SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2017

MessagefromtheDean

FallisabusytimeintheCollegeofScience.Somuchishappeningallaroundus:teachingandlearning,researchanddiscovery,openhouses,renovations,inaugurationsandcelebrations.WewelcomedmanyalumnibacktocampusforBrickCityweekendandNationalLabsDay,celebratedourlegacywithour2ndAnnualRetireesLuncheon,andcelebratedtheaccomplishmentsofourresearchcollaboratorswiththeLIGOresearchgroupwhowontheNobelPrizeforPhysicsthisyear!

Asyoureadaboutsomeoftheaccomplishmentsofourfaculty,staff,studentsandalumnioverthepastmonth,you’llseethatCollegeofSciencefacultyandstaffcontinuetobeleadersintheirfieldsandcreateanenvironmentthatpreparesourstudentsforsuccessinlifeaftercollege.SOPHIAMAGGELAKISDean,RITCollegeofScience

Generousbenefactor,GeorgiaGosnellcontributes$5MIn2012,estateofourgenerousbenefactor,GeorgiaGosnell,endowed$5MdollarstonametheSchoolofLifeSciences,theThomasH.GosnellSchoolofLifeSciences.ThissummerthisgenerousgiftarrivedandwillbeinvestedtogrowtheSchool’sacademicandresearchprogramsandtoimproveitsinfrastructure.Mrs.GosnellispicturedherewithformerRITPresidentWilliamDestlerandProvostJeremyHaefnerduringthededicationceremonyin2012.

RITConnectiontothe2017NobelPrizeinPhysicsBig News in the College of Science! We were delighted to hear that the LIGO ScientificCollaboration, with ties to the Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation (CCRG)researchgroup,headedbyDr.ManuellaCampanellihereatRIT,wontheNobelPrizeinPhysics

inearlyOctober.CCRGresearchersdevelopedavisualizationofwhatthewavesproducedbythecollision of two black holes would look like if detected. That visualization helped the LIGOsresearcherstoknowwhentheyhadfoundtheillusiveproofthatEinstein’stheorywascorrect.FormoreinformationabouttheNobelPrizeconnection,visittheCCRGhomepage.

CollegeofScienceprofessorsholdPreparingforCareersworkshopOnSeptember15,NathanCahill,associatedeanforindustrialpartnerships,hostedthefirstinaseriesofmonthlyworkshopsdesignedtohelpstudentspreparefor lifeaftercollege.Over35studentsattendedthesessiontoaskquestionsandseekadvicefromapanelofCOSexpertswhosharedtheirinsightsandstrategiesforfindingfutureemploymentandobtaininginternshipsandco-ops.Thankyoutothepanelwhich includedarepresentativefromeachschool inCOS:JoePow,CIS,KateWright,GSoLS,BenZwickl,SoPA,MichaelColeman,SCMS,andDavidRoss,SMS.

CollegeofScienceAlumni,Faculty&StudentNetworkingBrunch

Over60Alumni,Faculty&StudentswereinattendancefortheSpeedNetworkingeventhostedby theCollegeof Science StudentAdvisoryBoard (COSSAB)duringBrickCityWeekend. Theygatheredtodiscussresearch,graduateeducation,industrywork,andmore.

WISehostsGraduateSchoolBootcampCongratulationstoLeaMichel,SCMS,LauraMuñoz,SMS,KateWright,GSoLS,andJulieThomas,GSoLSfororganizingandrunningaverysuccessfulWISeGraduateSchoolBootcampworkshop.Over 35 students attended a fun and lively workshop with great food and great advice forcontinuingtheirstudiesingraduateschool.

PresidentialAwardsforOutstandingStaffOnOctober19,RIT’sofficeofthePresidenthostedthe2017PresidentialAwardsforOutstandingStaff.TherewereanumberofnomineesfromallaroundtheuniversityandtheCollegeofScienceStaffwerewellrepresentedforthehonor.SincerestcongratulationstotheCOSnomineesandtherecipientsoftheawards.Readthefulllistofnomineeshere.

CatherineMahrt-Washington,AssistantDeanandDirectorofStudentAdvising,istherecipientofthe2017DancyDuffusOutstandingCitizenshipAwardwhichrecognizesastaffmemberoftheutmostintegritywhoconsistentlyshowsimagination,creativityandinnovation,exceptionalservicetostudentsanduniversityconstituents,outstandingleadershipqualities,andisamodelofservicetotheRITcommunity.

Additionally,TheCOSStaffAdvisoryCouncil(COSSAC)–ValerieHemink,CariHindman,JenniferLiedkie,JaneMcGowan,JessicaSmall,MelanieWarren–aretherecipientsofoneofthe2017StaffExcellenceAwardsforoutstandingservicetotheCollegeofScienceandtheInstitute.TheStaffExcellenceAwardsrecognizestaffwhohaveexcelledintheperformanceoftheirdutiesaswellaspromotedteamworkandinspiredexcellenceinothers.

