HSS Student Expo 2025

Monday, April 28, 2025

11 a.m.–12 p.m.: The Benefits of an Education in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Various HSS departments
Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Professor Lauren Mancia of the History Department will moderate a student panel of students with different Humanities and Social Science majors. They will talk about their experiences at Brooklyn from the perspective of their last semester, and the benefits their experiences have conferred as they face life after graduation. Their post-graduation plans are all quite different!

Participating Students

• Kely Christmas—English and Classics
• Paulina Gajewski—Education, History, Classics
• Matthew Garcia—Macaulay Honors College, Political Science

Hosted by Professor Lauren Mancia

12:30 p.m.–1:30 P.m.: Bridging Passion and Profession: Career Paths in the Humanities & Social Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences Alumni
Room 411 Library

Participating Alumni

• Vincent Abruzzo ’09, B.A. Philosophy & Cognitive Science, Principal Software Engineer, Head of UX/UI, Dreadnode
• Tatiana Benjamin ’11, B.A. English, Political Science, Senior Labor Counsel, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
• Ayana Murray Richards ’96, B.A. Sociology, HR Director, Recruitment and Instructional Staff, CUNY Brooklyn College
• Lisa Sheridan ’23, M.A. English Language & Literature, Marketing Communications Writer, CUNY School of Professional Studies

Hosted by Professor Jason Frydman

1 p.m.–2 p.m.: Modern Languages and Literatures: Contemporary Latin America: Human Rights, Feminism and Peace

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Students will present research on human rights, feminism and peace in Latin America focusing on Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

Participating Students

• Cinthya Benavides—“When the Law is Silent in Mexico, Feminicide Screams”
• Amado Nieva—“Equality for Women in Mexico? Yes, Justice for Women in Mexico? Not Yet”
• Erika Cheng Wu—“Factors in Violence Against Women in Mexico City”
• Kellyse Chen Zheng—“Protest by The Mothers of the Plaza in Argentina”

Hosted by Professor Bernardita Llanos

2:15 p.m.–3 p.m. English: Ethnographic & Literary Discourse: Constructing a Real Audience for Student Work

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

What is the role of literature in our student’s lives? Using mostly short fiction and artifacts from Brooklyn College Special Collections, the course poses the following questions. Who or what can move across borders and who cannot move? How does the manner or circumstances under which people are moving inform outcomes? How are privileged and restricted movements raced, classed, and gendered? What happens when people from the Global North travel to the Global South? What happens when people from the Global South travel to the Global North? The Special Collections artifacts include primary documents from the Brooklyn College Farm Labor program during World War II and student activism during Open Admissions in CUNY. The strongest abstracts, so far, connect student work to relevant histories of migration and foundational concepts in other disciplines, including Economics and Sociology.

Participating Students

• Sophia Salem
• Dylan Villaverde-Martinez

Hosted by Professor Dorell Thomas

3 p.m.-3:45 p.m. History: Welcome Home: The Story of Vietnam Veterans of America

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Presenting oral history research completed by Prof. Napoli, John Rowan, and Danny Friedman on the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Participating Student

• Lina Mazioui

Hosted by Dean Philip Napoli

3:45 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.: Classics: Stolen History–Tracking Coin in the Digital Age

Woody Tanger Auditorium

The night of February 20, 1977 there was a major heist carried out at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy. The morning of the 21st found some 6000 coins missing mostly from the Roman and Byzantine collections. Only a portion of the stolen objects had reference photographs. In the age of mass digitization, it is now possible to establish whether any coins have appeared on the antiquities market. The students will present their experiences not only identifying the coin types but also using digital archives and databases to hunt for specific coin specimens. Finally, they will offer thoughts on cultural heritage issues and possible next steps.

Participating Students:

• Julia Fernandez—“Triskeles: A Sicilian Symbol on Roman Coins”
• Isabel Herrera—”The Dark Underbelly of the Art World: Contextualizing the Naples 1977 Heist”

Hosted by Professor Liv Yarrow

3:45 p.m.–5 p.m. Africana Studies: Confronting Power: Exploring Historical and Contemporary Impacts of Colonialism, Slavery and Racism in the African Diaspora

411 Library, Samuel and Bernice Gottlieb Room

Africana Studies, a multidisciplinary field of study, examines the histories and experiences of people of African descent, and confronts power structures and hierarchies by analyzing the historical and contemporary impacts of colonialism, slavery, racism, and other forms of oppression on African and diasporic peoples and communities. Africana Studies majors address such impacts, from the historical to the contemporary – from an examination of the role of Black women in the evolution of African American music, a legacy rooted in slavery; to an exploration of the treatment of West African soldiers and migrants in France during the 20th century so as to highlight the enduring legacy of colonialism, manifesting in systemic racism, economic exclusion, and cultural marginalization; and finally, an interrogation of race and power as underlining mining practices by foreign owned companies in the Dominican Republic.

