Student researchers join AI for Public Good initiative

09/14/2026

Two SUNY Cortland students joined a statewide initiative this summer applying artificial intelligence to their undergraduate research - using the technology to solve problems creatively in the process.

Shreya Dhital, a dual biomedical sciences and mathematics major, and Camilla Piano, a dual criminology and social philosophy major, represented the university at SUNY's Advancing AI for Public Good summer research program hosted at Binghamton University. They were among 14 students who earned a $6,000 stipend, housing and travel support as part of the collaborative effort involving seven SUNY campuses.

Dhital's work studied New York City's transportation network of more than 2,400 locations and 114,000 connections to better understand its most important points. Piano considered the potential use of AI to help clinicians recruit clients with substance use disorder (SUD).

"It was exciting to see Cortland students contributing to original research on artificial intelligence on topics as diverse as social work information services and planning resilient transportation networks," said Christopher Badurek, professor of geography and the university's faculty partner in the Advancing AI for Public Good Initiative.

Dhital and Piano each added a second academic major during their Cortland experience because of their curiosity and penchant to learn. Both also emphasized the importance of the human mind to employ the potential of AI.

"Shreya and Camilla were matched with mentors at Binghamton who were able to harness their discipline knowledge with AI research topics they could excel with," Badurek said. "They presented outstanding research posters on par with computer science students at the conclusion of their summer experience. Their contributions are proof that AI can benefit society when it is used properly."

Responses below from both students highlight the rewards of their research and their SUNY Cortland experiences. The program will be open to two new SUNY Cortland participants in Summer 2027, with application information available online.

Shreya Dhital

Majors: biomedical sciences and mathematics

Research project title: "Percolation and Resilience of a Multilayer Human Mobility Network"

How would you explain your research in simple terms?

New York City relies on several interconnected forms of transportation. My project combined real trip data from three systems to create one large transportation network containing more than 2,400 locations and 114,000 connections.

I then used computational modeling and percolation theory to simulate what happens when locations in the network become unavailable. This allowed me to examine how much disruption the system could withstand and which locations were most important for keeping it connected.

How did you decide on your double major?

I have always been interested in understanding human health and disease, which drew me to biomedical sciences. As I progressed through college, I also became interested in how mathematics, statistics and computing can help answer complex scientific questions. Studying both subjects allows me to understand biological problems while developing the quantitative skills needed to analyze data and build computational models.

If you had to describe artificial intelligence in one word, what would it be?

Scalable.

What's one thing that people may not understand about artificial intelligence?

AI's usefulness depends largely on the quality of the data, the questions asked and the human judgment used to interpret the results.

What was the most rewarding part of your summer research experience? How will that experience help in your future goals?

The most rewarding part was building a model of a large, real-world transportation system and discovering patterns with practical implications.

I plan to pursue graduate study in computational biology or bioinformatics. Although this project focused on transportation, many of the same network and data-analysis methods can be applied to biological systems, disease transmission and public health. The experience strengthened my programming, quantitative modeling and problem-solving skills while teaching me how to work with large, complex datasets.

Why did you choose to attend SUNY Cortland, and what has been your proudest achievement or experience?

I chose SUNY Cortland because I wanted a college where I could feel part of a community instead of being just another student in a large crowd. Since coming here, I have been fortunate to find professors who genuinely know me, encourage my ideas and push me to pursue opportunities I might not have considered on my own.

What makes me proudest is how much I have grown. I came to Cortland interested in science but without a clear picture of where it could take me. Since then, I have combined biomedical sciences with mathematics, learned programming and contributed to a published research paper. More than any single accomplishment, I am proud that I kept trying unfamiliar things and gradually discovered the kind of work I want to pursue in the future.

Name: Camilla Piano

Majors: criminology and social philosophy

Research project title: "Developing an AI Recruiter for Substance Use Disorder Treatment"

How would you explain your research in simple terms?

Our primary goal was to develop an AI recruiter for those experiencing substance use disorder. I completed phase one of the research: gathering clinicians' perspectives on the potential use of AI to recruit clients. Then, I analyzed patterns by assigning thematic codes in interview transcripts with said clinicians.

How did you decide on your double major?

I changed my second major about three times. I've always felt certain about my criminology major, but I was craving more academic stimulation. I landed on social philosophy simply by going with my gut, and I am so glad that I chose it. I have been immersed into an academic environment where I am pushed to take every opportunity I can and that has taken me far.

If you had to describe artificial intelligence in one word, what would it be?

Evolving.

What's one thing that people may not understand about artificial intelligence?

I have found through my research that AI should not be rejected, but evaluated for utility, which AI can certainly hone. AI has potential to greatly advance multiple aspects of life, it's simply about how we use it for the betterment of humanity.

What was the most rewarding part of your summer research experience? How will that experience help in your future goals?

I approached this research feeling reluctant about my capability to contribute because I had lacked a lot of prior knowledge pertaining to AI. I came out of this experience feeling more confident in myself not only as a learner but also as a researcher. I had the opportunity to serve many functions in my position and contribute more to the project than I could have imagined. Knowing that I was handed the ability to investigate something so foreign to many and to share my new knowledge with others is very rewarding.

I dream of going to law school to become a prosecutor specializing in white collar crime. My hope is that I can take on more research-based projects, both related to my field and unrelated. The research experience at Binghamton has been one of the best outcomes of my college career at SUNY Cortland.

Why did you choose to attend SUNY Cortland, and what has been your proudest achievement or experience?

My mother attended SUNY Cortland and received multiple degrees. I saw the sense of community here and how happy every student looked walking around campus - I never saw energy like that at other schools. I love Cortland and am sad to be graduating in May. My proudest achievement is knowing that I am on the exact path that I am meant to follow, both personally and professionally.