University Magazine Winter 2020

So you’re a steel drum-playing, tap dancing ninja warrior? RIT has wellness classes for that

Also inside: How employers keep the curriculum relevant

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Imagine RIT—every day

magine a space where you can print a Complex (stay tuned for an official name) 3D object for a class project and also is also imperative in an increasingly Iincorporate ceramics and competitive landscape in student glass blowing. Imagine the recruitment. It’s intended to same space where you go after a particular kind RIT University Magazine can get involved of student—those who

Executive Editors with photogra- might be good at Lisa Cauda, Development and Alumni Relations phy, a formula science and math, Bob Finnerty ’07 MS, Marketing and Communications race car, but also want to Deborah M. Stendardi, Government and Community Relations music, make some- John Trierweiler, Marketing and Communications theater, thing. Or maybe Editor or dance. they want to Mindy Mozer, Marketing and Communications Imagine if continue their

Art Director this space high school Jeff Arbegast ’93 MS, Marketing and Communications created the experience in eclectic vibe the performing Photography Editor Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito ’07 that we experi- arts. ence annually We also need to Contributing Editors Jon Rodibaugh ’12 MBA, at Imagine RIT: get thousands of our Development and Alumni Relations Creativity and own students into this Cindy Sobieraj, Development and Alumni Relations Innovation Festival. facility every day, Photographers The Imagine RIT so they walk by all this Elizabeth Lamark ’00, Marketing and Communications festival is our signature making and creativity. A. Sue Weisler ’93 MS, Marketing and Communications event where students and Students displayed a Human This is particularly true Writers: Marketing and Communications faculty display their Hamster Wheel that produced elec- for our first-year Luke Auburn ’09, ’15 MS Rich Kiley tricity at last year’s Imagine festival. Scott Bureau ’11, ’16 MBA Greg Livadas capstone work and launch students, who arrive Michelle Cometa ’00 Vienna McGrain ’12 MS new ideas, services, and not always knowing Susan Gawlowicz ’95 Ellen Rosen products into the world. The festival is about the possibilities available at RIT. Copy Editor one day. Imagine if we could capture that This space will showcase those Marie Lang, Marketing and Communications inspired activity 365 days a year. possibilities as well as how our students Print Production This is the thinking behind our work together and share knowledge. Brenda Monahan, Marketing and Communications Innovative Maker and Learning Complex, This university is in pursuit of the Marketing and Communications a 100,000-plus-square-foot facility that extraordinary, the novel, and the unex- University Communications will become the epicenter of what RIT pected. Imagine RIT — every day. 22 Lomb Memorial Drive represents—creativity and innovation at Rochester, NY 14623-5608 Voice: 585-475-5064, Fax: 585-475-5097 the intersection of technology, the arts, Sincerely, Email: [email protected] and design. RIT is the best university in Office of Alumni Relations the nation at which to house this under Crossroads 41 Lomb Memorial Drive one roof. Rochester, NY 14623-5603 When I first arrived on campus more David C. Munson Jr., President Voice: 585-475-ALUM, Toll Free: 866-RIT-ALUM TTY: 585-475-2764, Fax: 585-475-5308 than two years ago, we were talking about [email protected] Email: [email protected] a serious renovation of the Wallace Twitter: @RITPresident

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, Library. I wondered, “why would we stop New York, publishes RIT University Magazine. with the library?” We are now designing P.S.: Save the date for Saturday, April 25, RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and a facility that will link the library to the for Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation values diversity within its workforce and provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals Student Alumni Union. (See more details Festival, our signature event that draws regardless of race, color, creed, age, marital status, on pages 16 and 17.) We need something 30,000 visitors to campus each year. sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender that is emblematic of our university and You will discover nearly 400 interactive identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status, or disability. that explains how we are distinctive. presentations, exhibits, hands-on At the highest level, this facility will demonstrations, research projects, Vol. 21, No. 3, 124M-P2364-11/2019-LANE-JSA represent who we are to ourselves and and live performances from Tigers Printer: The Lane Press; Burlington, Vermont © 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology the outside world. focused on shaping the future and All rights reserved The Innovative Maker and Learning improving the world. University Magazine Winter 2020

Features Departments

12 Precision 2 On Campus agriculture 4 About Students Drones are coming 10 Research soon to a farm near Faculty Profile you. 38 40 Alumni Updates 16 Makerspace 46 Class Notes Plans are in the 48 Tiger Love works for a new hub 50 Tiger Cubs that will bring the 56 Archives magic of Imagine RIT to campus every day.

18 Building businesses A new fellowship allows students to be entrepreneurs and stay in school.

24 Wellness for life RIT redefines wellness.

32 Learning from industry Employers keep RIT’s curriculum forward-looking.

Cover Xavier Thomas, a mechanical engineering student, works on his skills in a ninja warrior class. The class is held at Rochester 24 Parkour Gym, which Tap dancing is one of more than 180 wellness is owned by Charles Moreland ’10. courses offered at RIT. The university requires all

Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito undergraduates to complete two wellness courses. 2 |WINTER 2020 In Brief the Spring2020 issue. will run someofthemin to [email protected]. We you on about Remington’s impact for design.Sendstories tional archival resource ton madeRITaninterna- of ArtandDesign,Reming sign program intheCollege a nationallyrecognizedde- 57 years attheuniversity. this academicyear after will retireattheendof serving facultymember, Remington to retire tures grewto$61million. in funding,andexpendi- awards totaling$74 million in fiscalyear 2019. for research expenditures funding andarecordyear ever insponsoredresearch RIT haditssecond-bestyear $74 million Research garners upon thesechanges. opportunities toimprove and strategically seek derstand societalchanges, technically prepared,un- oping graduates whoare group focusesondevel- engineering education.The come togethertoadvance about 50 universitiesthat a nationalpartnership of Engineering Unleashed, RIT isnowapartofKEEN: RIT joinsKEEN On Campus While henotonlybuilt RIT received 366new RIT’s longest- Design and Professor of Distinguished Vignelli Remington, R. Roger - Google, andProcter &Gamble. porations suchasMicrosoft, like Metawave andlargecor- out technologiesintostartups of Energy, aswellspinning DARPA andtheDepartment government agenciessuchas business servingmany large research openinnovation (PARC), I builtaverystrong Palo AltoResearch Center ship research laboratory, the Xerox’s productsandservices. design intoabroadrange of focus onbuildingsecurityby cybersecurity team witha I ledthecreation ofastrong technologies andproducts, and launched mostofXerox’s new velopment. I ledtheteams that both research andproductde- I spent25years atXerox in this new position? background ledyou to What inyour career president at Xerox isalready at work ontheinstitute, whichisslated to openinfall 2020. the world’s problems. cybersecurity Theformer chief technology officer seniorvice and new Institute, GlobalCybersecurity isbringingtogether andindustry academia to helptackle Steve Hoover, whowas recently namedtheKatherine Executive Johnson Director of RIT’s As theCEO of Xerox’s flag with Steve Hoover A conversation - for impact. to deploythatinthereal world a technicalarea withtheability to combinedeepknowledgeof the universityisagreat place ernment collaboration. Ithink impactful commercialandgov - strong education,andhighly things—great scholarship, unusual combinationofthree pact intechnologythroughan RIT hasalonghistoryofim- institute? ideal placefor this What makes RITthe technologies. and adoptthelatestincyber and help companiesexplore even broader range ofresearch, develop newskills, conduct an ing professionalstotrain and students, offer ways forwork be abletoeducateevenmore With thenewinstitute, we’ll ing toturnaroundthiscrisis. cybersecurity, andRITiswork of peoplequalifiedtoworkin There isanationalshortage Institute? Cybersecurity Global Why isRITcreating the - - Scott Bureau ’11,’16MBA businesses andtalenttoRIT. ternal partners, sowecandraw standing theneedsofourex over thenext year isunder- bersecurity skills. A key focus development inadvanced cy- certifications andworkforce ment officialswhoneednew try executives andgovern- our students, butforindus- provide training notonlyfor in theCyberRangewillhelpus The abilitytosimulateattacks role intheinstitute? How willindustry play a measures tocyberattacks. develop defensesandcounter- both research andeducationto facility willprovideatestbedfor with thousandsofservers. This simulations overnetworks create real-world cyberattack facility thatwillallowusto the CyberRange, abenchmark We’re currentlydeveloping stand out? will make theinstitute you’re working onthat What issomething -

