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Eden Campbell, center, won the top spot among kindergarten projects. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Eden Campbell
Milan Patel
Advika Arun
Isla Cone
Jude Roseto
Luke Dinsman
Owen Stone

More than 250 students from 65 Suffolk County schools entered science projects in the 2024 Elementary School Science Fair hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory on June 8.

Students used the scientific method to explore all kinds of questions about their favorite things and the world around them. The annual fair organized by Brookhaven Lab’s Office of Educational Programs celebrated and showcased all projects submitted, ranging from finding the best detangler for Barbie dolls’ hair to using a hand-crafted wind tunnel to test wing shapes for the best lift.

“Our judges enjoyed reading through the projects and were impressed with questions, ideas, and designs,” Amanda Horn, a Brookhaven Lab administrator who coordinated the science fair, said before announcing the winning projects. “We certainly have some future scientists and engineers here today.”

Local teachers and Lab staff volunteered as judges to pick the top spots and honorable mentions for each grade level, from kindergarten to sixth grade. The competition also included a Judges’ Choice award for creative questions.

Students who earned first place in their grade level received medals and ribbons, along with banners to hang at their school to recognize the achievement. All participants received a ribbon in recognition of having won their grade level competition at their school.

Science Fair awards

The following students earned first place in their grade level: 

◆ Kindergartener Eden Campbell, Ocean Avenue Elementary School in Northport for “Tasting Color.” Eden’s project explored whether the color of food affects its taste. What was her favorite part of the experiment? “Eating the jellybeans,” she said.

◆ First grader Milan Patel, Ocean Avenue Elementary School in Northport for “How Does the Direction of a House Affect the Amount of Heat Absorbed from the Sun?” 

◆ Second grader Advika Arun, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge, for “Slower and Steadier the Safer it Will Be.” For her experiment, Advika crafted small parachutes to test which materials fostered a slow and safe landing. She found that nylon worked the best. “I liked the part where we dropped them and we saw the speed they went,” she said. She added of her first-place win, “I’m really excited!”

◆ Third grader Isla Cone, Love of Learning Montessori School in Centerport, for “The Impact of pH on Boba.” Isla tested food-friendly liquids with different pH levels to find out which could form boba, the round and chewy pearls found in bubble tea. She confirmed that boba spheres occurred in liquids with a pH between 4 and 10. “I wanted to do a project that was related to food,” she said. “My favorite part was getting to eat all the stuff!”

◆ Fourth grader Jude Roseto, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue, for “Rise of the Machines: AI vs. Human Creativity Writing.” 

◆ Fifth grader Luke Dinsman, Northport Middle School in Northport, for “Maximizing Moisture — Nature Knows Best.” In his project, Dinsman found that homemade, natural moisturizers worked better than store-bought lotions at treating the dry skin he experiences as a swimmer. A shea body butter with beeswax turned out to be the best option. Making the lotions and testing them was the best part of the process, Luke said. He added, “It’s just a really cool project.”

◆ Sixth grader Owen Stone, East Quogue Elementary in East Quogue for “Can Common Foods Help Grow Potatoes?” 

Judges’ choice

Kindergarten: John Jantzen, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville

First Grade: Julianna Zick, West Middle Island Elementary School in Middle Island

Second Grade: Timothy Donoghue, Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton

Third Grade: Charlotte Sheahan, Pulaski Road School in East Northport

Fourth Grade: Dominick Padolecchia, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville

Fifth Grade: Isabella Maharlouei, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk

Sixth Grade: Zoe Wood, Northport Middle School in Northport

Honorable mentions

Kindergarten: Michael McCarthy, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; Scarlett Luna, Hampton Bays Elementary School in Hampton Bays; Autumn Vlacci, Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton

First Grade: Tyler Paino, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; Logan Pierre, Brookhaven Elementary School in Brookhaven; Nora Boecherer, Edna Louise Spear Elementary School in Port Jefferson

Second Grade: Charlotte Tholl, Forest Brook Elementary School; Gabi Opisso, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue; Matthew Ingram, Ocean Avenue Elementary School in Northport; Erios Pikramenos, Frank J. Carasiti Elementary School in Rocky Point; Maya Salman, Edna Louise Spear Elementary School in Port Jefferson

Third Grade: Emma Puccio Edelman, Hiawatha Elementary School in Lake Ronkonkoma; Vincent Calvanese, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; Kaylee Krawchuck, Ridge Elementary School in Ridge; Isabella Guldi, Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in Rocky Point

Fourth Grade: Juliam Gianmugnai, Ridge Elementary School in Ridge; Joseph Frederick, Lincoln Avenue Elementary School in Sayville; Gabriel Affatato, Pulaski Road School East Northport; Levi Beaver, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk

Fifth Grade: Evangeline Jamros, Edna Louise Spear Elementary in Port Jefferson; Colette Breig, RJO Intermediate School in Kings Park; Riona Mittal, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge

Sixth Grade: Eamon Ryan, Lindenhurst Middle School in Lindenhurst; Michael Mineo, Silas Wood 6th Grade Center in Huntington Station; Alex Uihlein, Montauk Public School in Montauk.

