Research in Focus

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Welcome to Research in Focus (RiF)!

What do butterflies, lemurs, elephants, sperm whales, birds and bats have in common? They are the main characters in the January 2026 issue of Research In Focus.

Field research is an essential component of the research and may involve weeks or months of field work that extend over years and even decades. The work profiled in this issue takes us to the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Madagascar, Thailand, Dominica, and Singapore. Local researchers and collaborators are crucial to the success and longevity of the work as is the building of trust and reciprocity with the communities.

This issue reveals how global research on diverse species—from butterflies to whales—advances understanding of biodiversity and guides sustainable coexistence.

Aerial view of a sandy beach where the water shifts in shades of green and blue

Tapping into the Future

Colorful flowering plants newly planted in a garden bed

Nature-Based Technologies for Water Treatment

Two women wearing masks operating a QuantStudio 6 Flex system

Monitoring NYC Health via Wastewater

A taxi on a rain-soaked street with pedestrians in the background sheltering under an umbrella

It’s All About Water: A Journey through Water Systems

Researchers in lab coats conducting experiments in a research laboratory

Innovations in Resource Recovery and Water Quality

Colorful homes lined up along the coastline overlooking the ocean

Another Look At Island Living

Butterfly resting on a green leaf

Building Butterfly Trees of Life

Black-and-white ruffed lemurs

The Lemur Aunties of Madagascar

Elephants walking together

Forging Peaceful Coexistence Between Humans and Elephants

A sperm whale

Speech from Under the Sea

Green tree surrounded by cut trees

The Speed Of Environmental Change Impacts Bird Biodiversity

Nighttime cityscape of Singapore

Examining Singapore’s Light Retrofits on Ecological Systems

Childcare provider assisting young children in a classroom

We Should Think About Child Care As A Crisis, Not Just During A Crisis

Split portrait of a child’s face showing two skin tones

The ‘Hispanic Paradox’ May Not Hold Up Much Longer

People biking and walking on a busy New York City street

New York Trucking City: How People and Parcels Share Streets

Child attending a virtual class on a laptop

The Reality of Virtual Connections

Masked child riding on public transportation

Understanding The Compounding Risks of COVID and Heat

Empty school hallway during COVID-19 closures

What COVID-19 Taught Us About Responding to Food Insecurity

People buying and selling canned food at a market

Community-Level Nutrition: Integrating Real-World Complexities In The Classroom

People holding a long white cloth

Restructuring Care

Aaron Kozbelt

Thinking Out of the Frame

lady in a kitchen

Nice, White Ladies and the KKK: Online Hate and Homegrown Supremacy

page in a book titled the Tragedie of Macbeth

Bodies in Shakespearean Literature

photo editing app

The Digital Mirror: Social Media’s Effects On Body Image

People performing physical activity at community spaces

Bringing New York City Parks to Life

Group of people advocating for housing justice

To See the Housing Issue, Widen Your Gaze

Stop sign along a street

What The 1970s Can Teach Us About Housing Inequalities

Group of people sitting together and socializing

The Moral Justification of Gentrification

Train

Wormholes and Hells: Transit Disparities in New York City

Speaker talking about Community Agreements

Serving Black New York for Over 30 Years

women cooking in kitchen

The Effect of Headquarter Relocations and Housing Disparities

City at night with lights along the road and moving car light trails

Big Tech and New York City 2.0

Group of individuals planting young plants outdoors

The Aha Moment: Where Passion Meets Profession in Experiential Learning

Group of scientists

Science Mentoring Is Old, Funding Sources Might Be New

Attendee raising a question during an event

Pivot or Perish: Post-COVID CRSP More Expansive and Integrated

IlluminationSpace Hub

Interdisciplinary Pathways at the ASRC

City

Catalyzing International Research Experience for CUNY Students

Individual addressing a group during a discussion

Psychology Research Revelations Propels Military Veteran

Stethoscope

At The Intersection of Technology and Healthcare

Small green sphere attached to a brown stem

John Jay Students Contribute to Research on Cancer and Fungal Treatments

trail of light

Pathway to Forensic Science: An Undergraduate Student’s Journey

Feather on a calm water surface enveloped in fog

Poetry Is Healing – It’s How I Breathe – From BMCC Studies to National Youth Poet Laureate

Aerial view of a city skyline

Energy Reform In Action: How CUNY Is Building a More Sustainable Future

Birds flying in a circular formation against a sunset sky

With Rising Temperatures​,​ Birds Migrate Farther North 

Building with terrace gardens and planted greenery

Resilient Cities: A CUNY Collaborative Approach for Climate Action 

Farmers harvesting coffee beans

How Climate Changes the Recipe of Rain

Water services for Urban Sustainability

Democratizing Public Services

Geospatial Center Maps

Bronx Community College Geospatial Center Maps a Route for Geospatial Technology

People walking along the High Line in New York City

Green Gentrification and Policy Solutions: Making Sustainability A Sustainable Practice for All

