DSA Seminar Series

Instructor: Danielle Ophir

Job Title: Head of Product

Company: Recovery Jobs

Humans, Design, and Al: Reclaiming the Human Perspective in an Algorithmic Age 

• Explore the central question of modern design: Whose needs are we serving? 
• Examine how Al complicated traditional design ethics by shifting focus from user needs to data-driven optimization. 
• Learn how to design for genuine human needs through empathy mapping, user research, and behavioral insights. 
• Discover practical design methods for building Al tools that empower, rather than manipulate, their users. 

Danielle Ophir is a Product and UX Designer specializing in human-centered Al design. She currently serves as Head of Product at Recovery Jobs, where she leads the development of Al-driven job placement tools for the recovery community. Danielle's work bridges design, technology, and ethics, with experience spanning industries from food safety to addiction recovery. She holds a BFA and BA from Haifa University and professional certifications in UX/UI Design and Front-End Development. Her approach combines design thinking, systems thinking, and behavioral research to create products that are transparent, inclusive, and genuinely human-centered. Danielle has also led projects for major clients such as Verizon, PepsiCo, and General Mills, and was a finalist in the 2024 Buffalo Emerging Technology 

Instructor: Dr. H David Sheets

Job Title: Director, Graduate Program in Data Science 

Company: Merrimack College 

Use AI to classify objects based on texture 

• Classification of texture 
• Convolutional Neural Networks 
• Bayesian Drop-Out 

Dr. Sheets was trained as a Physicist but has worked for many years as an applied Data Scientist, working in a wide variety of collaborative, interdisciplinary teams to address a variety of questions. He has published scientific works in biology, entomology, forensics, paleobiology, physics, anthropology and art conservation. He is a co-author of a leading textbook in Geometric Morphometrics, a set of methods for carrying out hypothesis testing based on the shapes of non-human organisms. His current work focuses on approaches to measuring the performance characteristics of forensic firearms and handwriting examiners, and on data science approaches to the analysis of surface textures on art objects. 

Instructor: Theron Howard

Job Title: Vice President - Scrum Master

Company: M&T Bank

Job Jams to Net-Work It with a Mentorship Mingle 

• What's next after I graduate? 
• How might I Net-Work it to a Mentor Mingle? 
• Where's the JOBs around here and what should I do to get one? 
• Linking and Learning 

I am currently working for M&T Bank as a Technical Scrum Master within the Credit Technology and Portfolio Support group supporting two Agile/Scrum teams. Previous Roles: Technical Project Manager, Senior Consultant/PM, Project Manager, Operations PM, Manager Systems & Service Training, Technical Training Manager & Technical Trainer. I hold degrees from Buffalo State University in MIS, Erie Community College in Data Processing and a Master Certification in Project Management for GWU along with thousands of post educational training hours. And I am enormously proud to be an ECC - Distinguished Alumni, IT Advisory Chair and Adjunct Professor in technology. In addition, I have served on numerous community and organization boards: Urban Ledge, College Day 2023-2025, Workforce Development, TechWars, Mission Ignite, Men of Merit, ECC Presidential Search committee to name a few. Currently I'm a member of M&T’s Steering Committees for STEM - Science Technology Engineering & Math, AARG (African American Resource Group) and & Buffalo State Business Advisory committee. Then time allowing, I offer my service as a guest speaker to college students about careers, technology, Networking and Mentoring and what discuss what it takes to be successful within today’s work environment. 

Instructor: Rajat Verma 

Job Title: Senior Staff Product Manager

Company: ServiceNow

Bridging Data Science and Product Thinking to Create High-Impact Data Products 

• Break down the key principles of building high-impact data products, including identifying the right use cases, designing for great experiences, and ensuring repeatability. 
• Get practical takeaways on how to apply product thinking to data science, helping data science teams deliver valuable insights across an organization. 
• Through a few real-world examples, learn how to structure data products for maximum impact and drive their adoption. 

Rajat Verma is currently a Senior Staff Product Manager at ServiceNow, responsible for building analytics and AI products that leverage data intelligence to drive top line growth for the company. He has over 12 years of global work experience at Fortune 500 companies in Data Science, Data Engineering and Data Analytics. He is passionate about mentoring students and early career data professionals. He holds an MBA from Berkeley Haas. 

Instructor: Bianca Castro

Job Title: AI Governance and Policy Consultant 

Company: M&T Bank

Responsible AI Governance 

• AI in Banking 
• AI Governance at M&T 
• Ethical AI 

Bianca Castro holds a B.A. in Public Policy from Syracuse University and an M.S. in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. With five years of experience in data analytics consulting, she has partnered with local, state, and federal government agencies to drive data-informed decision-making and operational efficiency particularly in federal grants and public health. During graduate school, Bianca worked with the State of Pennsylvania’s Office of Emerging Technology to help launch ChatGPT for government employees, creating training materials to address the operational and ethical risks of generative AI. She also conducted research at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, analyzing the EU AI Act and its governance implications for private and public sector adoption. Originally from San Antonio, TX, Bianca is new to Buffalo and enjoys discovering local cafés, biking around the city, and searching for the best pizza slice.