Participating Students

• Quanda Dublin—“African American Music. How Women Impacted our Music”
• Harmonie Heath—“Black migrants and communities in 20th Century France—Interrogating Racism, Exclusion and Marginalization”
• Maciel Rosario—“Disruption and Displacement in Sanchez Ramirez —Mining in the Dominican Republic”

Hosted by Professor Aleah Ranjitsingh

4:15 p.m. – 5 p.m. English: Otherwise, Chaos: Writing to Disturb the Peace

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Interns from the English Department’s Junction Journal will present their creative works written in response to ongoing societal upheaval and the erasure of marginalized experiences. Through poetry and prose, they will explore the emotional and intellectual impact of cultural distress, harmful rhetoric and policies, and the attempted silencing of vulnerable voices, demonstrating the utility of art as a tool for resistance, resilience, and remembrance. Following the recital, there will be a short Q&A section.

Participating Students

• Zoe Davis—“My Greatest Weapon”
• Damien Niesewand—“America, As Always”
• Kai Pena-Chavez—“The New Court of Nero”
• Duly Rosenberg—“Back to Ashes”
• Amelia Ayers—“what do I do with my miracle now”
• Vail Varone—“Desert Wife”
• Sabrina Zami—”home of the terrified”
• Leo Kouklanakis—“to what”
• Michele Sherman—“to grieve the blood on your own hands”
• Matthew Faltas—“Spirals”

Hosted by Professor Roni Natov

5 p.m.–7 p.m. Individual Student Research Projects

Various HSS Departments
Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Participating Students

