March 22, 2021
Dominick Harasimiuk, an avid motorcyclist, is grateful for the care he received at Strong Memorial Hospital after an accident put him in intensive care last fall.
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
In a message to the University community, President Sarah Mangelsdorf, Chief Diversity Officer Mercedes Ramírez Fernández, and Vice Provost for Global Engagement Jane Gatewood expressed unequivocal support for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students, postdocs, faculty, and staff in light of recent violence and acts of hate against these communities.
Please join me in echoing that support. The message also offered University resources for reporting instances of bias or discrimination, and in providing support, guidance, and counsel.
A Justice for Asian Americans Coalition has formed on campus to raise awareness of this problem. The coalition invites all members of our community to attend a virtual discussion about this issue at 7:30 p.m. this evening, zoom link: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/98720736837 Arnav Sharma ’22, a dual physics and computer science major and president of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers student chapter, says the coalition’s goals include sharing Asian stories, building community, creating opportunities for under-represented Asian youth, and supporting education about other BIPOC communities.
OUTSTANDING STUDENT
This month’s outstanding student, Dominick Harasimiuk ’21, came to the University from Ft. Worth, TX, where he was high school valedictorian. He intended to major in physics and go on to a career as a nuclear engineer. Instead, he will begin a career in finance and technology this fall after completing a dual major in computer science and financial economics.
One of the biggest benefits of attending the University, Dominick says, has been the opportunity to meet so many interesting, supportive, and caring people–for example the acute care nurses at Strong Memorial Hospital who gave him round-the-clock care after he had a serious motorcycle accident last fall. Two alumni mentors in particular– University trustee and benefactor Gwen Greene ’65 and Raymond Hanson ’94 of Credit Suisse –have especially influenced Harasimiuk, both from a professional and personal standpoint. Read more here.
THINKING ABOUT GRAD SCHOOL?
If you’re considering attending graduate school for engineering studies or research, be sure to check out a virtual workshop from 8:30-9:30 p.m. this Thursday, March 25. A career advisor from the Greene Center will facilitate a discussion with seniors and recent grads on how to get started with the grad school process, how to pick programs, what is involved in a typical application, timelines, helpful resources, and more. Open to all majors and class years. Please register in CCC for the Zoom link: http://cglink.me/2eC/r1048345. Thanks to our student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for presenting this.
IZONE MICROGRANTS
The Barbara J. Burger iZone is offering a limited number of “Make It Happen” microgrants to support early-stage ideas and exciting projects that help University students and alumni turn their ideas into reality. The awards range from $400 to $800 depending on the number of applicants and the needs of the individual projects. Grant recipients will receive support from iZone throughout the spring 2021 semester to get started on their project. Learn more and apply here by March 31.
STUDENT SUMMER RESEARCH
Making summer plans? Learn and do research with neural networks, the computational framework that imitates the human brain, through the Tripods NSF REU and STEM for All Summer 2021 programs (July 19 – August 13, 2021). Apply by Friday, March 26, 2021. Tripods NSF REU participants will receive a $1600 stipend for completion of the program. The programs are open to current undergraduates from University of Rochester, Cornell University, and institutions in the Rochester area.
Hajim students can also apply for Discover Grants, which support immersive, full-time summer research experiences for undergraduate students in the College. Student awards are $2,500 with no partial funding. A limited number of awards are available; the review process will be competitive. Student projects must be mentored by a University supervisor (faculty member, graduate student, or research staff). Students conducting unpaid research with a supervisor from a different institution should apply for summer internship funding through the Greene Center for Career Education and Connections. The application deadline is March 31.
REMINDERS
I strongly urge all members of the Hajim School community, especially students, to register to view the 2020 documentary, Picture a Scientist, and attend a related panel discussion, examining the critical issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. Picture a Scientist, chronicling women scientists who have experienced harassment, implicit gender bias, and entrenched institutional discrimination, will be available for viewing through March 30 at your leisure. The virtual panel discussion, Bridging the Gender Divide in STEM, will be held from 1-2 p.m. ET tomorrow, Tuesday March 23. Learn more and register here.
Also, please join me for a virtual panel discussion I will be moderating from noon to 1 p.m. ET this Thursday, March 25, on Harnessing the Potential for Big Data in the 21st Century. Panelists Mujdat Cetin, the Robin and Tim Wentworth Director of the Goergen Institute for Data Science; Michael Hasselberg, senior director for digital health at the Medical Center; and Sevin Yeltekin, dean of the Simon Business School, will discuss how researchers at the University are advancing basic and applied research in data science that have the potential to improve our daily lives, and why it is so important for academic institutions to play a role in this growing field. Learn more and register here.
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
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