January 31, 2022
PhD student Dinesh Bommidi (left) and Andrea Pickel, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, used an atomic force microscope to locate and move nanodiamond sensors. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
The return of students to campus and resumption of in-person instruction this week is a welcome opportunity for us to settle in and have a productive spring semester. Please continue to check the latest University updates and FAQs containing information and protocols for students and families and for staff and faculty as we complete this transition.
New this year, there will be a University-wide Commencement ceremony for both undergrads and graduate students and their guests on Friday, May 13, in Fauver Stadium on the River Campus. Hajim School departments will hold degree ceremonies the following day. Times and locations to come! These changes to commencement will allow us to celebrate all of our graduates together as one University and allow for intimate department celebrations of our graduates’ achievements.
RESEARCH NEWS
For centuries people have placed the highest value on diamonds that are not only large but flawless. However, Andrea Pickel, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and Dinesh Bommidi, a PhD student in her lab, have discovered exciting new applications for diamonds that are not only incredibly small but have a unique defect. In paper in Applied Physics Letters, they describe a new way to measure temperature with these defects, called nitrogen vacancy centers, using the light they emit. The discovery earned the paper recognition as an American Institute of Physics “Scilight,” a showcase of what AIP considers the most interesting research across the physical sciences. The method gives researchers a less complicated, more accurate tool for using nitrogen vacancy centers to measure the temperature of nanoscale-sized materials. The approach is also safe for imaging sensitive nanoscale materials or biological tissues and could have applications in quantum information processing. Learn more. Wonderful work, Andrea and Dinesh!
CONGRATULATIONS TO . . .
Julie Bentley, professor of optics, who has received the SPIE Directors’ Award from the international society for optics and photonics for “outstanding service to the Society in extraordinary ways,” including authorship, course instruction, conference program leadership, committee membership, and service on the board of directors. Well done, Julie!
UNDERGRAD RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
The Undergraduate Research Expo application window is now open. Students looking to present their research in a fun, university-wide setting are encouraged to apply. Submissions from students of all disciplines are welcome and are due March 15. Research done at Rochester, at another institution, over the summer, or during the academic year is all welcome at the expo, taking place Friday, April 15. All students, faculty, staff, family, and friends are welcome to attend.
If you are a current University undergraduate student who will be returning in the fall semester, and you are planning to do unpaid research this summer under a University supervisor, you may apply for the Discover Grant, sponsored by the Schwartz Undergraduate Research Fund, for summer undergraduate research funding. Thanks to a generous gift from Vicki and Richard Schwartz, the Discover Grant has been increased from $2,500 to $5,000. Don’t wait, space is limited! The application deadline is March 31. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Research via email with questions.
NEW GREENE CENTER WEBSITE
Check out the Greene Center’s revamped website. This career education portal will provide students easy access to personalized career resources, connections, and opportunities. You’ll have the ability to create custom alerts with updates on things you care about. No matter what stage you are at in designing your career, you’ll want to get started and sign up for alerts at careereducation.rochester.edu.
The new site also has resources to support faculty, staff, parents, and families as they have career-related conversations with students. It also serves as a hub for recruitment, volunteer, and connection opportunities for alumni and employers.
ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING
Are you developing an exciting technological innovation? Hajim School researchers and student entrepreneurs are invited to attend an NSF I-Corps training program offered through the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship. The course, which runs from February 14 through March 9 teaches essential entrepreneurial skills and also connects participants with potential customers virtually to identify the best product-market fit. Candidates must apply online by Thursday, February 3. Contact the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship with questions or to learn more.
ALUMNI NEWS
Electrical engineering alumna Tanzeem Choudhury ’97 has been named a fellow of ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), the world’s largest and most prestigious society of computing professionals, for contributions to mobile systems for behavioral sensing and health interventions. Tanzeem, who was an exemplary undergraduate here, is now the Roger and Joelle Burnell Professor in Integrated Health and Technology at Cornell Tech and co-founder of HealthRythms Inc. She was named one of 35 top innovators under 35 by MIT’s Technology Review. Tanzeem is an outspoken advocate for gender equity. Learn more here.
Computer science alumnus Mohammed Zaki ’98 (PhD) has also been named a fellow of ACM. He is being recognized for his contributions to data mining algorithms and foundations. Mohammed, who was advised by former faculty member Wei Li while completing his doctorate here, is a professor of computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he also serves as his department’s associate head and graduate program director. His research is focused on developing novel data mining and machine learning techniques, especially for applications in text mining, social networks, bioinformatics, and personal health. He has over 250 publications, including the Data Mining and Machine Learning textbook, and six patents.
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