• Madeleine Beyer—Communication Arts, Sciences and Disorders: “Localization of Music in Perceived Motion in Cochlear Implant Users”
  Despite excellent outcomes for speech understanding in quiet, music perception and appreciation remain significant challenges for cochlear implant (CI) users. Spatial perception contributes significantly to music enjoyment, yet it has been understudied in this population. The present study explores spatial perception of music in CI users versus individuals with normal hearing, and the implications of panning, the most common tool for spatial manipulation of recorded audio.
• Shatisha Bryant—Communication Arts, Sciences and Disorders: “From Land to See”
  This abstract will illustrate how the traditions of the Djeli – the emphasis on oral transmission, the power of language to preserve and critique, and the role of the artist as a community voice – are not relics of the past but living influences that continue to shape contemporary artistic expression in urban landscapes like Brooklyn.
• Angelica Crisostomo—English: “Wondrous Language in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”
  This project dissects The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Dominican writer Junot Diaz, exploring the way that language mechanics like ‘blankness,’ mythology, fantasy, and translanguaging drive the novel’s themes of generational trauma, identity, and rejecting colonial legacies.
• Seth Goldman—Philosophy: “Only Fools Remain: The Moral Obligation of Civil Disobedience and the Immorality of Obeying Unjust Laws When It’s Twilight in America and the Tired American Dreams of One More Day to Realize a Dream King Once Had”
  Rushing full steam ahead into a constitutional crisis, with a seeming free-fall into fascism, it feels like twilight in America. After 40-some-odd years of Reagan’s morning in America, the unparalleled return of Trump threatens to finish the job, vanquishing any semblance of trust we had for each other and destroying the last shreds of faith in democracy itself. Do we have a prima facie obligation to obey the law? I argue that, during these fraught times – overflowing with a stultifying sense of amnesia – Martin Luther King Jr’s civil disobedience and unyielding belief in the natural law, with its inherent equality, dignity, and rationality, are needed now more than ever, if America is to make it through the night and realize a dream King once had, where hazy clouds of inferiority finally give way to the healing light of humanity.
• Demetrius Joseph—Sociology: “The hidden open spaces at Brooklyn College”
  This ongoing research underscores the systemic factors that contribute to students’ experiences of isolation and explores how Brooklyn College can adopt new approaches to community building. Furthermore, it illustrates how a sense of alienation can be addressed through inclusive practices that extend beyond the classroom and the fulfillment of academic credits.
• Angelina Lambros—History: “Operation Sail 1976: How New York City Came Together in Times of Crisis”
  This presentation explores the history of Operation Sail 1976, when New York City celebrated the Bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence with a parade of ships from around the world. The research focuses on the planning of the event, the execution of the event, as well as reflections on the event from the perspective of the 1970s as well as today. It explains what Operation Sail really aimed to celebrate and how the fact that it does not relate to the history of the Declaration of Independence is not important because it never intended to do so. Operation Sail 1976 brought the world together in New York Harbor, and it meant a lot to New Yorkers struggling during the economic distress of the 1970s because above all, Op. Sail created a celebration that everyone could enjoy.
• Leannmarie Senat—Communication Arts, Sciences and Disorders: “Development of an Evidence-Based Mentorship Program to Support Historically Underrepresented CSD Undergraduate Students Applying for Graduate Programs in SLP and/or Audiology”
  The goal of the evidence-based mentorship program will be to guide historically underrepresented students who intend to apply for graduate programs in SLP and audiology by providing them with a better understanding of the graduate school application process. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the mentorship program for historically underrepresented undergraduate students enrolled in the CSD program at Brooklyn College (BC) via a post-program survey that measures participants’ responses to questions about the effectiveness of various aspects of the program.
• Milada Sirota—Philosophy: “Methodological Pluralism”
  Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, yet its diverse schools of thought often claim conflicting paths to understanding existence and achieving the “good life.” While traditional approaches advocate for singular, definitive answers, Methodological Pluralism is an integrative framework that blends multiple philosophical perspectives to better navigate the complexities of human experience. Drawing from William James’ pluralist philosophy, the discipline explores how adopting a multifaceted approach prevents the rigid constraints of singular ideologies, allowing individuals to construct personalized and adaptable frameworks for meaning, ethics, and happiness. By examining historical and contemporary philosophical theories—from Plato’s discipline-driven justice to Epicurus’ pursuit of pleasure—this dialogue illustrates the limitations of any single system and the advantages of a pluralist methodology. Methodological Pluralism not only broadens intellectual inquiry but also maximizes individual agency in defining the good life, making it a more effective and inclusive approach to philosophical thought in an ever-evolving world.
• Carmine Tepedino—Philosophy: “The Ethics of Moral Enhancement”
  As technology continues to advance and our quality of life improves as a result, the question arises: which aspects of our lives truly require improvement? This presentation explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding moral enhancement, particularly through neurochemical interventions designed to improve human morality by altering brain function. While the allure of a more virtuous society is compelling, such enhancements risk undermining personal autonomy, diminishing the role of moral reasoning, and reducing ethical growth to a chemically induced process. Turning morality into a programmable trait raises a fundamental question about why we value morality in the first place. This presentation posits that morality is meaningful precisely because it involves struggle, reflection, and choice. As the prospect of moral enhancement becomes increasingly feasible, its profound implications demand careful consideration—and the preservation of human agency must remain paramount.
• Adacia Thomas—Political Science: “The History of African American Choral Music”
  Performance of a negro spiritual by a renowned African American Choir Director – Nathan Carter, I also will give a brief presentation on the origins of African American Choral Music and its relationship to politics.

Hosted by Dean Philip Napoli

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

11:10 a.m.–noon—History: Scholars’ Program Senior Thesis presentations

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Participating Students

• Sydney Gdański—“The Russo-Ukrainian War and Implications for the Western Balkans”
• Julio Vasquez Jimenez—“How Does the Distinction between High and Low Literature Affect How Society Functions?”
• Antar Das—“Overconfidence and Optimism in Institutional Investment: Psychological Drivers Behind Housing Market Speculation Leading to the 2008 Financial Crisis”
• Diana Reyes—“Exploring the Effects of Government Policies on Mobile Food Vendors”

Hosted by Professor KC Johnson

Noon–2 p.m. Sociology: Undergraduate Research in Sociology—Critical Inquiries into Social Life

Sociology department hallway Room 3611, James Hall

This poster session highlights original research conducted by undergraduate students in sociology, presenting empirical and theoretical investigations into the structures, patterns, and processes that shape human societies. Topics span a range of contemporary issues, employing diverse methodological approaches and sociological frameworks. Attendees are invited to engage with the presenters and explore the analytical contributions of emerging scholars to the discipline.

