Beth Sonnenschein ’61, ’62N establishes a $1 million endowed research fund in mathematics

Elizabeth “Beth” Sonnenschein ’61, ’62N has established the Hugo Freund Sonnenschein and Elizabeth Gunn Sonnenschein Research Endowment in Mathematics within the School of Arts & Sciences. Her $1 million gift honors her late husband, University Trustee Emeritus Hugo Sonnenschein ’61, ’17 (Honorary), an acclaimed economic theorist and academic leader, and recognizes the couple’s shared commitment to research excellence.

When was the last time you updated your device?

Software updates provide several benefits to your devices and keep them running smoothly. University IT warns that hackers love a good security flaw, and updates are needed to patch software vulnerabilities. Opting out exposes you to malicious actors exploiting weaker, out-of-date systems. Why should this be a concern to you? Chances are you have a lot of personal data on your devices (passwords, bank information) that you don’t want exposed. You could infect friends, family, and colleagues if your device were compromised.  University-managed systems and devices are updated automatically; however, maintaining personal devices is up to you. Find more information and suggestions on updating your devices.

We celebrate the scholarly and service contributions of University community members to their fields. Recent award recipients include:

• Daniela DiMarco and Erica Bostick were recently honored during the New York State Department of Health’s World AIDS Day and Ending the Epidemic Summit. DiMarco, an assistant professor of infectious diseases, received the Commissioners Special Recognition Award for Sexually Transmitted Infections. Bostick, an associate professor of pediatrics and medicine, received the Commissioners Special Recognition Award for LGBTQ+ Health.
• Thomas Brown, the director of the Institute of Optics and the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor, has received the G.G. Stokes Award in Optical Polarization from SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
• Peter Christensen’s Prior Art: Patents and the Nature of Invention in Architecture has been selected as a 2024 Choice Outstanding Academic Title. Christensen is the Arthur Satz Professor of the Humanities in the Department of Art and Art History and the Ani and Mark Gabrellian Director of the Humanities Center.
• Michele Cotrufo, an assistant professor at the Institute of Optics, received the 2024 Franco Strazzabosco Award from the Italian Scientists & Scholars in North America Foundation.
• David Figlio, the Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics and a professor of education at the Warner School of Education and Human Development, has been named to the 2025 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings.
• April Haberyan, an associate professor of clinical nursing, has been named a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.
• Allison Lopatkin ’13, an assistant professor of chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, and microbiology and immunology, has received a 2024 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation.
• Jiebo Luo, a professor of computer science and the Albert Arendt Hopeman Professor of Engineering, has received the 2025 Edward J. McCluskey Technical Achievement Award from the IEEE Computer Society.
• Jannick Rolland, the director of the Center for Freeform Optics and the Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering, is the recipient of the A.E. Conrady Award in Optical Engineering from SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
• Nicole Sampson, University provost and a professor of chemistry, is among the authors featured in an editorial in ACS Infectious Diseases.
• Elizabeth Weber, an assistant professor of instruction in Chinese and a research assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Culture, is a recipient of the 2025 Literature Translation Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
• The Community Kitchen in Douglass Commons received the Heart of the Campus Award from the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Region VII, recognizing a planned, implemented, and evaluated space that embodies ACUI’s Role of the College Union statement.

Celebrating faculty, staff, and student honors: If you have news to share about a faculty or staff member, student, or department/unit that has recently achieved a significant professional accomplishment or received a prestigious national or international honor, please let us know so we can consider it for a future listing of awards and honors.

Writing anxiety group

Does writing get you down or make you anxious? Join the Writing Anxiety Group at the University Counseling Center on Mondays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. For registration and inquiries contact UCC at (585) 275-3113 or Matthew Bayne, group facilitator.

Collage night with UCC

All students are invited to Collage Night, sponsored by the University Counseling Center, today from 6 to 9 p.m. in Wilson Commons, Room 122. Materials will be provided. Make collages and talk about whatever is fueling your artistic expression, while also learning about mental health services available at the University.

Graduate student teaching book club

Open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows whose primary appointment is in the School of Arts & Sciences or the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, this informal Teaching Center book club will read and discuss Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom by Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy. The group meets in person from 1 to 2:15 p.m. five times during the semester on Wednesdays. Register here.

Health Bites webinar on dietary supplements

What are dietary supplements and what are the health benefits and risks? Join UR Medicine EAP, Well-U, and Jill Chodak, a registered dietitian from Well-U’s lifestyle management team, for a complete reveal on powders, vitamins, minerals, and more. Register to attend the webinar on Tuesday, February 11, at noon.

Ambulatory Care Nurses Week

Ambulatory Care Nurses Week, February 3–7, recognizes the dedication, compassion, and expertise of Ambulatory Care Nurses and the role they play in providing care in the outpatient setting. Find out how Rochester is celebrating.

Members of Eighth Blackbird in residency at Eastman

OSSIA New Music, the student-run new music ensemble at the Eastman School of Music, hosts Garrett Obrycki ’13E and Matthew Duvall of the Grammy Award-winning new music ensemble Eighth Blackbird for a two-day residency, February 4–5.

On Tuesday, February 4, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m., they will be available at the Institute of Musical Leadership office at Eastman for an open advising session. Join them on Wednesday, February 5, at 3:30 p.m. in Howard Hanson Hall for a presentation on the creative and collaborative process. Duvall will lead an open rehearsal of Bryce Dessner’s Murder Ballads in Eastman School of Music, Room 320. Find other upcoming OSSIA events here.

Annual Friends of Strong wine-tasting fundraiser

Enjoy a relaxing evening at Friends of Strong’s 31st Annual Gala Wine Tasting fundraiser on Friday, February 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. Find samples from more than 150 wines—red, white, and sparkling; imported and domestic—along with French champagnes, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. The evening features music, a complimentary photo booth, and a selection of silent auction items from in and around Rochester—all supporting patient- and family-centered care at Strong Memorial Hospital. Learn more and purchase tickets.

Black History Month Celebration Day at MAG

Join the Memorial Art Gallery’s 24th annual Black History Month Celebration Day, February 9 from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy art and crafts, live painting, music with DJ Ironwill, dance performances, singing, African dance and drums, face painting, poetry, a fashion show, step teams, contemporary movement, Black-owned business vendors, panel discussions, and more. A full schedule of the events and free tickets (including museum admission) can be found here.

Susan B. Anthony Center award nominations due February 10

The Susan B. Anthony Center is calling for nominations for three annual awards: the Susan B. Anthony Emerging Leader Award, the Susan B. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Susan B. Anthony Lifetime Service Award.

Candidates should have an affiliation with the University. Find details on each award and submit your nomination at the above links by Monday, February 10.

The start of a new year brought innovative events, a peek into the past, and a snowy first day of classes. Here’s how we spent January at Rochester.