January 23, 2023
In addition to his research on spacecraft interactions with granular surfaces, Peter Miklavčič is lead author of a paper describing how covering an asteroid in a flexible mesh bag made of ultralight and high-strength carbon nanofibers could be the key to creating human cities in space. (University of Rochester illustration / Michael Osadciw)
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
Though no one is going to build cities on asteroids anytime soon, there are sound scientific reasons to believe this scenario—which now exists only in science fiction—will be possible in the future. University researchers, led by Adam Frank, describe how this could be accomplished in a paper in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. The lead author is Peter Miklavčič, a mechanical engineering PhD candidate advised by Hesam Askari, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and one of the coauthors.
The paper describes how near-earth asteroids—clusters of loose boulders, stones, and sand—could theoretically be contained in huge rotating cylindrical bags whose artificial gravity would create a suitable environment for humans.
Though this scenario is still “wildly theoretical,” everything the researchers envision involves technologies that people are currently using or developing. As Adam notes, “Space cities might seem like a fantasy now, but history shows that a century or so of technological progress can make impossible things possible.”
Peter’s PhD research includes using computations to help predict how spacecraft used in current missions interact with the granular terrains they encounter on moons, planets, and asteroids. He appreciated the opportunity to join Adam in exploring a topic at the edge of science and science fiction “as way of helping everybody embrace the interesting things that physics can teach us. That’s not something that’s common with engineers and physics professors. I think that’s really neat.”
Learn more here about Peter’s background, his impressive graduate work, and his plans for the future.
CONGRATULATIONS
Miguel Alonso and Alexis Vogt.
Two members of our Institute of Optics community have received awards from SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
Miguel Alonso, professor of optics, has been named the 2023 recipient of the G. G. Stokes award, given for exceptional contributions to the field of optical polarization. Miguel, who also serves as a professor at École Central de Marseille and the Institut Fresnel, has established himself as one of the leading theorists in the modern approach to polarization, including light beams with structured polarization profiles, polarization of nonparaxial and tightly focused beams, and the relation to optical angular momentum and geometric phases.
“Professor Alonso has a remarkable record of publication, of international collaboration and ambassadorship, and of mentoring both students and colleagues,” says Thomas Brown, director of the Institute of Optics. “He is also one of the best intellectual ambassadors we have. He not only reaches across international boundaries with his collaborations and teaching; he can sometimes bridge nearly impassible intellectual chasms between researchers with diverse opinions about optical phenomena.”
Institute alumna Alexis Vogt ’08 (PhD), the Endowed Chair and Associate Professor at Monroe Community College’s (MCC) Optical Systems Technology program, is the recipient of the María J. Yzuel Educators Award. She is being recognized for “excellence in optics-technician and associate’s-degree education and training, and for being a superb strategic educator in addressing the needs of an underserved market.”
Alexis’ program at MCC includes the country’s only associate’s degree in optical systems technology, as well as the 2+2 transfer option in optics through partnerships with our University and the Rochester Institute of Technology, among others. She is the executive director of Workforce and Higher Education for AmeriCOM, a collective effort by industry, academia, nonprofit, and government sectors to develop robust workforce training and grow the national precision-optics supply chain and manufacturing base.
DESIGNING YOUR LIFE
Considering a career in engineering or computer science? Unsure of all the options possible with a CS or engineering degree? To help Hajim students navigate important decisions like these, two new, one-credit sections of Designing Your Life, tailored specifically for first-year students and sophomores, are offered this semester. Taught by Greene Center advisors in the iZone, the course will show you how to use all of the exploratory tools available at our University to test out your interests and meet your aspirations. CASC 104-9 will be offered 11:50 a.m. to 1:05 p.m; CASC 104-10 will be offered from 2-3:15 p.m., both on Fridays. The classes start this Friday, January 27 and run for eight weeks. Ed Hajim, our school’s chief benefactor, will be calling in the first day. Questions? Contact Alvin Lomibao.
STUDENTS ON STUDYING ABROAD
At left, Jessica Luo in front of a statue of the Beatles at a pier in Liverpool. At right, Paterne Iradukunda in foreground with his classmate, Jojo Walugembe, during a lab for a robotics engineering class at the University of Carlos III Madrid.
“What started as just a semester abroad became a 7-month unforgettable experience in my academic learning, career development, and personal growth,” says Jessica (Jessa) Luo, ’23, an audio and music engineering major.
Jessa spent last spring studying abroad at Birmingham City University in England, completing three classes toward her major and auditing two others. After the semester ended, she attended an Audio Engineering Society Convention in the Netherlands, then spent the rest of the summer working at Parkside Studios JQ. The opportunities to network, make personal connections, and gain hands-on experience in her field were invaluable, says Jessa, who encourages other students to study abroad.
