Suffolk Reporter

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 the years 2025 to 2027. This fellowship will support him in creating an innovative course titled "The Future of History," which aims to transform student engagement with cultural heritage using advanced technologies such as AI, augmented reality, and 3D scanning.

The course is set to commence in Fall 2026 and will integrate computer science with digital humanities and museum studies. It will involve practical projects 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 enrolled in this course will acquire skills in digitizing archival materials, developing interactive exhibits, and creating 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 employed by major institutions such as 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.”