Geoffrey Berg named senior vice president and chief investment officer

Geoffrey Berg, chief investment officer of the South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission, has been named senior vice president and chief investment officer, effective October 1. Berg succeeds Doug Phillips, who will retire on September 30.

New York consortium aims to improve gene and cellular treatment for cancer

Wilmot Cancer Institute joins with four other research centers in New York state to launch the Empire State Cellular Therapy Consortium, a new group focused on expanding early advances in gene and cellular therapy for cancer.

Flags will be lowered for Margaret Christian

University flags on the Eastman Quadrangle and near the entrance of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department will be lowered on Tuesday, August 5, for Margaret Christian, a financial aid counselor in the Medical Education Department, who died on July 11. Christian joined the University staff in 1982.

Prenatal PFAS exposure shapes infant immunity

New Rochester research led by Kristin Scheible, a Dean’s Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and an associate professor of microbiology and immunology, reveals that tiny amounts of PFAS—widely known as “forever chemicals”—cross the placenta and breast milk to alter infants’ developing immune systems. The exposure potentially leaves lasting imprints on their ability to fight disease.

Workshop on time and stress management strategies for graduate TAs

University graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will learn practical techniques to balance their academic and teaching responsibilities while prioritizing their well-being. Register here to attend via Zoom on Wednesday, August 6, from 1 to 2 p.m.

A reminder to order early for fall, pick up packages by August 8

To help departments on the River Campus prepare for the busy fall semester, the Campus Mail Center recommends ordering necessary items as soon as possible for shipments via carriers like USPS, UPS, FedEx, and Amazon. Starting in mid-August, the volume of student packages delivered to the mail center will significantly increase, temporarily affecting processing times. To avoid delays, pick up any outstanding packages by August 8. Find more information here, email cmc@facilities.rochester.edu, or call (585) 275-3991.

Improve your health, earn your incentive

Well-U, your employee wellness program through the Office of Total Rewards, offers eligible employees the opportunity to participate in wellness programs that can improve their health and develop their well-being interests. Earn up to $325 by finishing a personal health assessment, a lifestyle management program, and a condition management coaching program per calendar year. Get started here.

Advance your nursing or healthcare career with tuition support

Attend the School of Nursing’s virtual open house on Wednesday, August 6, to explore clinical nurse leader, nursing education, and leadership in healthcare systems programs designed for working nurses or healthcare professionals. Find a hybrid online curriculum and tuition support up to 100 percent for University and Medical Center affiliate employees. Register now to ask questions and learn more.

Register for Mindful Professor training

Register for the fall 2025 cohort of the Mindful Professor Training program, based on cutting-edge research designed to support faculty and instructors in cultivating tools for emotional regulation, resilience, and mindful leadership, while enhancing teaching effectiveness and strategies to support student well-being. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays in the School of Nursing from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The program is open to all University faculty and course instructors.

Applied genomics seminar on transcription and CpG islands

The final summer applied genomics seminar, run as part of the Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence MS program in applied genomics, takes place on Wednesday, July 23, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Wegmans Hall, Room 1005. McKayla Ford, a graduate student from the biomedical genetics and genomics program, will present on transcription and CpG islands. Contact Justin Fay if you’re interested in attending.

‘Quishing’ scams dupe millions of Americans as cybercriminals turn the QR code bad

CNBC, July 27

QR code scams appeal to cybercriminals due to the relative ease with which the scam operates. “The crooks are relying on you being in a hurry and you needing to do something,” said Gaurav Sharma, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, of computer science, and of biostatistics and computational biology. Sharma is working to develop a “smart” QR code that has built-in security to prevent scams.