The Innovation Edge: Technologies for a Brighter Future
Welcome to the CEWIT Podcast Series, presented by the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology at Stony Brook University. In this series, we will engage with industry experts and leaders in deep-dive, technical talks about their fields, current projects, and their thoughts on the latest technology developments.
Code, Connect, Create: A Hackathon Story
Featuring:
Patrick Farrell
Software Engineer Intern
SRC, Inc
Chris Lange
Engineering Manager
CEWIT
Moderated by:
Hannah Estes
Director, Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Office for Research and Innovation
In this episode of the Innovation Edge podcast, Office for Research and Innovation Director of Student Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hannah Estes sits down with CEWIT Engineering Manager Chris Lange and SRC Inc. Software Engineering Intern Patrick Farrell.
The trio discuss the CEWIT annual hackathon, Hack@CEWIT, the opportunities hackathons provide for students, and how Patrick's first hackathon lead to a first polace award and an internship with SRC Inc.
Featuring: Eric Tompkins In this episode of the Innovation Edge podcast, Derek O'COnnor, Manager of Workforce
Development, interviews the MacArthur High School Hackathon team along with thier
teacher Eric Tompkins. The group discuss their experience at their first-ever hackathon, the challenges of
the event, and how they continue to develop their skills with college on the horizon. Featuring: Kuri DiFede In this episode of the Innovation Edge podcast, Derek O'COnnor, Manager of Workforce
Development, interviews Mineola High School teacher Kuri DiFede during the 2025 High
School Hackathon at CEWIT. Derek and Kuri talk about the inmportance of collaboration to foster skillsets in
hackathon environments and explore future collaboration opportunities between CEWIT
and Mineola High School. Featuring: John Hirdt In this episode of the Innovation Edge podcast, Derek O'COnnor, Manager of Workforce
Development, interviews Longwood High School teacher John Hirdt during the 2025 High
School Hackathon at CEWIT. Derek and John talk about Longwood High School returning for the second annual high
school hackathon, how Longwood prepared students and assembled a hackathon team, and
the importance of teaching computer science. Featuring: Pawel Polak, PhD In this episode of the Innovation Edge podcast, CEWIT Engineering Manager Chris Lange
sits down with Atlas Ridge Capital CIO and NYU Courant adjunct professor Christos
Koutsoyannis, PhD and Stony Brook University assistant professor. Together the trio review the success of the first-ever CEWIT Alphathon, provide insight
on quantitative finance, and tease future projects in collaboration with CEWIT. Featuring: In this special episode of the CEWIT Podcast, CEWIT Engineering Manager Chris Lange
sits down with Sean Callahan, P.E., Senior Discipline Engineer at H2M Architects +
Engineering, to discuss the challenges in creating stormwater management solutions. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Klaar De Schepper, Principal and Founder of Flux Tailor. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Dr. Theodoros Zanos, Head of the Division of AI in Health at the Feinstein Institute
for Medical Research. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Dr. Nevenka Dimitrova, Visiting Computational Oncology Advisor at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Dr. Carlos Soto, Associate Computational Scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Featuring:
In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Dr. Alejandro Jaimes, Chief Scientist and SVP of Artificial Intelligence at Dataminr. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Lloyd Treinish, Chief Scientist for Climate and Weather at IBM Research. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Robert D'Arienzo, Associate Partner of Energy, Environment, and Utilities at IBM. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Kyle M. Lawrence, Esq., Partner, at Falcon, Rappaport & Berkman LLP. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Tracy Wang, Contributing Writer and Freelance Crypto Journalist, Rolling Stone. Featuring: In this episode of the CEWIT podcast, Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by
Mary Strain, Business Development Manager at Amazon Web Services. Featuring:
In this premiere episode, CEWIT Engineering Manager Chris Lange is joined by Stony
Brook University Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Carl W. Lejuez.
