Sheila Rayam

Director of Marketing and Communications, School of Arts & Sciences

srayam@ur.rochester.edu

RECENT POSTS

Jennie Noll speaks at a podium.

University News

Mt. Hope Family Center receives grant to improve maternal and infant health

The $1.7 million grant will help enhance services for pregnant women, new parents, and infants in Monroe County.

Nighttime view of the central historic downtown Heroica Veracruz, Mexico.

Society & Culture

In Mexico, Afro-Caribbean roots run deeper than expected

A new book reframes long-held assumptions about the denial of Black identity in the Mexican port city of Veracruz.

Illustration of a light-matter state called a polariton.

Science & Technology

URochester awarded Keck Foundation funding to tackle chemistry grand challenge

January 23, 2026

The cutting-edge project aims to harness quantum light to unlock new chemical processes.

A young woman with pigtails wearing headphones and a blue sweatshirt is listening to music against the sky from a low wide angle.

Science & Technology

Are humans predisposed to understand the complexities of music?

January 6, 2026

Listeners—regardless of formal musical training—can track complex tonal structures, offering a unique look at how the brain processes context.

Michael Clark leads the class Principles of Biology.

Campus & Community

Michael Clark: Inspiring learning through the art of asking questions

November 10, 2025

The Goergen Award–winning lecturer keeps students engaged with workshops and critical thinking exercises.

Two URochester researchers in souped-up kayaks gather samples where the Genesee River and Erie Canal converge.

Campus & Community

Souped-up kayaks become ‘floating laboratories’ on the Genesee River

November 5, 2025

URochester researchers use specially designed kayaks to collect real-time data on methane and carbon dioxide emissions.

A dandelion grows through the cracks in concrete to symbolize resilience in the face of stress.

Health & Medicine

Understanding stress and resilience from the inside out

September 29, 2025

By studying the effects of persistent stress, URochester researchers are shedding light on how to be more resilient.

Nighttime exterior view of a Jacob's Pillow dance studio.

Kat Sirico remembered for their creative vision and devotion to dance

Their enduring care for artists, students, and the creative process left a lasting impact on the dance community.

Vera Gorbunova smiles at the camera in her biology lab in Hutchison Hall.

University News

Rochester named site of research center to study the biology of aging

The NIH-funded center will allow researchers to explore why some species live longer—and what that could mean for human health.

Group of fire ants surround a larger queen fire ant.

Science & Technology

How the genetic few can sway the many

A study of fire ants reveals the surprising power of genetics in shaping social organization and group behavior.

Four Rochester Goldwater scholars Maria Ahmed, Marvin Wu, Aashay Mardikar, and Wimeth Dissanayake standing next to each other.

Campus & Community

Four Rochester students earn Goldwater Scholarships for science achievement, research promise

Four Rochester undergraduate students earned prestigious Goldwater Scholarships for science achievement and research promise in STEM fields.