The State University of New York held its 2026 research expo at the New York State Capitol on March 17th. Researchers from 10 different SUNY campuses gathered inside the state Capitol to showcase projects in the field of robotics, artificial intelligence, medical advancements, and more.
At the University at Albany booth, one researcher presented their collaboration with institutions like SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and Global Center for AI in Mental Health to create an interactive AI tool. JulienPFA is an AI platform that helps first responders and volunteers assisting victims by providing guidance and tools to help reduce initial distress.
Muhammed Abdullah Canbaz is a researcher who worked on the tool. He says the AI assistant is designed to help with any and all situations.
"Whether if you lost your phone, you need to connect to someone with medication, or you really feel extremely overwhelmed distressed, you know, let's have a conversation," said Canbaz. "It will help you, hopefully. So that is, that is what our tool is doing."
According to UAlbany, projects like JulienPFA are meant to fill in gaps where access to mental health is limited. Other projects at the research expo are also hoping to fill in similar gaps in other fields like medicine, agriculture, and rehabilitation.
SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. says funding and showcasing research projects like these are crucial especially in the current political climate.
“It leaves every researcher feeling like ‘is today, the day I'm going to get a letter from the federal government telling me my research is canceled for arbitrary reasons?’”