Science Fair Expo

While their projects were on display, students and their families browsed a Science Fair Expo that featured up-close, hands-on demonstrations guided by Brookhaven Lab staff, interns, and volunteers.

The activities connected to science concepts and tools found across the Lab, from magnets and particle accelerators to electron microscopy and conductors. Students peered through microscopes, learned how fuel cells and solar panels work, became junior beamline operators, and more.

 

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Pixabay photo
Due to heavy rainfall, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services has issued an advisory against bathing at 63 beaches. The advisory, issued on June 27, is based on the potential bacteria levels at these beaches exceed New York State standards.

The beaches covered by the advisory are located in areas that are heavily influenced by stormwater runoff from the surrounding watersheds or adjacent tributaries, and because of their location in an enclosed embayment, experience limited tidal flushing.

Health officials recommend that bathing and other water contact be suspended in affected areas until the waters have been flushed by two successive tidal cycles, at least a 24-hour period, after the rain has ended. This advisory will be lifted on Friday, June 28,at 5 a.m., unless sampling reveals elevated levels of bacteria persisting beyond the 24-hour period.

Beaches closed for swimming include:

  • Amityville Beach in Amityville
  • Tanner Park in Copiague
  • Venetian Shores Beach in West Babylon
  • Sound Beach POA East in Sound Beach
  • Sound Beach POA West in Sound Beach
  • Tides Beach in Sound Beach
  • Beech Road Beach (NSBA) in Rocky Point
  • Broadway Beach (NSBA) in Rocky Point
  • Friendship Drive Beach (NSBA) in Rocky Point
  • Shoreham Village Beach in Shoreham
  • Shoreham Beach in East Shoreham
  • Corey Beach in Blue Point
  • Stony Brook Beach in Stony Brook
  • Shoreham Shore Club Beach in East Shoreham
  • Miller Place Park Beach in Miller Place
  • Scotts Beach in Sound Beach
  • Woodhull Landing POA Beach in Miller Place
  • Bayberry Cove Beach in Setauket-East Setauket
  • Bayview Beach in Setauket-East Setauket
  • Grantland Beach in Setauket-East Setauket
  • Indian Field Beach in Setauket-East Setauket
  • Little Bay Beach in Setauket-East Setauket
  • Soundview Beach Association Beach in Old Field
  • Terraces on the Sound in Rocky Point
  • Havens Beach in Sag Harbor
  • Eagle Dock Community Beach in Cold Spring Harbor
  • Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club Beach in Lloyd Harbor
  • West Neck Beach in Lloyd Harbor
  • Lloyd Neck Bath Club Beach in Lloyd Harbor
  • Lloyd Harbor Village Park Beach in Lloyd Harbor
  • Gold Star Battalion Park Beach in Huntington
  • Head of the Bay Club Beach in Huntington Bay
  • Nathan Hale Beach Club Beach in Huntington Bay
  • Baycrest Association Beach in Huntington Bay
  • Bay Hills Beach Association in Huntington Bay
  • Crescent Beach in Huntington Bay
  • Knollwood Beach Association Beach in Huntington
  • Fleets Cove Beach in Huntington
  • Centerport Beach in Centerport
  • Huntington Beach Community Association Beach in Centerport
  • Steers Beach in Northport
  • Asharoken Beach in Asharoken
  • Hobart Beach (Sound & Cove) in Northport
  • Crab Meadow Beach in Northport
  • Wincoma Association Beach in Huntington Bay
  • Valley Grove Beach in Eatons Neck
  • Prices Bend Beach in Eatons Neck
  • West Islip Beach in West Islip
  • Benjamins Beach in Bay Shore
  • Islip Beach in Islip
  • East Islip Beach in East Islip
  • West Oaks Recreation Club Beach in West Sayville
  • Brightwaters Village Beach in Brightwaters
  • Bayport Beach in Bayport
  • Sayville Marina Park Beach in Sayville
  • Bayberry Beach & Tennis Club Beach in Islip
  • Ronkonkoma Beach (Town of Islip) in Ronkonkoma
  • Callahans Beach in Northport
  • Short Beach in Nissequogue
  • Nissequogue Point Beach in Nissequogue
  • Long Beach in Nissequogue
  • Schubert Beach in Nissequogue

For the latest information on affected beaches, please call the Bathing Beach HOTLINE at 631-852-5822 or visit the website link: www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health. Search “Beach Monitoring Program”.

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METRO Photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

The montage played in my mind even before I stepped out of the car at the Old Field Club last weekend. My father and older brother were pedaling ahead of me, too fast for my thick, stocky legs to keep pace. My younger brother and mother were behind me, too slow for my taste and my level of impatience.

“Pe-dal fa-ster,” I recalled grimacing through crooked, gritted teeth, hoping that I could hear whatever magic words my father and older brother were exchanging.

