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S u m m e r
C o n t e n t s
2007
The RF and SUNY:
Strengthening New York
Page 1
Message from RF President
John J. O’Connor
Page 2
The RF’s Strategic Plan
Page 2
Benefits Beat
Page 3
Research Corner
Page 4
A Day on the Job of…
Page 6
The RF and SUNY: Strengthening New York
faculty researcher at SUNY Oswego
submits a successful proposal to the
National Science Foundation. The
grant is awarded to:
a. the researcher/principal investigator
b. the campus
c. the State University of New York
d. none of the above
The correct answer is d. Grants and
contracts for research and training programs
are actually awarded to the Research
Foundation (RF) on behalf of SUNY—
not directly to the principal investigator or
to the campus.
As a state agency, SUNY is not permitted to enter into certain partnerships without the approval of the legislature, the
comptroller, the attorney general and the
SUNY board of trustees. Early on, SUNY
planners recognized the need for a private,
corporate entity to act as an interface with
external sponsors of research and other programs. The RF was chartered in 1951 as a
private, nonprofit corporation to advance
the research and scholarship aims of SUNY.
A
On the Web
Page 8
John J. O’Connor
President
Joanne Lafrancois
Editor
The Research Foundation
Office of Corporate
Communications
Phone:
(518) 434-7276
e-mail:
Joanne.lafrancois@rfsuny.org
www.rfsuny.org
Early on, SUNY planners recognized the need
for a private, corporate entity to act as an
interface with external sponsors of research
and other programs.
Carrying out its responsibilities pursuant
to a 1977 agreement with SUNY, the RF
helps SUNY acquire and manage external
funds to advance research and transfer technology from campuses to the marketplace.
The RF’s activities reflect its standing as a
fiscally sound corporation with strong internal controls that ensure transparency, simplicity, compliance and fairness.
In FY2006, the RF administered over
$725 million in sponsored funding in
support of more than 7,400 research and
training programs at 30 state-operated
SUNY campuses. The RF also helped identify 284 new inventions, filed 193 patent
applications and executed 45 licensing and
option agreements.
While the RF works hand-in-hand with
SUNY, as a private nonprofit corporation it
has its own board of directors, programs,
policies and procedures. This separation
gives the RF the independence and administrative flexibility needed to respond quickly
to the special demands of sponsored programs. These programs usually have short
time frames (often one year or less), and the
RF provides a key avenue for purchasing
equipment and providing staff quickly to
work on projects within the budget provided
by the sponsor. RF employees are not
SUNY/New York State employees and do
not participate in the state’s retirement and
fringe benefits programs. Under its agreement with SUNY, pay and benefits for RF
positions are designed to be comparable with
similar positions within SUNY and competitive with other colleges and universities.
The RF also provides a vehicle for establishing partnerships with public and private
organizations that are not easily accommodated through state processes. Without the
RF, key SUNY research and business incubator facilities such as Albany Nanotech,
which has attracted more than $3 billion
Continued on page 2 ➔
1
Message from John J. O’Connor
For 56 years, the RF and SUNY have enjoyed a
unique and rewarding relationship that has, in a
remarkably short period of time, fostered the
development of a world-class public university
system that is currently ranked ninth in research
expenditures among 208 institutions of higher
education in the U.S., Europe and Canada.
This edition of Employee News explains how
the RF, which partners with but is not a part of
SUNY, works to support SUNY’s education,
research and public service mission and spur
economic development across New York State.
The RF is the largest and most comprehensive
university-connected research
foundation in the country. We
have earned a national reputation for excellence by providing
superior and highly cost-effective services and establishing a
successful business model that
adheres to the core principles of transparency,
simplicity, compliance and fairness.
In FY2006, the RF provided a full range of
financial and administrative services for 7,400
campus-based research projects with total funding over $725 million. These projects are addressing many of today’s most pressing issues —health,
education, the environment, energy and homeland security. The recently completed Oracle
upgrade further strengthens the RF’s state-of-the-art
infrastructure, which allows us to support sponsored projects and people anywhere in the world.
