High-risk pregnancy expert Loralei Thornburg, the James R. Woods, Jr. Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology, offers simple precautions to help pregnant women stay more comfortable while protecting their baby’s health during the hottest summer days.

Well-U’s Managing Your Weight program starts virtually on Tuesday, July 14, at noon. Get a clear picture of your overall health while leaving the trends behind.

Get an overview of the University’s 403(b) retirement program, learn how to create a retirement strategy, update your account with TIAA, and utilize the tools provided by TIAA in a live webinar on Wednesday, July 15, at noon. Reserve your spot.

URochester and the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Center for Innovation at Mt. Hope Family Center host a special screening of the film Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the Pursuit of the Respect Act at the Little Theatre on Sunday, July 12, at noon. The run time is an hour, and will be followed by a Q&A with the director, producer, and featured cast members. There is no cost to attend. Learn more and RSVP.

Mark your calendar for Shred Fest on Friday, July 17. Bring your personal documents to the Alumni and Advancement Center parking lot between 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for secure and environmentally responsible disposal.

Saabirah Campo’s ’26W (EdD) doctoral dissertation at the Warner School of Education & Human Development is expanding the Hair Equity Program at URochester Medicine Golisano Children’s—enhancing patient experience, culturally responsive pediatric care, and inclusive healthcare practices.

The Center for eXtended Reality Collective is a new student organization at URochester seeking founding members from all majors. Students can sign up to join here.

On July 1, the Physics-Optics-Astronomy (POA) Library transitioned to a self-service library space. Its hours, collections, and how you access it all stay the same — what’s changed is that the service desk is no longer staffed, and a new self-checkout station lets you borrow materials on your own.

The space remains open for studying, meeting, and using the collection. STEM librarians are available by appointment and will hold regular office hours in the space. You can also get research help at Rush Rhees Library, Carlson Library, or online. This change is part of the libraries’ budget planning for the coming year, which prioritized keeping the space, its hours, and its collection open and available to everyone who relies on it.

URochester researchers—including Brain and Cognitive Sciences Professors Michele Rucci and Duje Tadin, and Director of the Center for Extended Reality Barry Silverstein—are studying the process of human vision from three connected angles: how the eyes actively sample the world, how the brain filters and constructs meaning from that input, and how technology tries to reproduce the experience in AR and VR systems.

Silverstein also explores the question, “How will AR/VR change the world?” in the latest Ever Wonder video.

Tavis Smiley Podcast, June 29

Philip McHarris, an assistant professor of Black studies, explains how the Democratic Socialists of America’s victories in New York’s primary could revive the push to “Defund the Police” and why some Black leaders are already pushing back.