Pushing on a bicycle that didn’t have any gears and struggling against a wind that always seemed to be blowing in my face, I only caught up to them when they circled back. Determined as I was not to cut corners or shorten my ride, I reached the end of West Meadow Beach, stopped for a few seconds to rest my legs and restarted the pursuit.

I could also picture the numerous times I stood on the shore, searching for the perfect skimming rock, bringing a collection to the water’s edge and waiting my turn to try to send a rock far from shore.

More dramatic weather scenes also played in my head, as I pictured waves frozen in place by a prolonged stretch of cold weather. I’m sure I love winter beaches because of those moments when I felt like I owned the isolated sand sculpted by the same powerful wind whose fingers tried to reach through any holes in my coat or open air spaces to stab at exposed skin.

After heavy rainstorms, I recalled stopping on my ten-speed bike, staring at the flooded road that turned the road into a canal.

And then there was last Saturday, as I drove up to the entrance to the club, waiting for a valet to park my car and to celebrate the wedding of the son of a close friend and former coworker of my wife.

We entered the club, took our glass of champagne and made our way to the benches outside, where other people my wife knew greeted her and compared notes about the changes in their lives since they last saw each other.

While overlooking the water, we listened as my wife’s friend’s son, whom I recall seeing years earlier eating ice cream and “making memories,” exchanged vows each of them wrote to mark this incredible occasion. My wife’s friend’s son expressed his eagerness to start his own family.

I watched carefully as my wife’s friend had a perma-grin plastered on her ageless face, reveling in this couple that seemed to melt into each other’s arms for their first dance. The family I didn’t know at all also seemed pleased, albeit in a more buttoned down and restrained way, as they clapped for the happy couple.

Then, of course, the music, which served as a starter’s gun for my wife and me at these events, began, sending us vaulting out of our seats and onto the dance floor.

Life was so different for me now, as an appreciative guest for this loving event, but also for the world. People took out their cell phones to take pictures of this endless love, they exchanged cell phone numbers, and smiled at a camera atop a giant mirror on the dance floor that developed a sequence of photos.

Several grandparents enjoyed the celebration, beaming with pride at their children and grandchildren.

They likely had even more memories flooding through their mind than I, as they could recall the birth of their own children and grandchildren, with yet another magical turn of the time wheel to the next generation.

When these grandparents were considerably younger, they couldn’t have attended such a wedding, as the loving couple are both men. 

Here they were, supporting their grandson, who floated across the room with his husband and expressed his keen appreciation for the guests who came to celebrate this momentous day.

I wonder what ways the world might change between now and when we, if we’re fortunate enough, get to celebrate a similar event for future generations.

For me, that night was yet another memory on a familiar road that has served as the backdrop for my life’s journey. Even as I replay the celebration, I can hear the words of several ABBA songs, like “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme” and “Lay all your love on me.”

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Speaking of our health, which we often do with friends, there were a couple of interesting bits of news this week in that department.

Probably the most dramatic is the idea that by delaying the onset of menopause, a woman’s life and good health might be extended. The health benefits that women have before menopause lessen as we age past that mark. So current longevity research is asking if the whole picture could be slowed. And so, Dr. Jill Biden announced from the White House a new health initiative to pursue this concept, with Dr. Renee Wegrzyn steering the research.

Ovaries, which seem to play a role throughout a woman’s lifetime, not just until menopause, are the main focus. “Researchers think that prolonging their function, better aligning the length of their viability with that of other organs, could potentially alter the course of a woman’s health—and longevity research overall,” according to Tuesday’s front page story in The New York Times.

Using hormones like estrogen and progesterone, ovaries communicate with every other organ in the body. When they stop communicating, “all kinds of problems arise.” They stop when the eggs that they carry are gone, at which point risk increases for dementia, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and other age-related diseases and lifespan, according to The Times. Women whose ovaries have been prematurely removed for other health reasons are at greater risk, which suggests that even after all the eggs are gone, ovaries may still play a protective role.

All of this is subject to much further investigation. Researchers are not sure whether aging negatively affects the ovaries or if the ovaries cause other organs to age. But prolonging ovarian function in lab animals does seem to improve their health and longevity. This encourages further research into reducing the number of eggs lost by a woman during each menstrual cycle, thus preserving ovarian function. (Women shed may eggs many cycle but one ovulates). A current drug, rapamycin, which is an immunosuppressant used in organ transplants, is being studied for that role.

Anti-aging research is highly popular among scientists these days.

Another surprising article in the same issue of The Times, this one in the ScienceTimes section, has to do with our sense of smell. Though it lessens with age (and might as the result of infections, like Covid), “A diminished ability to smell is associated with worsening memory, cognition and overall well-being—as well as dementia and depression.”  The good news is that such a situation may be reversible. 