International travel for research and training
has become an increasingly common activity of
RF administered sponsored programs. Reflecting
SUNY’s growing international
stature, each year roughly 600
RF employees travel outside the
U.S. to such far-flung locales as
Brazil, China, Denmark,
Lebanon, Philippines and
Uganda. Our A Day on the Job
of… employee profile shines the spotlight on a
SUNY Cortland associate professor who has been
“…you are an essential
member of a team that is
advancing the frontiers of
knowledge and practice.”
RF-SUNY Relationship
The RF’s Strategic Plan
Mission:
The Research Foundation supports
the advancement of education, research
and discovery at the State University
of New York.
Vision:
To be internationally recognized and
respected as the most responsive
and agile university research partner
providing expertise and comprehensive
services to help the campuses and the
university system achieve their vision.
continued from page 1
in industry and venture capital support, and
Long Island High Technology Incubator
(LIHTI), a top performer in terms of
employment and average revenue growth
achieved by client companies, would not
have been possible. Through its ability to
bring together the resources of organizations having different legal or management
systems, the RF creates environments where
SUNY faculty, staff and students can truly
collaborate with private and public partners.
Strategic Objectives:
• Be an employer of choice
• Promote the RF and SUNY through
•
•
•
enhanced communications
Leverage technology
Strengthen and enhance organizational
structure, executive leadership and
board responsibilities
Increase collaboration among
campuses and external partners
managing an archaeological project in Turkey for
the past 13 years.
This issue also highlights SUNY research
projects that are conducted closer to home — in
a lab at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, at a
prehistoric forest in the Schoharie Valley and in a
Western New York fast-food restaurant, to mention
a few — and some recent additions to the RF’s
comprehensive and competitive benefits package.
On May 2, I had the honor of presenting the
RF’s Research & Scholarship award to 30 SUNY
professors whose talent, dedication and achievements are truly extraordinary.
As you read about the researchers we support
and work they’re accomplishing, remember that
whether you are working on a sponsored award
or some other RF activity, you are an essential
member of a team that is advancing the frontiers
of knowledge and practice.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the
Employee News. ■
The RF’s independence and administrative
flexibility allow SUNY, through the RF, to
participate in partnerships such as Brookhaven
Science Associates (BSA), which was established
for the sole purpose of managing and operating
the Department of Energy’s world-famous
Brookhaven National Laboratory.
The RF’s success in helping campuses
administer their sponsored research programs
is strengthening SUNY and promoting New
York State’s social and economic well-being.
Summary: What the RF’s separate status
means to you
If you’re a sponsor, it means that your
project is being administered efficiently
and effectively and funds are spent in
compliance with all applicable state, federal
and sponsor regulations.
If you’re a principal investigator (PI),
it means that you have more time to devote
to your research and scholarly endeavors
because the RF is taking care of research
administration, legal and technology
transfer matters.
If you’re an RF employee, it means that
you are part of a nationally and internationally recognized organization that helps
facilitate research that is improving quality
of life, driving the economy in New York
State and building SUNY’s reputation as a
world-class university system.
2
Benefits Beat
RF offers a full range of income
protection benefits
Did you know that the Research
Foundation (RF) offers benefits that help
protect your financial security and that of
your family at no cost to you?
As required by New York State law, the
RF provides short-term disability coverage
for all RF employees and does not require an
employee contribution. RF employees who
are injured on the job are protected by
Workers’ Compensation benefits.
The RF is constantly reviewing its benefits
offerings and reaching out to campus focus
groups to meet the needs of its employees.
In fact, the RF introduced its Voluntary
Short Term Disability program in 2006 after
campus colleagues reported that recently
hired employees needed an additional layer of
protection for short-term illnesses and
injuries. Enrollment in the new program,
which is administered by First Reliance
Standard Life Insurance, jumped nearly 50%
over the past 12 months. New employees
who aren’t able to accumulate sick leave
quickly enough to cover a serious illness—in
other words, those who need the benefit the
most—truly appreciate this valuable benefit.
Recognizing that employees may need
income protection over a longer period of
time, the RF also offers Long Term
Disability coverage at no cost to regular
full-time employees. In addition, Long
Term Care coverage is available to all RF
employees at affordable group rates.
