January 13, 2025
University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
Happy New Year! The turn of the calendar brings exciting new changes for one of the University’s most important interdisciplinary hubs. The Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (GIDS-AI)—previously the Goergen Institute for Data Science—was renamed to reflect the University’s leadership in the rapidly growing research fields of AI and data science.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, GIDS-AI has grown to include more than 100 affiliated faculty across the University. The institute currently offers a bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of science (BS), master of science (MS), and advanced certificate in data science. This fall, the Institute will launch a new online professional master’s program in healthcare AI and data science in partnership with the UR Health Lab.
The institute is planning to offer other learning opportunities in data science and AI in partnership with other units. As an example, this fall, the Department of Computer Science and GIDS-AI plan to pilot an “AI for All” class to empower students not only to use AI in ways beneficial to their education and beyond, but also to help them navigate doing so in a safe and ethical fashion.
Read more about the newly renamed institute at the News Center.
DATA SCIENCE CAPSTONE SUPPORTS ROCHESTER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Speaking of GIDS-AI, a team of data science students spent the fall semester working on a capstone to help the Rochester Fire Department (RFD) speed up its emergency responses. The students used artificial intelligence and other data analytics tools to make sense of more than 1.6 million points of data collected by RFD from 2006 to 2024. They also incorporated external census data related to population, income, property, and housing to enrich their analysis.
The students got to collaborate with RFD’s internal data analysts and even went on “ride-alongs” to learn about the firefighters’ day-to-day responsibilities. Learn more about the exciting project at the News Center.
STUDENTS THRIVE AT AICHE MEETING POSTER SESSION
The Department of Chemical Engineering sent 14 students to present research at the AIChE Annual Meeting in San Diego this fall. I’m pleased to report that the Hajim School contingent, pictured above at a welcome dinner, had a strong showing at the meeting. Four of our students won awards in the student poster competition:
- Diana Sullivan ’25 – first in section and first overall
- Julesy Baker ’25 – third in section
- Daniel Kesler ’25 – third in section
- Sophia Pollak-Hurst ’26 – third in section
Congratulations!
NEW UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ARRIVE JANUARY 17
The spring semester is quickly approaching and incoming first-year, transfer, and exchange undergraduate students will arrive on campus on Friday, January 17 for Spring Welcome Week, managed by the Office of Orientation and New Student Programs. New students will be engaged in mandatory activities and events on Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, January 19. View the full schedule of events on the ONSP website.
ED AND BARBARA HAJIM ART OF SCIENCE COMPETITION
It’s time to start preparing for one of my favorite annual traditions at the University. The Ed and Barbara Hajim Art of Science Competition is now accepting submissions.
The goal of the competition is to explore and illuminate the aesthetic beauty that results when science, art, and technology intersect. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to submit their entries by Sunday, March 16 to compete for prizes. The People’s Choice poll will open after the submission due date and all winners will be announced during a ceremony at the Carlson Library in May.
I want to give special thanks to Ed and Barbara Hajim, who generously established an endowed fund last year to ensure that the competition will continue in perpetuity!
Learn more about the competition.
NSF OPAL DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS COMMUNITY UPDATE
The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) is hosting an event to update the Rochester community about the diagnostic systems for NSF OPAL. The National Science Foundation awarded the University nearly $18 million over three years to design and prototype key technologies for NSF OPAL, which will be dedicated to the study of ultrahigh-intensity laser-matter interactions. The facility could be built at LLE upon completion of the design project.
The NSF OPAL project is progressing toward a Conceptual Design Review in March 2025. A 3-hour session on January 16 will provide an update on key aspects of the diagnostic systems design, with adequate time for questions.
Learn more and register for the event.
REMINDER: ENGINEERING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET
The Engineering an Entrepreneurial Mindset Program is a seven-part workshop series designed for members of the Hajim engineering community. The program first introduces crucial concepts like entrepreneurial mindset, opportunity identification, and value creation. The series then covers topics such as applying the scientific method to refine business ideas, competitive strategies, and disruptive innovation.
Subsequent workshops focus on protecting intellectual property and crafting business plans for engineering innovations. The series concludes with guidance on presenting ideas clearly and effectively, ensuring engineers can communicate with confidence. In addition to enhancing engineering innovation skills, the insights gained from this program are valuable for solving everyday challenges and fostering creativity in any context.
Workshops will be held on the following dates from 5:15-6:30 p.m. at CSB 523:
- January 29, 2025
- February 12, 2025
- February 26, 2025
- March 19, 2025
- March 26, 2025
- April 9, 2025
- April 23, 2025
These workshops are free to all members of the University community, but registration is required by Jan. 20. Contact Technology Development Program Director Dina Uzri for more information.
FACULTY WORKSHOPS FOR BLACKBOARD ULTRA
Spring classes start January 21 and courses will be in a new view – Blackboard Ultra. If you have not already started working in your new course shell, the following resources are available to help you get ready for the start of classes.
- Teaching in Ultra Workshops:
- Consultations:
- Drop-in Office Hours:
- Support specialists will be available to assist with last minute fixes and questions from 2-4 p.m. on January 15 in LeChase Hall, the Genrich-Rusling Room.Please do not use this in place of a consultation.
- Self-pacedUltra Course:
More information, including video resources, is available on the University IT website.
HAJIM STAFF AND PARTNERS RECOGNIZED AS UR STARS
Congratulations to the Hajim School staff members and partners who were recently recognized by others at the University as UR Stars who embody Meliora values. UR Stars is a University-wide employee recognition platform designed to reinforce a culture of appreciation and collectively celebrate achievements together across the University, strengthening our shared values as “One University.”
The Hajim School staff members recognized in December include Jana Head (Computer Science), Anh Hoang (Computer Science), Mary Méndez-Rizzo (Computer Science), Kristina Lantzky-Eaton (GEPA), Jessica Stevens (Hajim Dean’s Office), Emily Prinzi (Hajim Dean’s Office), Lori Russell (Institute of Optics), Carla Boff (Biomedical Engineering), Shelley Zoeke (Computer Science), Tal Haring (Chemical Engineering).
Partners nominated by Hajim School members include Thuy Tran (HR), Madison Carter (HR), Derek Quinn (facilities), Gerald Moultrie (facilities), and Dorrene London-Colletta (facilities).
Thank you all for your support of our University mission! Nominate someone today on the Office of Human Resources website.
NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Congratulations to several faculty members who recently secured funding for new sponsored research projects:
- Associate Professor Stephen Wu from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is receiving $40,000 from Micron Technology Services Inc. for a project titled, “Expanding Semiconductor Nanofabrication Education at the University of Rochester.”
- Professor Pablo Postigo from the Institute of Optics is receiving $225,639 from Corcoran Engineering Inc. as part of a DARPA Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project titled, “High Efficiency kW-class 1550 nm Diffraction-Limited Laser Diode Arrays for Energy Web Dominance.”
- Assistant Professor Tony Geng from the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science is receiving $300,001 from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for a project titled, “NATUREGRID: Enhancing Power Grid Reliability with Probabilistic Graph.”
ROBERT LOEWY 1926-1925
On a sad note, Robert Loewy passed away after a long and happy life at age 98. Robert had a distinguished career in academia, industry, and the military that included serving as the University of Rochester’s second dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences from 1967-1974. Read his obituary on the Brighton Memorial Chapel website for more about his impactful life.
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
