Three members of SUNY Old Westbury’s staff and faculty were honored by the Chancellor of the State University of New York through the 2026 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence.
The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence are awarded each year to professionals across the SUNY system for their achievements and service to their campuses.
Kinning Poon, assistant professor of biological sciences, and Renu Balyan, assistant professor of mathematics and computer information sciences, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, respectively. Basil (Bill) Karageorge, officer of the University Police Department, earned the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the Classified Service.
SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes exemplary teaching that aligns with SUNY’s commitment to providing students with high-quality instruction. Those who earn the award are selected based on teaching techniques, scholarship and professional growth and student services, among other criteria categories.
Kinning Poon’s passion for teaching is reflected by her engagement of her students through integrated active learning using 3-D printing supported by the National Science Foundation-funded program, “Building Bridges: Pedagogical Enhancement of the Introductory Biological Sciences Courses as a Pathway to Mentored Research.” Her multimodal approach to learning, assessment strategies, mentorship and commitment to student success are key to her excellence in the classroom.
Poon’s leadership directly benefits Old Westbury students, as she recently developed a new laboratory manual for Basic Biological Sciences II using the Open Educational Resources grant. By doing so, she worked towards creating equitable experiences for students through providing access to materials.
SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities recognizes the pursuits of faculty that serve as a foundation for sustaining the intellectual growth of SUNY institutions. Those who earn the award are selected based on scholarship and creativity, among other eligibility criteria categories.
Renu Balyan’s interdisciplinary scholarship paves the way for excellence at SUNY Old Westbury. Across her five years on campus, she has published 52-peer reviewed works, mentored more than 30 undergraduate and graduate students, and earned 10 grant awards totaling over $1 million. She works to provide transformative experiences for her students, with 50 percent of her conference publications including student co-authors.
Balyan’s scholarship and teaching bridges artificial intelligence, education, and healthcare. She serves on the AI Task Force at SUNY Old Westbury, designed to respond to and prepare our students for the technological shift. A SUNY AI For Public Good Fellow and reviewer on multiple National Science Foundation (NSF) grant review panels, Balyan contributes her expertise across notable agencies
SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the Classified Service
The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the Classified Service recognizes the superior performance of employees in the Classified Service who represent the University’s commitment to positively serving our students and community.
Basil (Bill) Karageorge’s contributions and commitment to campus safety for nearly 40 years have helped to provide a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. Karageorge maintains connections with the campus community through culturally responsive and collaborative campus initiatives.
Karageorge’s success as an officer is marked by his empathy, responsiveness, and inclusivity paired with his leadership, composure, and communication skills. Karageorge continuously builds relationships and trust with the Old Westbury campus community while seeking ways to improve patrolling strategies and leverage technology in the department’s daily functions. His profound service has had an invaluable impact campuswide.