One of the RF’s strategic objectives is to
be an employer of choice. The RF is committed to providing an employee benefits
package that is designed to be comparable
with the State University of New York
(SUNY) and competitive in the marketplace while sensitive to the private not-forprofit environment in which it operates.
in the jurisdiction where it was performed
for the purposes of extending spousal benefits eligibility. Proof of marriage is required
and some HMO plans may require additional documentation. For more information, contact your campus benefits office.
Expanded domestic partner coverage
The Research Foundation (RF) expanded
its domestic partner coverage to include
same-sex spouses effective June 1, 2007.
Similar to the New York State Department
of Civil Service policy that went into effect
on May 1, 2007, the revised RF policy recognizes any same-sex marriage that is legal
A few tips:
Somewhere over the rainbow
Do you dream of a time and place where
you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite things
in life without the demands of a full-time
job? It doesn’t have to be just a dream.
Working at the Research Foundation means
having retirement benefits that can help
make your dreams come true. In addition
to the Basic Retirement Plan for employees
who qualify, there is an Optional
Retirement Plan for any RF employee who
is not working in a student title.
There is no waiting period or required
number of hours that you must work to
participate in the Optional Plan. You can
set aside any amount you choose from
each paycheck, up to IRS limits for 2007
($15,500 annual limit under age 50,
$20,500 annual limit age 50 and over).
The amount you contribute will reduce your
taxable income by the same amount, so you
pay less income tax. And the earnings will
grow tax-free as well.
Get an early start. The sooner you begin saving for retirement, the better. An early start
gives you more years to build your savings
and to benefit from compounding—earning interest on interest, as your investment
income is reinvested to accumulate even
more money. If you’re older now and didn’t
get an early start, begin saving today with as
much as you can afford to set aside.
Simplify your investment choice. TIAA-CREF
Lifecycle Funds and Fidelity Freedom Funds
provide a “one choice” investment mix
including stocks, bonds and cash. The
specific investment funds and how much
they’re weighted toward each category are
determined by your age and target retirement
date, and selections are made by investment
experts at TIAA-CREF and Fidelity.
Don’t cash out of the plan before retirement.
It may be tempting to do that if you change
jobs, but it’s wiser to leave the money in the
plan or roll it over to your new employer’s
plan. That way you’ll avoid tax penalties for
cash distributions taken before age 591⁄2, and
the money will continue investment earnings
on a tax-deferred basis. Best of all, it will be
there when you need it for retirement!
For more information about the Optional or
Basic Retirement Plan, refer to your RF
Benefits Handbook or login at www.rfsuny.org
and click on Your RF Employment/ Benefits/
Retirement-Pension. Your local human
resources office for the RF can enroll you in
the Optional Retirement Plan.
Workers’ compensation benefits
All Research Foundation (RF) employees are
insured for Workers’ Compensation Benefits.
The RF pays the full cost for this insurance.
If you are injured or become ill as a
result of your job, it is important that you
notify your supervisor right away. Your
supervisor should then report the injury or
illness to your campus office of human
resources for RF employees. The sooner you
report a work-related injury or illness, the
sooner you will receive help in the form of
medical payments and/or disability income.
Medical care necessary to treat your
injury or illness will be fully paid by the
Workers’ Compensation insurance. If you
are totally disabled because of your injury
or illness, Workers’ Compensation will pay
two-thirds of your average weekly wage up
to a maximum weekly benefit—$400 if
your injury or illness started before July 1,
2007 or $500 if it started on or after July 1,
2007— that is set by state law. Cash benefits
for partial disability benefits are determined
by the extent of the disability. ■
3
Research Corner
Study debunks garlic’s cholesterol claims
UB Professor finds fast-food job is no picnic
A
W
recent study from the University at Albany,
the Stanford University School of Medicine,
and the Plant Bioactives Research Institute in
Utah refutes claims that garlic consumption
lowers cholesterol.