Instructor: Danielle Ophir

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Recovery Jobs

Areas Covered

• In an agile tech landscape set on "Moving fast and breaking things", is there still need for user research and intentional design? 
• This talk will investigate the unique design challenges and opportunities of LLM-based products and explore how to elevate them through the Design Thinking for Innovation framework. 
• We will learn how to harness research, empathy, ideation, prototyping, testing and iteration to create LLM products that cut through the noise in an oversaturated tech environment. 

Bio

Danielle is a Product Designer and a creative technologist currently working at Recovery Jobs, where she leads design for AI tools that support job readiness in recovery communities. With over a decade of experience across UX, product, and graphic design, she holds dual degrees in Communication and Studio Art, as well as certificates in UX/UI Design and Front-End Development. A Buffalo-based designer and Rising Tech finalist, Danielle brings systems thinking, empathy, and accessibility mindset to AI-driven solutions. Outside of work, she creates surreal digital games and shares questionable life advice through memes of her neurotic poodle, Ollie. 

Joseph F Miceli Jr.  
Chief Operating Officer
Identity Fusion 

Ralph Nicosia 
Chief Financial Officer  
Superior Lubricants Company, Inc 

Eric Hepkins 
Chief Executive Officer 
Cornerstone Community FCU 

Areas Covered

• AI is driving a fundamental shift in how organizations verify, manage, and protect identity. With machine learning enabling adaptive, real-time access control, the boundaries of trust are being redefined. 
• AI is reshaping financial and operational strategy—enabling faster forecasting, smarter resource allocation, and enhanced agility in both manufacturing and service industries. 
• As autonomous systems make more decisions on our behalf, the question isn’t just what AI can do—but how it should do it. Building ethical frameworks for AI is becoming a critical business priority. 

Bio

Joseph F Miceli Jr. is a seasoned technologist and strategist specializing in the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital identity. With over three decades of experience advising Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, Miceli brings deep expertise in applying AI and machine learning to solve complex challenges in Identity and Access Management (IAM). His recent work explores the convergence of AI/ML with autonomous identity systems and the implications of quantum computing on cybersecurity frameworks. Miceli is passionate about shaping ethical and secure AI-driven solutions for the future of digital trust. 
 
Ralph Nicosia is a Senior Financial and Organizational Leader with extensive financial and operational experience specializing in manufacturing and service environments. Undergraduate and post graduate degrees from Canisius University. BS Accounting and Strategy. Experience with public, private, family-owned, and private equity backed organizations. International experience in China, Mexico and Canada. 

Eric Hepkins is a Western New York native with over twenty-five years’ experience in banking and technology. His experience offers a unique perspective, having held senior executive positions in both large global banking as well as small community banking, before finding his true passion with credit unions. His mission is to build-up communities and people through using his gifts and talents to help them realize their potential. In Eric’s current role, he serves as Chief Executive Officer for Cornerstone Community FCU, a Western New York based credit union with approximately $670 million in assets, forty-three thousand members, six branches, and one-hundred fifty employees. Through his tenure over the past seven years, Cornerstone has grown over $200 million in assets, from $425 to over $670 million, and increased it’s workforce by approximately 10% - while keeping costs consistent, growing net income, and delivering enhanced products and services to the membership – including expanding our Field of Membership, achieving record income, and launching a Commercial Lending program. Eric came to Cornerstone from HSBC Bank USA, NA where he held the role of Senior Vice President, US Head of Retail Transformation and Streamlining at HSBC Bank, NA. In this role he was accountable to deliver strategic change at a global and national level for the US Retail Banking and Wealth Management business lines running initiatives of both technology and non-technology-based transformative change. Additionally, he launched the US bank’s first ever project team to operate in an Agile format. Previous to this, Eric served as Head of Retail Banking for Evans Bank, a community bank in Western New York. In this role, he led sales and strategy for the Retail Bank, Wealth Management, Mortgage, and Consumer Lending. In this role, he also overhauled the retail program, including the development of new sales practices. He successfully launched a new relationship-based deposit customer proposition, and launched a new retail small business banking program. Eric holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the State University of New York, College at Geneseo and a Masters of Business Administration from the University at Buffalo, School of Management. Eric is involved in the Western New York community in many ways, including coordinating charitable events for Habitat for Humanity and the United Way. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Aquarium of Niagara. Eric would like to be known as a Christian, a husband and a father. He has been blessed with five wonderful children, also an avid Ironman triathlete, marathon runner and cyclist. 

Instructor: Dr. Timothy Webb

Job Title: Associate Professor & Graduate Director

Company: University of Delaware

Areas Covered

• Importance of Domain Expertise
• Knowing your stakeholder audience
• Selling your model.

Bio

Tim Webb is an associate professor and the director of graduate programs in the Department of Hospitality and Sports Management at the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. He earned his Ph.D. in hospitality and tourism management from Virginia Tech. Dr. Webb has over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, holding both operational and corporate-level positions. Prior to joining the University of Delaware, he worked as a data scientist for Delaware North helping to lead the company’s analytics initiatives. He has worked on a number of innovative projects including pricing strategies for concessions at professional sporting events (MLB, NHL and NFL) and iconic locations such as the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink. His research interests are in the fields of revenue management and analytics for hospitality organizations.

Instructor: Saverio Sam Marrazzo

Job Title: CIO

Company: Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus Inc.

