Science & Technology
Laser lab ‘truly inspiring’ to federal government visitors
National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty said the University’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics plays a crucial role in advancing research vital to maintaining the safety of America’s nuclear security enterprise.
3 questions: 50 years after the moon landing
The lunar rocks brought back by the Apollo astronauts still inform research today, including the work of Rochester professor Miki Nakajima, who studies the formation and evolution of the Earth, the moon, and other planetary bodies.
Will your future computer be made using bacteria?
Graphene is a revolutionary nanomaterial, the discovery of which led to a Nobel Prize. By mixing graphite with bacteria, Rochester scientists are making graphene easier and more environmentally friendly to produce, paving the way for future products and applications.
Society & Culture
What can trigger violence in postcolonial Africa?
Why have civil wars and insurgencies occurred in Sudan and Uganda, but not Kenya? A new study finds the origins of ethnic violence in precolonial political organization.
Teenagers’ ability to describe negative emotions protects against depression
A Rochester study shows that teenagers who can describe their emotions in precise and nuanced ways—saying ‘I feel ashamed’ instead of simply saying ‘I feel bad’— are better protected against depression than their peers who can’t.
Should we teach children patriotism in school?
In an interview with the Irish Times, University of Rochester philosopher Randall Curren discusses the role of “a proper, virtuous kind of patriotism.”
The Arts
Winning the ‘Olympics’ of the carillon
Recent physics graduate Alex Johnson ’19 had never played the bells before coming to Rochester. Now he is one of the best musicians in the world at the instrument, taking first place at the international Queen Fabiola Carillon Competition.
Carry on, carillon
The free summer carillon recitals on the University of Rochester’s Eastman Quadrangle continue on Monday evenings in July.
‘The great democratic voice’
May 31 is the 200th anniversary of poet Walt Whitman’s birth, and Rochester has a few ties of its own to the poet who contained multitudes.
In Photos
White Coat Ceremony honors new medical students
More than 100 medical students received their white coats—the traditional lab jackets worn by physicians and medical scientists—to formally join the School of Medicine & Dentistry at the Robert L. & Lillian H. Brent White Coat Ceremony.
Student Life
Students’ Association leaders offer advice for new academic year
The president and vice president of the Students’ Association on the River Campus and at the Eastman School of Music welcome students for the 2019–20 academic year.
Summer in Rochester means research
There’s no better time to do research at the University than during the summer. While the classrooms may be quiet, labs and libraries remain busy as undergraduate students work on projects from engineering to political science.
What do you do when your motor melts? The solution lies in data
Last year, Rochester’s Solar Splash team didn’t even make it to the college championships solar and electric boating. This year, a renewed focus on data science saw the team take home awards for innovation and most improved team.
Voices & Opinion
Can campaign finance disclosure go too far? The case of small donors
It’s possible that if you’ve donated even as little as a dollar to a political candidate, it’s information easily obtained on the internet. That concerns David Primo, an associate professor of political science and business administration.
Expect the Fed to begin lowering interest rates
Next week’s meeting of the Federal Reserve will likely mark the beginning of a prolonged period of lower interest rates, says Narayana Kocherlakota, professor of economics and a former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
The power of music to bring Americans together
In a Washington Post op-ed, the Eastman School of Music’s Michael Alan Anderson reflects on the power of cultural and musical events like the Great National Peace Jubilee to help bridge divides.
University News
$1 million HECap grant will enhance School of Nursing academic experience, serve additional students
The New York State grant will help fund an expansion to the Loretta C. Ford Education Wing of Helen Wood Hall to create new teaching and learning space.
Donna Gooden Payne named University Vice President and General Counsel
Donna Gooden Payne, university counsel and vice chancellor for legal affairs at East Carolina University, has been named University vice president and general counsel, effective October 21.
Two faculty recognized by DOE as exceptional researchers
Two University of Rochester faculty members–Hussein Aluie and Ellen Matson–have been named recipients of Early Career Research awards from the Department of Energy.