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Findings Could Give Directors, Advertisers New Ways to Predict How Audiences Will Respond Visual and auditory stimuli that elicit high levels of engagement and emotional response can be linked to reliable patterns of brain activity, a team of researchers from The City College of New York and Columbia University reports. Their findings could lead to new ways for producers of films, television programs and commercials to predict what kinds of scenes their audiences will respond to. “Peak correlations of neural activity across viewings can occur in remarkable correspondence with arousing moments

Philosopher K.D. Irani, a Student of Albert Einstein, and Student Affairs Administrator Wendy Thornton Chosen for 2012 Service Awards K.D. Irani, professor emeritus of philosophy at The City College of New York, will receive the 2012 CCNY Alumni Association's Faculty Service Award. The Association’s Administrative Service Award will go to Wendy J. Thornton, executive director, Student Services and Conduct. The awards will be presented at the Alumni Association’s 160th annual meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13 in The Great Hall, Shepard Hall, 160 Convent Ave., on the CCNY campus. Dr. Lisa S

Nomination is Fifth Since 2006 for CCNY Film Students A five-minute short produced by Spanish filmmaker and Fulbright Scholar Alex Lora for an MFA class exercise is The City College of New York’s latest finalist in the annual Student Academy Awards. Since 2006, five CCNY student filmmakers were finalists in the competition, with three going on to win the silver medal. In addition, recent alumni have received Emmy Awards and won prizes at several festivals. One graduate, Zachary Borst, had a commercial he produced shown during Super Bowl XLVI as first prize in a competition sponsored by

CCNY-Based Center to Provide Continuous Development Support in Transportation Management and Technical Programs The Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (Abu Dhabi DoT) and The CUNY Institute for Transportation Systems (CUNY ITS) in the Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York, signed a Memorandum of Understanding Monday, June 4, 2012, aimed at providing continuous development support in areas of transport management and technical programs to targeted United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Abu Dhabi DoT students, executives and staff. The Abu Dhabi DoT’s responsibilities cover aviation

Team ‘VISTA Wearable’ Wins for Hands-Free System to Help Visually Impaired A hands-free system to help visually impaired people sense their surroundings won $50,000 for a team of five City College of New York students in the Second Annual Kaylie Prize for Entrepreneurship competition. The team, "VISTA Wearable," includes four senior computer engineering majors – Daniel Zuleta, Frank Palmer, Cindy Rodriguez, and Javier Montesino – and doctoral student in psychology, Lei Ai. Professor of Computer Science Zhigang Zhu advised the team. A judging panel of industry professionals selected the winning

Lisa Brandt and Julian Flores, members of The City College of New York Class of 2012, and Alexa Mieses, a 2011 graduate, have been selected to receive the 2012 Jonas E. Salk Scholarship awarded by The City University of New York. The awards recognize the high ability and scholarship of students who plan careers in medicine and the biological sciences and who are judged likely to make significant contributions to medicine and research. They are selected on the basis of original research papers undertaken with prominent scientist/mentors. “Congratulations to Lisa, Julian, Alexa and the winners

The City College of New York announced today that Dr. Eric Weitz, an internationally recognized scholar of modern European history, has been appointed Dean of Humanities and the Arts and that Dr. Mary Erina Driscoll, currently chair of the Department of Administration, Leadership and Technology at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, will become Dean of the School of Education. CCNY Provost Martin Moskovits announced the appointments. “Both Dr. Weitz and Dr. Driscoll are accomplished academics with outstanding track records in research and leadership,” said

Ever since he began making films eight years ago as a teen living in the suburbs of Tokyo, Yosuke Hosoi has dreamt of going to the Cannes Film Festival. Next week, The City College of New York alumnus, who earned a BFA in film and video production in 2011, will fly to France today to fulfill that dream, exhibiting his thesis film, “Man of the House,” in the festival’s Short Film Corner. The festival runs May 16 – 27. “He’s been planning to do this for a few years,” said CCNY Professor of Film Campbell Dalglish, who taught Yosuke in three classes. “He came in saying he wanted to do this and now

College to Confer Honorary Degrees on Suarez, soprano Kathleen Battle, philanthropist Harvey Kaylie, ’60EE, and Professor Emeritus Sheldon Weinbaum Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for “PBS NewsHour,” will be the guest speaker at The City College of New York’s 166th Commencement Exercises, 10 a.m., Friday, June 1, on the CCNY campus. Mr. Suarez will also receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, Laws, from the College. In addition, CCNY will confer honorary degrees on: operatic soprano Kathleen Battle, engineer and philanthropist Harvey Kaylie, ’60EE, and Distinguished Professor

Proceeds to Benefit New Ray Santos Scholarship Fund for City College Music Students An all-star tribute and benefit concert honoring Ray Santos, a living legend of the Mambo era and long-time leader of The City College of New York’s Latin Band, will be presented 7 p.m. Monday, May 21 in the Marian Anderson Theatre of Aaron Davis Hall on the CCNY campus. Proceeds from ticket sales will be used to support the newly formed Ray Santos Scholarship Fund to benefit City College music students. Among the performers scheduled to appear are Latin music greats: Candido Camero, Xiomara Laugart, Lalo