Participating Students

• Brenda Bravo—“Higher Education Equity for Undocumented, Immigrants Students”
• Aniyah Danforth—“Examining the Racial Disparities in New York City Using 311 Data”
• Donelle Da Silva—“Adverse Childhood Experiences as a Reproducing Factor of Socioeconomic Status”
• Tyana Dixon—“They bought that for how much?!?: Understanding housing sale trends in relation alienation in New York City”
• Humna Iqbal—“Geographic Differences in Housing”
• Sannaa Justice-Jackman—“Black and Caribbean Families: The Generational Growth & Curses”
• Nija Martin—“Community Found in After School”
• Charlie Muller—“Mobilization and Movement Building: A Comparative Analysis of Student Movements in Brazil and Quebec”
• Elsa Mujaj—“Fitness, Drive, and Masculinity: The Impact of Exercise on Men’s Self-Esteem”
• Ashley Nelson—“Navigating Stress Amongst Healthcare Professionals in the Workplace Expectations and Higher Education”
• Esosa Omoregbee—“A look at the Interborough Express and the communities it will serve”
• Akiba Tabassum—“NYC Housing Property Sales of 2019”
• Randol Quintuna—“First Generation College Students: The Struggle Between Cultural
• Liora Tkatsenko—“Discovering Work-Life Balance in Higher Education”

Hosted by Professors Emily Molina and Tamara Mose

12:15 p.m.–1 p.m.: Puerto Rican and Latino Studies: Puerto Rican and Latinx Studies: Latinx Youth Literature as Testimonios

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Students from “PRLS 3316: Banned Books: Teaching Latinx Children and Youth Literature” present on different banned and censored Latinx youth literature as testimonios. They engage testimonios in conversation with other critical frameworks like Latinx Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Content Analysis to provide commentary on key middle-grade and young adult literature.

Participating Students

• Lisbeth Rosales—”Mango, Abuela and Me” by Meg Medina
• Manuel Martinez Valdez—”The Moon Within” by Aida Salazar
• Miguel Figueroa—”Miss Quinces” by Kat Fajardo
• Melanie Figueroa—”The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo

Hosted by Professor Carla España

12:30–2 p.m. History: Performing the Premodern on the East Quad

East Quad

Come immerse yourself in the premodern world with students and professors who study the world before 1500 C.E.! Make ancient curse tablets; listen to troubadour songs; follow a map of Indigenous Brooklyn College and Midwood; learn how to be a medieval knight; participate in a monastic scriptorium; watch three different fourteenth-century plays and medieval royal processions; argue in the medieval scholastic style; and engage in a premodern sensorium. Take a time machine to the past with undergraduate and graduate students and professors from Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, Classics, English, History, Music, and Philosophy.

Participating Students: Katryna Alexis, Fatima Arif, Rita Bartony, Justin Beristain, Rivkah Bryski, Sydney Cardieri, Shi Xian Chen, Lucy Curran, Mark Fleming, Paulina Gajewski, Elena Grachev, Kori Ginzberg, Aidrian Graber, Kerry Haggerty, Dylan Huang, Joryssa Humphreys, Elena Kalvar, Julia Krzysztalowicz, Brian Lanza, Lina Mazioui, Amani Mohamed, Sirandrew Purcell, Chana Radensky, Jonathan Rakhamimov, Adelaide Snow, Vivienne Soares, Christopher Soto, and with dramaturgical and research support from the students of Museum Anthropology/ANTH3435 & Performing the Middle Ages/HIST 7730X.

Featuring professors: Andrew Arlig (Philosophy), Kelly Britt (Anthropology), Lauren Mancia (History) Brian Sowers (Classics), Karl Steel (English), Karen Stern (History), Christopher Preston Thompson (Graduate Center/Performance-Informed Musicology)

Hosted by Professor Lauren Mancia

1:05 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows Research Program: Resistance to Gendered, Raced, and State-Sponsored Hegemonies: Multidisciplinary Approaches

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows will present their research through various areas of interest within the Humanities.