We can train our noses with smelling exercises, and our ability to smell, in turn, may improve not only depression but also help remember words faster. One explanation for this is “the areas of the brain involved in smelling are uniquely connected to parts involved in cognition, such as the prefrontal cortex.”  Further to the point, “The olfactory system is the only sensory system that has a direct superhighway projection into the memory centers and the emotional centers of your brain,” according to Professor Michael Leon of the University of California, Irvine.

So take out products from your kitchen cabinets and alternately smell cinnamon, honey, coffee, wine or others and sniff each of them at least 30 seconds at a time, once in the morning and once more at night. Small studies have indicated this not only tests one’s power to smell but also enhance cognitive abilities.

Finally for this column, I would like to quote the Times’ article on the Walking Cure for Lower Back Pain. Although those with pain may be loathe to exercise, movement can strengthen muscles that support the back and ease the pain. This is a conclusion that is supported with any number of studies over the past few years. 

“Researchers found that regular exercise combined with physical education was the most effective way to prevent lower back pain from recurring,” according to The NYT.

Walking can help strengthen the support muscles at the base of the spine. When they weaken, it can lead to pain.

So, as the song goes, “Shake, Shake, Shake Your Booty,” for good health. 

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Joshua Bozek. Photo courtesy Bozek

By Aidan Johnson

Summer has arrived, and with it warm weather and longer days. However, as kids participate in outdoor activities, it is important for parents, coaches and camp counselors to watch for signs of heat-related illnesses, including heatstroke, sunburns and dehydration.

Dr. Joshua Bozek, emergency medicine physician at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown, discussed how to identify the causes of heat-related illnesses in kids in an exclusive interview June 5.

“The first thing that I usually look for is when the kids are grabbing for their water bottle a little bit more frequently,” Bozek said.

“If they suddenly start feeling kind of weak, more tired … let’s say they’re playing a sport and suddenly they want to go on the bench, that’s a sign that they’re getting a heat illness,” he said, also noting nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps and irritability. He described more serious symptoms such as fainting, severe headaches and cool, clammy skin.

It’s important to remember that some conditions, such as heatstroke, do not only occur outside or on sunny days, but can happen when it’s cloudy or in places like gyms.

If symptoms of heat illness appear to be present in a child, it is important to move to a cooler area, such as a building with air conditioning. He suggested changing to lighter clothing like shorts and a T-shirt and laying the child down with their feet slightly raised.

If the symptoms start to progress even more, Bozek recommended spreading water on their skin, which can help to cool down the blood vessels underneath, though he clarified that this shouldn’t be done to the point where the child is frigid.

Importance of hydration

“As long as they’re not actively vomiting, you want to try to get some fluids into their system,” Bozek said, adding, “If you drink some cold liquid, your esophagus, your stomach, your intestines, until it warms up will help cool you from the inside out.”

However, if symptoms continue to worsen to severe vomiting, fainting or seizure activity, the best option would be dialing 911.

Bozek also discussed preventing sunburn in children, saying, “The number one thing that you can do with kids that are going to be out, particularly when they’re at camp, is making sure that they have adequate amounts of sunblock on and reapplying frequently.”

Hydration once again plays an important role, as when sunburn progresses and the skin gets hot, which dehydrates the inflicted person much more quickly. Therefore, it is important to drink more water than normal, even if the kids are not feeling thirsty.

Sunburns can progress into severe degrees of burns, with blistering being a sign of severity.

“You don’t want to get to the point where you’re actually getting some necrosis of the skin or blisters that become deep, but the main thing is just when it’s very sunny out, if you can do activities that are in the shade or indoors, that’s better,” the emergency doctor added.

Bozek noted the difference between sunscreen and sunblock, with sunscreen used as the generalized “full body preventative measure,” and sunblock being used more “for areas that are at higher risk,” such as the ears and nose, since they’re directly pointing up to the sky.

It’s important to remember to apply sunblock to the lips, as it is possible to develop blisters, or even skin cancer, if left unprotected. Additionally, wearing a hat can keep the sun off of a person’s scalp and potentially cool them down by providing some shade to their face.

Bozek recommends using SPF 50 and above for children.

Kids are more susceptible to sun burning and dehydration due to having more sensitive skin and being able to drink less liquid than an adult, along with not necessarily being able to recognize the symptoms of heat-related conditions as well. 

It is important for everyone to practice safety in the heat and sun, so the fun can continue throughout the summer.

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The festival opens with 'The Blond Boy from the Casbah.'

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center  for the Arts turns into a movie lover’s mecca when new independent films screen at the Stony Brook Film Festival on evenings from Thursday, July 18 to Saturday, July 27. The popular festival, now in its 29th year, will become a hub for some of the best filmmakers working today, a meeting ground for favorite actors and rising stars, and a showcase of new masterpieces as it pairs memorable short films with an array of features you won’t see anywhere else.

Presented by Island Federal, this year’s lineup boasts 36 films from 19 countries and kicks off with the U.S. Premiere of The Blond Boy from the Casbah, Alexandre Arcady’s semi-autobiographical dramedy about growing up in Algeria before emigrating to France as a teen. Festival Programmer Kent Marks describes the film as a “thought-provoking, unique journey through the past on the surprising path to self-discovery.”

