Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi Named to Second Class of SUNY Chancellor’s Horizon Award

Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi has been named to the second class of the Chancellor's Horizon Award for Faculty Research and Scholarship. The award honors early-career faculty research and scholarly achievements across all State University of New York (SUNY) colleges and universities.

Danesh Yazdi is an assistant professor in the Renaissance School of Medicine Department of Family, Population and Preventative Medicine and core faculty in the Program in Public Health. She is an environmental epidemiologist who studies the relationship between air pollution, climate change, and human health. In particular, her research focuses on using causal methods and big data to look at the effects of exposure to environmental risk factors. She also works on topics relating to exposure assessment and epigenetics.

"Throughout the SUNY system, our faculty are conducting extraordinary research and scholarship that is having a remarkable impact across all fields of study," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., who made the announcnement April 30. "Our Horizon awardees have positioned themselves as leaders in their disciplines early in their careers, while also demonstrating the depth of SUNY's excellence and expertise. I applaud this year's awardees for their hard work and look forward to seeing how they continue to lead innovation and scholarship in their fields."

The Chancellor's Horizon Award for Faculty Research and Scholarship honors early career tenured and tenure-track faculty whose scholarly or creative activities have achieved significant recognition, and, crucially, hold strong promise for field-defining impact in the future. This year's 10 awardees have conducted research on topics including glass science, archeological textiles, and disability studies.

Candidates' nomination portfolios were reviewed by Distinguished Academy faculty who made recommendations to the SUNY Provost. Up to 10 awards are conferred each year.