A. Sue Weisler Metaproject 10 teams with Vignelli Center

IT’s Metaproject has come full circle. guished Professor of Design and the Vignel- awards that will be judged in December. Since 2010, the course has paired li Center’s director, noted that the celebra- In addition to Remington, Jennifer Whit- R RIT student designers with a cli- tory collaboration “continues Metaproject’s lock, who serves as the Vignelli Center’s ent partner in what has become a seminal annual tradition of blending education and archivist, and Ella von Holtum, assistant project for the university’s internationally the real world.” archivist for the RIT Archives, will serve as ranked industrial design program. judges. Owen is lining up additional jurors This year’s project is honoring both the for an Industry Award. 10th anniversary of Metaproject and RIT’s True to RIT’s brand, Metaproject has Vignelli Center for Design Studies, which m etaproject 10 connected students with design industry houses the work of the late Massimo and professionals at leading companies and Lella Vignelli, arguably the most influential provided the possibility of having their designers of the past 50 years. In keeping with the “Design is One” designs put into production. “Having the stable foundation of Mod- philosophy espoused by the Vignelli Center Through Metaproject, RIT students have ernist design thinking to build on gives us and recognizing that the Vignellis strived made important contacts with some of the a wonderful platform for experimentation,” to create timeless design, this year’s theme most prestigious design-based companies said Josh Owen, Distinguished Professor is “Design for Time.” Eighteen industrial in the world, and they have the opportunity and director of the industrial design pro- design students are tasked with creating a to exhibit their creations each May during gram in the College of Art and Design and product that incorporates their own defini- Design Week in New York City. Metaproject’s founder. tion of timelessness. R. Roger Remington, Vignelli Distin- In a new twist, students will vie for three Rich Kiley

RIT and museum seal partnership with gift

IT has received a CEO of the living history $1.3 million gift to museum in Mumford, N.Y., R endow its partnership said she is enthusiastic about between the university and the potential the gift holds for Genesee Country Village & both organizations. Museum. About $1 million of the The gift comes from Philip donation will be used to Wehrheim ’66 (business) and endow the partnership, which his wife, Anne. could include funding research “For me to be able to do projects and stipends for faculty this for the museum and also and students to work collab­ for my alma mater is a perfect oratively with museum staff. fit,” he said. The remaining $300,000 will James Winebrake, dean of be used to establish and main- the College of Liberal Arts, tain exhibit space for students said that while his college will who worked with the partner- A. Sue Weisler manage the gift, the fund will ship to highlight fruits of the Philip Wehrheim ’66 and his wife, Anne, gave a $1.3 million gift to endow a partnership between RIT and Genesee Country Village & Museum. support projects involving all collaboration. colleges at RIT. The museum and RIT have “Experiential learning is worked together on numer- 19th-century printing press; gallery departments. a hallmark of our university,” ous projects in recent years. and developed streetscapes A multi-disciplinary team Winebrake said. “This gift Students used 3D printing to of the historic Corn Hill of engineering students this will guarantee opportunities fabricate appropriately-sized neighborhood of Rochester. academic year is working to for our students to gain valuable hands for mannequins; worked Over the past three years, develop a process for manag- experience while benefitting with Amelia Hugill-Fontanel, more than a dozen RIT students ing the museum’s maintenance the museum and the commu- assistant curator in the Cary have served as interns at the records. nity for years to come.” Collection, to dismantle museum, working in the Becky Wehle, president and and move the museum’s curatorial, marketing, and Greg Livadas

WINTER 2020 | 3 About Students

Thinking outside the box: RIT hydroponic farm changes the dining experience

he lettuce is tasting ing needs. Stony Brook Univer- fresher at RIT’s main sity, the University of Arkansas, Tcampus since the uni- and Clark University have also versity installed a hydroponic had success using the same farm-in-a-box behind the Stu- hydroponic set-up RIT adopted, dent Alumni Union. purchased from Freight Farms. Made from an upcycled “It helps us stand apart from freight container, the new RIT other universities. This is how Hydroponic Farm will provide we keep RIT and RIT Dining fresh produce for the chefs who at the forefront of innova- serve nearly 14,000 meals on tion,” said Denishea Ortiz ’04 campus every day. So far, the (international business), direc- farm has produced roughly 100 tor of strategic marketing and pounds of greens since farm retail product management for manager Dave Brault started Auxiliary Services. “It is one of harvesting in early August. many steps that we have taken Once Brault establishes a con- to highlight the fact that RIT has sistent growth cycle, he hopes an innovative campus beyond to harvest roughly four times the classroom.” per month. Right now, Brault is focus- Rather than using soil to ing on growing smaller, leafy grow plants and provide them greens like basil, cilantro, kale, nutrients, plants on a hydro- arugula, and different varieties ponic farm get everything of lettuce. Going forward, he they need from water. Using will get feedback from RIT chefs a vertical hydroponic system, to see what types of produce are Brault anchors the seedlings in in high demand. a breathable mesh that allows “This is square one and from for water flow, and he hangs here we have a huge oppor- them from the ceiling in long tunity to turn this farm into containers to maximize space. something lasting and impact- RIT is one of few universi- ful,” said Brault. “Hopefully, ties in the United States that other universities will see has implemented a hydroponic that it can be done and that garden to help sustain its din- the logistical challenges in

4 | WINTER 2020 Farm manager Dave Brault stands inside the 40-foot-long farm- in-a-box. LED lights and nutrient-enriched water replicate natural growing conditions.

Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito WINTER 2020 | 5 About Students Emma Junga, a third-year mechanical engineering student with a concentration in energy and the environment, works at the farm a few days a week. After taking a tour of the farm, Junga was interested in the process and asked Brault for a job. Now, she helps care for the plants, including planting and harvesting, and gives tours to share information about the new farm.

Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito 6 | WINTER 2020 Produce from the farm A. Sue Weisler is already being used in Brick City Café and by RIT Catering. In the future, the produce will be used at all dining areas on the main RIT campus.

To see a video, go to Watch bit.ly/RITFarmInBox.

salad bar, thus the proximity of the farm is a chance to provide a literal farm-to-table experience,” Ortiz said. “The produce is fresher and contains more nutrients.” Before coming to RIT, Brault built and established his own hydroponic farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Brault A. Sue Weisler said he looks forward to the unique implementing something like opportunities the university can this are not insurmountable.” provide with its plentiful resources Ortiz explained that the goal is of people-power, brain-power, and to provide produce for all dining technological innovations. facilities on campus. Before they “Farming is not something that can roll things out on a larger most people would think involves scale, Brault and RIT Dining are a lot of technology, but the industry experimenting with the growth needs these advances to address cycles and outputs to learn what the challenges that are coming the farm is capable of. our way,” he said. “I think RIT will The greens from the hydro- continue to find ways to innovate ponic farm are currently supplying and use technology to help farmers produce for Brick City Café and are move forward.” being used by RIT Catering. “Brick City Café is known for its Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

WINTER 2020 | 7 Student Work

Deanna Campagnola, a fourth-year illustration student, made this surrealist illustration. The painting shows off her love of honey.

Why I created this painting

his piece is one of my favor- types of mediums, allowing me to ite works that I have created be more flexible in what I create. T in my time here at RIT. I currently illustrate using acrylic The prompt given to me was paints, digital, gouache, water- to create a surrealist illustration. color, colored pencils, and mixed Since I love honey—and bees are media. so cool, as well as important to our I have been able to develop a planet—I jumped at the chance to unique artistic style here that has create an illustration incorporating aided me in providing my own them. identity and energy to my art. This surrealist piece blends a My artistic style is very impor- woman and her beehive hairstyle tant to me, and with the encour- into a literal interpretation of a agement of my professors and beehive. peers, I am discovering my own I created this acrylic painting in voice and building my skills to in- my Illustration 2 class with Profes- corporate into each of my projects. sor Robert Dorsey, who allowed After I graduate, I plan to work me total creative freedom while in freelancing and licensing. I providing technical guidance. The hope to sell my characters and courses in the illustration BFA designs to clients for them to use program have pushed me and my in projects such as editorial work, art in new directions, which has books, and other reproductions. made me think more about what it means to be an artist. Deanna Campagnola My time at RIT has given me the Fourth-year illustration student opportunity to work in different Hometown: Clifton Park, N.Y.

Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito 8 | WINTER 2020 You’re invited to the next stop on Transforming RIT: The World Tour

Featuring a mix of dynamic and engaging Missed the last event? alumni, faculty, and students, these events View the recorded discussion at rit.edu/transformingRIT. provide intellectually curious alumni and friends of RIT the opportunity to engage in thought- BOSTON, MA provoking discussions on trending topics and SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 critical issues.

