Provost and Dean of Faculty David Davies.

Sorinolu discovered his gift for teaching as an undergraduate student when his classmates would ask him to explain the concepts they were learning in class. Seeing the joy on his classmates’ faces when they finally understood the concepts, encouraged Sorinolu to pursue a career where he could combine his love of teaching and computer science.

After completing graduate school, Sorinolu knew he wanted to teach at a Christian university. A quick Google Search led him to Houghton.

“I’m passionate about incorporating my faith into my teaching,” said Sorinolu.

When I teach, it’s a way to express my faith in my day-to-day activities. I can be a disciple-maker, encouraging my students to pursue God in everything they do.

Babafemi Sorinolu, Assistant Professor of Computer Science

In a world that continually relies on the aid of technology, Sorinolu believes it is important to have a background in computer science. “There are so many ways IT is being used, so having a good background in Computer Science will help equip someone with the skills to contribute to inventions that help make the world a better place.”

A degree in Computer Science has never been more useful. According to the , employment for IT careers such as software development, quality assurance analysts, and testers is projected to grow by 25 percent from 2022-2032.

Specifically at Houghton, a degree in computer science will give students the foundations of programming and an understanding of how to apply those skills to contribute to the world they will find themselves in after graduation. Students can also now expand their Computer Science degree to include a concentration in cybersecurity.

“Houghton’s program,” said Sorinolu, “gives students the opportunity to participate in research and hands-on projects while living in a close community that makes it feel like family.”

����ɬ, New York’s leading evangelical Christian university, is proud to announce its partnership with Rize Education to offer two new programs: Cybersecurity and Certified Financial Planning. These programs are designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in these rapidly growing fields.

The Cybersecurity concentration within Houghton’s Computer Science major offers a project-based curriculum that prepares students to tackle the challenges posed by modern cybersecurity threats. With a focus on privacy, security, and safety, students will gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on technical skills to protect digital assets from cyber criminals. This program requires only a small amount of basic programming, making it accessible to students from various backgrounds.

In addition, ����ɬ now offers a Certified Financial Planning® minor, which is a CFP® Board Registered Program. This program provides students with the courses required to be eligible for the Certified Financial Planning® exam. By pursuing this certification, students can gain a competitive advantage in the financial advisory industry. CFP® professionals are trained in 72 areas of financial expertise and take a holistic approach to help clients manage their financial lives effectively.

David Davies ’01, Provost and Dean of the Faculty at ����ɬ, expressed his enthusiasm about the new partnership,

One of ����ɬ’s founding principles was the belief that young people equipped with a Christ-centered education in the liberal arts and sciences could make a lasting, positive impact on their communities and the world. This new partnership with Rize Education demonstrates Houghton’s commitment to ensuring that our students are equipped to lead as scholar-servants in today’s rapidly changing world.

 

����ɬ remains dedicated to academic excellence and recognizes the importance of keeping its curriculum relevant to meet the needs of employers today. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a 17% growth in financial management roles over the next decade and 33% for cyber security, these programs at ����ɬ provide students with a promising career path. The new Cyber Security and Certified Financial Planning programs are a testament to Houghton’s commitment to preparing students for success in these high-demand fields.

����ɬ was honored to welcome three new faculty members this year, with each professor offering a wide range of industry expertise and a strong commitment to ����ɬ’s Christian mission.

Houghton’s faculty members are committed to integrating Christian faith in all their subjects. For more information on faculty members, visit Houghton’s official website to find a full list of majors offered and the expert faculty that teach in them.

Mary Vandenbosch ’23 and Carmen McKell, associate professor of Data Science, in a special segment showcasing Houghton’s online drone pilot training courses.

These courses, offered in partnership with Aquiline Drones, prepare students to become a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified commercial drone pilot prepared to gather key data and present insights through data science and key digital technologies. The courses are offered as part of Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs, including a major in Data Science, as well as standalone courses for Houghton’s Early College program.

Blake Eby ’23 and Dr. Paul A. Martino, professor of Biochemistry, represented ����ɬ at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. They presented a poster entitled “Drug Repurpose Screening Identifies Regorafenib As Potential Amyloid-Beta Aggregation Inhibitor.” The poster and research presented included contributions  by Blake Eby and Dr. Paul A. Martino, as well as Skye Chapel ’23, Evan Kasper ’23, Gabriella Mancini ’21, Isaiah Miller ’23, Liam Fisher ’24, and Prof. Carmen McKell, associate professor of Data Science, who were not in attendance at the conference. 

Dr. Martino mentioned how proud he was of the group who worked on the presentation and being able to see the final results saying, “This was the summation of a large effort on our part and it was amazing to see how we fit into the massive effort to study Alzheimer’s Disease.”

This research began in the summer of 2021 as part of the Shannon Summer Research Institute. The project was a collaboration between Biochemistry and Data Science students. The students conducted their research over the course of 10 weeks with the mentorship of Dr. Martino and Professor Mckell, and major support from alumni, Robert Van Dyk.

This summer, the Van Dyk Scholars of the Shannon Summer Research Institute, including current ����ɬ students, Isaiah Miller ‘23, Blake Eby ‘23, Evan Kasper ‘23, Liam Fisher ‘23, Skye Chaapel ‘23, and recent graduate Bella Mancini ’21, conducted research on Alzheimer’s disease. This group of undergraduate researchers was overseen by ����ɬ professors Dr. Paul Martino, professor of Biochemistry, and Carmen McKell, associate professor of Data Science and director of Houghton’s Center for Data Science Analytics.

Collaboration Leads to Better Research

“Watching this group of students use their data science skills to solve a complex problem like the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease was one of the most rewarding aspects of this research project,” shares Professor Carmen McKell. “Data science is best learned by doing, and these students were deeply engaged and self-directed, using critical thinking skills to decide what to do next to draw insights from a vast amount the data. Through collaboration, the data science students were able to enhance their domain knowledge by learning as much as possible from the biochemistry students. This gave them the context needed to interpret and validate their results. Hands-on collaborative opportunities like this give Houghton students the ability to positively impact people’s lives thereby fulfilling our mission to equip students to lead and labor as scholar-servants in a changing world.”

Real-World Impact

With Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia currently impacting over , research into causes and treatments is vital. Alzheimer’s research has been a specialty of Dr. Martino since 1991, when he began exploring the topic as a graduate student. His expertise in the field made him the ideal candidate to recruit Houghton students to partner with him in this opportunity to have a real-world impact on the scientific body of research and the very real lives that research benefits. Thanks to the generous investment that led to the creation of the Van Dyk Scholars and the Shannon Summer Research Institute, Houghton students gained valuable experience that will benefit them in their future careers while exploring ways to help prevent the devastation diseases like Alzheimer’s can have on families and communities.

Hands-On Preparation for Graduate Studies and Careers

As a part of the Shannon Summer Research Institute and the Van Dyk Scholars program, Houghton students spent the summer on graduate-level research and were able to identify promising drug candidates that may help early treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Each student now has the experience of soon-to-be-published graduate-level research that will greatly impact this vital area of study. This experience also provides student researchers with a deeper understanding of what they may want to study in graduate school and prepares them to work in a professional collaborative setting.

“My favorite aspect of this summer was the dynamic that the group shared and the spontaneous conversation that developed from that,” shares Dr. Paul Martino. “Hands-on experience such as this helps Houghton students to accelerate their learning through a Christ-centered education. It promotes career-readiness and allows them to hit the ground running after graduation with a straight trajectory towards their professional and academic goals.”

The Houghton Data Analytics Team spent the weekend at the “ALLY 400” NASCAR Cup Series Race at the Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee collecting data in real-time.