MONTOUR FALLS — The Schuyler Health Foundation board of directors announced it recently elected new members and officers to its board of directors for 2020-2021.

Newly elected directors include Philly DeSarno, Tom Phillips, and Chris Stamp. These three join the following existing directors: Marsha McElligott, Ken Wilson, Nanette Hanley, Jeff Dill, Josh Navone, and Linda Confer. 

Elected returning officers on the board’s executive committee are Brenda Warren-Fitch as chairperson and Jerry Mickelson as secretary/treasurer. New to the executive committee is Erin Thaete as vice-chairperson.

The Schuyler Health Foundation is the fundraising arm for Schuyler Hospital and its related medical facilities, including the Seneca View Skilled Nursing Facility. Schuyler Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital, with a 120-bed skilled nursing facility attached on its campus in Montour Falls. Schuyler Hospital is part of Ithaca–based Cayuga Health, which also operates Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca and a multi-specialty group, Cayuga Medical Associates. Combined employment at Cayuga Health, including affiliated organizations, exceeds 2,200.

Teams at SUNY Oswego and Binghamton University will use funding from a SUNY program to develop personal protective equipment (PPE) and “improve effective safety interventions” as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

SUNY awarded a total of 12 teams of SUNY students and faculty across seven campuses up to $10,000 each in seed funding to conduct further research on their proposals. The program is designed to provide “real life, hands-on applied learning experiences” for students, and actively involve them in the creation of pandemic-related products.

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras on Dec. 18 announced grant awards from the SUNY Prepare Innovation and Internship Program. 

“From day one, SUNY has been leading the effort to combat COVID-19 [by] providing frontline health-care workers PPE, like face shields using innovative 3D printing technology, developing world-leading testing, and conducting vaccine trials — in other words, SUNY has helped save lives,” Malatras said. “We want to continue to harness the intellectual firepower of SUNY faculty, researchers, and students to develop the latest breakthroughs in the fight against COVID-19 or the next infectious disease. I applaud today’s 12 award winners for their innovations because they will help slow the spread and make a difference. This is just another example of how the largest system of public higher education is making an important impact.”

Oswego, Binghamton projects

The team at SUNY Oswego is working on a project that focuses on improving SARS-CoV-2 detection techniques.

“The SUNY grant will support the important work of Oswego professors Bendinskas and Koeppe in recognizing the continuous mutation of the COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 virus and the need for our detection methods of the virus to evolve,” SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley said. “The grant will also provide the opportunity for two undergraduate students to engage in innovative research, highlighting the continuing efforts by SUNY Oswego to provide high-impact learning experiences and faculty mentoring to our students. Professors Bendinskas and Koeppe have significant experience working with students in this way, and we look forward to seeing this study progress.”

The team at Binghamton University is working on projects that focus on telemental health for marginalized families; LED UVC (light emitting diode and ultraviolet C) disinfection technology for indoor spaces; and a low-cost SARS-CoV-2 sensor for surfaces.

“That three of our projects were selected shows how innovative and big-thinking our students and faculty are, and we are excited to see what our teams can accomplish,” Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger said.