Join RIT President David C. Munson, Jr. at our next stop, in-person or online:

Three innovators of San Jose, CA the 21st century lead a conversation about January 14, 2020 entrepreneurship • Kailey Bradt BS ’15, MS ’18, Founder & CEO Washington, DC of OWA Haircare, Inc. • Rob Frasca BS ’88, March 18, 2020 Co-Founder & Managing Partner of COSIMO Ventures • Nicholas Lemieux BS ’13, Visit rit.edu/transformingRIT to register for Founder & CEO of Million an event or live stream.

© 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology | One Lomb Memorial Drive | Rochester, New York 14623 Research Assistant Professor Michael Zemcov and Chi Nguyen, an astrophysical sciences and technology Ph.D. student, are preparing CIBER-2 to fly Researchers prepare on a Black Brant IX sounding rocket for launch rocket, left, in February.

team of RIT researchers is Nguyen could assemble and helping launch an experi- calibrate the equipment, along Ament above the atmo- with support from collaborators sphere to better understand extra- from Japan, California Institute galactic background light, which of Technology, and University of traces the history of galaxies back California, Irvine. to the formation of the first stars At the end of November, it ships in the universe. to the Wallops Flight Facility in “We’re trying to understand the Virginia to be integrated with the fluctuations in the background rocket. light at infrared wavelengths,” said It then heads to the New Michael Zemcov, assistant profes- Mexico desert in January where sor of physics and a member of the rocket will ultimately launch. RIT’s Future Photon Initiative and CIBER-2 will fly on a Black Brant Center for Detectors. “We want to IX sounding rocket from the White know if there is matter or sources Sands Missile Range in February. of light in between galaxies that The short flight will last for about we can’t find in the ways we’ve 15 minutes and CIBER-2 will col- been using up to now.” lect data for about half that time The experiment leverages an before the rocket returns to Earth. observational technique called Once the launch is complete, re- intensity mapping used to study searchers will begin analyzing the the structure of the universe. data and preparing for subsequent Zemcov is the principal launches over the next five years investigator of the observational that will collect additional data at cosmology project, dubbed the different wavelengths. Cosmic Infrared Background Zemcov said that if the ex- ExpeRiment-2 (CIBER-2). periment uncovers new sources Chi Nguyen, an astrophysical of light in between galaxies that sciences and technology Ph.D. stu- couldn’t be found through other dent from Vietnam, is one of the means, it would raise additional researchers critical to the project. important questions. She received a NASA Earth and “If we find such light, how Space Science Fellowship in as- bright is it, where is it coming trophysics research that funds her from, and what’s responsible? It contribution to the project’s data could be things as simple as stars analysis and instrumentation. outside of galaxies or it could The experiment section of the be even more exotic things like rocket—the compartment that dark matter that’s decaying into holds the telescope and detec- photons.” tors—arrived at the RIT campus in August so that Zemcov and Luke Auburn ’09, ’15 MS

10 | WINTER 2020 A. Sue Weisler WINTER 2020 | 11 A. Su e Weisler growing popluation. for theworld’s solve food shortages who want to help attracts students Precision agriculture difference Making a agricultural field. payload for flight over an RIT-developed MX1imaging and drone pilot, prepares the labengineer senior science), Tim Bauch’16(imaging Ready to fly Drones Precision agriculture

rones are adding a new level of precision to agriculture, giving Dfarmers digital tools for cultivating better and more profitable crops. “The machinery that large farms use— big combines and sprayers—they can take input from GPS and it automates the application process of fertilizer, for exam- ple,” said Carl Salvaggio, RIT professor of Drones imaging science. “This technology can also are coming spatially tell you where to harvest to get the best crop product.” Salvaggio and Professor Jan van Aardt are developing imaging systems at RIT that could make drones commonplace on farms in western and central New York, soon enhancing the Finger Lakes region’s focus to a farm near you

as a food hub, while creating the supporting technology and software companies. Salvaggio, who leads RIT’s signature research program in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) imaging, offers some ideas on how drones can help farmers. For instance, accurate measurements of soil nutrients and moisture level, disease risk, and plant maturity could take the guess work out of predicting harvesting and processing schedules. Information captured by specialized imaging technology could also reduce the need for chemical controls, by indicating where, when, and how much to apply. RIT’s remote sensing expertise could also establish technical standards that ensure the scientific integrity of the fledgling industry. Salvaggio, who primarily conducts research for the defense industry, is taking the lead in atmospheric compensation, calibration of imagery, and radiometric processing to ensure continuity in imagery collected over time. It’s a point of pride for the RIT researcher; if the imagery isn’t adjusted for atmospher- ic differences between scenes, dramatic changes in illumination between a sunny morning and an overcast afternoon will skew the data and lead to misinformed decisions at the farm level.

WINTER 2020 | 13 Taking the guess work out of farming

Carl Salvaggio, professor of imaging science, is developing imaging systems to help farmers . Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito Precision agriculture

“A lot of people are flying without cal- ibrating their data, and they’re providing data that, to them, looks right,” Salvaggio said. “There is so much promise in these systems, but if you lose the faith of the farmer, you’re never going to get it back, and that could make an industry flourish or totally bankrupt it.” A regional collaboration of strategic partners, called the FARMS (Fostering Agricultural ReMote Sensing) Alliance, is developing both the unmanned aerial systems technology and the best practices for using it. Van Aardt is leading this National Science Foundation-funded project focused on remote-sensing applications in snap bean production. The crop is economically important to New York as one of the biggest producers of processed and fresh market snap beans, following Wisconsin and Florida. The U.S.

Department of Agriculture, in 2015, ranked A. Sue Weisler snap beans as the fifth largest vegetable Nina Raqueno, an assistant scientist in imaging science, and Amirhossein Hassanzadeh, crop, in terms of acreage, with a $416 million an imaging science Ph.D. student, use imaging systems on drones to help farmers. market value. The availability of a commercialized imaging product for managing white mold, window when the beans are ripe,” Johnson Sarah Pethybridge, assistant professor of predicting crop ripeness, and estimating said. “It’s critical from our planning stand- plant pathology at Cornell University. the snap bean yield could have a big impact point knowing when those fields will be A white-mold expert, Pethybridge, along on farmers. ready to harvest.” with Julie Kikkert at Cornell’s Cooperative That is welcome news to Jeff Johnson, The challenge of predicting plant matu- Extension, are already developing risk models agricultural manager at the Seneca Foods rity is pushing the limits of remote sensing. for snap beans with Salvaggio and van Aardt Corp. location in Geneva, N.Y., who has Van Aardt is combining hyper¬spectral for an ongoing U.S. Department of Agricul- been talking to van Aardt for years about imaging to capture light signatures and ture study. Pethybridge’s project inspired the need for a better way of managing LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors van Aardt to form the FARMS Alliance. crops with imaging technology. Johnson to build a spatial, three-dimensional, or “From the exploratory research done is responsible for growing 10,000 acres of topographic, picture. “We’re trying to fly a with RIT, we have good spectral signatures snap beans for one of the nation’s largest drone, look at a snap bean plant—not even to detect flowers, which is an important vegetable processors and relies on crop the pods—and see if there is a signal in the step in identifying optimal timing of pesti- scouts to monitor the ripening pods and plant that tells us the pods are mature or cides for white-mold control,” Pethybridge look for signs of white mold. ripe,” he said. said. “When we send people out to the field, And when it comes to white mold, van The goal for Salvaggio and van Aardt is they are walking a path,” Johnson said. Aardt and imaging science graduate student to get the information products into the “We send a drone over the field, it can see Ethan Hughes are identifying the spectral farmers’ hands. the whole field. In theory, we can have a and structural indicators that influence “We use expensive sensors with hun- better picture of that whole field than our pesticide timing and disease risk. “We want dreds of spectral or color channels, but person does by just walking through it, to see—even before the mold occurs—if we we actually only want to identify five or and labor is becoming more expensive can predict where disease incidence will fewer channels that are useful for specific and harder to find.” be the highest, so farmers can spray only applications,” van Aardt said. “Then we can The crops are staggered because the in those areas,” van Aardt said. transition those five channels into a more processing plant can handle only so “Remote sensing techniques in agricul- affordable sensor that a farmer or a service many tons per day, and the tight operating ture hold the promise of standardizing crop provider could use operationally.” schedule isn’t negotiable. assessments with a scientific accuracy not “In our world, there’s a 24- to 72-hour possible from manual observations,” said Susan Gawlowicz ’95

WINTER 2020 | 15 New hub will bring magic of Imagine RIT to campus every day Plans are in the works for a makerspace that will connect Wallace Library with the Student Alumni Union.

