IMPROVING CAMPUS INFRASTRUCTURE
Some of the major improvements to infrastructure completed over the summer are very visible; others are not. Read in this issue about the many major projects completed by Physical Facilities and Information Technology Services, as well as the new programs offered by the University Center for Training and Development.
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES OPENS NEW BUILDING
The opening of the new, $60-million School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University's Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City, N.Y., headlines this quarterly report, but there's also good news about collaborations, external funding and student successes. Read more in this issue.
SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVES SUPPORT STUDENTS
It takes donors at many levels to make Binghamton University successful, and in this issue of the quarterly report, you can read about a number of them. Whether it's AVANGRID offering full-tuition scholarships and capstone project support, or playing golf to benefit the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, the Division of Advancement works with Binghamton supporters.
BINGHAMTON RESEARCH FUNDING SETS RECORD
Binghamton University reported research expenditures totaling $47.5 million in 2017-18, an increase of about 19 percent from the previous fiscal year. The figure tops 2011-12, the campus’ all-time best year for research funding, when just over $40 million was reported. The new record, which follows several years of steady growth, is an important sign of the campus’ creativity and innovation. Healthcare research accounted for nearly a third of expenditures, with electronics packaging and systems engineering following at about 22 percent.
BAXTER THE BEARCAT BOOSTS SCHOOL SPIRIT
The Division of Student Affairs spent the summer hosting students and families for orientation and preparing for the opening of the fall semester. With some new people on board and some others with new duties, it has been a busy time. Not too busy, though, to show Binghamton University pride, as you'll read about the new Baxter the Bearcat Bench in the University Union in this issue.
STUDENT-ATHLETES CONTINUE TO SUCCEED ACADEMICALLY
Student-athletes continue to shine on and off the courts and fields. The Athletics Department sets high academic standards, and student-athletes surpass them across the board. Read about the accomplishments made by student-athletes in their sports and in the classroom – and check out the videos showcasing fall sports and the new women's head basketball coach, Bethann Shapiro Ord, in this issue.
HELPING TO MAKE THE CAMPUS MORE INCLUSIVE
The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion works to educate and empower everyone on campus in ways that create a welcoming community. From the Udiversity Educational Institute, that holds trainings for students, faculty and staff, to the Multicultural Resource Center and Q Center, the division's offices that work to build bridges and support students though education and events such as Sundaze, part of its Welcome Week programming. Read about the division's recent initiatives in this report.
DONOR SUPPORT ADVANCES BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
The Binghamton University Foundation had a successful 2017-18 year, bringing in the second highest amount of cash ever in support of the University. Read the numbers in this issue of the quarterly report, and learn one way the Foundation celebrates its donors.
User interface design drives marketing research
Doctoral student Sajna Ibrahim conducts experiments to judge consumers’ reactions to electronics such as MP3 players, digital cameras and cell phones. Ibrahim, whose research focuses on marketing and product design, said user interface design — or UID — influences how consumers feel about a product before, during and after purchase.
“Ranging from colorful buttons and pointers to touch screens and gestural feedback systems like the Wii, these user interfaces inform the way consumers learn and even ‘talk’ to a product,” she said.
When it comes to marketing, most companies focus on form and function and may emphasize brand and price. But the consumer forms perceptions about a product’s usability before she ever picks it up. “User interface design is one of the key drivers of consumers’ purchase intentions and willingness to pay,” Ibrahim said. “I would like companies to build bridges between the marketing and design teams.”
Apple, creator of the iPhone, is an example of a company that understands the connection between user interface design and marketability, she said. The cell phone industry at large, however, has a challenge when it comes to UID: Many phones are returned after purchase, and most cases involve usability problems. The situation, called the “no fault found” phenomenon, offers an example of the way UID affects consumers and companies. “When a product is returned, it becomes a marketing problem,” she said.
Ibrahim studied electronics and communications in India and completed an MBA in international marketing. She worked for an engineering design services firm for eight years before returning to school for a doctorate. Now she uses specialized software to make 3D models of product concepts for her experiments.
Ibrahim, who studies with marketing professor Manoj Agarwal, said her work is driven by what she sees in the marketplace. “This is something you can see and feel in your daily life,” she said. “It’s important that these ideas should reach consumers as well as researchers.”