Binghamton University honors faculty at inaugural Conversation Celebration Awards
More than 130 faculty members have written for 'The Conversation' since partnership began in 2015
Dozens of Binghamton faculty members who have written articles for The Conversation were honored March 5 to thank them for sharing their research and insights over the years.
The Conversation is America’s most-read nonprofit news website. All articles on The Conversation are written by faculty members and PhD students at universities and colleges across the nation. More than 130 Binghamton faculty and students have written a total of 234 articles for the platform since becoming a partner with The Conversation in September 2015.
“Binghamton faculty have so much insight to share on a wealth of topics, and we are happy that so many of them want to engage in public scholarship opportunities, like writing for The Conversation,” said John Brhel, the University’s media strategist. “This event was a thank-you to them for going the extra mile and providing valuable context on issues that matter to people today.”
The event included the 2026 Conversation Celebration Awards, recognizing authors who achieved significant milestones. Three faculty were recognized for their articles: Associate Professor of Linguistics and French Linguistics Yulia Bosworth, Professor of History and Provost Emeritus Donald Nieman, and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anthropology Michael A. Little, the last of whom penned The Conversation’s most-read article in 2026.
The Conversation is a news platform that aims to provide expert insight and a deeper understanding of current events and other topics through fact-based articles written by academics. The Conversation commissions academic experts to write about their research and provides editorial assistance to make sure that research and knowledge is properly conveyed in a format and language accessible to the general public.
All articles on The Conversation are published under a Creative Commons license. Hundreds of news websites and newspapers have republished articles written by Binghamton University faculty at doctoral students for free, furthering the spread of expertise on campus.
“The Conversation has allowed me to bring insights from my historical research into the broader conversation about current events and get my ideas before a wide readership,” Nieman said. “I’ve worked with terrific editors who have respected my expertise and helped me make my work better. I’ve written 11 pieces, and the experience has always been a joy.”
Along with the celebrations, Hannah Sussman, University Relations Manager with The Conversation, delivered a special talk on scholar-driven journalism. The discussion, titled “How Public Scholarship Rebuilds Trust in an Age of Outrage”, highlighted the reach and real-world impact of faculty articles that are published on The Conversation.
The thank-you celebration was part of a series of workshops available to all Binghamton faculty and doctoral students on March 4 and 5. During these sessions, Sussman spoke about the opportunities to share research and expertise through writing for The Conversation, as well as workshopping ideas with The Conversation’s editors over Zoom.
Head to The Conversation’s website to view the latest articles from Binghamton faculty. If interested in learning more about pitching your research to The Conversation send an email to jbrhel@binghamton.edu or dhermanovitc@binghamton.edu.