Adam Fenster
J. Adam Fenster is the University photographer.
Adam Fenster's Latest Posts
Sensory processing—in a virtual Kodak Hall
A multidisciplinary team from Arts, Sciences & Engineering and River Campus Libraries builds a virtual reality replica of Kodak Hall to be used in studies of how the brain processes light and sound.
It’s a winterful life
Linnea Wegge (left), Maya Hewitt, and Ian Gillis (right) from the Class of 2023 participate in a curling demonstration during this year’s Winterfest Weekend on the River Campus. The weekend—an annual wintertime tradition for undergraduate students—featured gear giveaways, ice-carving demonstrations, sledding down Danforth Hill, plus plenty of s’mores and hot chocolate. Check out more photos from the weekend on the University’s Instagram account.
Eastman School of Music alumnus William Warfield honored with sculpture
A bust of singer, actor, and activist William Warfield ’43E, ’46E (MM), ’88 (Honorary) has been installed at the Miller Center Courtyard across from the Eastman School of Music in downtown Rochester, New York. “We are proud to partner with the William Warfield Scholarship Fund and to display this remarkable sculpture by artist Shawn Dunwoody, honoring Mr. Warfield’s legacy to our Eastman community, as well as to Rochester and the world,” says Jamal Rossi, Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School. Learn more about the sculpture and commemorative plaque. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)
20 years later, remembering September 11
Naval, Air Force, and Army ROTC units stood vigil at the Meridian on the University of Rochester’s Eastman Quad to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Among the nearly 3,000 people who died during the attacks were six University of Rochester alumni: Jeremy Glick ’93; Jean Hoadley Peterson ’69N; Jeffrey Smith ’87, ’88S (MBA); Zhe (Zack) Zeng ’95, ’98S (MBA); Aram Iskenderian ’82; and Brendan Dolan ’86.
In 2019, Ellen Bakalian, the widow of Jeffrey Smith, wrote “Everything My Husband Wasn’t There For,” an essay for The Atlantic, which was reprinted with permission in the summer 2021 issue of Rochester Review.
A rite of passage for new medical students
During the School of Medicine and Dentistry’s annual Robert L. & Lillian H. Brent White Coat Ceremony, first-year medical students don brand new white coats to symbolize the start of their journey to becoming medical professionals. This year’s event took place at the Larry and Cindy Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center, with the participants’ health and safety top of mind.
2019: The year in pictures
As 2019 winds down, we asked University photographer J. Adam Fenster to share some of his top selections from among the many thousands of pictures he captured this year, and his thoughts about what makes each one special.
An evening with Secretary Madeleine Albright
“I understood early that international affairs was not just another academic subject, it was a matter of life and death for real people whose fate could be determined by the moral and policy choices that were made,” said former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. “These convictions were only strengthened for me in my years as Secretary of State.” Albright spoke to a packed house at Strong Auditorium on the University of Rochester River Campus. Her talk is part of the University’s “Difficult Conversations as a Catalyst for Change,” which is presented by Donald Hall, the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences & Engineering.
Sunset rainbow
A rainbow appears over Eastman Quadrangle and Rush Rhees Library after an October rainstorm, and was widely photographed across campus and the city. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Remembering September 11
From left, Naval ROTC midshipmen third class Cal Niezabytowski ’22 and Andrew Lazarus ’22, and midshipmen second class Vanessa Carollo ’21 stand at attention on Eastman Quadrangle at a vigil remembering the terrorist attacks of September 11. Among the nearly 3,000 people who died during the attacks were six University of Rochester alumni: Jeremy Glick ’93; Jean Hoadley Peterson ’69N; Jeffrey Smith ’87, ’88S (MBA); Zhe (Zack) Zeng ’95, ’98S (MBA); Aram Iskenderian ’82; and Brendan Dolan ’86. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)
‘Finding the Courage to Lead’
In her keynote address at the 10th Annual Diversity Conference, novelist, activist, and commentator Samina Ali described the fear she faced when the birth of her son left her with brain damage. “I was scared, and I was completely alone,” says Ali. “Courage is like any other physical function in your body … each time we exercise our brave heart we are reinforcing our neural pathways for courage.” (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)