Spring 2011 Issue - Lehman College

campus walk
Helping the Victims of Japan’s Disaster
Roz Moshensky (sitting) and Lissette M. Diaz (center) from the
Student Financial Services’ Business Office make a contribution
to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan.
Nana Temeng (right) was one of the students from Lehman LIFE
(Leaders Involved For Everyone) who visited offices and the student
cafeteria in the organization’s annual “Donate-a-Dollar Day”
this spring. The funds raised normally help the group pay for trips
to cities and countries
where they work on
volunteer projects.
Because of the scale of
the disaster, however,
they decided the funds
should go to a greater
cause. They raised
more than $800 in four
hours. A few weeks
later, students held a
three-hour festival that
raised additional funds
for Japan.
College Moves Forward—Digitally
Lehman’s Leonard Lief Library became the first CUNY library
last fall to introduce e-readers. Specifically, the Library purchased
ten Sony e-readers, which are available for one-day loan use only
within the Library. Content comes from Google, as well as electronic
database providers like OverDrive. In the photo, Addy Soto, head
access services librarian, is checking
out one of the devices for graduate
student Joel Lopez. Photos courtesy of
CUNY Photos.
Award-Winning Bronx Science Student
Draws Inspiration from Lehman Faculty
Member’s Research
When Bronx High School of Science
student Kezi Cheng was searching on
the Internet for a respected expert in
the field of theoretical quantum optics,
she did not have to look far. She found
someone right down the block from her
school—Lehman Physics and Astronomy
Professor Christopher Gerry (shown at right with Kezi).
The Bronx High School of Science senior is a semifinalist in the
2011 Intel Science Talent Search, the nation’s most prestigious
pre-college science competition. She learned of Professor Gerry’s
research two years ago while looking for someone to direct her
Intel project.
“I gave her a practice problem to calculate, which turned out to give
unexpected results, and that became her project,” says Professor
Gerry. One of the practical applications of quantum optics research
is the development of laser technology and related devices. “I
wanted to give her a project relevant to the research going on here.”
“This process didn’t exactly follow the scientific method that I
was taught in school,” she says. “Instead, we worked backwards
to gain insight into our discovery. The fact that I only had two-tothree
months to do this project with Dr. Gerry is going to be the
most memorable thing for me in the future, if I can continue to
do research. Hard work pays off.” Their collaborative work on this
research will be the basis of a joint paper for publication later
this year.
New Science
Building
‘Topped Off’
The afternoon sun
reflects off the steel in
Lehman’s new science
building. After the last
steel beam was hoisted
into place at the top of
the structure, a ceremony
celebrated the milestone. Attending were New York City Council
Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Majority Leader Joel Rivera, members
Maria del Carmen Arroyo (B.S., ‘91) and James Vacca, and Lehman
and CUNY officials. The City Council secured funding for a rooftop
greenhouse, which will expand the College’s teaching and research
in the plant sciences. Photo by Karsten Moran.
4 Lehman Today/Spring 2011