Rochester to advance research in biological imaging through a new grant
A new multidisciplinary collaboration between the University’s departments of biology, biomedical engineering, and optics and the Goergen Institute for Data Science will establish an innovative microscopy resource on campus, allowing for cutting-edge scientific research in biological imaging. The project, funded by a $1.2 million grant from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, will include developing and building a novel light-sheet microscope that employs freeform optical designs devised at Rochester. Find out more about the collaboration.
In today’s issue:
Undergraduates in AS&E are invited to apply to be Orientation Leaders
The Working Parents Network will meet to discuss tips for navigating the preschool years,
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is hosting a Black History Month panel discussion on Friday
Since Monday’s notice in @Rochester, there are no new cases of COVID-19 to report. Please note that the University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily. Whenever a new case is known, the contact-tracing process begins immediately with confirmed exposures being contacted and required to quarantine.
It’s extremely important for the health of the University community that individuals continue to adhere to the face masking and social distancing protocols. Even as some individuals are now receiving their first or second dose of the vaccine, these practices to prevent the transmission of the virus cannot be relaxed.
If you think you’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to report them through Dr. Chat Bot—for non–Medical Center faculty, staff, and all students and for Medical Center employees—immediately. Even if you think your symptoms might be something else—like a cold, seasonal congestion, or allergies—it’s still important to tell University health professionals and contact tracers what you’re experiencing.
Daniel Reichman, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology, writes in a USA Today opinion piece that even if President Biden enacts policies that enable an easier path toward citizenship for undocumented immigrants, many may choose to return home when possible—especially those from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala—and any new US immigration policies need to consider the ramifications of this.
Undergraduate students attending classes and/or residing on campus need to remain in Rochester (within 100 miles) for the duration of the in-person spring semester. This is a protocol that helps prevent the introduction of COVID-19 cases to campus from different parts of the country. If an undergraduate needs to depart campus outside of the 100-mile radius, they must appeal directly to their dean for permission to leave. If granted permission, undergraduates must follow the current NYS testing and quarantine requirements—regardless of where they traveled to/from—before returning to campus housing or being on campus for any reason. Students may be responsible for the costs associated with any required quarantine, including hotel and testing, if Whipple Park is not available or UHS doesn’t have the capacity to provide a COVID-19 test.
Become an Orientation Leader
The Office of Orientation and First-Year Programs for Arts, Sciences & Engineering is hiring Orientation leaders to help welcome the Class of 2025 and new transfer students this summer and next school year. Review the position description here, including mandatory dates, qualifications, and responsibilities. You can also register to attend an information session today, February 23, at noon EST, or Thursday, March 4, at 3 p.m. EST. Find the listing on JobLink on Blackboard, job number 23355. Applications are due March 5.
Education Abroad information session
Join a virtual information session with the Center for Education Abroad, Thursday, February 25, at 4 p.m. EST to learn about opportunities for international study, internships, research, and service-learning. The session, which is geared toward undergraduates in Arts, Sciences & Engineering, will include information about choosing a program, scholarships, and transferring credit. Register to attend here.
Sit with the Zen Meditation Group
Join the Zen Meditation Group via Zoom on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. EST for two 30-minute mindful drop-in sessions. Sessions later in the semester will have the option of being in-person with RSVP required. Contact Kyle Trenshaw for more information or to be added to the email list. No prior meditation experience is necessary.
Virtual writing groups for AS&E graduate students
The Graduate Writing Project is hosting weekly virtual writing groups to support and motivate writers through accountability and camaraderie. Interested in joining a writing group? Submit an interest form. Want to know more? Register to attend an informational session on Wednesday, March 3, from noon to 1 p.m. EST.
If you enrolled in VSP Vision Care for 2021—you would see “Benefit Extras Before Tax” on your paystub—you don’t need a card to utilize your benefits. When you go to a vision appointment, you can tell them your VSP ID number, which is three zeros and your employee ID number. For more information about your coverage, visit the VSP Vision website.
'Lunch and Listen' program for Medical Center staff and clinical workers
The next “Lunch and Listen” concert from Eastman Performing Arts Medicine and the Office of Patient Experience takes place today, Tuesday, February 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST. Medical Center staff and clinical workers can join via Zoom to hear artists from the Eastman School of Music, and call in to make requests. This week’s concert features Elinor Freer, an assistant professor of chamber music at the Eastman School of Music, on piano.
Working Parents Network to meet on Zoom
Can the “terrible twos” really be that terrible? Join UR Medicine EAP and Well-U to learn about this and other challenges you may encounter during the preschool years. The event takes place Thursday, March 4, at noon EST. Register here to attend.
Take a mindful lunch break and learn the skills to cultivate more peace within. In this four-week class, participants will learn two new meditation techniques each week, engage in a short, daily(ish) practice, and bring more mindfulness and gratitude to their lives. The program is offered on Fridays from noon to 1:15 p.m. EST via Zoom starting February 26 and is open to all students, faculty, and staff. Registration is required. Brought to you by the Mindful University Project.
Black History Month panel discussion
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering presents a panel discussion, “Experiences and Accomplishments of African Americans in Academia, Industry, and Research,” on Friday, February 26, at 1 p.m. EST. Learn more about the panelists and find the Zoom link here.
@Rochester is produced daily by University Marketing and Communications. You are receiving this message as a member of the University of Rochester community or as a subscriber. Please do not forward this newsletter to other distribution lists.
