Medical Center part of collaboration for pediatric concussion research
Medical Center researchers are part of a new collaborative project, led by the University of California, Los Angeles, to study concussions in children and teens. Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the project will test ways to predict which kids will develop persistent symptoms after a concussion so researchers can study how to help them recover faster.
In today’s issue:
Open enrollment for 2022 benefits will take place November 1–15, with more information to come next week
Ranga Dias gives a presentation this week on his groundbreaking research and innovation of a room-temperature superconductor
A lecture with author, classicist, and translator Daniel Mendelsohn on “The Odyssey and Its Migrations”
The Department of Transportation and Parking Management’s new bike-share program, launched earlier this summer, is a collaboration with the City of Rochester and the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transit Service. Owned and managed by HOPR, a national provider, the program now features five locations across the University—two on the River Campus and three at the Medical Center. Learn more in this week’s Go Green blog post.
Last week, ADP Research Institute said US companies had added 568,000 jobs last month. On Friday, a Labor Department report showed they’d added 317,000. Simon Business School Dean Sevin Yeltekin, the Frontier Communications/Rochester Telephone Professor of Business Administration, joined Nela Richardson, chief economist of the ADP Research Institute, on Bloomberg’s Quicktake to explain why there is such a big difference in the numbers.
Residential Life and Housing Services is now accepting applications for the resident advisor (RA) position for the 2022–23 academic year. Applications are due Monday, October 18. The RA position is a key component of the Residential Life team and plays a crucial role in building community and supporting residents in their halls. Each year RAs are selected to staff the residence halls, counsel and advise peers, plan and implement programs, mediate conflicts, serve as an emergency resource, and support the student conduct process among other things. Email rasel@reslife.rochester.edu for more information. Students must use their University email to access the application.
Create a virtual nightmare
In the spirit of the season, Studio X is hosting a “spooky” Blender workshop, Thursday, October 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. EDT. Attendees will learn how to navigate the 3-D modeling software’s workspace, tools, and hotkeys on their way to creating the creepiest avatar they can imagine. No experience is necessary, but you must bring a laptop with Blender installed. Register to attend; there are fewer than 10 spots available.
Total Rewards is the University’s comprehensive salary and benefits program, which helps employees to manage all aspects of work-life balance. It includes compensation, health care plans, tuition benefits, retirement plans, and more. During Open Enrollment, employees can review their benefit coverage options and make selections for the upcoming calendar year. For 2022 benefits, open enrollment will take place November 1–15. Faculty and staff should begin to prepare by reviewing their current benefits and discussing future needs with their families. More information on 2022 benefits will be available next week.
‘Future of Work’ networking sessions
After positive feedback from manager sessions related to the future of work last summer, six new networking sessions have been added for managers to discuss their experiences with remote, hybrid, or returning to on-site work. Potential topics for discussion include technology and space, making and revisiting tough decisions, and employee engagement. Sessions will take place on the third Wednesday of each month at noon, beginning October 20. Register here. Contact the Office of Learning and Organizational Development with questions.
Workshops on supporting student mental health
Throughout this academic year, the Mindful University Project continues to offer workshops on supporting students. Join Tricia Shalka, an assistant professor at the Warner School of Education, and Michael Siembor, a staff psychologist at the University Counseling Center, as they hold a dialogue on topics pertinent to student-facing faculty on trauma-informed pedagogy and supporting students’ mental health during COVID-19. These workshops will be held from noon to 1 p.m. EDT on October 21 and 27 via Zoom. Register here to attend.
VSP Vision Care reminder
If you enrolled in VSP Vision Care for your routine vision coverage—you would see “Benefit Extras Before Tax” on your paystub—don’t forget to take advantage of it during the calendar year. You do not need a card to utilize your benefits, as your VSP Member ID number is three zeros followed by your employee ID number. For more information about your coverage, visit the VSP Vision website.
Last day to register for the Fall Fitness Challenge
Individuals or teams can join the URMC Fitness Center’s Fall Fitness Challenge, a four-week program to get active. Points are awarded for exercise anywhere and those that do the best will win cash and prizes. The cost is $10 for the program and includes access to the URMC Fitness Center if desired. Registration closes today.
Learn about research on room-temperature superconductors
On Thursday, October 14, at noon EDT, join Ranga Dias, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and of physics and astronomy, for “How Close are We to the Holy Grail of Room-Temperature Superconductors?”, a presentation about his groundbreaking research and innovation of a room-temperature superconductor that’s superdense instead of supercold, and how soon research like this will bring about an energy-efficiency revolution, hoverboards, and magnetically levitated trains. Students, faculty, and staff can register here. This event is part of the Huang Speaker Series in Technology and Innovation.
Lecture on ‘The Odyssey and Its Migrations’
The Humanities Center welcomes author, classicist, and translator Daniel Mendelsohn, who will discuss “The Odyssey and Its Migrations: Wandering, Homelessness, and Identity.” Homer’s Odyssey has long been recognized as the West’s foundational text about voyages of discovery, influencing works as varied as Dante’s Inferno and television’s Star Trek. Mendelsohn will examine how the epic poem can illuminate today’s issues of migration, citizenship, and identity mapping in a world of shifting borders. The free lecture takes place on Thursday, October 14, at 5 p.m. EDT in the Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library, and via Zoom. Registration is required.
The Rochester Forum: ‘Nurturing the Love of Music’
Join Vincent Lenti ’60E, ’62E (MA), a historian and professor emeritus of piano, for a virtual presentation on his latest book, Nurturing the Love of Music: Robert Freeman and the Eastman School of Music, the third volume in his history of the Eastman School. The event takes place Friday, October 15, from noon to 1 p.m. EDT and is moderated by Marie Rolf ’77E (PhD), senior associate dean of graduate studies and a professor of music theory at the Eastman School. This program is presented in recognition of the Eastman School’s Centennial Celebration. Find more information and register here.
Electrical and computer engineering Hispanic Heritage Month panel
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Month panel discussion on Friday, October 15, from 12:30 to 1:30 EDT. “Sharing Perspectives and Fostering Success of Hispanics in STEM” will take place in the Computer Studies Building, Room 601, and simulcast on Zoom.
The Eastman School of Music is a 2021 honoree in the Yamaha Corporation of America’s “Institute of Excellence” program and received the award last week. Pictured are Rachel Roberts, director of the Institute for Music Leadership; Dom Cicchetti, Institutional Solutions Group—Northeast at Yamaha; Jamal Rossi, the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School; and Heather Mansell, a segment marketing manager for education at Yamaha.
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