Closing the festival is the U.S. Premiere of the German epic One Million Minutes, an inspiring true story that follows an over-worked family trying to find balance in their lives, starring festival-favorite Karoline Herfurth.

The festival will close with a screening of ‘One Million Minutes.’

While the films are never chosen with an overall theme in mind, oftentimes, a theme seems to emerge, and 2024 is no exception. “While our goal is to always program the best films we can find, this year, we gave ourselves the added goal of keeping an eye out for films that appeared to be on the lighter side so we could give our audience some extra laughs in their lives — something that we felt many people could use,” says SBFF & Staller Center Director, Alan Inkles. 

As festival-goers have come to expect, the 2024 schedule is still peppered with hard-hitting films, compelling dramas, and some very unique science-fiction.

This year’s festival features nine films from Stony Brook Film Fest Alumni. “Filmmakers depend on these festivals to help them get their films distributed so as many people can see them as possible and to gauge how a live audience is responding to their work – Our alumni love returning because we have a large, engaged audience and ensure they get the best showing and hospitality possible,” says Marks. “One of the most exciting parts for me is seeing these films up on the big screen and watching how the audience reacts,” says Outreach Director Paul Newland, “after spending so much time previewing these films, it’s truly exciting to see them have their big premiere in the festival, and our filmmakers love it too.”

One of the key features of the Stony Brook Film Festival is that there is absolutely no other way to see these films. 

“Netflix and streaming services are easy and comfortable, and we get that, but these films are not offered on streaming services. They’re films looking to get picked up for distribution in order to stream or play in theaters – a lot of people don’t get that – so this is the prime opportunity to be the first to know and to see some truly incredible films that you cannot see anywhere else,” says Inkles. This year’s festival boasts 17 world, U.S., East Coast, and U.S. premieres of features and shorts throughout the festival.

This year’s festival has a secret film—one that you will only know about if you come in person on July 21. The film—a major motion picture starring well-known Hollywood faces—was produced by a native Long Island filmmaker whose films have previously played the festival. It tells an inspirational true story with an amazing local hook. As with almost all films in the festival, a question-and-answer session between the filmmakers and the audience will follow the preview.

“We are very excited to have filmmakers from all over the world join us for their premiere screenings. Our audiences can gather in a huge theater with Long Island’s largest screen, to see movies the way they were meant to be seen,” said Inkles. 

Additional sponsors for the Stony Brook Film Festival include Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP; Suffolk County; Altice Media; and WLIW21.

FILM SCHEDULE

For a complete description of all of the films, visit stonybrookfilmfestival.com.

OPENING NIGHT
Thursday, July 18 at 7 p.m.

Short: Chauncey

Feature: The Blond Boy from the Casbah

Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m.

Short: Iron Lung

Feature: The Queen of My Dreams

Friday, July 19 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: Detox

Feature: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m.

Short: The Hope Chest Has a Secret Drawer

Feature: The Strangers’ Case

Saturday, July 20 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: Two Cents & A Footlong

Feature: Take A Chance on Me

Sunday, July 21 at 7 p.m.

Short: The Grievance

Feature: SPECIAL SNEAK PREVIEW of a major motion picture produced by a SBFF alumni and Long Island resident

Sunday, July 21 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: Revived

Feature: Month to Month

Monday, July 22 at 7 p.m.

Short: Where We Belong

Feature: Marguerite’s Theorem

Monday, July 22 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: In the Night

Feature: Excursion

Tuesday, July 23 at 7 p.m.

Short: Split Ends

Feature: Free Money

Tuesday, July 23 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: Where Do Ants Sleep At Night

Feature: A Fantastic Relationship

Wednesday, July 24 at 7 p.m.

Short: exuvia

Feature: Mediha

Wednesday, July 24 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: [subtext]

Feature: Running on Sand

Thursday, July 25 at 7 p.m.

Short: Mimesis

Feature: Mastergame

Thursday, July 25 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: Bible Camp

Feature: Daughter of the Sun

Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m.

Short: The Overlook

Feature: After the Fire

Friday, July 26 at 9:30 p.m.

Short: On the paths awakened

Feature: A Real Job

CLOSING NIGHT
Saturday, July 27 at 7 p.m.

Short: If

Feature: One Million Minutes

CLOSING NIGHT AWARDS

9:30 p.m. Presented on stage.

Ticket information 

All screenings are held at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook in the 1,000-seat Main Stage theater. Cinephiles will want to see all 36 films. There’s passes for that. For those who can’t, there are passes for that, too. All festival pass types come with guaranteed priority seating, Q&As with filmmakers, discounts, and other perks at partner locations, including local eateries and breweries, as well as a festival gift.

The Flex Pass is intended for those who aren’t sure about purchasing a 10-day pass. For $75, pass holders also receive entry to any five nights of the festival except for closing night.