New&NotableTitles2017:CleanEnergyCongratulations to K S V Santhanam, Gerald Takacs,Massoud(Matt)Miri,AllaBailey,ThomasAllston&RomanPress on the publication of their book Clean EnergyHydrogen/Fuel Cells Laboratory manual from WorldScientific. Listed on the World Scientific “New & NotableTitles2017”webpage,thebookisdesignedtobereadablebya general audience interested in clean energy, globalwarming solutions, fuel cells, hydrogen gas safety tests aswell as undergraduate students taking general chemistrycourseorenergyasminor, graduate studentswhowish tolearn the basic fuel cells, or mechanical and electricalengineeringstudents.

NationalLabsvisitRITRepresentatives from five of the mostprestigious national laboratories were oncampusonThursday,October19tohighlightresearch, co-op, internship, and careeropportunitiesatnational laboratoriesacrosstheUnitedStates.The17nationallabsworkoncriticalscientificchallenges,fromfightingclimate

changetodiscoveringtheoriginsofouruniverse. WeweregladtowelcomebackRITalumniwhowereheretorepresenttheirlabduringthisevent.

LosAlamos:AmandaZiemann(’10BSAppliedmath,‘11MSAppliedandcomputationalmath,PhDImagingScience)

Sandia:NickLeathe(BS’11,MS’11MechEng)

OakRidge:DaveKelbe(’10BSImagingscience,’15PhDImagingScience)

SavannahRiver:KatieSalvaggio(’10BSImagingScience,PhDImagingScience)

ThomasH.GosnellSchoolofLifeScienceshostsitsfirstannualExternalAdvisoryBoardmeetingTheGSoLSexternaladvisoryboardconsistsofsixmembers.Thememberswerecuratedthroughrecommendationsfromfaculty,staff,andalumnirelationsinthespringof2017,andtheywereallinvitedtoattendafull-daymeetingduringBrickCityHomecomingonOctober13.Membersincludethreealumni,Dr.SesquileRamon(Biotechnology2007),TravisMoney(EnvironmentalScience2004),andDr.TerryWright(Biotechnology1990),andtwoexternalmembers,Dr.HeleneMcMurray(UniversityofRochester),andDr.TobyBloom(NewYorkGenomeCenter).Dr.AndreHudsonisthesixthmemberasChair.Themeetingincludedpresentationsfromfaculty,astudentpaneldiscussion,andafacilitiestourandrenovationdiscussion.Theadvisorsareexpectedtoproviderecommendationsontopicssuchascurricularchangesandupdates,theexpertiseoffuturefacultyhires,andpotentialpartnershipswithregionalcompaniesforco-ops,internships,andworkforcetraining.

TheSchoolofPhysicsandAstronomyExternalAdvisoryBoardmeetsfortheirfirstannualmeetingTheSchoolofPhysicsandAstronomyExternalAdvisoryBoardmetfortheirfirstannualmeetingoverthecourseofadayandahalfonOctober20-21.TheSoPAboardconsistsof13membersfromuniversityacademiaandadministration,industry,theAmericanPhysicalSociety,NASA,andhigh-schoolteaching.TherearetwoRITPhysicsalumsontheBoard.TheBoardChairisDr.JudithPiper(EmeritusProfessorofAstronomy,UniversityofRochester).ThemeetingincludedanopeningpresentationbySoPAHead,MichaelKotlarchyk,visitstoandpresentationsbyvariousSoPAresearchgroups,andfocus/discussionsessionswithvariouscohortsoffacultyandstudentsthroughoutthedayonOctober20.ThemorningofOctober21wasfordiscussionsaboutpreliminaryrecommendationsamongsttheBoardmembers,followedbyaninitialdebriefingsessionwiththeMichaelKotlarchykandtheInterimASTDirector,JoelKastner.TheBoardwillbeprovidingafullwrittenreportthatincludesrecommendationsabouttopicsrelatedtoprogramsandcurricula,studentcareerpaths,experientiallearningopportunities,researchfocusareas,developmentofnewacademicprograms,andtheSchool’soverallenvironment.