Areas Covered

• From Reactive to Proactive: The AI Advantage – Why waiting for problems isn’t an option anymore—predictive analytics and machine learning are transforming road maintenance, resource allocation, and public safety.
• AI Isn’t Just for Tech Giants – How cities, businesses, and even small organizations can leverage AI, automation, and real-time data streams to work smarter, not harder.
• What’s Next? The Future of Data-Driven Problem Solving – From potholes to public transit, energy grids, and even government operations—AI is reshaping the way we think about efficiency.

Bio

Saverio “Sam” Marrazzo – Technology Innovator & AI Strategist Chief Innovation Officer at BNMC in Buffalo, NY, where he leads the development of cutting-edge technology strategies that drive innovation, security, and economic growth. With over 25 years of experience in IT strategy, architecture, and management, Sam has held leadership roles at Fortune 200 companies including Praxair, Avnet, and McGraw Hill, where he specialized in IT strategy, project management, and emerging technologies. Sam’s expertise spans AI, blockchain, healthcare, and sustainability, consistently pushing the boundaries of technology and user experience. He has been instrumental in launching impactful platforms such as: Ognomy (Telemedicine for Sleep Apnea) – Revolutionized sleep studies by enabling remote diagnoses and streamlining patient care. Green Project Technologies (ESG Emissions Tracking) – Developed an AI-powered platform to help private equity and law firms automate sustainability reporting. QAS.ai (AI for Endovascular Procedures) – Led the development of a real-time AI assistant for surgeons to improve decision-making during complex medical procedures. GrowerStats (Food-as-Medicine Initiative) – Created a platform integrating prescription-based nutrition programs with point-of-sale systems to improve food accessibility in underserved communities. Postpartum Depression Gaming Platform (University of Memphis) – Co-developed an AI-driven engagement platform to improve mental health research and survey participation. Blockchain Innovations at University at Buffalo – Contributed to blockchain-based projects in supply chain, digital identity, and data security. As an Adjunct Professor at the University at Buffalo School of Management, Sam has been teaching Product Management for over five years, mentoring students through real-world consulting projects. He also co created a Co-Op program that bridges academia and industry, giving students hands-on experience with local businesses. Sam serves on the Board of InfoTech WNY, actively advising startups and emerging tech companies such as OrderApetit, Ognomy, and Green Project Tech. A United States Navy veteran, he holds a BA in Business Systems from Daemen University and an MBA from the State University of New York at Buffalo. His mission? To bridge the gap between traditional industries and modern AI-driven solutions—using technology to solve real-world challenges and drive economic growth

Instructor: Dr H David Sheets 

Job Title: Director of the Master's Program

Company: Merrimack College

Areas Covered

• Use of cross entropy to measure performance
• Forensic Science
• Adapting methods from AI to Human Examiners

Bio

Dr. Sheets was trained as a Physicist, but has worked for many years as an applied Data Scientist, working in a wide variety of collaborative, interdisciplinary teams to address a variety of questions. He has published scientific works in biology, entomology, forensics, paleobiology, physics, anthropology and art conservation. He is a co-author of a leading textbook in Geometric Morphometrics, a set of methods for carrying out hypothesis testing based on the shapes of non-human organisms. His current work focuses on approaches to measuring the performance characteristics of forensic firearms and handwriting examiners, and on data science approaches to the analysis of surface textures on art objects.

Instructor: Joseph Trapp

Job Title: Founder and CEO

Company: Third Estate Ventures, Inc.

Areas Covered

• Detecting Government’s Artificial Inflation of Real Estate Prices
• Open Data Portals and FOIL/FOIA that provides municipal data access
• Land use controls (e.g. zoning) that shift value based on what is permitted in a particular area
• Government failures to uphold laws shifting value from failed expectations
• Crowdsourcing and other methodologies to access hard to acquire data (i.e. WhoseYourLandlord, CompStak)

Bio

Joe is a founder of Third Estate, which is focused on optimizing neighborhood value and physical conditions. Graduating magna cum laude in 2016 from the University at Buffalo School of Law with a concentration in Finance and Development, Joe focused his studies on community and economic development, as well as disruptive financial technologies. While in law school, he clerked for United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of General Counsel and received a fellowship from the New York State Association for Affordable Housing for his work on community development using a specialized homeownership and debt forgiveness method inclusive of revenue optimization for municipalities. Joe graduated from Colgate University in 2013 (Honors in History) and Nichols School in 2009 (cum laude). You can also find Joe at his family’s law firm, Greco Trapp PLLC, where he assists clients on matters concerning municipal and public interest law.

Instructor: Jeff Manhardt

Job Title: Director, AI & Citizen Development

Company: Compass

Gen AI in a business environment powered by data as the lifeblood of the organization

Main Areas Covered:

• Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize project management by automating many of the tasks that are currently done manually.
• We will discuss examples of how generative AI has been used in real-world projects, and we will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with using this technology.
• Gartner predicts generative AI will eliminate 80% of all project management office tasks...How will you be impacted?