“It sounds cheesy, but you definitely learn more about yourself because you are forced to be alone at the start and you need to advocate for yourself,” Jessa says. “You also make friends with people you may have never met otherwise and learn about new perspectives.” Learn more about Jessa’s study abroad experience.
Language barriers and miscommunication nearly wreaked havoc with Paterne Iradukunda’s Spring ’22 semester abroad in Madrid. However, the electrical and computer engineering major completed two courses for his major. He learned that working in Spain after graduation would probably not be the best experience because “I would have to be very fluent in Spanish.”
He especially enjoyed traveling to Greece and Italy with other international students studying in Madrid, including several from the University of Rochester.
Paterne also recommends study abroad for other students, as long as they take enough time to plan for it. “Just be aware of the challenges that can come up such as language barriers and finances. It takes careful planning to have a successful experience,” he says. Learn more about Paterne’s study abroad experience.
Interested in studying abroad? The application cycle for Fall 2023 is now open. To find a full list of programs offered visit the Education Abroad Portal. Also, the Passport Fair will be held this Wednesday, January 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Hirst Lounge. No matter where students are in the application process, all are welcome.
MEET GRAND CHALLENGES SCHOLARS
Stephany Correa-Diaz, at left, and Quinn Taylor will discuss their experiences as Grand Challenges Scholars at the iZone this week.
Our Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP) invites undergraduates to pick one of 14 “grand challenges” of the 21st century, identified by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Students then tailor their academic experiences to address the challenge they’ve chosen, engaging in five key competencies: research, entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary studies, global experience, and service.
Two of our Grand Challenges Scholars are hosting drop-in advising hours in the iZone this week as an informal way for students who are interested in GCSP to learn more about the program from other students.
Quinn Taylor ’24, a chemical engineering major, is a member of the AIChE student chapter, the Adopted Students Alliance, and the track and field team. She will be in iZone from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. today, January 23, discussing her GSCP project on providing access to clean water, especially her research using computational fluid dynamics to model mixing in the transition regime.
Stephany Correa-Diaz ’24, a geomechanics major, will be at the iZone from 4-6 p.m. this Wednesday, January 25, and again from 5-7 p.m. this Friday, January 27, to discuss her GCSP project on developing carbon sequestration, especially as a part of the Porosoff Research Group.
If you are unable to make to these sessions, please contact Emma.Derisi@rochester.edu and visit http://www.hajim.rochester.edu/grand-challenges/index.html for more information about the GCSP.
DANDYHACKS SEEKS STUDENT ORGANIZERS
DandyHacks—the largest annual hackathon at the University of Rochester—has been a great success in the past 10 years, with about 300 people registered last year. Students are invited to become part of the DandyHacks ’23 organizing team to build on that success.
No previous experience or knowledge in the computing field is required; you just need to be passionate about making DandyHacks an ever better hackathon and willing to commit time.
The descriptions of the various teams (communications, finance, IT, logistics, marketing) can be found here. If you would like to be involved, submit this application form by Friday, January 27.
AS&E GRAD STUDENT SYMPOSIUM
Masters and doctoral students from Arts, Sciences & Engineering are invited to submit abstracts to participate in a graduate student research symposium from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23 in the Feldman Ballroom of Douglass Commons.
The symposium, sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) and the Graduate Student Association (GSA), will include a poster session and several $300 cash prizes, including best posters in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and engineering. It will also feature a networking/awards reception.
If you have something of your own to share with your colleagues—a thesis proposal, new research finding, or independent study—please consider submitting an abstract. Submissions should include a title, list of authors, and a brief abstract (250 words or less) of your research. Presenters should be willing to provide a 2-5 minute “talk-through” of their poster at the symposium.
Submit your abstract by Friday, February 3, 2023. Submissions will be reviewed and applicants notified by February 8. There is limited funding for poster printing support available through GEPA on a first come, first served basis. Questions? Contact Katie Ferruzza at k.ferruzza@rochester.edu
DONNA STRICKLAND: UP CLOSE AND CANDID
Donna Strickland delivering the address at our Arts, Sciences and Engineering commencement ceremony in 2019. (Photo by J. Adam Fenster/University of Rochester)
“Your life gets really wild when you win a Nobel prize,” says optics alumna Donna Strickland ’89 (PhD), professor of physics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Donna, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, hasn’t had an opportunity to run an experiment in her lab since winning the prize. “Isn’t that sad?” she says in an interview with Chemistry World. Learn more about how she starts her day, met the Pope, and loves watching British mysteries like Inspector Morse. She also shares her concerns that researchers are missing out on “some things that really should be looked at” by “falling down the rabbit hole of looking at h-indexes and citation counts.”
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
