The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) will receive $111 million in federal funding from the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration in fiscal year 2026. This amount is the largest annual funding level in LLE’s history.

Several faculty members were appointed to named professorships during the second half of 2025. An honor designed to recognize the national stature of a professor’s work, the named positions are part of a long-standing tradition to celebrate the work of Rochester’s faculty as researchers, scholars, and teachers.

Ready to kick off your wellness journey? Download the 2026 Well-U catalog to explore the full range of health and wellness programs and resources available to you. Inside, you’ll find wellness offerings across fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and more—designed to fit real schedules with on-demand, virtual, and in-person options. You’ll also learn how to bring Well-U events to your department and earn up to $450 per employee or $900 with a spouse or domestic partner in incentives.

Join Well-U and UR Medicine EAP on Wednesday, February 11, at noon for a supervisor training on workplace conflict. Learn how to assess your own conflict management style and explore the value of defining the problem before intervening. Search “EAP Supervisor Series” in MyPath to register.

The University offers MMA Prosper Wise, a retirement planning tool that adds to the financial resources available through the University retirement program. This spring, a financial coach will offer one-on-one sessions, making it easy and convenient to get personalized support for your retirement goals. Register for a session at Corporate Woods, the Medical Center, or the River Campus.

To support campus safety, the University is reminding the community that e-bikes and e-scooters are prohibited inside University buildings and on campus sidewalks. Due to fire risk, lithium-ion batteries may only be stored or charged in locations approved for this purpose. Please review the e-scooter and e-bike policy for maps, approved riding zones, and parking areas.

All are welcome to celebrate at the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center on Thursday, February 5, from 10 a.m. to noon. Sample hot chocolates and snacks from around the world. Bring your friends and your appetite.

Celebrate the 5th anniversary of URochester’s Black Alumni Network with a panel discussion about the pursuit of excellence across research, organizational culture change, and global engagement. Learn more and register to attend this virtual event on Tuesday, February 10, from 6 to 7:15 p.m.

Paws for Stress Relief brings therapy dogs to campus for students today, February 2, in the Goergen Athletic Center from 6 to 7:15 p.m.

An Off-Campus Housing Fair takes place on Wednesday, February 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Hirst Lounge, Wilson Commons.

The Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program’s  annual Undergraduate Writing Contest provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding student writing with monetary prizes in five categories. Graduate students and faculty members from the disciplines judge the work and select at least one winner and one honorable mention per category. Submissions are due by February 23 at 11:59 p.m.

USA Today, January 29

Beyond the charts, rap’s “invisible influences” are all over American culture, says Jeffrey McCune, the Frederick Douglass professor and chair of the Department of Black Studies. Rap “has definitely made its imprint and shifted what is required in other genres to actually be popular and to actually circulate in a way that’s going to produce revenue,” says McCune.