A Regular Pass – $100 – also includes entry to all films and the closing night awards ceremony.

The Gold Pass VIP – $250 – also includes entry to all films, VIP First Priority reserved seating, and invitations to the Opening Night and Closing Night parties at St. Georges Golf Club in Setauket and on the rooftop at Curry Club at SaGhar in Port Jefferson, respectively.

Individual tickets  of $15 per person, $13.50 for seniors will be available after July 5. Tickets may be purchased at stonybrookfilmfestival.com/pass.

To learn more about the different membership levels and their benefits, call the box office at 631-632-2787 or visit www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 20.

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Pixabay photo

By  Aidan Johnson and Samantha Rutt

Former CNN anchor John Avlon will face off against incumbent Congressman Nick LaLota (R) on Election Day, Nov. 5, after winning the Democratic primary for New York’s 1st Congressional District on June 25. Avlon garnered over 70% of the vote, with 19,026 votes in a landslide victory against opponent Nancy Goroff, former chair of the Department of Chemistry at Stony Brook University, who received 8,053 votes. There were 58 write-in votes.

The race saw its fair share of contentious moments, with Avlon and political action committees supporting him attacking Goroff on her loss in the 2020 congressional election against Rep. Lee Zeldin (R). Meanwhile, Goroff and PACs supporting her criticized Avlon on his past work for Republicans, including with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

In a speech after the results, Avlon thanked his supporters and said the next stage of the campaign has started “right now.”

He also stated that it was important to reach out to independent and center-right voters, saying most Americans want “reasoning together over a common set of facts to solve the common problems we face.”

“I’ve always believed that politics is history in the present tense, and that this is our chance to write a new chapter of the American story,” he said.

In a statement, Goroff congratulated Avlon and called for Democrats to “come together to defeat Nick LaLota and flip this seat in November,” adding that Avlon will be “a commonsense voice for the people of Suffolk in Washington and a vast improvement over LaLota, who has proven to be far too extreme for this district.”

“The people of Suffolk deserve a representative who will work hard and find solutions to the major problems facing our community, and that is John Avlon,” she said.

Kassay triumphs

In the race for the state 4th Assembly District, Rebecca Kassay, business owner, environmentalist and former deputy mayor of Port Jefferson Village, garnered nearly 64% of the vote with 3,395, outpacing opponent Skyler Johnson, who received 1,909 votes. There were 11 write-in votes.

“In this pivotal moment for our communities and our government, I am grateful to have earned the trust of voters here in Assembly District 4,” Kassay said in a statement following the election announcement. “I am entirely committed to the tireless work required to lead our district and our state through unprecedented challenges. In the thousands of conversations at the doors of district residents, one thing was clear: People want their government to focus on delivering for their communities instead of being distracted by divisive politics-as-usual.”

Kassay congratulated opponent Johnson on his campaign.

“I commend Skyler Johnson and his team for their work energizing voters and engaging more residents in the important issues facing our communities. Primary elections can be divisive, and we are grateful to have shared a positive, message-based primary here in Assembly District 4.”

Johnson congratulated Kassay on her win and has since offered his support for her continued campaign. 

“I’d like to congratulate Rebecca Kassay on her win. There is a lot at stake in New York – and all that matters is defeating anti-choice, anti-Democracy politicians in November. Rebecca has my full support in this mission,” Johnson said in a statement following the election results.

The primary elections have set the stage for a dynamic and competitive general election. Avlon’s decisive victory in the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District demonstrates a strong mandate from his party, positioning him to challenge LaLota in November. Avlon’s call for unity and outreach to a broad spectrum of voters highlights his strategy for the upcoming campaign. 

Meanwhile, Kassay’s success in the 4th Assembly District primary reflects her commitment to addressing community concerns and fostering positive political engagement as she attempts to unseat incumbent Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson).

As both Avlon and Kassay prepare for the next phase of their campaigns, their focus on commonsense solutions and effective leadership will be critical in their bids to represent the people of Suffolk County.

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Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine

Breast cancer research at the Stony Brook Cancer Center is taking a long-lasting, impactful leap forward thanks to the generous support from the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. The Fund, which has been supporting research grants at Stony Brook for the last 25 years, has established a new $5.5 million endowment that will be used in perpetuity to fund breast cancer research at Stony Brook Medicine.

Carol M. Baldwin dedicated her life to helping other women overcome the struggles associated with breast cancer after her own diagnosis in 1990 and enduring a double mastectomy. After raising her six children on Long Island, New York, she formed the Fund in 1996 with her family, friends and health professionals with a mission to fight and ultimately win the battle against breast cancer. That same year, Stony Brook dedicated the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center in recognition of her efforts to raise funds for cancer research. The care center continues to operate today within the Stony Brook Cancer Center. In addition to cancer care, the center treats patients with benign conditions of the breast and offers community education on overall breast health and cancer prevention.