Despite decades of conflicting studies about
the pungent herb’s ability to improve heart health,
the researchers say their study — the first independent, long-term, head-to-head assessment of
raw garlic and garlic supplements — provides the
most rigorous evidence to date that consuming
garlic on a daily basis does not lower LDL cholesterol levels among adults with moderately high
cholesterol levels.
Results of the study appeared in the Feb. 26
issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The
study drew on the expertise of two of the leading
garlic researchers in the United States — Eric
Block, Carla Rizzo Delray Distinguished Professor
of Chemistry at the University at Albany, and
Dr. Larry Lawson of the Plant Bioactives Research
Institute in Utah — who have devoted much of
their careers to understanding the biochemical
properties of the herb and who ensured the
quality and stability of the garlic consumed in
the study. “We were really rooting for garlic to
succeed,” said Block, who hopes studies on
garlic’s cancer-fighting benefits and potential as
an antibiotic yield better results.
hat really happens after you place an order
for a Big Mac or a Whopper with Cheese?
Jerry M. Newman, Ph.D., SUNY Distinguished
Teaching Professor in the University at Buffalo
School of Management, knows because he
worked undercover in seven fast-food restaurants
across the country, observing operations from the
top down — from the biggest management whoppers to the smallest fries at the fry station.
Newman has chronicled his experiences in a
new book, My Secret Life
on the McJob: Lessons
from Behind the Counter
Guaranteed to Supersize
Any Management Style
(Jan. 2007, McGrawHill). His book reveals
UB professor Jerry M.
what molds employees
Newman, Ph.D.
working for the country’s
worked undercover at
fast-food producers. In
seven fast food restauspite of the high turnover
rants to research his
and repetitive tasks, the
new book.
workers consistently
produce, aren’t afraid of hard work and thrive
under pressure. And the super-sized mega-burger
companies boast steady profits in return. How do
fast-food managers tease success out of employees to boost the bottom line?
REMINDER
RF implements Ethics
Hotline
The RF’s commitment to the highest
standards of professional and ethical
conduct is an integral part of its
vision, mission and values.
Adopting best practices to support its
existing statement and standards of ethical conduct, conflict of interest policy
and fraud policy, the RF this year implemented an Ethics Hotline to receive
allegations of fraud, waste and abuse.
To submit a report of fraud, waste or
abuse, call 800-670-7225 or access
the hotline online at https://www.compliance-helpline.com/rfsuny.jsp.
What should be reported?
• Theft or misappropriation of funds,
supplied property or other RF
resources
• Forgery or alteration of documents
• Unauthorized alteration or manipulation of computer files
• Falsification of reports to management or external agencies
• Pursuit or receipt of a benefit or
advantage in violation of the RF’s
conflict of interest policy
• Authorizing or receiving compensation for hours not worked
Allegations will be referred to Internal
Audit and the Office of General Counsel
and will be investigated in accordance
with existing policy. Requests for
anonymity will be honored. ■
Between his recollections of sweeping floors
and toasting buns, Newman provides a firsthand
view of how “McJobs are anything but McEasy.”
He details his experiences reporting to both
compelling — and tyrannical — managers, and
demonstrates how the ultimate key to creating a
positive and high-performing workplace is a great
leader, even if the team is putting pickles on
burgers. Secret Life on the McJob shows how
corporate edicts and rules play out on the burger
assembly line and translates this to the larger
picture: how management demands translate into
employee behavior.
Downstate scientists find hormone activity
explain adolescent mood swings
I
f your teenager doesn’t act the way you expect,
— blame GABA. The “raging hormones” of
puberty are known to produce mood swings and
stress for most teenagers, making it difficult to
cope with this period of life. Until now, the specific
causes of pubertal anxiety had not been identified, making it harder to understand and treat
adolescent angst.
In the April 2007 edition of the journal Nature
Neuroscience, researchers led by Sheryl S. Smith,
Ph.D., professor of physiology and pharmacology
at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, report findings demonstrating that THP, a hormone normally
released in response to stress, actually reverses its
effect at puberty, when it increases anxiety.