Student Wallace Alumni Library Union

By the numbers • Design and documentation process: 12 to 18 months • Construction: about 18 months • Estimated grand opening: fall of 2022 • Construction costs: $100 million + • Size: over 100,000 square feet

16 | WINTER 2020 Elizabeth Lamark n ambitious initiative along possibilities are here.” the Quarter Mile will trans- The project also includes an Where will the tiger go? form RIT into a maker’s heaven, extensive redesign of the library and A Chances are high that the Tiger Statue where the arts and technology limited renovations to the student on the Quarter Mile will be relocated converge and ideas percolate freely. union. during the construction of the Innova- The Innovative Maker and Learning “The location is not a flat site, and tive Maker and Learning Complex. Complex, an unofficial name for now, all sides are potentially very dynam- But the project presents a new will have a footprint of more than ic,” Yarrington said. “Coming into opportunity to showcase the tiger, 100,000 square feet. The facility will this building, we want you to feel said James Yarrington, RIT university occupy the grassy slope overlooking like you’re in the middle of an active, architect and director of planning the south side of campus. It will con- energized environment with light, and design services. “It’s great on the nect the Student Alumni Union with artificial and natural.” Quarter Mile, but if it’s embraced by a the Wallace Library and create a new These interior spaces will create “a building as a major feature, that’s even nexus point on campus. new spine of student life and student better,” he said. At least the tiger’s “We realized many years ago that services” running roughly parallel sweater would stay dry. if we want a 24/7, lively, urbanistic- to the Quarter Mile, noted Tori feeling community, it’s up to us Budgeon-Baker, RIT senior architect to build it,” said James Yarrington, and space planning manager. RIT university architect and director The project coincides with RIT’s of planning and design services. growing research portfolio, expand- Envisioned by RIT President ing doctoral programs, and global Architects David Munson Jr. as the new campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, William Rawn Associates epicenter on campus, the complex and Kosovo, contributing to the Architects Inc., a world-class will reverberate daily with the hum university’s approximate 19,000 firm based in Boston with of the Imagine RIT: Creativity and enrollment. projects across the country Innovation Festival. Construction costs will exceed on college campuses and The details are still in flux, but an $100 million, making it the largest in civic spaces, will design emphasis on visible workspaces will undertaking since building the Henri- the project. Rochester firm showcase creative projects and col- etta campus, which opened in 1968. HBT Architects will handle laborations currently hidden behind The facility will be funded, in part, construction details. brick walls. Transparent spaces will by $17.5 million from RIT trustee and highlight student project teams and alumnus Austin McChord, part of his demonstration studios for the arts. record $50 million gift to RIT in 2017. Other possibilities include a black- A programmatic study, “Imagine box theater with approximately 200 RIT Every Day,” led by Yarrington seats and large flexible classrooms for and Budgeon-Baker, represented RIT group activities. stakeholders—from students and Transforming RIT The complex will reflect the eclectic staff, to faculty, deans, and vice presi- RIT launched a $1 billion blended interests of RIT’s student body. Visitors dents—and took a “big-tent approach” campaign called Transforming RIT: to campus will be able to “understand to what could fit in the building. The Campaign for Greatness. RIT in 15 minutes,” Munson said. “We Members of the task force will A pillar of the campaign calls for the need something that is emblematic of contribute to the design decisions, university to enhance the student our university and which explains Munson said. experience by building innovative visually how we are distinctive. It will Boston-based architect William learning facilities and strengthening represent who we are to ourselves Rawn Associates will design the performing arts programs. RIT will and the outside world.” project, and Rochester firm HBT seek additional philanthropic While similar in spirit to RIT’s Architects will handle construction support for this initiative when MAGIC Spell Studios, the new center details and specifications. plans are available. Learn more at will have a broader scope. The design and documentation rit.edu/transformingrit. “The MAGIC Center concentrates process kicked off in July and is on one sector of making and technol- expected to last 12 to 18 months. ogy; this will be an all-encompassing This intensive early work will facility,” Munson said. “We need to ensure a smooth-flowing project, get thousands of our own students in said Budgeon-Baker. this facility every day, so they walk by all this making and see what all the Susan Gawlowicz ’95

WINTER 2020 | 17 Building businesses Fellowship allows students to be entrepreneurs and stay in school

Alumnus Austin McChord and RIT President David Munson, right, met with Gap Year Fellows in August. McChord supports the fellowship program financially and by mentoring the students. To see a video, go to bit.ly/GapYearFellow.

18 | WINTER 2020 efore transferring into the School of Individual- ized Study (SOIS), Zack Evans was ready to drop Bout of college to concentrate on his shipping fulfillment business full time. “I didn’t have the time for school anymore and I could not let this business idea go,” said Evans. “College would be around forever, so I wanted to focus on growing my business while I still could.” After talking with James Hall, dean of University Studies and executive director of SOIS, Evans found an alternative that would benefit his business and college career: The Gap Year Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Advice The fellowship was created in 2018 and allows SOIS for young students to take time off of school to focus on personal business ventures while still working toward their entrepreneurs degrees. Students in the fellowship also receive a $15,000 award to create the time and space needed to During a meeting with build their business, and they have access to mentor- the Gap Year Fellows, ship from entrepreneurial experts at the university. “We want to bring the most talented and most RIT alumnus Austin creative students to the Rochester community, and to McChord was asked RIT, and send them the message that the passions and what advice he had dreams that they have can be pursued here,” said Hall. for students working “Sometimes that means getting out of their way. Some- to build their own times that means opening up space for them to drive companies. the particular innovations that they’re invested in.” The Gap Year Fellowship was made possible by a gift from alumnus Austin McChord, founder of Datto Here’s what he said: and venture partner at General Catalyst, who gave $50 million to the university in 2017. The fellowship • Tell a compelling story. was one of many areas on campus McChord supported Even if an investor has with his gift. heard 10 pitches that day, “I really hope that students come away from the make yours stand out. gap year with a better idea of what’s possible and, really, a stronger belief in themselves about what they • You can run your company can build,” said McChord, who also is an RIT Trustee. however you want, so focus “I hope every single student feels like they are in much on making it a place where better control of their career and has a better idea of people want to stay. where they want to go and what they want to do.” Reflecting on his experience as a young entrepre- • When talking to investors, neur at RIT, McChord emphasized why he thinks it’s be transparent and honest. important to give the time, mentorship, and financial If you don’t know an answer, resources that allow a student start-up to grow. just say you don’t know. “RIT was instrumental in me achieving the success that I was able to achieve, so the right thing to do is • Know your business, know give back and, hopefully, help future students go on your space in the market, and do even bigger things than anything I have ever and, most importantly, done,” he said. know your limits. The fellowship began in 2018 when Brandon Hudson, a fourth-year SOIS student, took a gap year to focus on growing his HVAC systems company, Seerwise. Since then, four new students have participated in the program: Evans, Sam Cammarata, Jeremiah Gry- czka, and Amanda Zaremski. Meet the fellows on the following pages.

Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

WINTER 2020 | 19 Photos by Elizabeth Lamark Elizabeth by Photos Building businesses

This experience has taught me more outside of the classroom than I would have ever imagined. It’s a milestone Amanda Zaremski, in my life. CEO of WinutRx

Fourth-year School of Individualized Study student with concentrations in decision sciences and health care management From Irondequoit, N.Y. Gap Year Fellow from January 2019 to August 2019

WinutRx is… cardiovascular disease A patient-centric medical and she told me one day, tool for mobile devices used ‘did you know I can’t have to personalize nutrition and this specific orange?’” medication tracking for she said. “I come from a people diagnosed with nursing background, so cardiovascular disease. she asked me to look into her medications to see Why take time off what foods she can have. of school? Then I thought, ‘Hang on, Through this fellowship, I bet she’s not the only Zaremski had time to learn one that has this issue.’” more about health care, She wrote down her technology, and the ideas for the mobile relationship between medical tool that day. the two. Additionally, Zaremski said she still she learned more about has that original paper running a business and with all the fledgling networked with established ideas, which became professionals in her field. WinutRx. “It’s definitely a risk because you’re prolonging Goals accomplished your graduation, but I wasn’t during fellowship: ready to graduate if I had this 1. Learned more about idea and didn’t pursue it.” health care technology.

How did WinutRx start? 2. Learned more about Zaremski needed to present how to communicate a business pitch for a class between the technical project, but she didn’t discover and medical worlds. an idea that interested her 3. Learned more about until she got a phone call running a business from her grandmother. within the health care “My grandmother has industry.