UNIVERSITYNEWS

CISscientistorganizessecondinternationalsymposiumon‘GlobalWomenofLight’JieQiao,associateprofessor,CISiscollaboratingwiththeOpticalSociety(OSA)Foundationtohost the second annual symposium forwomen in optics and photonics on September 17 inWashington,DCaspartoftheFrontiersinOpticsOSAConference.Readmore>

RITplayshosttoHockeyAnalyticsConferenceThelatestresearchinanalyticsforcollegeandprofessionalhockey–andforsportsingeneral–wereexploredatthethirdannualRITHockeyAnalyticsConferenceonOctober21organizedbyMattHoffman,associateprofessor,SMSandRyanStimson,editoratHockey-Graphs.About100

attendeesgatheredtodiscussadvancesindatacollectionandanalysisthatmakeitpossibletoquantifyperformanceinthefast-paced,complexsportofhockey.ReadMore>

RITresearchershelpusherineraofmulti-messengerastronomywithLIGOdiscovery,andgiveastronomers(andhitchhikers)anewguideRochester Institute of Technology researchers in the LIGO-Virgo scientific collaboration played asignificant role in an international announcement that has changed the future of astrophysics. Thebreakthroughdiscoveryofcollidingneutronstarsmarksthefirsttimebothgravitationalwavesandlighthavebeendetectedfromthesamecosmiccollision.ReadMore>andReadmore>

CollaborationstrengthensRwandathrougheducationAnthonyVodacek,professor,SCMSandErnestFokoue,associateprofessor,SMSareworkingwithfacultyattheUniversityofRwandaandtheUniversityofKibungo,promotingthatnation’sdevelopmentbyhelpingtobuildgraduateprogramsandacultureofscholarshipinacountryhealingfromcivilwarandgenocide.ReadMore>

NEWSMAKERSKaitlinStackWhitney,visitingresearchscholarinGSoLSwasquotedinaSeptember21articleintheDemocratandChronicalheadlinedTobeeornottobee:Wasppopulationbooms.

JieQiao,CISwashighlightedinanarticleinOptics&PhotonicsNewsinanarticletitledFixingtheLeakyPipeline.

BrianKoberlein,seniorlecturerofphysics,wasquotedinseveralpublicationsthismonth,including:AstronomersJustFoundtheFirstInterstellarObjectFromBeyondourSolarSystem,Futurism;Space-BasedTestProvesLight'sQuantumWeirdness,ScientificAmerican;EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAbouttheLatest'Physics-Breaking'EMDriveResearch,Futurism;ESOScientistsUnveilan'UnprecedentedDiscovery'AboutGravitationalWaves,Futurism.

RichardO'Shaughnessy,associateprofessor,SchoolofMathematicalSciences,wasquotedinseveralpublicationsthismonth,including:Neutronstarcollisionsmayhavecreatedmostofthegoldintheuniverse,PopularScience;Neutronstardiscoverymarksbreakthroughfor'multi-messengerastronomy',TheChristianScienceMonitor;FirstDetectionofGravitationalWavesfromNeutron-StarCrashMarksNewEraofAstronomy,Space.com;Neutronstarcollisionshowerstheuniversewithawealthofdiscoveries,ScienceNews;ANewRosettaStoneforAstronomy,TheAtlantic;GravitationalWaveAstronomersHitMotherLode,ScientificAmerican.RITonTV:CollidingneutronstarsCarlosLousto,professorinRIT'sSchoolofMathematicalSciences,interviewed,WROC-TV,Oct.16(Link)FirstCosmicEventObservedinBothGravitationalWavesandLightManuelaCampanelli,director,CenterforComputationalRelativityandGravitation,quoted,UniverseToday,Oct.16(Link)LIGONobel:HowaneweraofastronomywillrideongravitationalwavesManuelaCampanelli,director,CenterforComputationalRelativityandGravitation,quoted,TheChristianScienceMonitor,Oct.3(Link)GravitationalWaveWorksWinsPhysicsNobelPrizeCarlosLousto,professorinRIT'sSchoolofMathematicalSciences,quoted,NBC.com,Oct.3(Link)GravitationalWavesDetectedby2ObservatoriesAfterBlackHolesCollideImagesbyNicoleRosato,mathematicalmodelingPh.D.student,Space.com,Sept.27(Link)WATCH:Genetics,ancestry,andhealthRickKittles'89(biology)featured,WXXI.org,Sept.17(Link)

FromaquietfarmtoRochesterMen'shockeyplayersandfourth-yearstudentsBradyandChaseNorrishfeatured,PucksandRecreation,Sept.16(Link)Henriettacompany'saerialimagingtechnologyhelpshurricanevictimsStephenSchultz'89(computerscience)mentionedandCarlSalvaggio,professorofimagingscience,quoted,DemocratandChronicle,Sept.14(Link)

ALUMNISPOTLIGHT

Zackery P. Bulman (GSoLS) ’11 After completing his PharmD and an Infectious DiseasesFellowship at the University at Buffalo, Zackery Bulman accepted a position as an AssistantProfessorofPharmacyPracticeattheUniversityofIllinoisatChicago.Hisresearchfocusesonnovel pharmacotherapeutic approaches that aim to overcome drug resistant bacteria andimprovepatientoutcomes.