THP typically acts like a tranquilizer, acting at
sites in the brain that “calm” brain activity. In the
adult, this stress hormone helps the individual
adapt to stress, with a calming effect produced
half an hour after the event. Specifically, the
GABA-A receptor is the target for steroids, such as
THP. As such, it is also the target for most sedative,
tranquilizing drugs.
Dr. Smith and colleagues identified the site on
the GABA-A receptors that produced the anxiety
response, and were able to mutate the site to prevent the novel effect of the stress hormone. They
found that the receptor and the necessary conditions required for this anxiety-producing effect of
the stress hormone are dependent upon hormonal
transitions, such as those that occur at puberty.
This new finding of a change in the effect of a
stress hormone, which sheds new light on the
“mood swings” of puberty, has attracted international attention. In the United States, Dr. Smith’s
research was featured on the CBS Evening News,
Eyewitness News in New York City and ABC
Television affiliates across the country.
Continued on page 5 ➔
4
Research Corner
continued from page 4
Stony Brook study reveals that half of U.S.
heart attack patients in need of antiplatelet
drug do not receive it
B
y analyzing information on 93,045 heart
attack patients nationwide, Deepu Alexander,
M.D., resident in Internal Medicine at Stony Brook
University Medical Center, along with his mentor,
David L. Brown, M.D., Professor of Medicine,
Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and
colleagues discovered that up to half of the
patients who should be receiving clopidogrel, an
antiplatelet drug, are not receiving the therapy.
The National Registry of Myocardial Infarction
database indicates that 70% of the 1.68 million
people who suffer heart attacks in the U.S. each
year have partially
blocked arteries, also
known as non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).
Guidelines published by
the American College of
Cardiology (ACC) and
the American Heart
David L. Brown, M.D.,
Association (AHA) in
Chief, Division of
2002 and restated in the
Cardiovascular
May 24, 2005
Medicine, Stony Brook
edition of Circulation,
University
recommend early initiation of clopidogrel for these patients.
Using data provided by CRUSADE, a national
quality-improvement initiative coordinated by the
Duke Clinical Research Institute, Dr. Alexander
and the research team studied trends in acute
clopidogrel use on patients with partially blocked
arteries within 24 hours of admission. In 2002,
when updated guidelines were introduced,
approximately 30% of these patients received
acute clopidogrel; that number increased significantly to approximately 50% in 2005.
“While the acute use of clopidogrel has
increased significantly since guidelines were
updated in 2002, up to 50% of heart attack
patients in the U.S. are still not treated according
to guideline recommendations,” says Dr. Alexander.
“This is significant because among heart attack
patients, acute clopidogrel use reduces in-hospital
mortality without significant increased risk for
bleeding.”
Dr. Alexander presented the team’s findings at
the American College of Cardiology 56th Annual
Scientific Session on March 26.
Faculty member helps unravel mystery of
Earth’s oldest forest
T
he prestigious British journal Nature this spring
published a Binghamton faculty member’s
new insights into the world’s oldest trees.
William Stein, associate professor of biological
sciences, and colleagues at the New York State
Museum in Albany and Cardiff University in the
United Kingdom, wrote about discoveries made
near the Gilboa Dam in Schoharie County, N.Y.
The area, widely cited as home to the Earth’s
oldest forest, has yielded tremendous tree trunks
from the Devonian era, meaning they’re roughly
380 million years old.
These trunks have been studied by paleobotanists for about a century, but scientists could
only guess what the tops of the trees looked like.
Then, two years ago, researchers at the State
Museum called Stein to report the discovery of
what they thought was an “odd specimen,” a
fossil complete with an extensive trunk system
and a crown attached.
The fossil, more than 12 feet long, offered the
first evidence of how big and complex the trees
were and what their tops, or “aerial portions,”
looked like. Nearby, a second 19-foot-long fossil
reinforced some of the data offered by the first.
“We now really have these trees nailed,” Stein
said. “We solved a mystery that’s been around for
100 years. It looks remarkably tree fern-like.”
Stein and his colleagues believe the trees,
which predate the earliest dinosaurs by about 135
million years, were more than 26 feet tall, with a
system of frondlike but leafless branches at their
very tops. Though they’re now extinct, Stein can
point to possible modern-day descendants of
these trees — including ferns and horsetails.