20 | WINTER 2020 Building businesses

Jeremiah Gryczka, owner of Mountain House Media

2019 graduate from the School of Individualized Study with concentrations in film, photography, advertising, and business This idea was From Syracuse, N.Y. essentially a Gap Year Fellow from May 2019 to August 2019 product of my life experiences. I wanted to build Mountain House Media is… said Gryczka. “Even though A digital media production and I didn’t get what I originally something that advertising agency which acts applied for, I’m thankful that is bigger than as a creative partner for its it led me to this program.” myself. clients by helping to improve visibility of their businesses What’s your advice for and by stimulating creative other student businesses? growth. The biggest piece of advice Gryczka has to offer to other Team members from RIT student-run businesses is to Mountain House Media simply say yes and don’t wait employs six from RIT: Andrew on someone else’s instructions. Sevigny ’19 (motion picture “Opportunity is about saying science); Trevor Brashich ’19 yes to anything. Don’t wait for (motion picture science); Mike what you think will be the perfect Chungbin, a fourth-year motion opportunity, start it today and picture science student; Taylor see where things can go,” Butler ’19 (graphic design); and said Gryczka. “You can’t Tori Dunn, a fourth-year film grow unless you just start.” and animation student. Goals accomplished Why apply for this during fellowship: opportunity? 1. Created a commercial Gryczka wanted to create a campaign to advertise commercial to show clients the company. what the talent at Mountain House Media can do. After 2. Revamped the company’s applying to the MAGIC Maker online presence and inbound program, Gryczka worked with marketing efforts. MAGIC and SOIS to formulate a 3. Created a referral program way each party could co-support to attract new clients. his gap-year experience. “Getting into the fellowship 4. Reinvented and improved was kind of like a happy accident. branding and marketing I was in disbelief when I found materials. out that we were accepted,”

WINTER 2020 | 21 Building businesses

Everything I want from college I am getting through the Gap Year Fellowship.

Zack Evans, co-founder and co-CEO of Librex Fulfillment

Third-year School of Individualized Study student with concentrations in entrepreneurship and software engineering From Bethesda, Md. Gap Year Fellow from August 2019 to May 2020

Librex Fulfillment is… the next step should be,” he A third-party logistics com- said. “I’m quite thankful pany that helps international for everything they’ve and local e-commerce busi- provided me with and nesses reach their customer all the help they’ve base in the American and given to me.” Canadian markets. Where will Librex How did you find SOIS? Fulfillment go next? When trying to find a way Evans has high hopes for for Evans to pursue both his the future of Librex Fulfill- degree and business idea, ment. He plans to expand his professors and mentors into a multi-warehouse suggested he explore SOIS. fulfillment network and “SOIS has a flexibility with become a seamless exten- learning that I think we all sion for international busi- need more of," he said. "As nesses in the United States. soon as I found the program, I “We want to go full circle knew I belonged there. It was and cut out the middlemen,” the first time I felt at home at Evans said. “The goal is to RIT." make shipping to North American markets easier How has this fellowship and more sustainable for helped you? international businesses.” Evans is able to travel and explore options for new Goals for his fellowship warehouse spaces across experience: the country without worrying 1. Establish a warehouse about missing classes. network. He will also receive co-op credit for the fellowship, 2. Develop an in-house which counts toward his software system to make graduation requirements. it easier for customers to “Every step of the way there manage their businesses. was someone that knew what

22 | WINTER 2020 Building businesses

Sam Cammarata, co-founder and co-owner of Aesthetician Labs

Fourth-year School of Individualized Study student with a concentration in games production From Holland, N.Y. Gap Year Fellow from May 2019 to August 2019

It’s extremely Aesthetician Labs is… What makes your validating that An artist-owned video company different? someone game collective which Aesthetician Labs prides else thinks focuses on producing itself on rejecting the games that are “aesthetic, normalization of “crunch our business juicy, and satisfying to play.” culture.” Instead of producing is valuable as many games as quickly enough to Team members from RIT as possible, the company invest in. Aesthetician labs is co- prioritizes the well-being owned by Cammarata, Noah of its developers. Ratcliff, and Aidan Markham, “There’s this mindset two fifth-year game design in games where people and development students. think if you’re passionate enough, you will be willing Why take time off of school? to put in sleepless nights. Previously, Aesthetician Labs We are very adamantly had participated in the Maker against that,” Cammarata program run out of MAGIC said. “While that means we Spell Studios. That experience have fewer working hours and the ongoing relationship compared to a company with the studio has, according that utilizes crunch culture, to Cammarata, greatly helped we are making sure all our with the company’s founda- developers have a sustain- tional development as a able work schedule.” business. After hearing about the Gap Year Fellowship, Goals accomplished Cammarata knew Aestheti- during fellowship: cian Labs should take 1. Developed a working advantage of the new program. relationship with a “Not only was the opportu- mobile game publisher. nity for funding really appeal- 2. Expanded the company’s ing to us, but gaining access portfolio of game proto- to resources on campus and types to present to game developing a relationship with publishers. SOIS was very beneficial.”

WINTER 2020 | 23 ARCHERY

Eve Cho, a second- year computer science major, left, and Dancin Feldman, a fourth-year new media interactive development student, participate in an archery wellness course. Archery is one of the most popular classes.

24 | WINTER 2020 Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito From ARCHERY to ZUMBA, RIT redefines wellness

hen a spike in injuries was detect- ed during Humans vs. Zombies Wcompetitions at RIT, a wellness course—Nerfology— was created to help students improve their agility when jumping from trees and dashing behind buildings for cover. It is one of more than 180 wellness course options offered to students to promote holistic wellness. Courses range from traditional indoor cycling, swimming, dance, soccer, and bowling, to stress management and financial fitness. RIT offered a ninja warrior course before it was popularized on television. Last spring, music courses were added to include performing arts. “We’re disguising the element of exercise into something that’s fun. We want students to be so engaged in their activity that we have to tell them when class is over,” said Seann McArdle, assistant director of Wellness Education. RIT requires all undergraduates on its Rochester campus to complete two wellness courses before they can graduate. “It’s the first time I’ve heard of wellness courses being a requirement for graduation,” said Francis Neric, national director of certification for the American College of Sports Medicine.

WINTER 2020 | 25 SOCCER

Nicole Tumia, a second- year student in the School of Individualized Study, and Parker Bull, a fifth-year electrical engineering student, play soccer during a wellness course. Wellness courses bring together students from different majors.

Daniel Bacon 26 | WINTER 2020 Wellness for life

Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito

Michelle Schrouder, director of Khanolkar has taken nearly a dozen Wellness Education, said RIT students wellness courses in tennis, badminton, have been required to take wellness courses steel drums, and a “120-day challenge” since the 1970s as a way to keep them active involving weightlifting. She said the and healthy. The goal is for students to courses have made her become more FENCING appreciate a healthy lifestyle that will last aware of fitness, and she’s been better able long after they graduate. to maintain a healthier body composition Students learn and And it seems to be working. Eighty-five because of it. percent of students surveyed last year said “I’d like to pursue these after I graduate, practice fencing in the they were incorporating wellness concepts but it may be hard finding places that offer Student Life Center. into their lives. them, so I’m starting to run every once No previous experience Among them is Richa Khanolkar, a fifth- in a while, so I’ll still be active,” she said. is required to take most year digital humanities and social sciences Joshua Aldred ’19 (biomedical sciences) wellness courses, which major from Princeton, N.J. She says her took golf, Barre fitness (a fitness course are normally held two wellness class is so important, she planned which incorporates ballet movements), times a week. her academic classes this semester around and ice skating—three times. her tennis course. “I took each of them to learn some new “That goes on my schedule first,” she skills and develop better fitness habits, said. “If I don’t do it, I’m basically a sitting and also as a way to inject something fun potato. It keeps me busy and active.” and different into my day to break up the

WINTER 2020 | 27 YOGA

Jennifer Lukomski, a professor in RIT’s Department of Psychology, leads a yoga class. RIT offers alternatives to physical exercise, including yoga, stress relief, and massage therapy.