Participating Students

• Brandon Abram—“An Intervention on US Intervention: The Political Rhetoric on Haiti and Haitian Migration”
• Ahnaya Charleus—“Interrogations of Afro-Pessimism Through Black Art and the Radical Black Future”
• Julia Fernandez—“Women, Magic, and Vengeance: Female Agency in Roman Magical Practices”
• Karina Fernandez-Saito—“Dementia Risk in Black and Brown Latina women Unpaid Caregivers”
• Mashiat Sultana—“The Gothic’s Role in Challenging Political and Social Systems Through Literature”
• Saisha Wesley—“Anti-Blackness in Artificial Intelligence (AB in AI)”

Hosted by Professor Lynda Day

2:15 p.m.–3:55 p.m. Communication Program: An Exploration of Politics and Media

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

Presenters will discuss different projects they produced in their Communication Research Methods course. With each topic focused on politics or the media in some way, students showcase their work, which produced some unexpected results.

Participating Students

• Vanessa Cruz—“Emergence of Social Media and Participation in Political Tactics”
• Renee Scorcia—“How College Students Use the Platform X During Political News Events”
• Johan Nolasco—”How do young voters use information on social media to develop their political opinions?”
• Brenda Bravo—“Exploring Lockdown Effects on Self-Awareness and Social Interaction”
• Mariah Cabrera—“Student Preparations for Public Speaking”
• Daniel Joseph—“TikTok and Instagram’s Impact on Young Men’s Interest in Dating”
• Jason Rivera—“How Do People View Celebrity Endorsement (or Participation In) Scientology?”
• Warren Marburg—“Praise Doesn’t Pay”
• Clare Lambe—”Going Underground: Communication Challenges in Subway Emergencies”

Hosted by Professor Anastacia Kurylo

4–5 p.m. Political Science: Capstone Student Perspectives on Contemporary Events

Woody Tanger Auditorium, Library

This panel brings four excellent students from the political science department together to present on their individual research papers that they are producing for our capstone seminar. The papers cover three subfields in political science: political theory, American politics, and a combination of international relations/comparative politics. Students will discuss the lack of a left movement in the US, gendered household negotiations about work, US policy towards Guyana, and educational policy for the NYC Hasidic community. The presenters adopt a variety of traditional political science methodologies in order to present their arguments.

Participating Students:

• Aicha Barry—“Limits on Democratic Backsliding: A Study of France and the US”
• Seth Goldman—“Why hasn’t America been able to mount an enduring progressive movement?”
• Meity Hoffman—“The Problem of Hasidic Education: Insularity, Politics, Power, and Corruption”
• Cindy Lin—“Gender and Hidden Household Labor: A Textual Analysis”
• Adacia Thomas—“Neocolonialism, Dependency Theory, and Liberal Institutionalism: Analyzing U.S. Influence on Guyana’s Oil Trade”

Hosted by Professor Caroline Arnold

5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.: Bridging Passion and Profession: Career Paths in the Humanities & Social Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences Alumni
Zoom

Participating Alumni

• Nikki Lebenson Angulo ‘09, B.A. History & English Literature, J.K. Watson Fellow, Deputy Chief of Organization Development at AFS Intercultural Programs, AFS Intercultural Programs
• Jon Gilmore Jr. ’15 B.A. Linguistic Anthropology, Senior Technical Program Manager, Microsoft
• Vanessa Santiago ’06, B.A. Puerto Rican & Latino Studies Concentration in Secondary Education, Managing Director of Leadership and College Access Programs, ASPIRA of NY
• Jospeh Valerio ’15—B.A. Political Science & Psychology
  Associate, Schulte Roth & Zabel, LLP

Hosted by Professor Jason Frydman

ALL DAY MONDAY AND TUESDAY

Macaulay Honors—People of New York City: Collaborative Family Heirloom Biography Project

Boylan Hall Hallway near Dean’s Office, 3238

For this assignment, students worked in pairs to create an illustrated “biography” of two physical objects—one inherited from each student’s family or community. These objects hold personal, cultural, or historical significance to your respective heritages.

The resulting biographies were first created as pdfs, as shown in these posters, then printed as zines, thus becoming heirlooms themselves.

The students acted as “biographers” for inanimate objects while practicing essential teamwork skills. Students learned and communicated how material items can carry personal and communal histories.

Participating Students: Marooha Atif, Anthony Calderon, Diana Chen Feng, Chesna Chummar, Moussa Cisse, Marilyn Dweck, Ezra Grazi, Kyle Hua, Jimmy Huang, Jasmina Komiljonova, Leah Lati, Keanna Lewis, Sophia Remorca, Sophia Romanosky, Eliyahou Saadia, Sasha Shablii, Lucianna Sidel, Nour Sulaiman, Ruth-Shamard Thomas, Imogen Williams

Hosted by Dean Philip Napoli