Page 74 - 914INC - Q2 - 2013

Their model was simple but—to their eyes—relatively untried in New Rochelle. “I saw a disconnect between high-end and fast casual,” says Gentile. “It was either peasant food or expensive food.” So, with Gentile in charge of the food and Schinco heading up the business aspects, the cousins aimed for “elevated” fast casual. They were careful to use high-quality flours and cheeses, local ingredients where possible, and plenty of clas- sic French and Italian cooking techniques usually reserved for restaurants commanding much higher prices.
It’s paid off. Pizza is competitive in the area, but, day after day, Blackboard is packed with students from Iona College (which is a block away), New Rochelle regulars, and curious diners from surrounding towns. They come for what Gentile says is “the best New York regular slice around” and for tantalizing experiments like the balsamic focac- cia pizza: balsamic- and EVOO-infused crust, plum tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, basil, balsamic reduction.
The pair also has created what they believe could be the Next Big Thing in pizza. Says Schinco, “Long-term, our goal is to build a brand, something that’s much bigger than these four walls.” They are currently scouting for a second location.
Both agree their partnership is an ideal foundation for exploring Blackboard’s poten- tial. “You do have a lifetime of personal experience with each other,” says Schinco. “So that gives you a pretty rare understanding of your business partner, something most people aren’t fortunate enough to have.”
THE BIOMETRIC MAVEN
John Vincent Monaco, 24
Graduate Student, Pace University
Right now, if you were on your computer, it would "know" that somebody was there. It would be able to tell that somebody was typing a sentence or downloading a song from iTunes, but it would not really know your exact identity. And if somebody new came along and sat in your spot, it couldn’t really tell that anything had changed. John Vincent Monaco, a 24-year-old researcher and master’s student concentrating in Biometrics at Pace University, is trying to change that.
When Monaco was an undergraduate studying math and computer science at Pace, he was one of 18 students nationwide to be part of the prestigious Information Assurance Scholarship Program run by the Department of Defense to concen-
trate his studies on biometrics—aka using computers to identify humans.
The department was so impressed with his work that it’s paying for him
to continue his education on a graduate level, which is set to be com-
pleted by May 2014, and has guaranteed him employment when he
has completed his studies. That means that Monaco, who now
lives in Somers, gets to focus on the DOD priority he’s inter-
ested in: making computers aware of their users’ true identity.
Monaco’s research focuses on creating software that uses “non-intrusive measurements like keyboards, typ- ing patterns, or past movements,” to determine a user’s identit.
The applications for this research for the Department of Defense are pretty straightforward. If computers
could really “know” who is using them, they could detect if someone was breaking into a computer and compromising the security of the system. But Monaco believes his research can serve many other purposes
as well. For example, testing agencies can determine the true identity of the test taker and prevent cheating. And computer companies can cater their technology
to their specific clients. If, for instance, a child is using the computer, the system can remove some of the more complex features. Of if the user is hearing impaired, it can automatically turn on audio features.
Monaco is thrilled to see his research moving to the next level. His team, comprised of mostly doctoral stu- dents and professors who are “twice my age,” already has about 25 undergraduate students who are testing his ideas as he is developing them. “I’m on the front lines of what’s happening,” he says. “It’s very exciting to a computer math nerd like me!”
—Alyson Krueger
—Philip Garrity
westchestermagazine.com
73