28 | WINTER 2020 Wellness for life Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito TAP DANCING

There are several versions of dance offered in wellness courses, including ballroom, ballet, tango, country line dance, hip hop, Irish step, jazz, Latin, swing, and tap.

grind of class,” he said. “I enjoyed skating prerequisite. so much, I just kept taking it and I learned Classes are usually held two times enough to the point where I can now partic- a week and follow the same meeting ipate and keep up in ice hockey leagues.” patterns as an academic class. Dodgeball Aldred now works as a research coordi- and archery are routinely at capacity and nator at the University of Rochester Medical among the first to fill. Center but still plays hockey in a community Students receive a passing or failing recreation league. grade. Attendance is taken and specific The courses are offered in seven disci- learning outcomes are outlined for students plines: wellness seminars, dance, fitness, to achieve in each course, be it an improve- music, recreation, martial arts, and health ment of motor, cognitive, or social skills. and safety. The cost of the required first two well- The course subjects have evolved and ness courses are waived. Students who wish expanded over the years, with the program to take more than the required two courses incorporating suggestions from students pay an average of about $105 a course per and instructors. About six years ago, stress semester, which helps pay for the 92 adjunct management and financial fitness courses instructors hired to teach them. were included. Last spring, guitar and steel The courses also provide social engage- drum ensembles were offered. ment, allowing an opportunity for students Hockey courses have been popular, to spend time with students from other but students sometimes signed up without majors. ever having been on ice skates, so a power “Our wellness courses have no academic skating program was added as a suggested restrictions or requirements. They are a

WINTER 2020 | 29 Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito Wellness for life Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito STEEL DRUMS

Music classes, such as this course with steel drums, were added to the wellness options last spring. Richa Khanolkar, center, a fifth-year digital humanities and social sciences major, continues to take wellness courses beyond the two that are required because she said they make her feel better and active.

catalyst for cross-disciplinary friendships most have about 20 students. where you’ll meet students and sometimes There aren’t a lot of complaints from faculty and staff from across the university,” students about the wellness requirement By the numbers Schrouder said. because of the variety of activities offered, • 85 percent of students taking wellness It is hoped the wellness courses will including golf, lifeguarding, yoga, and classes say they are living a healthier instill confidence and stress reduction yard games such as corn hole, can jam, lifestyle after the class. for students in their academic classes and ladder ball. and allow a “reset” from their studying. “We really strive to have something • Last academic year, 5,430 students “You can’t keep plugging away on a for everyone,” McArdle said. “And even took wellness classes. class project without stepping away though we have so much diversity, we’re • 92 adjuncts teach the wellness for a bit,” McArdle said. “These courses continuing to adapt to student needs, courses. One, who began teaching provide a healthy break from the industry trends, and activities that are RIT students horseback riding in 1972, academic demands of this university.” really extraordinary to do in the Rochester plans to retire in December. More courses and sections are added area. By engaging students in such a way, each year. it just about guarantees they want to come • One student took 32 wellness Although there are one-on-one back every week.” classes (30 more than the required two). personal training classes, and some classes with as many as 30 students, Greg Livadas

30 | WINTER 2020 Some of the most valuable learning happens outside the classroom.

With your help—whether it’s “In my time in RIT’s Student Government (SG), I’ve learned study abroad, performing a lot about what it takes to be arts, research or co-op—we a leader. A few of these skills will increase the number of include compassion, patience, ways students can explore commitment and effective their interests, exercise their listening. These and other skills are crucial in making sure SG curiosity, and further their runs as efficiently as possible innovative spirit. as we advocate for the student Learn more and body. Being part of SG has given me the skills and the confidence make your gift at necessary to be an active leader rit.edu/transformingRIT. both in my academic and professional careers.”

— Larry Williams, III ’20 (marketing), SG, Director of Student Relations

© 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology | One Lomb Memorial Drive | Rochester, New York 14623 Learning from Industry Employers keep RIT’s curriculum forward-looking

n a new lab on RIT’s dean of the College of campus, engineer- Engineering Technology. Iing students can “No matter what you’re experiment with the studying at RIT, it needs latest internet-connected to be relevant to today’s sensors that make today’s industry, so our graduates factories “smart.” can hit the ground run- One building over, ning immediately.” computer science pro- The groups of 10 to 30 fessors are helping their leaders from a wide va- students stand out to riety of companies come future employers by add- together a few times a ing more project-based year to offer their insights learning to classes. for RIT faculty and staff in And graduate students nearly every college. in a new global supply For some advisory chain management board members, the degree program can now group discussion is a infuse analytics and chance to shape the technology into their future of their industry. business studies. For others, including Paul These curricular Monette ’94 (computer updates are the result of science), being part of an recommendations from industry advisory board Industry advisory just a few of the univer- is an opportunity to stay boards are a guiding sity’s industry advisory connected with his alma boards and councils. For mater. hand across RIT. the last several decades, “But, it’s not always The groups of industry volunteer groups have altruistic,” said Mon- leaders give input to played a pivotal role in ette, who is director of keep the university’s keeping RIT’s curriculum software engineering at curriculum current. relevant and current with CloudCheckr, a cloud ser- the latest industry trends. vices and infrastructure “Industry changes at management company a rapid rate, and without in Rochester. “I also get a the help of our industry better understanding of advisory groups, it would what today’s graduates be difficult for faculty and want from a career, which Get involved programs to stay up-to- gives me key insights for To learn more about date on everything,” said recruiting top talent for joining an advisory S. Manian Ramkumar, co-ops and jobs.” board, contact [email protected].

32 | WINTER 2020 Oluwamayowa (Mayo) Olojo, a second-year computer science student, right, was prepared to talk with employers at the RIT Career Fair after taking a new required class . The Computer Science Industry Advisory Board helped shape the class.

A. Sue Weisler WINTER 2020 | 33 Anthony Novakovic, a fourth-year electrical mechanical engineering technology student, uses a FANUC LR Mate 200iC robot to complete his lab assignment. Employers want students who understand how to use internet-connected robots.

A. Sue Weisler 34 | WINTER 2020 Learning from industry

Industry influence across RIT

Genomics Hollywood connections New projects in food Scholarships Latest equipment Through industry Faculty and students New technology in the Industry advisory Industry board members guidance, the Thomas in the School of Film food and beverage board members offer and companies have H. Gosnell School of Life and Animation get to industry has inspired scholarships, such as the donated equipment for Sciences has expanded tour leading Hollywood the Packaging Science TSO Logic: An Amazon engineering faculty and its footprint in genomics. studios and visual effects and Manufacturing and Web Services Company students to train and The school is creating companies in Los Angeles Mechanical Engineering Scholarship—five annual do research. In 2015, new courses, hiring more because of connections Technology departments awards of $2,000 each Gleason Works donated faculty with expertise in through the Entertainment to create projects around for computer science a 400H Gear Hobbing the field, and equipping a Industry Advisory food, including a robotic graduate students machine designed to cut genomics research lab. Board, which is based in hot dog assembler and with an interest in edge shaft and wheel-type California. an automatic s’more- computing and big data work pieces. making machine. analytics.

What’s new in industry Robert Garrick sees his department’s industry advisory group as the voice of the customer. “We’re teaching the engineers that they’re going to hire in five years,” said Garrick, acting chair of the Department of Manu­ facturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology. “So we need to find out what skills, certifications, and training these graduates might need in the year 2025.” For many manufacturing experts in the MMET industry group, the future is in Industry 4.0. As factories become equipped with wireless sensors and monitors, engineers are able to gather new data—analyze it using machine learning— and use that information to continuously

improve quality and processes. Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito “Smart manufacturing is where the Paul Wisotzke ’88 (business management), a test and validation manager at UTC Carrier, took part industry is going, so that’s where we’re in an industry panel to share his work and hiring experiences with students in the Co-op Seminar going too,” said Garrick. prep class, including Kailey Coates, a second-year computer science student. With guidance from the industry board, RIT recently established a new Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) Lab. Featuring a software, control algorithms, and machine how to dress for their first day on the job. networked and cloud-connected program- learning techniques. “We’ve overwhelmingly heard from our mable logic controller (PLC) based system, industry advisory board that employers students have access to high-performance Adding new skillsets want to hire students who can seamlessly computers, advanced sensors, actuators In a new seven-week Co-op Seminar Course blend into the professional workplace that gather data, scalable storage, and the for computer science students, industry and get right to work,” said Reynold Bailey, a ability to manage the technology remotely. feedback is being used to prepare students computer science professor who co-teaches Since fall, students have been using for co-operative education employment. the Co-op Seminar with Mindy Blake, a the lab for courses on automation and Students in the required class develop career services coordinator. “Members of controls. The space will also be used by their résumés and job interview strategies. the board have even volunteered to serve faculty and student researchers who They also cover data privacy ethics, what to on an employer panel during the seminar are working to develop new hardware, expect from the onboarding process, and so they can share first-hand what computer

