June 10, 2024

A group of dignitaries cuts the ribbon at the new Laboratory for Laser Energetics expanded facility.

University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Jacob Deats

Dear members of the Hajim School community,

Hajim School researchers are fortunate to have incredible laboratories at our disposal and one of the University’s premier research facilities just received a 66,600-square-foot expansion. The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) has completed construction on a $46 million building expansion that began in August 2022.

The opening of the addition marks a significant milestone for the national research facility, which was last expanded in 2003 to house the OMEGA EP laser. The new three-floor building boasts LEED Silver certification and houses 15,500 square feet of laboratory space with seating for 132 LLE staff and students, plus 2,900 square feet of collaboration space with seating for an additional 117 people.

The new space will enable construction of the AMICA laser system, prototyping of the NSF OPAL lasers, and creation of next-generation targets, diagnostics, and optics for national security efforts. I’m excited for all the new opportunities the expanded facility will bring to the University and especially our Hajim School engineers. Read more at the News Center.

EHSAN HOQUE SELECTED TO HELP INFLUENCE CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH POLICY

A group of experts selected by the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and the US National Academy of Medicine to help shape the future of climate and health policy.

Ehsan Hoque, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, is part of a new bilateral policy project to develop the next generation of climate and health leaders. A collaboration between the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and the US National Academy of Medicine, the project offers research leaders of the future the opportunity to gain policy experience and to connect with international peers.

This project was designed for researchers and other professionals working in the health research sector, who are interested in engaging with policymakers and translating their research into benefits for society.

Ehsan is one of 18 future research leaders affiliated with the US National Academy of Medicine and the UK Academy of Medical Sciences who have been selected to participate in the project, which started in March 2024. Learn more at the UK Academy of Medical Sciences website.

BHASKAR PANT ’72 NAMED MIT EXCELLENCE WINNER

Bhaskar Pant (left) shakes hands with Anantha P. Chandrakasan (right).

An electrical and computer engineering alumnus was recognized by MIT for his commitment to embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bhaskar Pant ’72, executive director of MIT Professional Education received a 2024 MIT Excellence Award. The award is one of the highest honors presented to staff on behalf of the Institute in recognition of their high impact on the MIT community. Read more about the award at the MIT website.

RICHARD COLÓN TAKES THE COVER PHOTO FOR ROCHESTER CITY MAGAZINE

The cover of June edition of CITY Magazine, which features Kodak Tower against a partly cloudy sky.

Congratulations to Richard Colón, an academic counselor for the Hajim School, for taking the cover photo for this month’s edition of CITY Magazine. The special edition was dedicated to Rochester’s status as the “Photo City.”

“Rochester’s photo community is not just about capturing images; it’s about capturing the essence of a collaborative city that fosters creativity and celebrates the power of togetherness,” says Richard about the cover photo. “This is what makes Rochester a ‘Photo City,’ and how it translates to me daily. It will forever capture ‘community over competition.’”

See the cover at the CITY website.

NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH

Congratulations to several faculty members who recently secured funding for new sponsored research projects:

Riccardo Betti, LLE’s chief scientist and the Robert L. McCrory Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, received $894,489 from the Department of Energy for a project led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory titled, “The National IFE Startfire Hub: Science and Technology Accelerated Research for Fusion Innovation & Reactor Engineering.”
Andrea Pickel, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received one of seven awards to multidisciplinary teams of early career researchers in the first year of Scialog: Automating Chemical Laboratories. The three-year initiative that aims to accelerate innovation and broaden access within the chemical enterprise through advances in automated instrumentation and artificial intelligence. Andrea will co-lead a project titled, “Getting on the Grid: Parallel Nano-Crystallography for Large-Scale Data Generation.” Read more at the RCSA website.

Have a great week!

Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman