Meet the ESURC Team

Meet the ESURC

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.

ESURC Staff

Dr. Stephen R. Ortiz (He/Him), Director

sortiz@binghamton.edu

Stephen Ortiz joined 91�� 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.

Dr. Beth Polzin (She/Her), Associate Director

bpolzin@binghamton.edu

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 91��, 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

cantalek@binghamton.edu

Caroline Antalek is a 91�� 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’s 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 91��'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 (She/Her), Office Assistant

afahey1@binghamton.edu

Afton Fahey graduated from 91�� in 2011 with a Bachelor’s 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

ecamis@binghamton.edu

Dr. Elisa Camiscioli, 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’s 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

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

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 (She/Her)

kli7@binghamton.edu

Kristen is a senior majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She joined the ESURC office during her sophomore year as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador and is now also the Managing Editor of the 91�� Undergraduate Journal (BUUJ). She participated in the Source Project during 2023-24 in the Mappling 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 a compilation of the findings in a public-faculty map and website.

Eliana Wolff (She/Her)

ewolff3@binghamton.edu

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 Azad (He/Him)

mazad@binghamton.edu

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.

ESURC Affiliated Offices and Programs

McNair Scholars Program

Gervlyne Auguste (She/Her), McNair Scholars Assistant Director

gauguste@binghamton.edu

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.

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)

Dr. Ryan Mead (He/Him), Assistant Director of Academic Support Services and Programming

rmead@binghamton.edu

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’s summer bridge program, BEP. Ryan’s 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 91��.

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