Tony Scarlatos, a senior lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and recipient of the 2024 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, has been awarded a faculty fellowship for 2025–2027. This fellowship will support the development of a new course titled "The Future of History," which aims to transform student interaction with cultural heritage using technologies such as AI, augmented reality, and 3D scanning.
Set to begin in Fall 2026, the course will integrate computer science, digital humanities, and museum studies through practical projects. These projects will be conducted in collaboration with institutions like the Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages; The Jazz Loft; and the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
Students participating in this course will acquire skills to digitize archival materials, create interactive exhibits, and develop accessibility tools using open-source platforms. The curriculum also covers AI-driven restoration of artifacts and documents, holographic displays for immersive exhibit design, and projection mapping techniques similar to those used by major institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“This isn’t only about preserving the past—it’s also about reinventing how we engage with history through technology,” said Scarlatos. “Students will gain skills that museums desperately need while reimagining what’s possible in cultural storytelling.”
For more details on this story by Yuganshu Jain, visit the Computer Science website.