One reason scientists are so fascinated by
these trees is that they were part of “afforestation,” the original greening of the earth. That
process had a major impact on the planet’s climate,
carbon cycling and, ultimately, what kinds of
animals evolved in these ecosystems. ■
Fossil and artist’s rendering of a fernlike tree that
grew in New York State about 380 million years ago.
5
REMINDER
RF benefits programs for
international travelers
As SUNY reaches out across the globe
— with partnerships and projects in
such far-flung locales as China, Costa
Rica and Morocco — international travel has become an increasingly common
activity for Research Foundation (RF)
employees.
To support these important research,
education and training activities, the RF
provides blanket international travel
assistance coverage, as well as emergency health insurance benefits, for all
persons traveling overseas on official
RF business. Employees do not pay any
insurance premium for this coverage.
International SOS provides valuable
information for international travelers,
such as food and water safety, business
and cultural etiquette, and security
alerts; it also provides emergency
services, such as medical and safety
evacuations, emergency message
services and more.
Recently, two CIGNA International
Expatriate Benefits programs were
added to supplement the International
SOS service:
• Medical Benefits Abroad provides an
emergency medical program for shortterm travelers on RF business.
• Global Health Advantage provides
comprehensive international medical
coverage for RF employees on extended
(more than 90 consecutive days) overseas assignment.
For more information, log in to the
RF Web site and select “Your RF
Employment” from the left menu bar.
Then select “International Travel”
and choose the link that relates to
the program you’d like more
information about. ■
A Day on the Job of…
“We could work on this site for
another 50 years and still have
tales to tell.”
r. Sharon R. Steadman’s job as field
director for the Çadır Höyük
archaeological project takes her
roughly 5,200 miles east of SUNY
Cortland’s Central New York campus to the
excavation site in central Turkey.
“We’ve been working on this project for
13 years, so now it’s like going to my other
home in Turkey,” said Steadman, who is an
associate professor of anthropology.
“Archaeology is a team effort, I really like
working with students and senior staff, the
core members of the group and the Turkish
villagers—it feels like a family.”
Steadman’s role as field director is to
coordinate archaeological excavations and
cultural studies, meaning she’s in charge of
anything that happens in Turkey. “I am
responsible for making sure things happen
the way they are supposed to,” said
Steadman. This includes hiring local men
and women from the village to work on the
project, teaching undergraduates how to do
archaeological tasks and coordinating the
work of graduate students and specialists, as
well as making decisions about where to excavate, how to approach research at the site,
and making the best use of project resources.
D
Dr. Sharon R. Steadman
Field Director for the Çadır Höyük
Archaeological Project
A typical day in the field
The field season for the Çadır Höyük project generally runs for 4-6 weeks through
July and August. The work day starts at 5
a.m. because summer temperatures in the
central Anatolian region of Turkey can top
out at over 100 degrees. After a quick
breakfast the team is loaded into two vans
for the two-mile drive to the site, where
they begin excavations and clean artifacts.
Steadman spends most of the day making the rounds of the various trenches, logging about six miles daily as she walks to
the different areas. She also serves as the site
photographer. “The most important thing
in archaeology is to find stuff,” Steadman
points out. “The second most important
thing is to document what you have
found.” After a find is discovered, the
object is photographed, drawn, excavated,
tagged and taken back to the “dig house” in
the village, where it is cleaned by a conservator and photographed for record keeping
and possible publication.
The first break is scheduled at 9 a.m.
The entire team gathers together under an
awning for a hearty breakfast consisting of
bread, meat, cheese, vegetables, olives,
boiled eggs and fruit. “I know from personal experience that it is hard to work as well
when you’re hungry,” said Steadman, who
will sometimes supplement “second breakfast” with cookies she buys with her own
Continued on page 7 ➔
6
A Day on the Job
continued from page 6
Dr. Steadman and colleague Hermann Genz
of American University in Beirut examine
some pottery.
money. “When planning a field season, I try
to make it comfortable by giving people a
nice place to live and plenty of food.”