WINTER 2020 | 35 Learning from industry Bradley Weber ’19 (MBA) helped create a new major in global supply chain management as a graduate student representative on the Management Industry Advisory Board. A. Sue Weisler

science industry professionals are looking to students the importance of being able to As a graduate student representative for.” share their work with potential employers,” on the advisory board, Weber joined leaders “It’s these little things that give our Bailey said. from Constellation Brands, Kodak, and oth- students a leg up in the workplace,” Bailey er local companies to provide input added. What industry wants on the knowledge and skills needed in The industry advisory board also assists Advice from industry advisory boards not the industry. The group also reviewed the department with maintaining its ABET only changes the curriculum, but their which aspects of the curriculum they accreditation, making sure that technical input helps create new degree programs. thought would be useful for students aspects of the program are up to professional Bradley Weber ’19 (MBA) worked as a and potential employers. standards. supply chain team leader at Wegmans and “At Wegmans, we need people with Industry feedback has changed the enrolled at RIT three years ago to work on a experience planning and laying out curriculum in other computer science master’s degree part time. networks that involve both people and classes as well. Through his work at Wegmans, Weber machines,” said Weber, who is now a logis- As a UX Engineer and recruiter at Google, understood how important computer tics coordinator with Wegmans. “And like Erik Haddad ’06 (computer science), ’07 systems are to managing a network of many companies, we’re getting products (MBA) enjoys talking with prospective warehouses today. He shared that expertise from all over the world. So new graduates employees about the projects they create in with his Organizational Behavior and should be able to adapt to doing business and out of the classroom. He also wants to Leadership class. across different countries and cultures.” log onto GitHub to actually see them. His professor, Sandra Rothenberg, then This academic year, Saunders College “I can read through a transcript of how connected him with Shal Khazanchi, chair of Business began accepting students into job candidates worked with past team of RIT’s management department who was the new master’s degree program in global members on a project and faced each prob- putting together an industry focus group to supply chain management. lem,” said Haddad, who is part of the com- discuss a new master’s degree program in “We’re lucky to have industry leaders puter science advisory board. “Most of the global supply chain management. who advocate for our students and pro- candidates who get job offers are the ones “There was a common theme resonating grams,” said Khazanchi. “We need that who have open source and public projects from our management advisory board — outside perspective to make sure that our that we can actually see.” how technology is more important than curriculum meets industry needs and As a result, Bailey and other professors ever for running a business,” said Khazan- equips RIT graduates with the knowledge have been adding more project-based chi. “We learned that employers are looking and skills that are needed for their long- learning to their courses. to hire graduates who can be effective lead- term success.” “In my classes, I’ve always focused on ers and understand the technical aspects of learning by doing, but now I also emphasize the entire supply chain network.” Scott Bureau ’11, ’16 MBA

36 | WINTER 2020 I’m proud of what I see in RIT and “ am glad I found a way to make a gift of impact.”

–Scott Hecker ’65, business administration

Charitable Gift Annuities Big Impact for you and for RIT

Scott wanted to make a gift of impact to RIT, so he gave Now is a great time for you to consider a CGA through shares of stock to the university to create a Charitable RIT! Payout rates are higher this year, which means more Gift Annuity (CGA). During his retirement, the fund cash for your retirement. If you’d like to learn more will pay tax-free income to Scott or his family, and the about creating a CGA or other legacy giving options, remainder of the fund will transfer to RIT. contact us today.

Hal Burrall RIT Office of Planned Giving Ellingson Society 585-475-3106 | [email protected] legacyrit.org

© 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology | One Lomb Memorial Drive | Rochester, New York 14623

Faculty profile He served as the student manager for Bradley University’s Division 1 men’s basketball team from 1975-78.

Michael Peres ’82

Michael Peres began taking pictures in What drew you to How did you make photographs made by Wilson 1973, when he bought his first camera photography and eventually your way to RIT? “Snowflake” Bentley. She with money he earned from bagging into teaching? I enrolled at RIT in 1980. came back to campus pas- groceries at a local supermarket. I discovered photography in After completing a second sionate about wanting to Little did he know then that his work in high school in Utica, N.Y., bachelor’s degree in biomed- learn and inspired me. microscopy, photographing snowflakes, when I volunteered for the ical photography, I moved and what he describes as “barely visible yearbook. I watched a good to Charleston, W. Va. I then What was your favorite things” would be featured on the likes of friend develop and print film moved to Detroit, where I RIT Big Shot? CNN, The Weather Channel, and Mash- in his home darkroom and worked as the supervisor Always the most recent one, able and make him widely published. I was hooked after seeing of medical photography at for sure. Truthfully, I love the Over the last four-plus decades, an image appear in a tray of Henry Ford Hospital. In 1985, process of making Big Shots, the professor in RIT’s internationally chemistry. I was hired as an instructor with all of its chaos and recognized School of Photographic in RIT’s imaging and photo- its magic bringing people Arts and Sciences (SPAS) in the How did you become graphic technology depart- together. Big Shot started out College of Art and Design has made interested in scientific ment before moving over to as a small extracurricular photo­micro­graphy, biomedical, and photography? the biomedical photographic project for biomedical pho- lab photography a major focus. I was a pre-med major in communications program. tography students, and what He’s a past winner of both the Eisenhart college and earned a Bach- has happened in 33 years is Award for Outstanding Teaching as well elor of Science degree in How would you describe remarkable. It has changed as the college’s Gitner Family Prize in the 1978. I worked as a student your teaching style? my life. To think that it has area of artistic achievement and contribu- photographer for three years I believe in discovery and been the subject of a PBS tion for outstanding professional work. at Bradley University, where experiential learning. During documentary, featured on “I love using the classroom as a learn- I photographed many of my my evolution as a teacher, I CNN, and on countless front ing lab and I subscribe to using ‘life les- biology lab assignments. created many assignments pages from Washington and sons’ as core principles in my teaching,” I taught myself how to take that rely on empowerment Dallas to Sweden and Croatia said Peres, who serves as the associate pictures using a microscope and exercises that encourage has been both astonishing administrative chair of SPAS. “Discovery loaded with special Kodak problem-solving and think- and a huge source of pride. learning can be a powerful tool.” microscopy film. ing outside the box. When Since 1987, he’s played a key role in RIT’s students use self-directed Big Shot, a community photo project and How has the transition from activities, their learning is Tune in one of the university’s signature events. analog to digital photography richer and more lasting. Intersections: The RIT Peres also has been honored with impacted your work? Podcast is a twice-monthly the Louis Schmidt Award for significant Digital photography was very When did you start conversation between contributions to the progress of biocom- disruptive and fascinating photographing snowflakes? people whose daily work is munications—and the Frank J. Romano at the same time. Science, I started in January 2003. I making a difference in the Innovation in Graphic Publishing prize like photojournalism, was did so at the invitation of world. To listen to Michael for his work with students. an early adopter of the new a former student and RIT Peres in one episode, go to “Teaching highly motivated and technology. RIT’s biomedical alumna Emily Marshall ’04 http://bit.ly/RITpodcast. talented students has given me great faculty was very progressive (biomedical photographic joy,” Peres said. and in 1990 began creating communications), who a digital environment to visited the Buffalo Museum teach scientific photographic and Science Center, where communications. she saw an exhibition of

38 | WINTER 2020

Peres is a board- certified medical photographer, the only one in West Virginia in 1983.

He has a personally signed Christmas card from the King of Sweden, Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus. (The Royal Palace Stockholm was the subject of RIT Big Shot

No. 20 in 2003).

Peres led 31 imaging and photomicrography workshops in Sweden between

1997 and 2017.

He won the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens Award upon graduation from high school in 1974.

Five of his former RIT students have become medical doctors.

Elizabeth Lamark WINTER 2020 | 39 Alumni Updates

Christina Gullo ’06 is president and CEO of Villa of Hope, a youth and family services organization in Rochester that serves about A. Sue Weisler 4,000 people a year. The organization helps those struggling with substance abuse, mental illness, or education challenges.