“Carol was very supportive of local women who were newly diagnosed and would become their advocate to make sure they received the right treatment,” said Brian J. O’Hea, MD, director of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center. “This newly endowed fund will allow the expert care and research to continue and will ensure Carol’s legacy will always live on here at Stony Brook.”

Over the past few decades, the Fund has provided seed grants to more than 100 researchers at Stony Brook Medicine as they investigate the causes, prevention and treatment of breast cancer. In memory of Carol, who passed away in 2022, the new endowed Fund will ensure that breast cancer research at Stony Brook will continue for years to come. With the State Endowment Match Challenge and the Simons Infinity Investment Challenge, this gift will have an impact of $16.5 million.

“Through the support of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund, our researchers will learn more about breast cancer, providing us better methods of detection and treatment,” said William Wertheim, MD, interim executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine. “This endowed gift will allow that important work to continue in perpetuity as our researchers search for advances in technology and medicine.”

This past May, the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) awarded the center a full three-year reaccreditation. According to O’Hea, NAPBC-accredited programs have demonstrated excellence in organizing and managing a breast care center to facilitate multidisciplinary, integrated and comprehensive breast cancer services.

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Luis Medina Faull conducting research on a ship in Venezuela.

By Daniel Dunaief

Typical sampling of ocean water excludes small microplastics which, as it turns out, are much more abundant even than larger pieces.

Luis Medina Faull

That’s the conclusion of a recent paper published in Marine Pollution Bulletin based on research conducted by Luis Medina Faull, Lecturer and IDEA Fellow, Sustainable Climate Justice and Solutions at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

Using Raman microspectrometry to test ocean waters from the Caribbean to the Arctic, Medina Faull discovered smaller microplastics that were 10 to 100 times more abundant than the larger ones.

“We can’t see these plastics and, until recently, we couldn’t even track the samples,” said Medina Faul. “These small pieces can be easily ingested by marine organisms, such as fish” who translocate them into tissues where humans can consume them. “They are an emerging contaminant in our ocean so we have to be very concerned.”

Microplastics not only harm organisms that live in the ocean, but also create a health threat to humans, appearing in breast milk, heart muscles, blood, and waste products such as feces.

Microplastics can alter cell activity. The threat these particles pose to the environment and human health increases the urgency to understand this contaminant.

At this point, scientists don’t yet know how much of these microplastics fish have consumed although every species studied has evidence of microplastic ingestion.

Plankton nets can find microplastics that are between 300 and 500 micrometers or larger. Medina Faull, however, can detect microplastics that are 1 to 300 micrometers.

In samples taken from the Northeast Coast of Medina Faull’s native Venezuela, the Gulf Stream Current, which includes the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Arctic Ocean, the Stony Brook scientist found that the most abundant microplastics were between 1 and 14 micrometers, with 60 percent under 5 micrometers.

His findings exceeded previous combined reports about the abundance of these microplastics by six orders of magnitude.

While the larger particles of microplastics weighs more in the ocean, “it is important to measure the number of particles and their mass,” Medina Faull explained in an email, which will help “to understand the plastic budget in the ocean and the possible ecological or biological impact of these particles.”

The general public, government agencies and the scientific community have become increasingly concerned about microplastics. Medina Faull recently attended the first New York State Microplastics summit organized by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the State University of New York at Buffalo. They discussed the kind of microplastics thresholds that could be harmful to humans and the environment.

The challenges of small pieces

The primary ingredient in plastics, which are made from fossil fuels, is carbon, constituting about 70 to 90 percent of the material that creates packaging, coverings, wraps and other products.

Luis Medina Faull conducting research on a ship in Venezuela.

Determining the origin and content of these microplastics, which are a collection of materials manufactured and sold in different countries, is challenging. Microplastics in the ocean come from mismanagement of solid waste, dumping, fisheries, tourism and other sources.

For the larger pieces of microplastics, which are still exponentially smaller than the eight-inch water bottle that people drink at baseball games and picnics, researchers can determine where the plastic was made.

For the smaller pieces, scientists can link materials to specific activities. Polystyrene is used in floating devices, such as buoys, as well as in fishing, boating and tourism. Polystyrene is also used in food containers and clothing. For these smaller microplastics, scientists have a hard time pointing out the source.

Additionally, smaller microplastics of the kind Medina Faull found in abundance, can contain a mix of particles, suggesting that the ocean contaminant likely came from a recycling process.

“We call them plastics, but there are [numerous] types of materials with different chemical compositions,” he said. These may interact differently with the environment and the oceanic organisms.

At this point, Medina Faull suggested that the majority of the ocean remains undersampled, which makes it difficult to know the concentration and distribution of microplastics.

Microplastics are also distributed in different parts of the ocean, as some of them float at the surface while others sink to the bottom. The process for vertical transport in the water column isn’t well studied.

New plastic producing technology

Some companies are working to develop bioplastic materials. Made from natural polymers or polymers produced by algae or bacteria, these plastics might dissolve more rapidly and provide a safer environmental alternative. These could be photo, bio or chemically degraded faster than synthetic polymers.

