December 11, 2017

Dear members of the Hajim School community,

When Jannick Rolland, the Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering, and her PhD student Cristina Canavesi developed an exciting new technology to perform noninvasive optical biopsies, they initially had no intentions of starting their own company. Now they have advanced to the next round of a Luminate accelerator competition to encourage next generation optics, photonics, and imaging companies. Their company, LighTopTech, has received a $100,000 investment from the state-funded accelerator and a chance at the grand prize: an additional $1 million investment, to be announced next spring. This is a great story about two skilled researchers who have also become entrepreneurs — and have set a great example for other women in science and technology. Read more here.

Congratulations to Niaz Abdolrahim, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, who has received a 2018 Young Leaders Professional Development Award from the Functional Materials Division of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society. The award was created to “enhance the professional development of dynamic young people from the five technical divisions” of the nearly 13,000-member professional society of scientists and engineers who work in industry, academia, and government positions around the world. Read more here.

Congratulations as well to two of our Hajim School student athletes. Nik Angyal ’19 of chemical engineering has been elected as a 2017 Second Team Academic All-American in men’s soccer by the College Sports Information Directors of America. In addition to playing a key role as a defender on the field, he has excelled in the classroom. Read more here. Geoffrey Rouin ’18 of biomedical engineering was elected as a third team Division III All American by the United Soccer Coaches after accumulating the most points scored in a single season by a Rochester player in 11 years. Read more here.

Students of any discipline are encouraged to join Toys for All Tots, a student group that will adapt battery-operated toys so they can be used by children with special needs. But the problem-solving aspects of this project will be especially appealing to engineering students. Interested? Drop by a workshop to learn the adaptation process from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Friday in Rettner Hall. It will be a nice break from studying for finals — and a great way to help others. Donation boxes for lightly used and new battery-operated toys are located in Wilson Commons 201 (Wilson Common Connection) and on the first floor of Rettner Hall next to the Baja SAE display through Dec. 19.

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers chapter on our campus has grown in members, collaborated with the Kearns Center and Upward Bound to create a SHPE Jr. chapter for high school students, and hosted a Student and Faculty Brunch with the National Society of Black Engineers, reports chapter president Gina Bolanos ’18 of mechanical engineering in a recent blog posting. Attendance at two straight SHPE national conferences has helped provide momentum, she adds. “We continuously set goals for ourselves to make this organization ever better, and this year is no different.” You can read more about the chapter here.

Best wishes to all our students as they finish classes and start preparing for finals.

Have a great week!

Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman