Oct. 31, 2016

Dear members of the Hajim School community:

Kevin Parker, our dean emeritus and William F. May Professor of Engineering, has found a way to incorporate new color identifications in ultrasound medical images, making it easier to differentiate fine details that currently appear as indistinguishable objects in shades of gray. This will be especially helpful to medical personnel in interpreting images of soft tissues. You can read more about this exciting development here and also see a video.

Congratulations to the UR Robotics team, which won the annual pumpkin launch Friday at Wilson Quad with a combined distance of 733 feet — edging out Solar Splash by four feet. Thanks to all who turned out, and to MechE faculty members Chris Muir and John Lambropoulos for again supervising the launch. Eight teams, including two from RIT, competed.

The visit of U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to the Laboratory for Laser Energetics last Thursday reminds us that LLE is not only important for Hajim School and University faculty, students, and researchers, but is truly a unique national resource for exploring fusion as a future source of energy, for developing new laser and materials technologies, and for conducting research and developing technology related to high-energy-density phenomena.

The Computer Science Undergraduate Council and the Pan African Student Association are teaming up this Saturday, November 5, on a rapid prototyping workshop to address such UN development goals as eradicating poverty, improving maternal health, empowering girls and women, and achieving environmental sustainability. From 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Interfaith Chapel (river level), a diverse group of students will engage in an interactive workshop, brainstorming ideas and taking them to a concrete prototyping stage in 30-40 minutes. This workshop sounds intriguing, and would certainly benefit from having a good representation of engineering students!

Speaking of environmental sustainability, here is an opportunity for faculty, post-docs, and graduate students whose ideas for clean energy and “green” technologies have potential for commercialization.  An request for proposals is out from the local business accelerator, NEXUS-NY, which is funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and is an important part of the local technology and entrepreneurial network.  The mission of the accelerator, which is part of High Tech Rochester, is to “move innovative energy technologies from research labs into the market.” Applications are due by November 11.  Additional information can be found at www.nexus-ny.org

Evan Granite, a ’94 PhD alumnus of our Department of Chemical Engineering, is quoted in the September/October issue of Popular Science and is co-author of an op-ed piece in The Bridge newsletter of the National Academy of Engineering on the recovery of rare earths from coal and its byproducts. Evan is the rare earths technical portfolio leader at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh.

Have a safe Halloween, and a great week!

Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman