Iona University Hosts Regional Conference, Showcases Student Scholarship and AI in Historical Research
From Left: Dr. Michael J. Hughes, Adam Danberg ’28, Kaitlyn Incandela ’25, ’26MST and Michelle Chuchuca ’24.
New Rochelle, N.Y. - Iona University recently welcomed undergraduate and graduate students from across the tri-state region for a daylong academic conference focused on historical research, teaching and scholarship.
The event featured student-led presentations on a wide range of historical topics and concluded with a faculty roundtable exploring the role of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in historical research and teaching.
“My colleague Jimena Perry and I were thrilled to host the Phi Alpha Theta NY-NJ Regional conference at Iona on behalf of the History Department and the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies,” said Dr. Michael J. Hughes, associate professor of Modern European History. “The students and faculty who attended got a chance to learn about the fantastic historical research that talented college students from all over New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are doing. I was incredibly impressed by the quality and sophistication of the paper presentations that I saw, and there was a palpable sense of excitement about the enthusiasm for history that the participants displayed.”
Kaitlyn Incandela ’25, ’26MST presents her research at the History Conference.
Over the course of four panel sessions, chaired by faculty from participating institutions, students engaged in meaningful academic dialogue and received feedback from seasoned historians.
Kaitlyn Incandela ’24, ’26MST, a graduate student, recently presented her research at the conference thanks to the support of Dr. Hughes, titled, “Weaponizing Femininity: The Strategic Use of Women and Female Stereotypes for Espionage During World War II.”
“Presenting in front of students and faculty from other colleges was an exciting challenge,” said Incandela. “My biggest takeaway was that history is full of fascinating, complex human stories. I loved exploring the different dimensions of the human experience through this conference.”
The conference concluded with a dynamic roundtable symposium titled "Generative AI in Historical Research and Teaching." Faculty speakers explored the implications of artificial intelligence for the discipline of history, sparking thoughtful discussion on both the potential and limitations of AI as a tool for research, pedagogy and public history.
The daylong event was co-sponsored by the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies and the Lapidus Initiative for Early American Inquiry and held in the LaPenta School of Business.
“It’s very important for Iona students to acquire practical skills and experience for their future careers. One of the reasons that we wanted to host the conference was to provide our students the opportunity to do just this. And the Gaels who presented papers at the conference made us proud,” said Hughes.
To learn more about the conference, please visit here.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 5 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2024.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with one of the nation’s top hospitals. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.