Bio:

Jeff Manhardt is from Buffalo, N.Y., and recently promoted from Director of Project Management to Senior Director, AI & Citizen Development for Compass Group - a global food service company based in North Carolina with a curiosity for what is possible and over 18 years of success achieving project, program & Portfolio management objectives while utilizing situational leadership to manage international teams. He has led 3 PMOs, dozens of projects & programs and is an acquisition specialist. Jeff’s award-winning, results-oriented, people-driven leadership approach has culminated with projects, programs & portfolios delivering real business value. Jeff received his Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MOL) from Medaille University, is a 2013 LIMC graduate, frequent conference speaker, and former adjunct professor at the University of Buffalo, Canisius College, Daemen College & Medaille University. Jeff has served as the President of the PMI Buffalo chapter from 2017-2021 after serving in positions of VP of Programs, VP of Professional Development, VP of Technology & Business Services, and VP of Finance. During his free time, Jeff enjoys triathlons, reading, and watching football. Jeff has also served on the boards of the Buffalo Chapter of the IIBA, BA/PMWorld Toronto Board of Advisors, Graycliff Conservancy, and is currently serving on the Habitat Buffalo Board.

Instructor: Denis Harris

Job Title: Director, Career and Professional Education

Company: BSU

CAPE Overview 

Main Areas Covered: 

• Meet the staff in CAPE 
• Identify ways we can support your career development 
• Learn about career related resources

Bio: 

Denise M. Harris has over 21 years of higher education experience and is currently the Director of the Buffalo State Career and Professional Education Center. She oversees the comprehensive career development program for both the undergraduate and graduate student population. Denise is a certified career coach, qualified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a certified Etiquette Expert, and an ATIXA trained Title IX Investigator. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in communication from SUNY Fredonia, and her Master of Arts degree in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. Denise is a member of the Western New York Association of College Career Centers, the National Career Development Association and the American Association for Employment in Education.

Tyler Bursee 
Solutions Architect 

Mike Brugnoni
Sr. Solutions Architect 

Build a Generative AI Enabled Web App 

Main Areas Covered: 

• Understand how to set up and configure Amazon Bedrock resources on AWS. 

• Demonstrate how to integrate LLM functionality into an existing web application. 

• Explain the purpose and benefits of using Amazon Bedrock for integrating large language models (LLMs) into web applications. 

Bio:

Mike: Currently a Solutions Architect at AWS, I help higher education institutions design, deploy, and innovate using cloud services. I am based in Rochester, NY, and hold a degree in Information 
With over 16 years of experience in the IT field, I have primarily specialized in IT infrastructure and operations throughout my career. In recent years, I’ve transitioned to cloud computing, earning two Azure certifications and seven AWS certifications.  
Tyler: Solutions Architect at AWS Supporting Higher Education Customers in Upstate NY. 

Instructor: Amy Brombos, EdD 

Job Title: Data Dissemination Specialist 
Company: US Census Bureau 

Demystifying Federal Data 

Main Areas Covered: 

-Learn how to tell stories about the communities you live in using federal demographic and economic data. 
-Discover how the federal government obtains data about the population, households, businesses, and the economy. 
-Learn how the government categorizes and structures the data it collects. 
-Navigate millions of tables of raw data to draw correlations and create custom reports. 
-Explore USAjobs to learn about federal jobs and internships. 

Bio:

Dr. Amy Brombos began her federal service during the 2020 Decennial Census campaign as the New York State Partnership Coordinator for the US Census Bureau. She earned the Bronze Medal for Leadership, the highest honor awarded to a civilian employee by the Department of Commerce, for her leadership during the COVID pandemic. She transitioned to the Data Dissemination and Training Branch in 2022 as a Data Specialist covering New York State and specializes in academic and educational data. Prior to working with the US Census Bureau, Dr. Brombos spent over two decades in academia. She was a biology and physics teacher, Chief Information Officer, Researcher, and Adjunct Professor, teaching courses on Data Use for Continuous School Improvement and Strategic Planning, Accreditation, and Academic Grant Writing. Dr. Brombos is a graduate of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa with degrees in Liberal Arts (BA), Sports Psychology (BS), and Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (MS). She also earned degrees in Secondary Science Education (MS) and Educational Leadership in Higher Education (EdD) from D'Youville University in Buffalo. 

Instructor: Mike Brugnoni

Job Title: Sr Solutions Architect

Company: Amazon Web Services

Introduction to Amazon Cloud

Main Areas Covered:

• AWS Training and Certification Opportunities for Students

• Cloud vs Traditional Datacenters

• What is the Shared Responsibility model?

• What AWS is doing in the Artificial Intelligence space

Bio:

Currently a Solutions Architect at AWS, I help higher education institutions design, deploy, and innovate using cloud services. I am based in Rochester, NY, and hold a degree in Information
With over 16 years of experience in the IT field, I have primarily specialized in IT infrastructure and operations throughout my career. In recent years, I’ve transitioned to cloud computing, earning two Azure certifications and seven AWS certifications.

