Rochester a top producer of Fulbright Student Grant recipients
The University has again been named a top producer of US Fulbright Student Grant recipients for 2020–21. It’s the fifth time since 2014 that Rochester has earned this recognition. Read more about how Fulbright has been affected by the global pandemic, as well as how five Rochester students and alumni have been able to travel to their host countries and begin their projects. Undergraduate and graduate students interested in learning more about the Fulbright program can attend an upcoming online information session. Find details in the For Students section below.
Also in today’s issue:
A study on the effectiveness of an experimental neurofeedback imaging treatment
An update on retirement program contributions for faculty and staff
Nominations are due by March 25 for the annual staff awards
Since Wednesday’s notice in @Rochester, there is one new case of COVID-19 to report: one River Campus student. 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.
An experimental neurofeedback imaging treatment has emerged for psychiatric patients. Does it work?
David Dodell-Feder, an assistant professor of psychology and of neuroscience, and Emily Dudek ’19 set out to determine if real-time fMRI—functional magnetic resonance imaging—neurofeedback can help a person regulate neural activity in a way that might improve psychiatric illness. Their meta-analysis found that when people were shown their brain patterns in real-time, they were able to regulate activity in specific regions of the brain.
College student organization Leadership Award winners selected
Wilson Commons Student Activities has announced its College Student Organization Leadership Awards. They are given in five categories to student leaders and organizations that have enriched the University community through their self-development, programs, publications, activities, and community service.
“We know this vaccine prevents 85 percent of the severe disease…It was 100 percent effective in preventing hospitalization and deaths, and that’s really what’s important,” says Nancy Bennett, a professor of medicine and public health sciences, founder and director of the Center for Community Health & Prevention, and codirector of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. “Those facts are the most important thing to recognize.”
Join a virtual information session with the Center for Education Abroad today, 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.
Talk to the experts about the Fulbright US Student ProgramÂ
Do you have questions about the Fulbright US Student Program? Get them answered by the experts at an interactive online presentation featuring representatives from the Institute for International Education and the University’s own Fulbright program advisors. Students will need to register ahead of time to join this virtual conversation, open to undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni. This event takes place Tuesday, March 2, at 2 p.m. EST and begins with a group general session presentation regarding the Fulbright US Student Grant Program with participants from multiple universities. Once the general session portion has ended, there will be a Breakout Room specifically for those participants who are from the University. Register here to attend.
e5 scholar info session
The e5 program offers selected students a fifth, tuition-free year of college to launch a project and engage in an experiential or entrepreneurial pursuit. Learn more by attending a virtual information session Tuesday, March 2 at 3 p.m. EST. Register here. The spring online application deadline is April 1. Seniors may only apply during the fall semester. Contact Angela Buchiere at angela.buchiere@rochester.edu with questions.
Webinar on public health sciences master’s programs
Join faculty from the Department of Public Health Sciences for a webinar about master’s programs on Wednesday, March 3, from noon to 12:30 p.m. EST. These programs are designed to actively prepare graduates for careers in public health (MPH Online and Online/On-Campus Hybrid), health services research and policy (MS-HSRP), epidemiology (MS-EPI), or clinical research (MS-CI). The webinar will highlight key elements of each program and discuss program requirements and the application process. Register in advance, even if you cannot attend. A link to a recording of the webinar will be sent to all registrants, regardless of attendance, after the event. For questions, contact Annie Majoka.
As announced on February 12, for those employees who participate in the University’s Retirement Program, the University’s direct contribution will be partially restored using a modified two-tiered calculation. Effective April 1, 2021, the University will provide a 6.2 percent contribution of eligible compensation up to a breakpoint of $61,300 then 10.5 percent of eligible compensation in excess of the breakpoint, up to a maximum compensation level of $140,000. Eligible participants who are actively employed by the University as of March 31 will also receive a lump-sum contribution for eligible compensation from July 1, 2020–March 31, 2021, into their University TIAA retirement accounts. Visit the FAQs on the Retirement Program website for more information.
Handling winter during the COVID-19 pandemic
Facing winter in Rochester with COVID-19 restrictions can be daunting. Join UR Medicine EAP and Well-U today, Thursday, February 25, from noon to 1 p.m. EST for a webinar focused on ways to move through the winter months while taking the steps needed to keep you and your loved ones safe. Register here.
Summer program questionnaire
Under the direction of CURT, the University’s Committee on Academic Practice (CAP) met recently to discuss considerations for summer programs. The Office of Government and Community Relations has advised that New York State will be issuing guidance on summer camps and similar programs soon. Due to this uncertainty in the regulations and situation, if your summer program is requesting to hold any in-person component, CAP asks that you complete a questionnaire detailing certain aspects of the planning process. Copies of the questionnaire have been sent to program sponsors. If you need a questionnaire, email maggie.graham@rochester.edu. Responses are due on or before March 8.
Recognize an outstanding colleague
Four annual awards honor select staff members for their contributions to the University and the Greater Rochester community. Nominations are due by March 25 for the Witmer Award for Distinguished Service, the Meliora Award, the Staff Community Service Award, and the Lamar Riley Murphy Leadership Award. Find more information, including eligibility and nomination materials, here.
At noon on Friday, February 26, the students of the Arthur Satz Music Department’s Carillon Society, will toll the carillon 500 times in remembrance of the more than 500,000 people in the United States who have died from COVID-19. That evening at 7 p.m. EST, “UR in Loving Memory,” an online concert dedicated to those who have suffered hardships or loss this past year, will be streamed live.
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