September 30, 2024
University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
Thank you to everyone who came to campus from near and far to celebrate a memorable Meliora Weekend. I loved seeing so many alumni reconnect with old friends and meet our current students to learn about their latest research and academic pursuits.
For me, one of the most poignant moments of the weekend came during the Department of Computer Science’s 50th anniversary celebration, when Christopher Stewart ’09 (PhD), now a professor of computer science at Ohio State University, reflected on his time at Rochester.
“Decades later, I can look back and realize that I learned a lot more than technical details and algorithms here,” he said. “I was more than just a student, more than just a person getting grades and giving tuition dollars. I think what made this a very special community was that here I was treated as a future scholar, a future colleague, a person that was expected to live up to the responsibility of coming up with consequential ideas and having impact.”
Another Meliora Weekend highlight took place on Friday as two Hajim School PhD students were among the six finalists in the Three Minute Thesis competition. Congratulations to Lananh Ho (biomedical engineering) and Eliya Tazreena Tashbib (chemical engineering) for their terrific presentations. Eliya took home the runner-up prize, earning $500 for her final presentation.
Mark your calendars for next year’s celebration, which takes place September 18-21.
INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA ENGAGEMENT: A NEXT-GEN VIEW
IEEE Women in Engineering Rochester will host an event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 8, aimed at helping new graduates successfully transition from academia to industry. It’s part of a series focused on working with local partners towards the common goal of creating awareness, addressing challenges, and promoting retention of talent within the local tech ecosystem. Sponsored by the Hajim School, the event has a key focus on diversity and inclusion.
I’m excited to provide a welcome address, and several other Rochester experts will be part of the program, including Professor Gaurav Sharma from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professor Greg Gdowski from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, alumna Juniyali Nauriyal MS ’18 (optics) ’22 PhD (electrical and computer engineering), biomedical engineering student Hannah Rickert, and physics PhD student Abhaya Hegde.
Students are encouraged to register for the event on Handshake. For more information, go to the IEEE Rochester Section website.
HANJIA LYU EARNS GOOGLE PHD FELLOWSHIP
Congratulations to computer science PhD student Hanjia Lyu, who received a 2024 Google PhD Fellowship in Health & Bioscience. Advised by Professor Jiebo Luo, Hanjia’s thesis is focused on understanding and predicting human behavior with social media.
The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding graduate students doing exceptional and innovative research in areas relevant to computer science and related fields. Fellowships support promising PhD candidates of all backgrounds who seek to influence the future of technology.
Well done, Hanjia!
PROGRESS ON BOUNDLESS POSSIBILITY: 2030 STRATEGIC PLAN
As we move into the second year of the Boundless Possibility: 2030 Strategic Plan, the University has published progress indicators for each of the 2023-2024 tactics and will share 2024-2025 tactics that are being developed through the Office of the President. The updated Boundless Possibility website also includes a new blog: Better Things. On a regular basis, blog posts will deliver light and easy-to-digest insights on the what, why, who, and how of the strategic plan.
ROCHESTER CONVERSATIONS
University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster
The University also launched a new website, Rochester Conversations, as a central point for understanding the University’s approach to promoting a values-based culture that encourages thoughtful discussion and open dialogue. The site is intended to be a guidepost for how groups and individuals at the University can constructively and effectively share multiple perspectives and opinions. The website also specifically highlights the University’s policies on demonstrations, protests, vigils, and camping, and the key changes made to these policies that are now in place.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIRD-YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENTS
The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York recently announced their 2025 Scholarship program. These scholarships provide financial support and encouragement to outstanding individuals pursuing careers in engineering-related fields. The awards range from $2,500 to $10,000 and are granted based on a comprehensive evaluation of the students’ qualifications, including their cumulative grade-point average, involvement in college activities, work experience, and essays.
Third-year students in fields including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering may apply. For details about the application process, go to the ACEC New York website.
NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Congratulations to several faculty members who recently secured funding for new sponsored research projects:
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
