Science & Technology
Laser Lab scientist honored for fusion and plasma research
Dustin Froula received the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award, one of the most respected awards given by the US Department of Energy, for his research.
COVID-19 vaccine: What’s RNA research got to do with it?
RNA research at the University of Rochester provides an important foundation for developing antiviral drugs, vaccines, and other therapeutics to disrupt the global spread of coronavirus.
Can social networks help us be more creative?
Our interactions on social media could encourage new ways of thinking and different perspectives, if creativity was considered part of the network’s algorithms, say Rochester researchers.
Society & Culture
The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, through medieval and Renaissance eyes
In medieval and Renaissance Europe and in the Arab world, it was widely believed that “when Saturn and Jupiter are found in the same area of the zodiac—in other words when they are in conjunction—there are profound effects on Earth,” says historian Laura Ackerman Smoller.
COVID-19 is forcing state and local governments to prioritize financial obligations
Those worst off will likely have to borrow money and then decide which obligations to pay right away and which to delay, says a Rochester economist.
American child welfare system has lost its way, says Rochester historian
A shift starting in the late 1960s has targeted poor families with unnecessary investigations and child removals at the expense of services, argues Rochester health policy historian and physician Mical Raz.
The Arts
Theatrical classic comedic masterpiece reimagined for 2020
The cast of ‘The Government Inspector’ includes more than 50 students and alumni across the United States, and as far away as Guatemala and China.
Teaching the complexities of the Nobel Prize in Literature
English professor Bette London introduces students to Nobel-winning authors and the controversies surrounding the prize.
The show must go on(line)
University campuses look and feel different this fall, but as we continue to social distance and limit the capacity of large spaces, Rochester musicians have found ways to stay connected with their audiences.
In Photos
With ‘Flight of Sites,’ students and faculty set choreography to campus architecture
Flight of Sites: Dances in Innovative Spaces, a two-day concert featuring student and faculty choreography, embraced both an outdoor and online audience experience.
Student Life
Beauclaire Mbanya ’20 awarded Rhodes Scholarship in global competition
Beauclaire Mbanya is the third Rochester student or alumnus to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. He will head to Oxford, UK, to pursue a master’s degree relating to sustainable energy.
Capturing an audience with K-pop and classical music
Classically trained Rochester graduate Emma Chang ’20 has become a YouTube sensation by sharing her musical expertise and interest with fans of the worldwide pop music genre.
Living a dream on American Ninja Warrior
Will Schlageter ’20 (T5), a former triple major at Rochester, is in the semifinals of the NBC sports competition.
Voices & Opinion
A new era in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence
If trends continue, “the search for intelligence in the universe may finally escape the giggle-factor,” writes University of Rochester astrophysicist Adam Frank in a Washington Post op-ed.
Teaching national mythologies doesn’t help society address problems
In a RealClearEducation op-ed, Rochester philosopher Randall Curren and his coauthor argue there is “little merit in the notion that love of country is something that can be taught through celebratory history.”
The politicization of the CDC was under way before Trump
The CDC’s vulnerability to political interference is rooted in its role working in health risk assessment, write University of Rochester health policy historian Mical Raz and her coauthor in a Washington Post op-ed.
University News
Biology professor emeritus remembered as researcher, mentor, and colleague
Stanley Hattman, who taught at the University for more than 25 years, was known for his molecular biology research, student mentorship, and jovial demeanor.
Emil Homerin: An American religion scholar remembered
A leading scholar of Sufi poetry and mysticism, Emil Homerin is remembered by his students and colleagues for his enthusiasm and generosity
Search for first vice president and chief human resources officer underway
A University committee has been appointed to begin a national search for the position of vice president and chief human resources officer—the first University-wide position at this level.