VI. SUNY Oswego and the Entrepreneurial Century

Research Initiatives in Engineering

• Dr. Marianne Hromalik in the computer science department is developing software that will make X-ray detectors more versatile and less costly. Rays help scientists observe behavior of substances or objects subjected to cold, light, pressure and other stressors. She is currently working on a sub-grant with Cornell University from the Department of Energy on programming integrated circuits for devices used to examine the structure of viruses and proteins, to monitor materials' fatigue in aircraft parts, and to do much more.

• Dr. Damian Schofield in the computer science department is focused on visual information in a range of commercial, industrial and legal environments. This work has covered a wide range of forensic visualization from computational fluid dynamics models to post-mortem pathology visualization. A significant amount of his research work is based around developing virtual reality-based training environments. Recent research and commercial forensic work include: major disaster visualization, video/CCTV enhancement, road traffic accident reconstruction, the psychology of viewing animated reconstructions, the visualization of pathology information, reconstruction of terrorist attacks, the use of interactive evidence in the courtroom, distributed emergency planning system software, and facial reconstruction. Other recent research and commercial projects include: visual impact assessment using computer graphics, architectural walkthroughs, visualization of environmental data, archaeological reconstruction, ergonomic vehicle design, and e-learning using interactive environments. 

• Dr. James Early in the software engineering program works to improve information security in two key sponsored research projects involving students, collaborating institutions of higher education, and the U.S. Air Force. SUNY Oswego, Oberlin College and Iowa State together create and test virtual security platforms designed to improve Internet security on college campuses. A National Science Foundation institutional development grant sponsors the multi-institutional project. In collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, N.Y., Early examines how to close next-generation Internet security. 

• Dr. Doug Lea in the computer science department leads worldwide open-source research and development groups that regularly result in software deployed on billions of computers.

Research Initiatives in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

• Dr. Kestutis Bendinskas in the chemistry department, Dr. James MacKenzie in the biology department and Dr. Brooks Gump in the psychology department are currently studying environmental toxins -- especially heavy metals -- and their effects on children's cardiovascular systems. The team received a $205,741 academic research enhancement award in 2007-08 from the National Institutes of Health and additional funding of $96,895 in 2009-10 in support of this research. This research program has also been supported by the National Science Foundation ($73,618) and by Merck/AAAS ($60,000).

• Patent: Bendinskas, K., T. Hendershott and J.A. MacKenzie (2007) Novel gamma-hydroxybutyrate, GHB, detection method, patent filed with NYRF-TTO, re: R1573-230 and R1574-230

• Dr. Webe Kadima in the chemistry department is examining the substance in plants that makes them bioactive, in order to identify how plants used in traditional medicine in the Democratic Republic of Congo work to lower blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Kadima has made trips to Kinshasa since 2006 for research, including studying powdered extracts of plants such as laportea, musanga and paropsia. In 2009, she received permission from the DRC‘s Ministry of Health to conduct preliminary trials with 50 diabetics at a medical center on the outskirts of Kinshasa. The results have been promising, showing marked lowering of blood glucose levels in patients. She is now analyzing the data to investigate the issue of dosage; much more analytical work needs to be done. Kadima has applied for research funding to underwrite her endeavors.

Research Initiatives in Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance

• James Pagano, director of Oswego‘s Environmental Research Center in the chemistry department, is a key researcher in the Environmental Protection Agency‘s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Oswego‘s role is part of a three-university partnership that uses fish as biomonitors of the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. As a principal investigator on the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program, Pagano‘s work improves understanding of how pollutants affect the fishery and helps evaluate the success of efforts to clean up sources of pollutants. The $6.5 million five-year award to Clarkson University continues its partnership with SUNY Oswego and SUNY Fredonia. Oswego‘s share of the funding is $2 million to help conduct the program.

Program Initiatives and Offerings

• The School of Business regularly offers an undergraduate and graduate course in entrepreneurship. This fall, for the first time, the graduate class MBA 580, "Entrepreneurship Seminar," will be offered at our Metro Center in Syracuse.

• Oswego will be the host campus of an international scholar in entrepreneurship.

• Dr. Sarfraz Mian, professor in our School of Business, led a team of researchers surveying more than 2,000 Pakistanis about their entrepreneurial and small-business perceptions and aspirations as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, a not-for-profit academic research consortium conducting the largest study of entrepreneurial activity in the world.

• In partnership with Makerere University Business School (Uganda), Université Paris-Dauphine (France), and Université Laval (Canada), SUNY Oswego co-sponsored the 2011 Entrepreneurship in Africa conference at Syracuse University.

Entrepreneurial Support

• The SUNY Oswego Small Business Development Center (SBDC) excels in developing small business in the Oswego County community. The center provides assistance to individuals and small businesses seeking help with business plans, finding appropriate sources of funding, management information and market research. Over the past year the staff saw 178 clients, with 35 either starting businesses or obtaining funding for existing businesses. Total funding was $11,115,522 with 116 jobs created and 93 jobs retained. Oswego‘s SBDC received the national Service Excellence and Innovation Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2010.