Four SEAS students receive SUNY GREAT awards

Recipients of the SUNY GREAT awards receive $7,500 in funding from the SUNY Office of Research and Economic Development to use for research expenses, related travel, professional development and stipend augmentation.

“Our four engineering students, Riley Blasiak, Ariel Lighty, Zahid Manzar, and Leah Maykish, exemplify the innovation, dedication, and impact that defines UB Engineering,” said Jun Zhuang, SEAS associate dean for research and Morton C. Frank Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. “Their selection as SUNY GREAT award recipients is a testament to their outstanding research and their potential to drive meaningful change in the world!”

Blasiak’s research explores ways to improve combined sewer systems, which combines both sewage and stormwater into one pipe network. The sewer system is designed to allow a portion of water to overflow into local waterways during heavy rain events. Blasiak is researching how green infrastructure can be used to reduce the amount of overflowing water and improve the quality of the water that is discharged during overflow events. Her work could be useful in improving water quality and reducing combined sewer overflows, while minimizing the cost of improving the sewer infrastructure.

Blasiak is currently pursuing her PhD in environmental engineering. She earned her master’s degree in water resources engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2024 and her bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from UB in 2022. 

Estrogen loss is a common inflammatory process that occurs as women age. This inflammation can impact tissues throughout the body, leading to health concerns such as osteoporosis, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Prebiotic dietary fibers are thought to be a promising treatment, but Lighty noted that gaps exist in the understanding of how estrogen and probiotics impact these processes. Lighty is using computational models to capture these processes and their effects on gut inflammation, an effort that Lighty said would be hard to achieve by experimental [MR1] research alone. Insights from Lighty’s models will help to guide ongoing experimental efforts and improve understanding of the complex processes surrounding inflammation and aging.

Lighty is pursuing her PhD in chemical and biological engineering. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rochester in 2019 and worked as a research assistant at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory before coming to UB.

Manzar’s work involves mitochondrial diseases, commonly inherited metabolic diseases that affect an estimated one in 5,000 people. Mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is the most prevalent mitochondrial disease, with its primary symptom being stroke-like episodes (SLE). Manzar is studying mitochondrial biology, using benchtop vascular models that can replicate the human environment. His work could help to apply the models to clinical practice by applying in vitro findings on mitochondrial transfer towards SLE pathogens, potentially suggesting a new therapeutic strategy for MELAS patients.  

Manzar is pursuing an MD-PhD program to earn his Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical and Chemical Engineering. Prior to attending UB, Manzar earned a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Cornell University and his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Kentucky. He also spent a year as a research assistant at the Mayo Clinic.

Before coming to UB, Maykish spent several years working in design and analysis for the manufacturing, aircraft, space and defense industries. Her research focuses on how engineers who are at the beginning of their careers in industry experience developmental relationships such as mentorship. Maykish plans to use her research to develop tools that can be used to teach students who are nearing graduation about being intentional in their developmental relationship selection and cultivation to help them lead successful and satisfying careers.

Maykish is pursuing her PhD in engineering education. She developed a passion for engineering education while serving as a teacher’s assistant during her time as an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Recipients of the SUNY GREAT award have been honored by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Untited States Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Defense. Eleven out of this year’s 37 recipients are students from UB. Their full abstracts can be found on SUNY GREAT’s website.

UB students are encouraged to work with the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships when applying for nationally competitive scholarships, fellowships and awards.