October 28, 2024
University of Rochester image / Luchuan Song
This presidential cycle has already seen several high-profile examples of people using deepfakes to try to influence voters. Deepfakes are images, audio recordings, or videos generated or modified using artificial intelligence (AI) models to depict real or fictional people.
Should we be concerned about being bombarded with phony videos of politicians created with generative AI? An expert in computer vision and deep learning from our Department of Computer Science says that while the technology is rapidly advancing, deepfake video generation remains harder for bad actors to leverage due to its complex nature.
Associate Professor Chenliang Xu’s research group was among the first to use artificial neural networks to generate multimodal video in 2017. He discusses the technology’s rapid advances and its current limitations. Read more at the News Center.
INSTITUTE OF OPTICS HOSTS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATES PROGRAM
University of Rochester photo / Jinhong Lu
Last week, the University welcomed industry professionals from around the globe for the fall 2024 meeting of the Industrial Associates of the Institute of Optics. For nearly 50 years, this program has been an important venue for our students and faculty to connect with optics and photonics industry partners, launching countless successful careers and scientific discoveries.
The Industrial Associates program has more than 60 member companies, with several guest companies in attendance as well. The symposium provided snapshots of faculty and PhD student research, an MS showcase, a poster session featuring a wide breadth of research activities in optics and photonics, and a regularly featured gathering of Women in Optics. We also welcomed partners from Rochester Institute of Technology and participants from other departments within the University of Rochester with special emphasis on vision and the Center for Visual Science.
Guest speakers included Abbie Watnik ’12 (PhD), the Optical Physics Branch Head in the Optical Sciences Division at the Naval Research Laboratory; Barry Silverstein a Senior Director of Optics and Display Research at Meta’s Reality Labs; Congressman Joe Morelle; and Cristina Killingsworth, the Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development.
This is a massive undertaking for the Institute, so I want to thank the people who made it happen: Tom Brown, Dustin Newman, Kai Davies, Cynthia Daher, Lori Russell, Lindsay Anderson, Aylin Tunay, Adrienne Snopkowski, and Meir Brea
ALAN WERTHEIMER RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
During the Institute of Optics Fall Industrial Associates Symposium, we had the honor of presenting Alan L. Wertheimer ’68 (BS) ’74 (PhD), with the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award. Established in 1984, this award recognizes alumni whose exceptional professional achievements, contributions to their chosen field, and service to the community and the Hajim School have brought honor to themselves and to the University of Rochester.
Alan is an outstanding alumnus, dedicated volunteer, and respected optics leader who has made significant contributions to his field and to education, research, and discovery, reflecting the core values of our institution. His path from an accomplished student to industry leader demonstrates the profound impact of combining professional success with a commitment to giving back. His dedication to academic excellence, service to our university, and his passion for fostering the next generation of scholars is exemplary. Thank you, Alan, and congratulations!
ED HAJIM SHARES LESSONS ON HOW TO CHART YOUR PATH
University of Rochester photo / Chloe Yokitis
Last week, we were delighted to welcome our school’s namesake, Ed Hajim, back to campus for opportunities to engage with our faculty, students, and staff. We updated him on the Hajim School’s latest initiatives, and he provided invaluable feedback as we chart our path forward.
He also spoke to a crowd of students from the Designing Your Life course he has championed in partnership with the Greene Center for Career Education and Connections. Drawing upon lessons from his books The Island of the Four Ps and On The Road Less Traveled, he provided advice on how students can set themselves up for purposeful and fulfilling lives.
“Fast-changing environments are sometimes the best things that can happen to you,” Ed said. “If you know yourself reasonably well, you can make those kinds of [life-changing] decisions better, and that’s what this course is about. You’re going to find out things about yourself that will last you a lifetime.”
EDGE SCHOLARS VISIT AUSTIN
Five Hajim School students visited state-of-the-art tech facilities earlier this month as part of the EDGE Scholars program. Rochester is a founding member of the new Education Group for Diversification and Growth in Engineering (EDGE) Consortium, an alliance of schools and industry/government partners that seeks to transform the semiconductor industry, and education pipelines, to meet national demand.
Nyasha Gwaza ’26, Kareem Hassan ’26 , Will Knoff ’25, Ethan Lin ’25, Matthew Nappo ’25, and Jassem Toumi ’26 went on the trip to visit Ericsson’s R&D Center in Austin on the first day (see skyline group picture) and then visited their Imagine Studio in the morning and Smart Factory in the afternoon on the second day. The students learned about Ericsson’s ASIC technology, 5G and 6G innovations, and got to see inside their state of the art Smart Factory that is truly constantly evolving, with new automations and parts being retooled almost on a daily basis.
ALUMNUS BHASKAR PANT ’72 TO DELIVER CULTURAL COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP
The Hajim School and the Office of Equity and Inclusion will welcome Bhaskar Pant ’72, executive director of MIT Professional Education and a globally experienced instructor in intercultural communication, for a cultural communication workshop open to faculty and staff. The event takes place from 1-2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12 in the Hawkins Carlson Room.
The workshop’s goal is to make you aware of visible and invisible cultural differences that can dramatically impact communication between people of different cultures. You will learn about two primary groups of culture in the world, along with their traits and characteristics, to allow you to better understand and deal with culturally driven behavioral differences you may encounter at work and elsewhere.
You will also learn about your own “cultural behavior” and how it may be perceived by individuals from other cultures. Bhaskar will discuss how language and culture are interconnected, and even though we are bonded by a common language of English, certain expressions don’t travel well across cultures. He will conclude his presentation by providing tips for minimizing intercultural misunderstandings and enhancing your personal intercultural effectiveness.
Register to attend by October 31.
NEW COURSE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN UX
The University offers a certificate in User Experience (UX)/User-Centered Design, which is the process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users.
As part of that certificate program, the Digital Media Studies program is offering a new course in the spring called Introduction to User Experience Design, where students:
- Learn how to design technologies that meet the needs of their users
- Learn how to communicate and justify design decisions
- Learn how human-centered design fits into the broader context of project development
- Receive an introduction to the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
- Learn to apply design thinking to User Experience (UX) design and evaluation
The class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:50-6:05.
NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Congratulations to Professor Chunlei Guo from the Institute of Optics, who is receiving $470,779 from the Army Research Office for a project titled, “Water cluster dynamics and re-organization on superwicking metal surfaces.”
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