Instructor: Ankur Mahajan

Job Title: Technology Project Manager

Company: RBC Royal Bank Canada

Applied Data Analytics in Financial Industry

Main Areas Covered:

- Advent of Bigdata (the 3 V's)

- Data Privacy & Data Protection

- Data & AI Ethics

- Data Governance Structure

- Future of Career in Data Analytics

Bio:

An accomplished Technology Professional with 25 years of Technology Delivery within Banking, Insurance & Financial Institutions. Delivered data-driven initiatives across large initiatives, solving problems of Bigdata, Regulatory & Compliance, Data Privacy, Data Governance. Executed small to large-scale initiatives ($2-10mn budget) with large team size, while effectively managing Agility and delivery constraints in a matrix environment. Working experience across USA, Canada, UK & India.
Certifications Achieved:
- Project Management Professional
- Scaled Agile Advanced Scrum Master 5.0
- Certified Data Management Professional by DAMA
- Certified Scrum Master
- Professional Scrum Master-1
- ITIL V3

Instructor: Dr. Ernest Fokoue

Job Title: Professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology

Emerging Aspects of Data Science 

• Classical approaches to Statistical Analysis 
• State of the Art Methods of Predictive Modelling 
• Inevitability of the need for Holistic Approaches to Data Science 
• Unififying power of Non-pinnable nature of Data 

Abstract 

In the practical exploration of potential patterns underlying data, it usually does it does not take long for one to realize that simple conclusions are almost never satisfactory. As it were, data, real life data, does not lend itself to the kind of reductionist summarization often sought and desired by traditional mathematical scientists. More often than not, there are many facets to the kind of patterns that any dataset might exhibit. This echoes something akin to the passage from classical Newtonian physics to Einsteinian relativistic physics, when one has to admit the limitations of the assumptions of a fixed reference and welcome a new and richer paradigm. 

This talk is not as philosophical as the early sentences might suggest, but perhaps conversational and intended to drive home the crucial importance of resorting to a more flexible and more holistic view of modelling and data analytics, one that is no longer uncomfortable for the failure of simplistic and reductionistic summarization, as one needs to embrace the beauty, richness and power of subjectivity in data science! 

Dr. Ernest Fokoue is Professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology. He earned his PhD in Statistics at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute (SAMSI). Prior to joining Rochester Institute of Technology, he held faculty positions at The Ohio State University and Kettering University. He is co-author of the Springer graduate textbook “Principles and Theory for Data Mining and Machine Learning” and has been intensively and extensively involved in the interface between statistical science and artificial intelligence. He is a strong advocate of a complete approach to statistical machine learning and data science comprising a non-degenerate coverage of applications, computation, methodology and theory (ACMT), the staple of his research and teaching. A passionate lover of mathematical sciences from his earliest childhood, he often summarizes his philosophy as follows: “while the letter of mathematics provides great delight to the seeker/researcher/practitioner, the spirit of this mother of all disciplines bestows experiences of a transcendental, nay ineffable nature. Therefore, seek the latter not the former.''

Amy Brombos, EdD 

Data Dissemination Specialist 

United States Census Bureau

Wendy Mix, PhD 

Associate Lead, DSA  

Associate Professor 

SUNY Buffalo State University

Hands-on Lab: Demystifying federal data 

• How the Census Bureau documents every aspect of the nation's population, schools, governments, economics, and businesses.  
• How to access the 50+ Census Data Portals and Hubs.  
• How to navigate 1.5 million tables of data and create custom reports by geographies, topics, survey, and year.  
• How to fact check stories told with data.  
• What types of federal data jobs and internships are available and how to apply.  

Dr. Amy Brombos serves as the Data Dissemination Specialist for New York State. Her experience in federal service began in 2018 as the Decennial Census Partnership Coordinator covering NYS. Prior to federal service Dr. Brombos spent over 20 years working in academia as a Teacher, District Data Specialist, Academic Researcher, and Adjunct Professor, teaching courses in Data Use for Continuous School Improvement, Accreditation, and Strategic Planning. Dr. Brombos is a graduate of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and D'Youville University with Master's Degrees in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences and Secondary Science Education, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in Higher Education.

Dr. Wendy Mix: Associate Lead, Data Science and Analytics M.S. SUNY Buffalo State. Teaching and project mentorship of DSA students. Developing knowledge of Open Data access and use. Skills and interests include Geospatial Programming (Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript), Geostatistics, Data summary and analysis, GIS (ArcGIS Pro (formerly ArcGIS Desktop), ArcGIS Online, Portal for ArcGIS, QGIS), Web mapping (Story Maps, web apps, Dashboards, JavaScript APIs).

Instructor: Harvey Hyman

Job Title: Assistant Professor of Instruction at University of South Florida

Introduction to Database Architecture Strategy 

• Problem Definition: Understanding Workflow 
• Problem Specification: Understanding Data flow 
• What are we tracking? 
• What are we tracking about what we are tracking? 
• What reports do we want to generate? 

Bio:

Dr. Hyman has been an assistant professor of instruction at University of South Florida since 2018. His current research and practice areas are: Enterprise Architecture, Database Architecture, Mobile App Development, and Visualization Design. He teaches courses in Database, Advanced Database, Systems Analysis and Design, and Software Testing. His degrees are: PhD in Decision Science, MBA, JD, BBA in Finance. He has been licensed to practice law since 1993 in the State of Florida, Federal Southern District, Federal Appeals Court and the United States Supreme Court. He is a Senior Chief Petty Officer with over 20 years of service in the United States Coast Guard, and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. 

Instructor: Michael Brugnoni

Job Title: Solutions Architect Amazon Web Services

Intro to AWS Cloud 

• What are the main benefits of cloud vs traditional on-prem infrastructure? 
• What is the Shared Responsibility model? 
• What are fully managed cloud services and why are they beneficial? 
• What is Amazon's main focus? 

