A grant from the John Templeton Foundation launches a new institute to investigate one of science’s biggest mysteries: the difference between life and machines. The three-year award will establish the Virtual Institute for the Physics of Agentic Intelligence, an international collaboration led by Gourab Ghoshal, a professor of physics and of computer science.

University flags on the Eastman Quadrangle and near the entrance of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department, and the flags atop the Eastman Theatre at the corner of Gibbs and Main Streets, will be lowered on Tuesday, June 16, for Hanna Mieszczanska, a professor of medicine, who died on May 29. Mieszczanska joined the University in 2002.

New faculty orientation begins online Thursday, July 30. Parts one through three prepare instructors for teaching and are open to all URochester instructors of record. Part four is an institutional welcome for faculty on contracts of one year or more. Faculty who are not new but have not previously attended are also welcome. Cosponsored by Faculty Affairs and the Teaching Center.

Have your department practice financial wellness habits that can transform money from a source of constant stress into a reliable tool for security, freedom, and long-term peace of mind. In Well-U’s “Common Cents,” each participant can access expert resources to increase financial knowledge, practice fiscally sound habits, and save money. Find details here.

Traveling this summer? Through LifeMart by Care.com, eligible employees have access to several regular and seasonal discounts, including flight deals, car rentals, amusement park discounts, and more. Find access via your free Care.com membership account.

The largest yoUR Market to date will be held on Wednesday, July 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Sarah Flaum Atrium, School of Medicine & Dentistry. There will be samples, freebies, giveaways, and prize wheels, as well as free lemonade and iced tea to sip while you shop. Explore the list of vendors here.

The Department of Psychiatry’s summer brown bag series, “Community Conversations,” will feature six presentations aimed at increasing understanding, reducing stigma, encouraging meaningful conversations, and providing participants with knowledge and tools that support well-being and promote healthier communities. The first session will take place on July 8 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Helen Wood Hall Auditorium (1W-304), with Devin Coleman, CEO of The Balanced Hope Organization. Learn more and register.

The Rochester Red Wings will be hosting a Mt. Hope Family Center Night on Friday, July 17, at 6:45 p.m. Discounted tickets can be purchased here. For questions or any problems with ticket orders, email Jen Warmingham.

Rochester Victory Alliance, an HIV vaccine research team based at URochester Medicine, invites the University community, family, and friends to march in this year’s Rochester Pride Parade on Saturday, July 18. Those who walk with the group will get free admission tickets to the Pride Festival at Highland Park, swag, and an official Victory Alliance T-shirt. Sign up here.

Join the Language Center for an engaging English conversation about how movies and TV shows portray academic culture. Attend today, July 7, at 1 p.m. No registration required; lunch and beverages provided

CNN, June 25

From the late 15th century, Robin Hood became a popular figure to dress up as at village fairs and festivals. Robin Hood ballads became a fixture of spring and May Day festivities, says Tom Hahn, a professor emeritus in English literature and a founder of the International Association of Robin Hood Studies. URochester is also the home of the Robin Hood Project, a database of ancient Robin Hood texts. “By the late 17th century, you get collections put together very cheaply and sold for a small price—a whole array of ballads often starting with him [becoming an] outlaw and ending with his death,” says Hahn. “It continues through the 18th and 19th centuries.”