2025 High School Hackathon: Eric Tompkins
Derek O'Connor
Manager, Workforce Development
Office for Research and Innovation
Teacher, Computer Science
MacArthur High School
2025 High School Hackathon: Kuri DiFede
Derek O'Connor
Manager, Workforce Development
Office for Research and Innovation
Teacher, Computer Science and Robotics
Mineola High School
2025 High School Hackathon: John Hirdt
Derek O'Connor
Manager, Workforce Development
Office for Research and Innovation
Teacher, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Robotics
Longwood High School
Charting the Future of Quantitative Finance: Insights from Alphathon 2024 and Looking
Ahead to 2025
Christos Koutsoyannis, PhD
Chief Investment Officer, Atlas Ridge Capital
Adjunct Professor, NYU Courant
Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University
January 10, 2025
Keeping Your Head Above Water: The Challenges of Developing
Stormwater Management Solutions
Sean Callahan, P.E.
Senior Discipline Engineer
H2M Architects + Engineers
April 26, 2024
Sean was a mentor at the latest working session for The New York Climate Exchange
AI Innovation Challenge Working Session, where Stony Brook University student teams
develop stormwater management solutions using IBM's Watsonx AI and datasets from Moodys.
Growing Your Patch: Using AI to Combat Climate Change
Klaar De Schepper
Principal and Founder
Flux Tailor
March 1, 2024
Chris and Klaar explore the growing need to discuss the realities of climate change,
solutions AI can provide, and how taking small steps or "growing your patch" can make
a big change in climate sustainability.
Data Models and Healthcare: Creating Better Healthcare Through AI
Dr. Theodoros Zanos
Head of the Division of AI in Healthcare
The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
February 16, 2024
Chris and Theo discuss how using data models and AI can create better healthcare services.
AI in Healthcare: Utilizing Data to Help Clinicians
Dr. Nevenka Dimitrova
Visiting Computational Oncology Advisor
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
February 16, 2024
Chris and Nevenka discuss how utilizing data in healthcare can be beneficial to clinicians.
Limitations and Possibilities: Discussing the Limitations of Machine Learning
Dr. Carlos Soto
Associate Computational Scientist
Brookhaven National Laboratory
February 2, 2024
Chris and Carlos discuss the evolution of machine learning, including its limitations
and possibilities.
Building a Future with AI: The Biggest Technological Change
in Human History
Dr. Alejandro Jaimes
Chief Scientist and SVP of Artificial Intelligence
Dataminr
February 2, 2024
Chris and Alex discuss building a future with AI and why it is considered "the biggest
technological change in human history".
A Green Revolution: Discussing the Impact of AI in Sustainable
Research and Technology
Lloyd Treinish
Chief Scientist for Climate and Weather
IBM Research
January 19, 2024
Together, they discuss the impact of AI on sustainable research and technologies.
A Perfect Storm: The Role of AI in Forecast Modeling and Sustainability
Robert D'Arienzo
Associate Partner of Energy, Environment, & Utilities
IBM
January 19, 2024
Together, they discuss the role of AI in forecast modeling and sustainability.
Order in the Court: The Regulation f Blockchain and AI's Impact on Attorneys
Kyle M. Lawrence, Esq.
Partner
Falcon, Rappaport & Berkman LLP
January 2, 2024
Chris and Kyle discuss the impact AI has on legal practices and the potential regulation
of this emerging technology.
Fresh Off the Press: How AI is Changing Journalism as we Know It
Tracy Wang
Contributing Writer, Crypto Journalist
Rolling Stone
January 2, 2024
Chris and Tracy discuss the impact of AI on modern journalism.
AI in Society: Existing in a World with a Co-Creator of Knowledge
Mary Strain
Business Development Manager
Amazon Web Services
December 15, 2023
Chris and Mary discuss the impact of AI in our daily lives, coexisting with a "Co-creator
of Knowledge" and what it means for our careers, education, and more.
AI and Following Your Passion: Opportunities to Bring Students Together
Dr. Carl W. Lejuez
Executive Vice President and Provost
Stony Brook University
December 15, 2023
The two discuss the relationship between AI and students and the opportunities it
presents for them to follow their passions.