As for his own consumer decisions, Medina Faull thinks about ways to reduce his own plastic use regularly.

For starters, he tries to reduce the use of plastics in his own house. He drinks water from the tap and, when he does use plastic, he tries to make sure it’s more than for a single use. 

He urges residents concerned about the use of plastics to buy local products, which not only help the community but also reduce the need for as much plastics for shipping.

When he buys toys for his two-year-old daughter Aila Marina, he tries to make sure they’re manufactured with recycled plastic or wood.

Aerosolized plastics

When microplastics are small enough, they can become aerosolized amid a heavy surf, as the impact of water releases them into the air.

Areas in the Arctic and Antarctic have now found evidence of microplastics that were carried by the wind.

“We know that they are part of these complex transfer mechanisms in the ocean,” said Medina Faull.

A native of Margarita Island, Venezuela, Medina Faull spent considerable time growing up in and around water. He grew up going to the beach, surfing, scuba diving, and spearfishing.

Medina Faull and his wife Elizabeth Suter, who is also a marine scientist and works at Molloy University in Rockville Centre, live in Long Beach with their daughter.

When he’s not on, near or studying the water, Medina Faull appreciates the opportunity to create objects in his own woodworking shop. He has made furniture for his office, a toy chest for his daughter and picture frames.

As for the message from his work, Medina Faull believes any contamination is cause for concern.

“We need to be aware” of microplastics, he said. There are “so many things we don’t understand yet.”

For consumers, he urges people to be careful about what they are buying and consider ways to reduce plastics.

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John Monteleone with Four Seasons, 2002-2006 now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and being loaned to the Long Island Museum.
Radio Wave, 2004, loaned by Dan Stanton. Photo by Rod Franklin
Super Chief, 2011, loaned by Albert Vontz. Photo by John Monteleone
Marc Knopfler playing a Monteleone Radio City. Photograph by Vincent Ricardel. Courtesy of Rudy Pensa.
Eric Clapton holding a Monteleone Eclipse with John Monteleone. Photo from LIM

This summer, don’t miss Musical Masterworks: John Monteleone’s Guitars and Other Instruments — a must-see exhibition for any music lover! Currently on view at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, this major retrospective and groundbreaking show celebrates the life and work of one of America’s most talented and renowned makers of archtop guitars, John Monteleone.

John Monteleone in his workshop in Islip, New York. Photo from LIM

From his 2,400-square-foot workshop in Islip, Monteleone has crafted one-of-a-kind masterpieces of functional art, coveted by leading rock, jazz, and folk guitarists of the late-20th and early-21st centuries: Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Ben Harper, Julian Lage, and Anthony Wilson, to name just a few. Monteleone also has lifelong connections to Long Island, growing up in Islip and maintaining his workshops here, initially in Bay Shore, in 1976, before opening his current shop in Islip, in 1990.

Renowned for his perfectionism and his intense concern for materials, and for facilitating versatile performance, Monteleone has made an extraordinary lifetime journey as a craftsman of his signature guitars, mandolins, and other instruments. The master luthier has garnered international acclaim for his exquisite craftsmanship and innovative designs. 

Musical Masterworks is the largest-ever exhibition of John Monteleone’s musical art assembled and offers visitors a rare opportunity to explore the artist’s extraordinary journey, beginning in the early 1970s as a repairer and maker of mandolins, to producing some of the most sought-after guitars in the world.

Featuring nearly 50 guitars, mandolins, and other instruments crafted by Monteleone between 1971 and 2023, the exhibition showcases the stunning beauty and unparalleled craftsmanship of his creations. 

“It is always my great honor and pleasure to create the resonating sonic beauty of these instruments and to hear them finally sing and speak to me,” says Monteleone. “From the trees in the forest to pulsating maple and spruces on my workbench, it is my way of giving process to unleashing the songs within the wood.”

Highlights include the famed Four Seasons guitar quartet (2002-2006), on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and pictured above; Monteleone’s groundbreaking Rocket Convertible guitar (1997); his beautifully ornamented Radio Wave (2004); and many examples of special model guitars and mandolins: Eclipse, Radio City, Grand Artist, the Train series, and more. Featuring guitars from private collections in Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Vermont, the exhibition will also be displaying iconic and historic guitars from Gibson, John D’Angelico, James D’Aquisto, and Selmer-Maccaferri.

“This exhibition showcases the artistry of an American original, a luthier with deep Long Island roots,” says Joshua Ruff, Co-Executive Director and curator of this exhibition. “John is an innovator, an artist craftsman with the needs of the guitarist and music listeners truly at heart, and our visitors are in for a treat to see all these beautiful instruments up close and all together for the first time ever.” 

Musical Masterworks: John Monteleone’s Guitars and Other Instruments be on view in the History Museum at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook through October 13. Major support for this exhibition was provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of musical craftsmanship.

For more information, visit www.longislandmuseum.org.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 20.

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