August 7, 2017

Dear members of the Hajim School community,

A lot of hard work and planning by our Baja SAE student team really paid off this year. At a 100-team competition against other universities in California, the team finished 14th overall – its best overall finish since at least 2000 –and finished in the top 20 in each of four “dynamic” events that tested acceleration, maneuverability, suspension, and hill climbing. At a similar competition in Kansas, the team again finished in the top 20 in all four dynamic events, plus fifth in sales presentation. Kevin Bonko, outgoing team president, says two things were critical to the team’s success. First, consistency in planning as the team went through its annual process of designing and building its off-road vehicle. “We set deadlines for ourselves and we made sure to hit those deadlines, even if it meant staying at it until 2 or 3 in the morning,” he says. Second, meeting deadlines ensured the team had plenty of time to test their vehicle before competition, and to let multiple drivers become confident in driving it for specific events. Special thanks to Sheryl Gracewski, professor of mechanical engineering, who has advised or otherwise helped the team for about 20 years; starting this fall, she is relinquishing those duties to associate professor Chris Muir. Congratulations, Sheryl, on a job well done!

Incoming freshmen, please take note: Baja SAE is an example of the many opportunities for Hajim School students to engage in valuable hands-on learning experiences outside the classroom. Just be prepared to get your hands dirty. And, as new BAJA president Charles Patterson notes, be prepared to put a lot of time into it! Visit the team’s Facebook page for video from the competitions and website for more about the team.

An exciting conference, Light and Sound Interactive (LSI), will celebrate two of Rochester’s greatest strengths — imaging and music — at the downtown Riverside Convention Center Sept. 12-14. This will be a great opportunity for Hajim students – who will have free admission – faculty and alumni to network with companies and interact with researchers in eight key areas of emerging technology: virtual and augmented reality, games and interactive media, cinema, music and audio, imaging, displays and lighting, healthcare, and optics and photonics. Students please note: These are fast-growing markets with good job opportunities. The event combines an interactive conference, tradeshow, career fair, live demos, museum tours, and an event for startup companies. Visit the Light and Sound interactive website for updates as new keynote speakers and events are added.

Thanks to several of our engineering graduates, including five of my own former students, who turned out for alumni events I attended last week in Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. These were held in conjunction with pre-departure orientation sessions for incoming class of 2021 students. I was very impressed with the enthusiasm of alumni of all our University schools. Many expressed a desire to hold more of these events on a regular basis.

Reminder: Registration is now open for Meliora Weekend 2017 performances, reunion events, homecoming, family activities, lectures, and other activities October 12-15. Click here for a calendar of specific events.

Have a great week!

Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman