February 26, 2024

A classroom full of optics students sitting at their desks and laughing.

(University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)

Dear members of the Hajim School community,

Nearly 40 undergraduate and graduate optics students enrolled in Professor Julie Bentley’s OPT 544: Advanced Lens Design class recently had two daunting tasks: first, design the best zoom lens for NASA’s Europa Clipper mission to explore Jupiter’s moon. Then, design the ideal zoom lens to record the mission as it blasts off into space.

Julie’s students worked on the project collaboratively and competitively throughout the fall semester. They broke into teams to explore the myriad factors that would influence the final lens designs, including the different fields of view, sensors, packaging constraints, and photon budget. Some students helped build tools in programming languages like Python and MATLAB that were first developed in the class more than 10 years ago and each cohort improves upon. Others conducted market research to see what available products could feasibly meet the project requirements.

The result was that the students learned as much about project management, teamwork, and communication as they did about optics. Visit the News Center for a peek inside the work-hard, play-hard atmosphere of Julie’s class.

EDGE SCHOLARS MEET US SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

The University is a founding member of the new Education Group for Diversification and Growth in Engineering (EDGE) Consortium, an alliance of schools and industry/government partners that seeks to transform the semiconductor industry, and education pipelines, to meet national demand. One of the activities of the consortium is the creation of a scholars program, which is comprised of students from founding schools and includes 23 Rochester students.

Last week, several EDGE scholars and I attended a Fireside Chat with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear about the need to produce more semiconductor chips in the US and recent gains through the federal CHIPS and Science Act. I hope the scholars see this as an industry ripe for potential with promising career opportunities. Learn more about the scholars program at the EDGE Consortium website. Students interested in becoming an EDGE Scholar can sign up.

SUMMER/FALL 2024 HAJIM INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Hajim International Experience Scholarship funded by the Hajim Dean’s office offers grants for undergraduate students to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented and research internships abroad. These international exchanges help prepare Hajim students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

While these experiences can be transformational, they can also require a substantial financial investment. This $500 scholarship is designed to encourage students who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The scholarship aims to support Hajim students who have been traditionally underrepresented in education abroad. Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and students must use the award to defray eligible study, research or intern abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.

The deadline to apply is April 26. Rohan Palma, exchange counselor and project coordinator from the Center for Education Abroad, can provide interested students with an application. Contact Rohan by email or phone (585-275-7532), or schedule an appointment on the Education Abroad website.

BOND FAMILY FOUNDATION FACULTY SCHOLAR GRANTS

The Greene Center for Career Education and Connections is offering new support to help faculty offer project-based learning opportunities for sophomore and junior undergraduate students. Project-based learning is an experiential high impact teaching and learning practice in which student teams design solutions to complex real-world problems by applying course content as an academic assignment.

Interested faculty can work with Director of Career Curricular Initiatives Lynn Donahue to identify a good-fit organizational partner, course-relevant project, and meaningful assessment. These instructors can apply for a stipend through the Bond Family Foundation Faculty Scholar Grants. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until April 1. Contact Lynn for more information.

BOUNDLESS POSSIBILITY DISCUSSION FORUMS

To the right of the University of Rochester seal, text reads "BOUNDLESS POSSIBILITY 2030 Strategic Plan"

All students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to join two upcoming discussion forums in March to learn more about the University’s Boundless Possibility 2030 strategic plan, ask questions, and provide feedback. The first takes place this Friday, March 1, at noon and another will be held Thursday, March 28, at noon.

The sessions will be led by members of the strategic plan Implementation Team and are free and open to all but registration is required. The program will be held virtually via Zoom and will include PowerPoint Slides and spoken remarks. Accessibility accommodations may be requested in the registration form for each discussion forum, or by emailing the Implementation Team. For other opportunities to learn about the strategic plan, visit the schedule of upcoming forums.

NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH

A heashot of Chenliang Xu with a white background.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Chenliang Xu from the Department of Computer Science for receiving $493,380 from Arizona State University through a National Institutes of Health R01 grant. The funding supports a project titled, “From Human-Powered to Automated Video Description for Blind and Low Vision Users.”

Have a great week!

Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman