All Manhattan University’s Inaugural Arch Innovation Exchange Faculty Fellows
LEYLA MERCADO / THE QUADRANGLE
Leyla J. Mercado, Features Editor & Asst. Social Media Editor
On March 9, Manhattan University (MU) announced its inaugural class of faculty fellows for the ARCH Innovation Exchange.
This campus-wide initiative aims to advance access to learning by promoting these values, as fellows build on a range of projects that combine the foundations from MU’s three schools: the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, O’Malley School of Business and the School of Engineering.
The faculty fellows will be facilitated by Lawrence Udeigwe, Ph.D, a professor of mathematics. According to manhattan.edu, “Udeigwe’s expertise spans applied mathematics, machine learning, computational neuroscience and music, and he has led innovative curriculum development and externally funded research initiatives.”
J. Patrick Abulencia, Ph.D, department chairperson of chemical engineering school and associate professor of chemical engineering, spoke to The Quadrangle about what inspired his project within the ARCH innovation exchange.
“I have always believed that education should extend beyond the classroom, and this project provided students with an opportunity to apply their skills in a meaningful, real-world context,” Abulencia said. “I wanted our engineering students to engage with people living with limited resources and to better understand an engineer’s responsibility to serve society.”
The experience reflects the broader mission of the ARCH Innovation Exchange, which aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and socially impactful innovation among faculty and students. Abulencia emphasized both the development of the initiative and its significance within that larger effort.
“That experience is critical, as it reflects what graduates will be expected to do in their careers, which is essentially translating what they’ve learned into real solutions,” Abulencia said. “The hope is that they not only gain valuable experience, but also take pride in creating work that makes a tangible difference.”
Jay Friedenberg, Ph.D, a professor of psychology at MU spoke to what motivated him to bring topics like climate change, AI and disinformation into a structured educational initiative.
“With advances in AI, climate change and political events here in the U.S., [its] painted a gloomy picture in recent years,” Friedenberg shared. “Instead of the proverbial ostrich sticking his head in the sand to avoid bad things, it is more important for students to understand these threats and possible solutions for them so they can go out into the world and create positive change.”
Such a perspective aligns closely with the mission of the ARCH Innovation Exchange, which encourages faculty to confront complex, real-world challenges. Friedenberg stressed this goal, discussing how he hopes the initiative will reshape the way students understand their role in addressing global issues.
“I would like our students to understand that they have the power to make a better world, and that understanding is the first step towards this,” Friedenberg said. “We need to comprehend these threats to formulate viable solutions and take action. Fear is paralyzing, but knowledge is liberating.”
Friedenberg described AI as a complex topic and said he plans to make it accessible and actionable for students.
“AI is a very complicated topic,” Friedenberg said. “It’s obviously a technical subject, but that doesn’t mean that the average person can’t understand how it operates at a basic level and what the potential pros and cons of various AI systems are.”
Looking ahead, Friedenberg discussed the long-term impact he expects the Existential Risk Education Initiative to have at MU and beyond.
“I’m hoping to place some of my students in internships related to X-risks, where they can work in areas countering these threats,” Friedenberg said. “I am also aware of various think tanks and institutions where they could be placed. Some of my students have been participating in our Save the World Club activities to help spread awareness on campus.”
Through initiatives like the Save the World Club, BridgeUSA chapter and the ARCH Innovation Exchange speaker series, Friedenberg is not only shaping the academic experience at MU, but also preparing students to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
“We plan to host debates on campus next year on various subjects,” Friedenberg said. “I’ve also, through the ARCH Innovation Exchange, created a speaker series where we bring in experts to present on topics like climate change and media bias.”
The program’s ripple effect could extend far beyond campus, equipping the next generation to confront existential risks with knowledge, creativity and purpose.