JulioRivera(GSoLS)‘08 SincegraduatingfromRIT,JuliojoinedMargueriteButler'slabattheUniversityofHawaiiatManoawherehestudiedphylogeneticsandperformanceofmicrohylidfrogsfromPapuaNewGuinea.DuringhistenureatUH,heco-authoreda$750,000NSFgrantthatpaid forhis fieldworkandsalary. Healsoco-designedacurriculumthatallowedmiddleschoolstudentsfromPNGandHawaiitosharestoriesabouttheireverydaylifeaswellastalkingaboutbiodiversityintheirrespectiveislands.Juliorecentlyacceptedapost-doctoralpositionatArizona State University with Emilia Martins to develop phylogenetic techniques to modelancestralrangesofanimalsusingfossilandclimatedata.

KennethReed(SCMS)’70Dr.KennethJ.Reed,co-founderandCTOofZeroValentNanoMetals,hasbeenselectedasthe2017EntrepreneuroftheYearbytheRochesterSectionoftheAmericanChemical Society. The award, in recognition of Dr. Reed’s development of innovative newchemistryanditscommercializationatseverallocalcompanies,waspresentedattheSection’s

AnnualRecognitionDinnerattheBrookHouseonOctober11.Thisaward,andtheimpressivetechnicalandbusinessachievementsofthenominees,highlightthecontinuingcentralroleofchemistryintheeconomicdevelopmentoftheRochesterarea.

PuruV.Purushothamnamed2017DistinguishedAlumnusoftheCollegeofScienceOverthreedecadesofexperienceinvariousleadershiprolesinbestinclassglobalcompanies,includinginternationalentrepreneurshipspanningNorthAmerica,Europe,AsiaandIsrael.ServedasthefoundingPresidentandCEOofahightechnologyjointventurebetweentwointernationallyrenownedbrands,resultinginoperationsintheUSandEurope.Specializedinnurturinginnovationsandsuccessfullycommercializingbreakthroughtechnologiesinmarketsaroundtheglobe.Personalstrengthsandinterestincludestrategicplanning,shapinglongtermbusinessalliances,leadingmergerandacquisitioninitiatives,buildingandnurturinginternationalteams,andbuildingnewbusinessoperationsspanningtheentirevaluechainfromresearchandinnovationtoglobalsalesandcustomersupport.Servesontheboardsofseveralfor-profitandnon-profitorganizationsintheUSandabroad.MemberofPresident’sRoundTableattheRochesterInstituteofTechnology,Rochester,NewYork,USA

SPONSOREDRESEARCHHerbertBernstein, SCMS, is thePI ona$45,000grant from theDHHS,National Institutesofhealth/Lawrence Berkeley National Lab to support the project titled "Improvements to celldistancealgorithmforclusteringofXFELimages.”AndreHudson,GSoLS, isthePIona$467,754grantfromtheNational InstitutesofHealthtosupport the project titled "Genetic and structural analysis of L,L-DiaminopimelateAminotransferase (DapL): An attractive target for the development of narrow-spectrumantibiotics.”MichaelGartley,CIS,isthePIona$10,000contractwiththeDOD,DepartmentoftheAirForce,Material Command/Altamira Technologies Corporation to support the project titled "FY17PassiveGEOINTResearchandDevelopment,Phase1.”MichaelMurdoch,PoCS,isthePIwithco-PISusanFarnand,PoCSona$34,300contractwiththeCenter for Operator Performance / Wright State University to support the project titled"OperatorDisplayBackgroundColor.”Carmody(Carrie)McCalley,GSoLS,isthePIona$63,307grantfromNASA-NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration /UniversityofNewHampshire to support theproject titled "FromArchaeatotheAtmosphere:IntegratingGenetic,IsotopicandLandscape-ScaleObservationstoQuantifyMethaneEmissionsfromGlobalHigh-LatitudeEcosystems.”MichaelZemcov,SoPA,isthePIona$39,900grantfromNASA—NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationtosupporttheprojecttitled"ProbingtheHistoryofStructureFormationthroughIntensityMappingoftheNear-InfraredExtragalacticBackgroundLight.”ChristopherCollison,SCMS,isthePIona$49,951contractwiththeHewlett-PackardCompanytosupporttheprojecttitled"Self-HealingFuserFilm-ExploringPossibleSmartMaterials.”JoelKastner,CIS,isthePIona$31,927contractwithNASA—NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration to support theproject titled"MassLossatHigherMetallicity:Quantifying theMassReturnfromEvolvedStarsintheGalacticBulge.”