People walking along the High Line in New York City

FloodNet: NYC Flood Monitoring Network as a Global Public Resource

Dr. Maria Tzortziou

Coastal Futures: Ocean Research from Space Sensors to Sea Samples 

Bat clinging upside down to a branch

Bats Teach Us That Climate Impact Began in 1492

Person walking through a painted street as papers float around

Uncovering the Poetry in Autism 

Tree with windblown leaves creating a human face shape

Letting Autistic Youth Speak for Themselves To Manage Big Life Changes  

Child using a laptop to play a game

Intervention and Individuality: Approaching Autism with Research and New Perspective 

Girl sitting at a table with others appearing uncomfortable

Emily Brooks Wants to Stop Bullies 

College of Staten Island Professor and Medical staff together inside a hospital room

College of Staten Island Professor Advances Autism Research and Global Screening Access  

Vibrant illustration of a human face

Advancing Student Health Alongside ADHD Research at the City College ATT&ND Lab

Online meeting with participants including Alexandra Juhasz

With Digital Memories, Alexandra Juhasz Teaches New York to Resist Together 

Speaker presenting at the CUNY Film Festival

Red Carpet, CUNY-Style

'The Five Demands' highlighting CUNY’s activism history

PBS Spotlights CUNY’s History of Activism  

Student wearing EEG caps covered in sensors

Movies Unite Us Neurologically, CCNY Researcher Finds

Child among people sitting together in a circle

Finding Fulfillment in the Arts and Academic Space 

Film actors shooting a scene in African cinema

Exploring Power Struggles in African Cinema: From Hollywood to Nollywood 

The triumph and tragedy of J.Robert Oppenheimer

A Journey with American Prometheus 

Red binary code arranged in the shape of a heart

Stoic Philosopher Swipes Left on Dating Algorithms

Man carrying a woman on his back, smiling and embracing

Scholar of Romance Weighs in on Old Love Advice

Hamadryas Baboons

For the Love of Survival: Aggression and Control in Hamadryas Baboons

A man spending time with his friend

Exploring the Science of Connection at the HEaRT Lab

Group of Indian ladies sitting together and talking

Caring Love in Southern India Can Surpass Western Mental Health Pharmaceuticals 

A woman’s face reflected in a shattered mirror

A Life-Changing Approach to Addressing Mental Health Inequality

The city using AI for a stronger global supply chain

Using AI for a Stronger Global Supply Chain

A robot sitting at a desk writing on paper with a pen

Technology’s Future Through a Lens of the Past

A man standing and facing a colorful sky

Tech Elitism’s Threat to Democracy and Reforming Ethics in AI Tech

Dr. Raj Korpan and students in the TIER Lab at Hunter College

Revolutionary and Responsible AI Robotics at the TIER Lab

Students learning an AI curriculum collaboratively

CUNY Begins Three-Year Journey to New AI Curriculum

Journalists working together on laptops

Newmark Journalism School Teach Communities to Find Truth Behind Algorithms

Hoeyun Kwon

Lehman College Geographer Gives a Less Skewed Look at the World

Students at CUNY AI Center for Precision Nutrition and Health Research

Hunter College DAIR Lab: Advancing Responsible AI in Healthcare and Infrastructure

Researcher reviewing AI analysis for nutrition and health studies

CUNY School of Public Health Pioneers AI Center for Precision Nutrition and Health Research

Man holding glasses that reflect binary code

CCNY Develops AI Technology to Improve Accessibility and Disability Challenges

3D printed hand being developed at City Tech Manufacturing Lab

From a City Tech Manufacturing Lab, Students Impact the World

Lab researchers working on music therapy for college student stress resilience

New Study Targeting College Student Stress Resilience through Music Therapy

Pregnant woman viewing the outdoors from a balcony

Maternal Stress and Epigenetics: Healthier Generations Begin in Utero

Veteran holding books with an American flag in the background

CUNY Veterans Assess The Community’s Needs to Build Their Way Forward

Khosravi - Research in Focus

Breast Cancer Survivor Pioneers AI Breakthroughs in Oncology

Jin Younger - Research in Focus

Hunter Researcher Helps Korean-American New Yorkers Close Cancer Disparity Together

Hubbard - Research in Focus

MSKCC and CCNY Join Forces to Combat Cancer Disparities and Train Underrepresented Students

Bargonetti - Research in Focus

Lifelong Connection to Hunter College – A Three-Decade Fight with p53

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