At 9:30 a.m. everyone goes back to the
field and works until 1:30 p.m. After lunch
in the village, the team returns to work at
the lab or on other assignments at 4:30 p.m.
A lot of time is spent drawing pottery
shards —tens of thousands have been found
at the site so far. While this is not a site that
has tombs and gold, the kinds of archaeological discoveries that make people go “ooh
and aah,” there have been some startling
revelations that contribute to the overall
knowledge of the region.
About the site
Çadır Höyük, which means “tent mound”,
is important because people lived there from
5200 BC until the site was abandoned in
1100 AD. According to Steadman, such a
long sequence of occupation is very unusual.
“We have made tremendous strides in finding
out what life was like in this part of Turkey
for almost all of that 6,000-year history,”
she noted.
In the Chalcolithic period (4000-3000
BC) there is evidence of a regional center.
“We uncovered a large stone gateway and
wall that is unique for the time,” said
Steadman. “This indicated that we had
more than a farming village because someone organized the labor and thought it was
important to build this.”
The excavation also traces the Byzantine
experience in an outlying town. “In the
microcosm of our little settlement we
could see that what was happening in
Constantinople (now Istanbul) was also
happening in the hinterlands,” said
Steadman. In 2004 the excavation team
found a lead seal of an important Byzantine
administrator. The presence of this object at
Çadır Höyük means that Constantinople
knew about the site and that the settlement
was important, in some way, in the
Byzantine period.
“It’s an amazing place with so much
potential,” said Steadman. “We could work
on this site for another 50 years and still
have tales to tell.”
Challenges and opportunities
Steadman cites funding and not knowing
what the situation will be on the ground as
the top two challenges associated with
international projects. The third challenge is
learning how to live in another culture.
“I spend a great deal of time preparing my
students for life in a Muslim village and
helping them through the culture shock,”
said Steadman, who also sees this as a reward.
More than 60 students have participated
in the project since 1992. “Every year I
learn something new about living and
working with the lovely people of Turkey,”
said Steadman.
PROJECT PROFILE
Project Name:
Çadır Höyük Excavations
Campus:
SUNY Cortland
BLACK SEA
Istanbul
Troy
Ankara
Gordion
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sharon R. Steadman
Sponsors:
Employees:
12
Students:
62
Publications:
20 (additional four in preparation)
Tarsus
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
CYPRUS
RF employees who travel abroad are
required to comply with federal export
control laws that regulate materials,
technologies and ideas that are
shipped from the U.S. or taken to other
countries by American travelers.
These controls, which are intended
to protect the U.S. economy and trade,
advance foreign policy goals, and
ensure national security, can apply to
everyday technologies such as laptop
computers with encrypted software and
cell phones that are equipped with a
Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking system.
Because you, as an individual, and
the RF can be held liable for improperly
transferring controlled technology, it is
important that you contact your campus
sponsored programs office when planning a trip out of the country.
LAKE VAN
.
kR
ma
ılır
Kız
Konya
Modern City
Archaeological Site
Export Controls
Aleppo
(Syria)
is
$150,000
REMINDER
Tigr
1998
Funding to date:
Çadır Höyük
Amorium
Dumbarton Oaks; National Science
Foundation; Foundation for the Exploration
and Research of Cultural Origins
Start Date:
Boğazköy
The Çadır Höyük project also allows
Steadman to meet with and learn from
other international researchers. A Dutch
researcher recently spent time at the site,
and this year Steadman and the project’s
senior staff plan to visit site programs run
by Japanese, German, Dutch, British and
Turkish researchers. “Opportunities like this
broaden your whole world,” said Steadman.
“Not only will we see materials, we will see
how they run their projects.”
Ultimately, it’s the excitement of understanding a past world and bringing it to life
for students that Steadman finds most
rewarding. “SUNY Cortland is a teaching
college. I am so happy to be here in a position that combines education and research,”
Steadman said. “It is important to use this
project to train and advance students in the
field of archaeology.” ■
Eu
ph
ra
te
s
7
E M P LOY E E N EW S
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