(At left) Maria Beccari, NYSG's Digital Media Specialist; (At right) Sumayyah Uddin, NYSG's Science Writer
Contact:
Paul C. Focazio, Communications Manager, NYSG, E: paul.focazio@stonybrook.edu, P: (631) 632-6910
Stony Brook, NY, May 12, 2025 - New York Sea Grant filled two new full-time communications positions based at Stony Brook University. Maria Beccari, who arrived in early October 2024, is NYSG’s Digital Media Specialist and Sumayyah Uddin, who started in early May 2025, is the program's Science Writer.
As Digital Media Specialist, Beccari supports the program's needs in graphic and layout design, including branding and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. She also provides assistance with content for NYSG's website and social media platforms.
Becarri is a graduate of Hofstra University (Bachelor of Arts) with over 15 years of graphic design and marketing experience for various industries including publishing, real estate, automotive, payments, and non profit. Her work in this time has been generated for numerous platforms across print, web, social media, and video. She's been a comic book artist for about a decade; Worked in print design for about eight years (DoubleDay); and eight years as a Creative Director for LIAAC (Long Island Association for AIDS Care, Inc.).
Uddin, NYSG's Science Writer, assists with science and technical writing and editing for the program's various research, extension, and education projects. Over time, much like Beccari, Uddin will likely also assist with some of the program's social media and website tasks.
Uddin is a graduate of Portland State University (MS in Professional and Technical Writing); Hofstra U (BA in Psychology); and Suffolk County Community College (AA in Liberal Arts General Studies).
Her most recent work relevant to science writing was three plus years as an associate editor at Optimism/Likemind, where she worked to create and disperse both short- and long-form educational content for older audiences. This involved managing a team of freelance writers, overseeing project timelines, and ensuring content accuracy and relevance.
"I quickly became proficient in using tools to streamline communication and project management, such as by utilizing the spreadsheet and data management application Airtable to coordinate schedules and progress with a marketing team. I regularly moved between a front-facing role as a coordinator and a background role as an editor, ensuring everything ran smoothly behind the scenes."
During her time at Optimism/Likemind, she also overlapped as a technical writing intern for the Information Technology Services team at Oregon Health and Science University, a research hospital in Portland. In this position, Sumayyah worked closely with the communications team and technical experts to translate complex scientific data into user-friendly language for various platforms, including online newsletters, press releases, and web content. Her focus on communicating technological changes at the hospital included careful consideration of accessibility, inclusive language, and fact-checking to ensure transparent, honest communication to its audiences.
"My passion for coastal science and environmental issues has grown as I did, from my childhood spent taking educational classes at Robert Moses and exploring tide pools on the beaches to my experience taking Marine Biology and Oceanography as electives in college."
More Info: New York Sea Grant
Established in 1966, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Sea Grant College Program promotes the informed stewardship of coastal resources in 34 joint federal/state university-based programs in every U.S. coastal state (marine and Great Lakes) and Puerto Rico. The Sea Grant model has also inspired similar projects in the Pacific region, Korea and Indonesia.
Since 1971, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.
NYSG historically leverages on average a 3 to 6-fold return on each invested federal dollar, annually. We benefit from this, as these resources are invested in Sea Grant staff and their work in communities right here in New York.
Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.
New York Sea Grant, one of the largest of the state Sea Grant programs, is a cooperative program of the State University of New York (SUNY) and Cornell University. The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Oswego, the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark, and in Watertown. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University and with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County on Long Island, in Queens, at Brooklyn College, with Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC, in Bronx, with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County in Kingston, and with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County in Elmsford.
For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org, follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and YouTube). NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which it publishes 2-3 times a year.