The Faculty Powering Student Discovery

Every year, the Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) holds the Fall Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry Presentation Series—a virtual showcase of original research by Pace students who received summer undergraduate research awards. Guided by the mentorship of dedicated faculty, these presentations offer students an opportunity to hone their communication skills, share their findings, and engage with the Pace Community as rising researchers.

In 2023, a Pace alumnus attended the event and was struck not only by the caliber of student research, but also by the impact of faculty mentorship on the students. Moved by what he saw, the alumnus made a generous gift to recognize the dedication of these mentors. Assistant Provost for Research Maria Iacullo-Bird in consultation with the CURE Faculty Advisory Board transformed that gift into the Faculty Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, a new award to honor faculty who have demonstrated exemplary mentoring in guiding undergraduate research at Pace. The Faculty Advisory Board developed the call for self-nominations and conducted the award review.

Since the establishment of the award, two cohorts of faculty have been honored: Adrienne Kapstein and Sid Ray in 2024; and Eric Brenner, Nancy Krucher, Elmer-Rico Mojica, and Christelle Scharff in 2025.

Meet the faculty mentors helping students turn questions into research-based inquiry, and resaerch outcomes into real-world change.

2024 Recipients

Adrienne Kapstein, MFA

Sands College of Performing Arts, Acting and Performance Making

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Adrienne Kapstein is an associate professor and program head of the BFA in Acting and the International Performance Ensemble (IPE) in the newly launched BFA in Performance Making. As both an artist and educator, she specializes in collective creation (also known as devising) and brings this approach into the classroom. Over the past 12 years as full-time faculty at Pace, she has integrated more than 35 students and alumni into 12 artistic projects across 3 countries. Kapstein’s theatrical work has been presented at Lincoln Center, Soho Rep, New Victory LabWorks, and internationally in Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Romania, Croatia, and China.

Known for her collaborative approach to performance, Kapstein brings that same energy to student research. “For me, mentoring is another kind of collaboration,” she explains. “There is a give and take between mentor and mentee, and oftentimes the lines blur as to who is leading whom. Although I have more experience, and I am excited to share it, there are many moments when the student’s fresh eye or alternative perspective gives me new insight. Mentoring is reciprocal, nourishing, and energizing.”

That collaborative spirit is exactly what earned her the faculty mentorship award. “Receiving the inaugural Faculty Undergraduate Research Mentor Award was a great honor and further confirmation of how important Pace values and supports undergraduate research,” says Kapstein.

Sid Ray, PhD

Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, English

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Sid Ray is a professor of English and women’s and gender studies whose research focuses on Shakespeare and other early modern playwrights, transhistorical dramaturgy, and performance. She is the author of two monographs, three edited collections, and was a co–principal investigator on The Ground Beneath Our Feet, a place-based research initiative supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Initiative Grant. Ray brings scholarly depth and cultural inquiry into the classroom and received the Kenan Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2016.

“Mentoring students in this hyper-focused way and scaling it up has been deeply rewarding,” Ray says. “It empowers students, giving them authority over their ideas, and life skills for accessing and presenting knowledge in their careers after Pace. It also teaches us the importance of place-based, experiential education.”

For Ray, receiving the award was an honor—but the opportunity to mentor students means even more. “I was deeply honored to receive the Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year award in 2024,” she says. “Working with students, acting as their research assistant to help them find gems of information and knowledge that add to our understanding of the ground beneath our feet, that tell those untold stories, has been a great joy.”

2025 Recipients

Eric Brenner, PhD

Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Biology

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Eric Brenner is an associate professor in the biology department, with areas of plant science expertise including pathogen resistance, population biology, signaling, and evolution. As part of his current research on complex plant behaviors, he developed Plant Tracer, a software tool that tracks and characterizes plant movement from time-lapse movies—a tool now used for teaching and research in universities, high schools, and middle schools. He is co-founder of the Society for Plant Signaling and Behavior, and his work has been featured in several periodicals, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Science Magazine.

Brenner’s passion for biology and teaching is deeply intertwined. “Teaching our Pace undergraduate students is not just very important to me—it is truly a personal mission,” he says. “These undergraduates are the driving force behind my research program, and they represent the next generation of science.”

For Brenner, that mission includes preparing students to meet urgent global challenges. “Educating students about plant care is essential for food security.” He goes further, saying, “Plants are fundamental to life on our Earth, teaching the next generations of scientists to manage our environment and food sources is critical to survival.”

Nancy Krucher, PhD

Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Biology

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Nancy Krucher has taught pre-med courses at Pace for 25 years, including general biology, molecular and cellular biology, and biochemistry. Her research focus has been on mentoring 90 Pace undergraduate students in novel cancer research projects supported by 6 grants from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, totaling 1.8 million dollars since 2002. At present her research efforts are focused on designing strategies to treat pancreatic, colon, and skin cancers using new combinations of targeted therapies.

Krucher’s own passion for research began as an undergraduate working in a muscular dystrophy lab, an uncommon opportunity for undergraduates at the time. “As a first-generation college student, scientific research was a complete mystery to me when I entered college,” she says. “I was hooked on research after my undergraduate research experience and now love to share that excitement for research with Pace undergraduates.”

That passion has evolved into a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers. According to Krucher, “My interaction and mentorship of undergraduate students in my research laboratory is the most important and rewarding part of my work as a professor.”

Elmer-Rico Mojica, PhD

Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Chemistry

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Elmer-Rico Mojica is a professor of chemistry and physical sciences at Pace University. Since 2012, he has mentored more than 100 undergraduates at Pace and his students have earned internal research grants, presented at conferences nationwide, won best paper and poster awards, and contributed to 36 peer-reviewed publications. Under his guidance, 34 students have secured internal grants, and many have gone on to participate in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), attend graduate school, or pursue medical degrees. As director of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, he leads a growing cohort of underrepresented and low-income STEM majors and helped secure the program’s renewal for another 5 years, expanding support for 40 students.

Grounded in the motto Opportunitas, Mojica views mentorship not just as teaching, but as transformation. “Mentoring undergraduate students is among the few opportunities that afford extended one-on-one teaching. It’s where the impact is deepest, it’s the purest form of teaching,” he says.

For Mojica, the recognition of this award is a reflection of every student who has walked through his lab doors. “This award isn’t just about me,” he reflects. “It’s about every student who spent time in the lab, who nervously presented their first poster, who realized for the first time that they belonged in science. They’re the reason I mentor.”

Christelle Scharff, PhD

Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Computer Science

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Christelle Scharff is a professor of computer science, associate dean, and director of Pace’s AI Lab. Her current work centers on applied and generative artificial intelligence (AI), including the development of AI models for creativity, fashion, and social good.

Scharff has led projects on machine learning, global software engineering, and mobile innovation, with more than 30 papers published in these areas. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, IBM, Microsoft, VentureWell, and Google. She leads strategic initiatives in AI education and research, interdisciplinary collaborations, and international partnerships. She has also served twice as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Senegal.

Scharff has diligently worked as a researcher and mentor at Pace, helping students gain first-hand experience tackling the real-world problems of tomorrow. “For me, mentoring is about empowering students to think critically, explore new ideas, and grow into contributors to knowledge,” says Scharff. “I love witnessing their evolution throughout the research journey.” She goes on to say, “Receiving the 2025 Faculty Undergraduate Research Mentor Award is a true honor.”

Check out the CURE website at Undergraduate Research Experiences for more information and learn about the 2026 Faculty Undergraduate Research Award Call for Nominations.