Bio:

Mike has over 15 years of experience in IT infrastructure and operations, with a strong focus on UNIX/Linux systems. He graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Information Technology. He currently has 6 AWS certifications. Before joining AWS, he led a team of IT Engineers at Excellus BlueCross/BlueShield, where they designed and adopted hybrid cloud architecture. Mike's expertise lies in leveraging his deep technical knowledge to drive innovation and streamline operations. 

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Biotech 

•  Machine learning approaches are growing in data analytics. 
• Analyzing imagery can improve cancer screening and detection. 
• Proteins can be modeled as language?

Annotation and analysis of novel Staph bacteriophage genomes 

• isolation of phage - easy, right? 
• DNA sequence analysis - why so many holes 
• genome annotation - guilt by association 
• challenges and triumphs with undergraduate researchers

Delimiting species with genomics and machine learning 

• Some insects can transmit disease causing pathogens and it is imperative that we be able to accurately identify these species. 
• We used SNP data, obtained from genome sequencing, to investigate cryptic species in an group of insects. 
• We used a random forest algorithm to optimized a set of molecular markers for species identification. 
• The research branches of the government are always looking for computational biologists or bioinformaticians.

Daniel McSkimming 

Lead Bioinformatician of Veterans Health Association National Oncology Program 

Daniel McSkimming is a Buffalo native, who grew up in West Seneca before attending the University at Buffalo for his bachelors and masters degrees in Mathematics. Prior to attending the University of Georgia for his PhD in Bioinformatics, Daniel worked a variety of data-oriented positions, including as a data manager for research labs, an actuarial analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield, and served as an Intelligence Specialist in the United States Navy. He is currently the lead bioinformatician and supervisory data scientist for the Veteran Association's National Precision Oncology Program, where he uses gene sequencing technologies to identify medically relevant genomic variation in veterans with cancer. Daniel has authored over 2 dozen papers, created and deployed machine learning solutions to complex problems, and enjoys exploring the ability of deep learning networks to act creatively

Mark Gallo 

Biology Professor at Niagara University

Dr. Mark A. Gallo is the Jack Hughes Endowed Program Director of Pre-Professional Health at Niagara University. He began his education at the University of Pittsburgh where he received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Biophysics and then his M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. He then went to Cornell University where he received his PhD. in microbiology for his research on the evolution of metabolic pathways in bacteria. Afterward Dr. Gallo pursued post-doctoral research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy where he helped elucidate the genetic pathway for the synthesis of daunorubicin/doxorubicin in Streptomyces. He has been at Niagara University for the past 28 years where he continues to host an active research program with undergraduate students. His interests include the properties of Staphylococci associated with wild animals, notably their antibiotic resistance profiles. Recently Dr.Gallo has been productive with respect to the ability to isolate bacteriophage that can kill Staph which can also be isolated from mammals with the end goal being the identification of strains useful for phage therapy

Phillip Shults 

Research Entomologist 

Phillip earned his PhD in entomology from Texas A&M University and has been studying bugs for the past 14 years. Currently, he is a research scientist at the USDA-ARS and has a lab focusing on the genomics of insects that transmit pathogens to livestock. Phillip enjoys investing into his mentored students from various academic backgrounds, so they may achieve academic success and career goals. 

Dave Molik 
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 

ABOUT: Dr. Molik is a Computational Biologist specializing in Arthropod Genomics and is currently working with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. His experience includes a previous role within the same department at the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research Unit (USDA ARS PBARC TCCPRU), where he focused on developing Heterochromatin Computational Software. This software is crucial for creating more precise and practical genomic tools for research in combatting agricultural insect pests. Before his tenure at the USDA ARS, he dedicated his efforts to his thesis at the University of Notre Dame. Prior to that, he was a Scientific Informatics Developer at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. 

John Krolewsky, MD PhD 

Buffalo State University, Biology and Data Science and Analytics 

I am a physician-scientist interested in cancer biology and genomics. I was an undergrad at MIT (1977) and an MD-PhD trainee at NYU (1984). I have worked at Columbia University, UC IRVINE and the University of Rochester. I 'retired' in 2022 from Roswell Park Cancer Institute (Buffalo, NY), where I was previously Chair of Cancer Genomics and Genetics. Currently, I am an Adjunct Professor in Biology and Data Science & Analytics at Buffalo State University (Buffalo, NY), which is the most diverse of the SUNY colleges. I am continuing my research on prostate cancer genomics and helping to develop training programs in computational genomics and AI (using GPTs). I am based in Cambridge, MA , but also have a house in Buffalo, on Elmwood Ave. 

Olga Novikova, PhD 

Assistant Professor of Biology, SUNY Buffalo State University 

My main research interest is a dynamic of non-LTR and LTR retrotransposons in eukaryotic genomes and their evolutionary impact. Retrotransposable elements play an important role in evolution of eukaryotic organisms. They are ancient, ubiquitous, prevalent, and dynamic components of all eukaryote genomes. The dynamics of the retrotransposon life cycle results in the multiplication of these transposable elements, up to the point where they can occupy major fractions of the genomes, in a wide variety of eukaryotes. By their response to stress, invasiveness, promoter activity, and sheer numbers, as mobile promoters or transcriptional enhancers, retrotransposons can wreak many changes on the genome.

