Actor, activist George Takei of Star Trek fame to speak at Rochester
George Takei, who starred in the iconic 1960s TV show Star Trek and later became an activist for LGBTQ and immigrant rights, will be the next speaker in the Difficult Conversations as a Catalyst for Change series. The semiannual event is hosted by Donald Hall, the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences & Engineering. Takei will speak at Strong Auditorium on the River Campus on Thursday, October 21, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. EDT. Registration is required for those who wish to attend the event in person or virtually. A password-protected Zoom link will be emailed to virtual registrants on the day of the event.
In today’s issue:
A new collaborative Counselor in Residence program offers mental health support for students
Attend a lecture today on the Clean Water Act
An upcoming public health grand rounds webinar from Wade Norwood ’85 on the toll of racism on Black lives
A reminder on face masks: they must be worn properly covering the nose and mouth indoors on the University’s campuses and properties. Visit the face mask FAQ page for full information. Face masks with air valves are not permitted, nor are face shields alone without a proper face mask underneath.
Dining Services updates continue to address staffing shortages
Dining Services is continuing to address significant staffing shortages at its River Campus locations and is further adjusting some of its operations to ensure that students continue receiving high-quality food options that meet their dietary needs.
As a temporary measure, beginning Monday, September 27, students will be able to use declining balance for off-campus restaurants through Grubhub. Additionally, starting October 4, Dining Services is partnering with Student Activities to bring food trucks onto River Campus, Monday through Thursday, from 7 to 10 p.m. Students can use declining balance here as well. Read the full update.
Taubman in Two message: ‘I see your dedication’
In his latest “Taubman in Two” video, Medical Center CEO Mark Taubman offers a sincere thank-you to faculty, staff, students, residents, and fellows amidst the third wave of COVID-19. The video message can be found on the intranet (login required from outside the Medical Center network) and on YouTube.
Approach predicts novel ‘protein partners’ that could contribute to COVID-19 symptoms
In a new paper, John (Jack) Werren, the Nathaniel and Helen Wisch Professor of Biology, and Austin Varela ’20 and Sammy Cheng ’21 studied proteins that closely evolve with Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the receptor used by the SARS-CoV2 virus to enter human cells.
What does long-term follow-up for heart disease involve? There’s no established way to do it, according to Louis Constine, who holds the Philip Rubin Professorship in Radiation Oncology. “We don’t know what the optimal surveillance is,” said Constine, coauthor of an editorial published with the study. “We still have to define what the best modality is, how often it should be done, and for how long.”
Counselor in Residence program offers mental health support
The University Counseling Center (UCC), the Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Office of Residential Life are launching a collaborative effort, the Counselor in Residence program, designed to provide in-person student mental health support during evenings and weekends when UCC is closed. Counselors will accompany DPS officers on all weekend student mental health crisis calls this fall semester. Additionally, they will provide drop-in office hours on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings in Wilder Tower, Room 111, and Hoeing Hall, Room 146A, for consults and connections to resources. CIRs will not be doing therapy during these hours.
‘BIC-Ture This’: A queer art-making series for LGBTQ students
The next “BIC-Ture This” class of the semester, “Drawing Hideous Creatures,” brings together LGBTQ students and takes place Friday, October 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center, 305 Douglass Commons. Register by Monday, September 27. Drawing pencils will be provided.
Achieve writing and research productivity while maintaining a full and healthy life. Learn about the various National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity membership webinars, multiweek courses, and writing challenges available to all Rochester faculty designed to help transform your career, writing habits, and work-life balance. Register to attend this webinar, taking place Thursday, September 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT in the Genrich-Rusling Room, Le Chase Hall. You can also attend via Zoom. Claim your free National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity membership here.
CTSI Career Development Award applications open
Applications are open once again for the Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s KL2 Career Development Award, which provides two years of support for early-career, multidisciplinary clinical and translational scientists. The program fosters the transition of KL2 scholars to independent careers as clinical and translational investigators. Learn more and submit letters of intent by Friday, October 8, at 5 p.m. EDT.
Apply to the Medicines Discovery Award Program
Empire Discovery Institute is accepting applications for the 2021 Medicines Discovery Award Program starting today, September 24, through October 22. This award is open to investigators holding a full-time faculty position at Rochester. Learn more and apply here.
Join the Goergen Institute for Data Science for a “Careers in Data Science” talk with Purvanshi Mehta ’20 (MS). Mehta works in the security research group at Microsoft, deploying machine learning models to protect emails and O365 suites from phishing attacks. Learn about her career path, work projects, and tips for a career in data science. The talk takes place today, September 24, at 11 a.m. EDT via Zoom.
Lecture on the Clean Water Act
Join Michelle Marcus, an assistant professor of economics at Vanderbilt, as she discusses the findings from her recent publication, “A Watershed Moment: The Clean Water Act and Infant Health.” The virtual talk takes place today, September 24, from 1 to 2 p.m. EDT. Learn more and register here.
Carillon concert series continues on Sunday
The Carillon Society continues its Sunday carillon concerts on September 26 at 5 p.m. EDT. Listen from the Eastman Quadrangle or online. Find the full program here.
Grand rounds lecture on the toll of racism on Black lives
Attend the next public health grand rounds webinar, “The Color of Health: The Devastating Toll of Racism on Black Lives” presented by Wade Norwood ’85, CEO of Common Ground Health in Rochester. The lecture takes place Friday, October 1, from noon to 1 p.m. EDT. Pre-registration is required. ASL interpreters will be present. Email Carolyn Settle with questions.
Tony Cokes: Market of the Sensesis currently on view in the Media Arts Watch Gallery at the Memorial Art Gallery. With a precise visual style, Tony Cokes creates immersive, punchy works of video art that encourage viewers to reflect on how language can be used to consider the complex interrelationships of popular culture and politics. Visitors have the chance to vote for their favorite of the two Tony Cokes videos on display. When the exhibition is over, the museum will purchase the winning work.
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