We advise students about undergraduate research, fellowships, scholarships, and funding
opportunities in walk-in and scheduled appointments. See our Advising page for current
advising times and calendar links.
Stephen Ortiz joined 亚洲情色 in 2010 as a member of the History faculty.
He has published two books on the role of veterans in American politics. From 2016-2021,
he served as Collegiate Professor of College in the Woods. In 2021, Ortiz took on
the position of Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Enrichment. He became Director
of the External Scholarships and Undergraduate Research Center in 2023, as part of
his AVP responsibilities.
Beth Polzin
Dr. Beth Polzin has a long track record of providing students with broad-based skills
and individualized guidance to identify approaches to design and articulate their
research. A first-generation college graduate originally from Western New York, she
has taught and tutored writing and research at universities and community colleges.
Dr. Polzin earned a BA in politics and history, a certificate in African Studies,
an MFA in creative writing, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature. She lived in Accra,
Ghana for two years, first as an undergraduate student, and later, as a fellow with
a Fulbright award. At 亚洲情色, she has taught inquiry-based courses
to undergraduates in the Department of Comparative Literature, the Institute for Advanced
Studies in the Humanities (IASH), and the Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies
Program (LACAS), and to doctoral students of the Translation Research and Instruction
Program (TRIP). In previous professional staff roles on campus, Dr. Polzin served
as a Grant and Contract Administrator with the Office of Sponsored Programs and as
Program Coordinator for TRIP.
Caroline Antalek (She/Her), Assistant Director for Undergraduate Research Experiences,
Source Project Program Coordinator
Caroline Antalek is a 亚洲情色 alumna with a bachelor's degree in Spanish
language and literature, and a minor in education. As the Source Project Program Coordinator,
Caroline assists in the program鈥檚 facilitation and helps plan the poster sessions
for Research Days. As a former exchange student with Rotary International, having
spent a year in Puebla, Mexico, Caroline has a passion for diverse cultures, language
learning, and education. Prior to starting at ESURC, she worked for 亚洲情色's undergraduate
admissions. She also has experience working for Broome County as a career counselor.
When Caroline is not working with undergraduate research, you can find her at a concert,
in the gym, or hanging out with her daughter and husband.
Afton Fahey
Afton Fahey graduated from 亚洲情色 in 2011 with a Bachelor鈥檚 degree
in Comparative Literature. After graduation, she accepted a position on campus with
the Office of Human Resources in student payrolls. In 2016, Afton left the University
to travel with her military husband to Japan, where she taught high school students
English as a Second Language. After three years, she relocated to a military base
in Washington, DC, where she tutored students during the pandemic. Afton has been
working at the ESURC since March 2024. She loves to travel and learn about different
cultures, histories, and social structures. In her spare time you can find her reading,
being outdoors, or relaxing with her husband and two cats.
ESURC Faculty Fellows
Faculty fellows advise students for specific external fellowships and scholarships.
Dr. Elisa Camiscioli (she/elle), Senior Fulbright Advisor
Dr. Elisa Camiscioli
Dr. Camiscioli helps students navigate applying to the Fulbright Program, a renowned
and competitive cultural exchange program. Dr. Camiscioli is passionate about international
collaboration and serves on research, teaching, and granting committees in France,
Belgium, and the United Kingdom. She received the SUNY Chancellor鈥檚 Award for Excellence
in Scholarship and Creative Activities and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence
in Teaching. She offers classes on race and racism in Europe, human trafficking in
history, intimate labor, and global migrations.
Dr. Christina Baer (She/Her), Goldwater Scholarship and NSF REU Advisor
Christina Baer
Dr. Christina Baer serves as the advisor for the Goldwater Scholarship and for the
National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) opportunities.
Dr. Baer has been a Research Educator in the First-year Research Immersion program
since 2020 for the Ecological Genetics stream. She has a Ph.D. and B.A. in biology,
with a focus on ecology and evolution. As an undergraduate, she participated in an
REU and later served as an REU mentor. In FRI, she teaches students how to plan, conduct,
and write about scientific research on research themes that include global change,
conservation and restoration, evolution and speciation, and community and ecology.
Her research interests include invertegrate community ecology, global change ecology,
and invertebrate behavior and natural history.