Specialties: Molecular biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, evolution, phylogenetics, phylogenomics, genetics, functional genomics 

Instructor: Katrina Herrington

Job Title: Student

Magic Making: Unleashing AI Adventures For All 

• Gain awareness of everyday AI possibilities 
• Find motivation to explore technology 
• Discover links and AI prompt ideas to kickstart your journey 
• Explore ways to enhance the AI experience for everyone in the future 

Bio:

Katrina Herrington is a 6-year-old Kindergartner with two cats. She lives in a small town just outside of Buffalo, NY. She enjoys doing arts and crafts and making up stories during imaginative play. She aspires to be a teacher-mom. While she is still learning to read and write, she a very assertive creative director when it comes to making Artificial Intelligence art for her friends since Pre-K. Katrina hopes others will “Ask your parents to play with AI with you… so they can see your imaginary worlds and friends too!”. development through algorithmic innovation. data justice. Her interdisciplinary work spans environmental health, social science, and critical theory. 

Instructor: Amy Brombos, EdD
Job Title: Data Dissemination Specialist

Company: United States Census Bureau

Demystifying federal data 

• How the Census Bureau documents every aspect of the nation's population, schools, governments, economics, and businesses.  
• How to access the 50+ Census Data Portals and Hubs.  
• How to navigate 1.5 million tables of data and create custom reports by geographies, topics, survey, and year.  
• How to fact check stories told with data.  
• What types of federal data jobs and internships are available and how to apply.  

Bio:

Dr. Amy Brombos serves as the Data Dissemination Specialist for New York State. Her experience in federal service began in 2018 as the Decennial Census Partnership Coordinator covering NYS. Prior to federal service Dr. Brombos spent over 20 years working in academia as a Teacher, District Data Specialist, Academic Researcher, and Adjunct Professor, teaching courses in Data Use for Continuous School Improvement, Accreditation, and Strategic Planning. Dr. Brombos is a graduate of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and D'Youville University with Master's Degrees in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences and Secondary Science Education, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in Higher Education. 

Instructor: Phillip Galbo

Job Title: Director of Computational Pathology

Company: Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Data Science meets Diagnostics: Exploring the Computational Pathology Landscape 

• Overview of the computational pathology department at Roswell Park's mission and role in revolutionizing pathology. 
• Highlighting ongoing projects in algorithm development, image analysis, and diagnostic prediction. 
• Illustrating how computational tools are seamlessly integrated into diagnostic routines. 
• Showcasing collaborative efforts with academic and industry partners for groundbreaking research. 

Bio:

Dr. Galbo holds a Ph.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, specializing in Cancer Bioinformatics. During this academic tenure, his research leveraged next-generation sequencing datasets to uncover and validate novel tumor-microenvironment interactions linked to cancer immune cell evasion, invasion, and plasticity. Before this, Dr. Galbo contributed to research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he delved into the underlying epigenetic mechanisms associated with metastasis and immunotherapy resistance in prostate cancer. Currently serving as the Director of Computational Pathology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Galbo is dedicated to advancing diagnostic capabilities and liquid biopsy development through algorithmic innovation. data justice. His interdisciplinary work spans environmental health, social science, and critical theory. 

Instructor: Eric Wischman

Job Title: Conduct Risk Director

Company: M&T Bank

Climate Risk Analysis with Data Science and Analytics Tools

Bio:

Eric Wischman, currently the Climate Risk Officer and Conduct Risk Director at M&T Bank Corporation, brings two decades of versatile experience in Audit, Compliance, and Risk Management. Throughout his career, Eric has honed the ability to make informed decisions with limited information, creatively navigate projects, and meet deadlines consistently. Responsible for spearheading the development and implementation of M&T Bank's Climate Risk infrastructure and Conduct Risk Framework, his role necessitates close interaction with executive management and the Board. Eric is recognized for fostering organizational consensus across diverse disciplines and stakeholders. In addition, he actively champions Veteran causes, holding leadership roles in the M&T Bank Veterans Resource Group and the Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight Board of Directors.

H. David (Dave) Sheets, Director of Graduate Program in Data Analytics, Canisius University  

Dave Molik, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

Alejandro Carbonara ,  Software Engineer, Google (NYC)

Joshua Kovacich ,  Director of Information Technology, Buffalo Public Schools

Amin Serehali , Senior Vice President - Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Independent Health 

AI Across Academia, Industry, Government, and Society

• Expectations about AI of people in the audience and the panel
• Examples/demos of AI use
• Gaining fluency in AI tools
• Precautionary principles and practices
• What we know and do not know
• Applications of AI in various areas
• Comparing currently available AI tools

Instructor: Mounika Gorugantha

Job Title: Graduate Student, Data Science and Analytics

Company: SUNY Buffalo State University

Incorporating Storytelling Elements in Interactive Computing Environments

• Effective communication and presentation in data science
• Understanding implicit and explicit instructions/ business needs
• Creativity and Originality: in code and in practice
• Legal and ethical perspectives
• A case study using Google Colaboratory, including hands-on exercises

Instructor: Sara Bourke

Job Title: Marketing Analyst

Company: Mayo Clinic

Data Science Applications in Marketing Analytics

• What Marketing Analytics is & how it relates to the data science lifecycle
• What a Marketing Analyst does
• Differences between working for an agency vs in-house
• Skills & qualifications needed to succeed

Bio:

Sarah Bourke is a Marketing Analyst at Mayo Clinic, with ten years of experience in digital marketing and analytics. She holds an M.S. in Data Science and Analytics from Buffalo State University.

