December 15, 2025
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
The University of Rochester is unique in the way it encourages students to pursue their passions in seemingly unrelated fields through our flexible curriculum. Each year, the Hajim School awards the Robert L. Wells Prize to three students who embody this spirit: high-achieving Hajim School seniors who also excel in a humanities field.
I’m delighted to share that this year’s recipients are:
Read about their interesting paths and how the humanities help them find balance and synergies with their studies in engineering and applied sciences.
STUDENTS LEARN, WORK, AND RESEARCH ACROSS THE GLOBE
The University has study abroad partnerships with 40 countries, spanning every continent except Antarctica. Approximately 20 percent of URochester students participate in an international experience, whether it’s a semester taking courses, a week performing community service, or unexpected opportunities to venture geographically afar for everything from hands-on research and teaching fellowships to cultural immersion.
Students in the Hajim School can participate in the Grand Challenges Scholars Program, which addresses solutions to broad societal problems in sustainability, health, security, and knowledge. One hundred students have enrolled in the program, which includes a global component, and many join Engineers Without Borders, which partners with developing communities worldwide to improve lives through sustainable engineering work.
Recent alumna Hannah Rickert ’25 (biomedical engineering) shared her experience in the Dominican Republic in a wide view look at study abroad across the University. Read about Hannah’s experience and others at the News Center.
CAN LOST VISION BE RESTORED?
There are often misconceptions around the idea of blindness. Juliette McGregor, an assistant professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering, says it’s better to think of a spectrum of visual impairment, ranging from minor problems to no light perception.
In a wonderful new “Ever Wonder?” video, Juliette notes that an interdisciplinary approach to vision research is needed to better understand how it works and develop new treatments for visual impairment. She talks about how fortunate we are at URochester to have the Center for Visual Science, which has researchers from the Institute Of Optics, the Flaum Eye Institute, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, and elsewhere working together to understand vision.
Watch the video and learn more about research to restore eyesight at the News Center.
JANNICK ROLLAND FEATURED IN THE ALL THINGS OPTICS PODCAST
Jannick Rolland, the director of the Center for Freeform Optics and the Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering, helped pioneer freeform optics, which is reshaping modern optical design. In a recent episode of the All Things Photonics podcast, Jannick discusses her successes and setbacks in her early works with freeform optics, and talks about the potential for this technology in a range of applications. It’s an insightful conversation about innovation and perseverance that I encourage you to watch!
See the podcast on the Photonics Media YouTube channel.
JOIN US IN FLORIDA AS WE LAUNCH THE FOR EVER BETTER CAMPAIGN
The University announced For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester—its largest and most ambitious fundraising and engagement initiative ever—during Meliora Weekend and President Sarah Mangelsdorf is taking the campaign on the road.
In January, the University will host campaign regional launch events in Florida. Registration is now available for events in Palm Beach on January 20 and Naples on January 22. We hope to see a strong turnout of Hajim School alumni, parents, and friends at these events!
MS IN DATA SCIENCE INFORMATION SESSION
The master’s programs offered by the Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence provide students with core technical skills, exciting elective courses, engaging capstone projects, and cutting-edge research opportunities. Join an informational Zoom webinar on Tuesday, December 16 from 10-11 a.m. (ET) led by Professor Ajay Anand covering the program’s structure, costs, and application process. Ajay will discuss two programs:
Register today!
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 individuals recognized from October through December include Michael Flemming (Facilities), Jennifer Natalello (The Institute of Optics), Matt Signor (Physics & Astronomy), Marylou Luciano (The Institute of Optics), Adrienne Snopkowski (The Institute of Optics), Diego De Los Santos (Mathematics), Jon Powers (Conference & Events), Sara Gebremariam (Facilities), Derek Swanson (Office of Advancement), Samantha Kriegsman (Mechanical Engineering), Jordan Martinez (Mechanical Engineering), Dustin Newman (The Institute of Optics), Kai Davies (The Institute of Optics), Maria Paris (Purchasing), Jeff Rodgers (Office for Global Engagement), Jana Head (Computer Science), Carla Boff (Biomedical Engineering).
NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Congratulations to Professor Bob Boyd, Dean’s Professor in the Institute of Optics, who will receive $783,831 from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for a project titled “Advancing Label-Free and Non-Invasive Bioimaging Through Quantum-Enhanced Technologies.”
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
As another semester winds down, I want to wish the entire Hajim School community a very happy and restful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year ahead! Hajim Highlights will go on a brief hiatus and resume on January 12. See you next year!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