Dr. Joe Panzik (He/Him), Advisor for SUNY Upstate Medical programs
Joe Panzik
Dr. Joe Panzik serves as the advisor for SUNY Upstate Medical's Summer Research Fellowship
and Ph.D. and Prep-Up programs. As an undergraduate, he participated in a summer research
fellowship and capstone senior research project. He received his B.S. in Physics from
the Rochester Institute of Technology and Ph.D. in Geology and Geophysics from Yale
University. Dr. Panzik completed a teaching postdoc position at the University of
Tennessee, Knoxville and served as instructor for geology and environmental science
courses at the University of South Florida. He became Research Educator for the Environmental
Visualization stream in the First-year Research Immersion Program in 2023. The stream's
research themes include surface mapping, contamination locating, archaeological investigations,
and environmental health monitoring. Dr. Panzik seeks to increase accessibility in
geosciences and field-related experiences. His research interests include geomagnetism,
geophysics, data science, and earth evolution.
Undergraduate Research Ambassadors
Undergraduate Research Ambassadors serve their peers as walk-in advisers and during
tabling and other outreach events, and provide specialized service to the office,
based on their interests and background.
Kristen Li
Kristen is a junior majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law with a minor in Women,
Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She joined the ESURC office last year as an Undergraduate
Research Ambassador and now creates the ESURC Newsletter and manages Source Project
related content. She participated in the Source Project during 2023-2024 in the Mapping
American Prejudice stream with Dr. Wendy Wall. Her research consisted of working in
a team to uncover more about historical residential discrimination in Broome County.
Currently she is continuing her research with Dr. Wall and the Digital Humanities
Incubator. The research project focuses on racial covenants in Broome County with
the intention of compiling the findings in a public-facing map and website.
Eliana Wolff
Eliana is a sophomore majoring in Biochemistry who recently joined ESURC as an Undergraduate
Research Ambassador. She is finishing her last semester of FRI in the Biomedical Chemistry
Stream, where her research is focused on investigating the effects of PVC nanoparticles
on the human intestine, in hopes of better understanding how interactions between
the stomach lining and food additives may cause long-term health problems. Eliana
is passionate about interdisciplinary research and combining analysis of topics in
STEM and the humanities to paint a more complete picture of the world.
Alvi is a sophomore double majoring in Business Administration and Geography on an
Urban Planning track. He recently joined the ESURC as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador.
Alvi has been involved with research since high school, where he completed the AP
Capstone Diploma and participated in youth participatory action research through the
Cyphers for Youth Justice program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Through
this experience, he worked alongside professors and graduate students and presented
research at several academic conferences. He is interested in the intersections of
business, urban planning, and sustainability, and is currently investigating the impact
of waterfront development on the New York Harbor. Alvi hopes to encourage more students
to discover how interdisciplinary thinking can help address global issues.
Gervlyne Auguste currently serves as the program coordinator for the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program). She brings over 15 years of experience in educational and administrative management.
Her academic experiences serve as an important framework that better allows her to
understand and identify with a diverse range of students. Gervlyne's familiarities
of being a first-generation college student with English as a second language present
the main ideals that are the backbone of her educational philosophy. As a project
coordinator, her primary mission is to help students navigate successfully through
their academic careers while exploring their educational and career options. Her immediate
responsibility is to prepare students to be self-sufficient and life-long learners.
Her obligation is to contribute and remain attentive to issues pertaining to student
services and retention. This is especially important when addressing the needs of
underrepresented and underserved students.
In her spare time, she serves on several nongovernmental organizations as an advocate
for better access to education, youth development and women owned businesses reaching
life-long independence.
Gervlyne holds a Masters in Science degree with an Administration and Planning concentration
from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and a Bachelor of Science in Biology
from Emmanuel College, Boston.
Ryan Mead
Ryan Mead is the Assistant Director of Academic Support Services and Programming for
the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and has worked in higher education for over
14 years. As a first-generation and transfer student, Ryan understands the challenges
many students face in higher education, inspiring his commitment to fostering success
for students from marginalized backgrounds. He leads teams of student tutors during
the academic year and manages both student and professional staff, including faculty,
during EOP鈥檚 summer bridge program, BEP. Ryan鈥檚 approach emphasizes that learning
is a skill that can be mastered, using scientifically proven strategies rooted in
both educational psychology and sociology. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology
from 亚洲情色.