Instructor: Dr. Lourdes Vera

Job Title: Assistant Professor of Sociology and Environment & Sustainability

Company: SUNY Buffalo

Watching Environmental Enforcement in Western New York

• Open source, accessible data tools for communities and researchers to analyze EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Data.
• Examine the importance of government information and participatory democracy
• Explore issues in accessibility versus availability, equity, and justice with federal environmental data
• Investigate how environmental data exists at the government’s discretion and how it can be used both for the public good or in harmful ways

Bio:

Dr. Lourdes Vera is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Sociology and Environment & Sustainability at SUNY University at Buffalo. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Northeastern University, BA in Urban Studies from Barnard College at Columbia University, and is a former high school science teacher. As an environmental sociologist and civic scientist, she works with communities near industrial activity such as fracking to monitor their air for contaminants. She also serves on the Coordinating Committee of the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, envisioning and building digital tools and research infrastructures for environmental data justice. Her interdisciplinary work spans environmental health, social science, and critical theory.

Soda Kuczkowski, CEO | Sleep Health Educator, START WITH SLEEP, LLC    

Bob Girardi, CEO-Retired, Softrek Corporation

Mike Cichocki, Digital Forensic Incident Responder

Saziye Bayram, Associate Professor of Mathematics, SUNY Buffalo State University   

Fitness Data Panel Discussion  

How Data Analytics is Reshaping the Sleep Industry: 

• The importance of sleep: Why sleep matters
• Understanding sleep staging/patterns
• Using sleep metrics - from data to action
• Pros & Cons of Wearables & Sleep Apps
• The future of sleep analytics

Body Telemetry: Collection, Analyzing & Biohacking:

• Various digital sensors and real world applications
• An example of multi-year, aggregated telemetry
• Datapoints indicative of metabolic recomposition

Instructor: Dr. Susan McCartney

Job Title: Director

Company: Buffalo State Small Business Development Center

Entrepreneurship 101

• Characteristics of an entrepreneur
• Basic planning
• Information - where to get it  
• Understanding the market and your competition - it is essential  
• How Buffalo State SBDC can help you

Instructor: Kristen Nalewajek

Job Title: Data Analytics Intern

Company: Cypress North

Introduction to Looker Studio: How to Create a Data Dashboard 

• Overview of the platform and examples of dashboards
• How to set up and connect multiple data sources to Google’s Looker Studio
• Fundamental design concepts for visualizing data in Looker Studio, including navigation, page layout, style choices 
• Choosing the correct chart and visual types to emphasize essential metrics 
• Hands-on experience with a sample data source and creation of simple dashboard

Bio:

Kristen is a Jr. Data Analyst who joined Cypress North in May 2023. She spends her days updating client dashboards, preparing analytic insights, and running queries to pull data from various sources. Kirsten is currently working toward a master’s degree in Data Science and Analytics from Buffalo State University and is on track to graduate in December 2023. She previously earned a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from Niagara University and a master’s degree in communication and leadership from Canisius University. Some of Kristen’s previous experience includes instructional roles and working as a marketing communications coordinator. Most recently, she was a marketing professor for five years at Penn State Behrend in Erie. When she’s not working, Kristen enjoys running and taking her dog Charlie for walks around Buffalo. 

Instructor: Shayan Ghose

Job Title: Strategy & Operations

Company: saga.xyz

Using Python to Predict Crypto Prices

• Understanding DeFi and how it compares to Traditional Finance
• Exploring the Cross-Section of Crypto and Data Science

Bio:

Shayan Ghose works in Strategy and Operations at a Crypto Start-Up called Saga and is involved in Crypto Venture Investing at Secureware Capital. He dedicates a significant portion of his time to writing content for Saga, contributing to the protocol's Token Economics, and conducting due diligence on early-stage investments at Secureware Capital. Shayan hails originally from Buffalo, NY. He is a graduate of Williamsville North and obtained his undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Economics from Cornell University. He completed his master's at Cornell in Financial Engineering before working at a Hedge Fund from 2014 to 2019. In 2020, he transitioned full-time into the Crypto space. When he's not working, Shayan enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering for WNY Food Web, and cheering for the Buffalo Bills.

Jillian Shepard, Data Scientist at Kangarootime 

Josh Cohen, Data Engineer at Delaware North

DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS FOR DATA SCIENTISTS 

• Ensuring students are career-ready after graduation 
• Resume examples and best practices 
• Building data science portfolios 
• Applying to jobs, LinkedIn 
• Why digital portfolios matter 
• Tips & common pitfalls 
• Curating your GitHub account 
• DIY vs Hybrid vs Premade portfolios 
• Steps & guidance to create your own portfolio 

Bio:

Jillian Shepard is an experienced data scientist with over 9 years specializing in the software development industry. Jillian currently focuses on business intelligence at Kangarootime. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2013 and has a master's degree in data science and Analytics from SUNY Buffalo State. Some of her favorite projects have ranged from analyzing irregular supply chain patterns to assessing characteristics of successful higher education institutions. Jillian has an affinity for working in the education and child development industries. 

Josh Cohen Graduated from the DSA program in the Spring of 2023. Undergrad in Economics. Currently a data engineer where he builds and maintains data pipelines and identifies and triages data quality issues.