Top 10 Watson College stories for 2025

Here are the most popular Watson College stories from 2025, according to readers at binghamton.edu.

Researchers develop gel to improve study of spinal cord injuries

Studying spinal cord injuries requires a material that can transmit clear signals yet remain flexible for when patients move around. Researchers at Binghamton University think they have hit upon a solution that will offer the best of both requirements.

Research shows fingers wrinkle the same way with every water immersion

When a child asked the question, Associate Professor Guy German and his students figured out the answer — and created new science along the way.

Binghamton University to establish Institute for AI and Society

Thanks to funding from New York state, Binghamton University will establish an Institute for AI and Society that taps into the power of Empire AI, the most powerful academic research computer in the country. Associate Professor Jeremy Blackburn will serve as the director.

Professor remembered for biomedical leadership on and off campus

SUNY Distinguished Professor Kaiming Ye, the chair of the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science’s Department of Biomedical Engineering from 2013 until earlier this year, died Nov. 16. Ye was instrumental in altering the focus of the previous Bioengineering Department to biomedical engineering.

Can ChatGPT diagnose you? New research puts it to the test

Ahmed Abdeen Hamed — a research fellow for the School of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering — led a study that tested ChatGPT’s accuracy when diagnosing users’ illnesses, and he found a few surprises.

Researchers seek to perfect manufacture of microscopically thin films

Professor Paul R. Chiarot is leading research to perfect a low-cost manufacturing technique called electrospray deposition to make microscopically thin polymer films. The process could have a wide range of applications, from electronics manufacturing to healthcare.

Cancer detection gets a boost from new technology

Researchers advancing cancer detection at Binghamton University range from lasers sorting healthy tissue from tumors to artificial intelligence sifting through mountains of DNA data, which could benefit millions of people worldwide.

NSF award to fund research to predict blood clots

Assistant Professor Jifu Tan sees blood vessels as pipes. That’s why his background in mechanical engineering translates to his research on blood clots, which received support from an NSF CAREER Award.

Researchers turn food waste into biodegradable plastic

Imagine if even a fraction of our food waste could be turned into biodegradable plastic — solving two problems and making our planet healthier in the long term. A team at Binghamton University is doing pioneering research on this idea.

Watson College grad turns glass waste into concrete solutions

Jacob Kumpon ’22, is the chief operating officer of KLAW Industries, a Binghamton-based company that turns the glass into a very fine powder they named Pantheon. Unlike sand, it doesn’t just sit in the concrete — it reacts with cement to make it stronger.