Providing a glimmer of hope to those in need

ne thing has remained constant as ing the skills she would need to one day remains intact and relationships develop,” Christina Gullo has advanced in become a leader equipped to make the right she said. “We needed to completely re- Oher career—her passion for helping decisions for the people she would serve. examine our organization from top to bot- people. “I felt that my EMBA would serve to fill tom, which included downsizing in order to Gullo ’06 (Executive MBA) is president the gaps of what I was lacking—the finan- grow, specializing our residential program, and CEO of Villa of Hope, a youth and cial background, the strategic thinking, the and expanding our community-based and family services organization in Rochester marketing,” she said. “And the program at behavioral health services.” dedicated to helping those struggling with RIT was exactly what I needed. And little Today, Villa of Hope serves about 4,000 substance abuse, mental illness, and did I know how much I needed it until I people annually, including in its commu- education challenges. walked in the door at Villa of Hope eight nity education and prevention programs, “I am a big believer that everybody years ago.” clinics, and school. should have opportunities to pursue their When Gullo arrived at Villa of Hope, the The organization has operated in a dreams to their fullest potential,” she said. organization was operating in the red. It surplus for the past three years and is the “I want to be sure that everyone has equal was unable to financially sustain itself only certified sanctuary organization in access to have and use services that are due to the abundance of residential care the Rochester area specializing in trauma available to them, to have the confidence services it provided its clients at a time services for children and families. to reach out for support when they need it, when the need was declining. “For me, it has always been about im- and to have organizations like Villa of Hope In addition, staff was overwhelmed and proving lives; that’s never changed. But the support them through their journey.” unable to meet the changing clinical needs type of leader that I wanted to become sud- The Saunders College graduate began her of its residents. denly became clearer,” she said about the career as a human resources coordinator at “The environment where children were EMBA program. “I looked at everything dif- Catholic Family Center in Rochester, rising solely living in residential care was starting ferently after I finished my EMBA program. to vice president within seven years. to change. Not only is it extremely expen- It was life changing.” It was during this time that she decided sive, but research has shown that youth and to earn her Executive MBA degree, grow- families fare better when the family unit Vienna McGrain ’12 MS

40 | WINTER 2020 Joey Zeledón ’06 designed a chair made out of plastic hangers, a water bottle for PepsiCo called Drinkfinity, and a hand mixer with a headlight. Zeledón, who wrote a book called Touchy/Feely, has also explored smart food design. Learn more at joeyzeledon.com.

Alumnus uses design to tell a larger story

hen Joey Zeledón ’06 (industrial financial support for the functional sculp- a stage where all of these things interact. design) contributes to a new ture. He reached his funding goal one month When thinking of it that way, it puts the Wproduct design, he aims to design later, days before the end of the campaign. products in perspective,” he said. for a consumer’s feelings rather than solely “I set out to design a chair that wasn’t just Beyond giving users an emotional ex- focusing on aesthetics and functionality. another designer chair. It makes you see perience in an artistic sense, his approach Zeledón first became interested in the ordinary objects in a new way, and I really also helps when considering design that is concept of designing for feelings—or, as love that approach to design,” said Zeledón. accessible to all users. Some of his favor- he describes it, “emotional ergonomics”— Originally from Schenectady, N.Y., ite designs from his portfolio, such as the while working for Continuum, a global Zeledón moved to Barcelona in 2019 to work OXO electric hand mixer, were made with innovation design firm in Boston. at HP as a design lead. Previously, the first- emotional ergonomics and accessibility in “It was a pivotal moment in my career generation college graduate also worked mind. when I realized the process wasn’t about for Clarks, Smart Design, and Steelcase and While he was working at Smart Design, designing a thing; it was more about creat- helped design products for companies in- Zeledón and the team decided to include a ing and telling a compelling story around cluding Google, PepsiCo, American Express, headlight on the hand mixer so people, people, their environment, and the things and Banana Republic. particularly those with low vision, can they use,” said Zeledón. Whether it be apparel, household items, clearly see their batter while they’re mixing it. One of Zeledón’s newest conceptual de- or beauty products, Zeledón always looks at “Traditional ergonomics, usability, and signs, the Coat Check Chair, is the embodi- a new design through his lens of emotional functionality are expected. But ultimately ment of this methodology. ergonomics and considers how design can the holy grail and the new frontier is The chair, made from a shaped metal impact individual lives. He believes in this designing for feelings,” said Zeledón. “It’s rod and plastic coat hangers, is a personal practice so strongly that he wrote a book, applying that emotion you feel and turning project for Zeledón that he conceptualized Touchy/Feely, explaining his philosophy. it into action by creating a design from your during his senior year at RIT. “The products we design are just props empathy.” In June 2019, he set up a Kickstarter in a larger theater of life. We have the props, campaign to gauge public interest and gain characters, character development, and Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

WINTER 2020 | 41 Alumni Updates

Above: Mike Battle ’02 is a color modelist for The Simpsons. Right: Battle worked with Scott Zarzycki ’03, right, and other RIT film and animation alumni to create the LEGO couch gag. Alumnus works with his childhood heroes on ‘The Simpsons’

ike Battle ’02 (film and animation) Simpson—has been a pleasure to work with. rience with a variety of different production has been watching The Simpsons “The show has been around for so long positions. He worked for Nickelodeon as a Mfor almost 30 years. For about that there are artists still working here that production assistant, at Film Roman as a half of that time, he has had a behind-the- started when it was just pencil, paper, paint, post-production coordinator on King of the scenes view of new episodes. and ink,” said Battle. “I’m working with some Hill, and even once as a movie extra. Battle moved to Burbank, Calif., in 2004 of the original artists who drew, animated, When reflecting on the 14 years he’s to work as a color modelist for the award- or directed sequences that I consider to be worked for The Simpsons, Battle said one winning TV show. As a color modelist, Battle some of the best moments in television of the biggest highlights of his career was creates digital color guides for animators to history.” creating an opening couch gag, which ap- follow when bringing life to new episodes. The behind-the-scenes experience peared on the “Midnight Towboy” episode There are designs that have pre-existing hasn’t diminished his love for the show, of season 19. color guides, such as the living room in the it’s just altered it. Instead of being a passive The opening couch gag is one of the Simpsons’ home, but Battle works on isolat- viewer, he has an active hand in producing iconic elements of The Simpsons. Using his ing and identifying elements that require new episodes. “It’s a different kind of TV experience from the RIT film and animation new colors, such as new locations, magic. I no longer experience program, he created a stop-motion couch costume changes, and the surprise of seeing it on the gag made from LEGOS. things as subtle as a screen for the first time, but I “It’s surreal to work with and befriend spill on the carpet. absolutely enjoy being behind the people who created such a vital part of Unlike some people the curtain contributing to my childhood,” said Battle. “To sit in meet- who meet their heroes the show’s development and ings discussing how we are going to create a and are disappointed, growth,” he said. visual, a moment in television that millions Battle says that every- After graduating from RIT, of people are going to watch, is fascinating. one he’s met—from Matt Battle moved to California It’s really cool to be hanging out with the Groening, the creator of to pursue a career in ani- chefs in the kitchen.” the show, to Nancy Cart- mation. Before he found wright, the voice of Bart his dream job, he got expe- Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

42 | WINTER 2020 Tanvi Asher ’10 says her favorite thing about owning her own boutiques is being able to create unique window displays. She sells original clothing that she designs.

Fashion that makes your wallet feel good

ashionable boutique clothing usually ing clothes during her free time and would a traditional boutique. comes with large price tags. However, sell them at different consignment shops, “We go to areas where the only access Fat Shop Peppermint and Salty, two local markets, and art shows. When she was people have to clothes is a Walmart. I boutiques in Rochester owned by Tanvi laid off from Bausch & Lomb, she decided to wanted women everywhere in the city to Asher ’10 MFA (industrial design), custom- open her own storefront. see that you can have cute fashion without ers can get a high-end experience at an “I noticed that Rochester did not have a breaking the bank,” said Asher. accessible cost. boutique that was catering to young women Catering mainly to young women who Making clothing that is stylish and in terms of accessible fashion and fashion are still in or just graduated from college, reasonably priced helped motivate Asher that is within reach. I was sure that I could Asher’s two goals for her boutiques are to to open her first store, Shop Peppermint, fill that niche market with my designs.” encourage people to shop locally and show in April 2012. Her newest boutique, Salty, At the store, customers will find a variety everyone that they don’t need to pay hun- opened six years later in October 2018. of products, including original clothing dreds of dollars to get trendy, high-quality “Clothing makes you feel really good and shoes designed by Asher, jewelry and clothing. She aims to make her shop rea- about yourself. A dress, a top, or a new pair other accessories, and home décor. There sonable enough that anyone who walks in of shoes will make you feel like a million are only six of each clothing design. the door can buy at least one or two items. bucks, but I don’t think something like that In Shop Peppermint, she also sells a wide “When I was a younger student living should cost a million bucks,” said Asher. array of Rochester-themed merchandise. on Park Avenue in Rochester, I often would “Good design doesn’t have to come at a The accessible and unique fashion isn’t wander into a couple boutiques. I couldn’t hefty price tag.” confined to the store locations on Culver afford anything in there, but I loved it. I al- Asher, from Mumbai, India, fell in love Road and Park Avenue. Asher also invested ways thought, ‘Aw man, I wish I could afford with Rochester when she moved to the city in a mobile boutique so she can bring af- that,’ and that feeling always left me feeling to complete her master’s degree in 2006. fordable fashion anywhere in Rochester. a little empty,” said Asher. “When I started After she graduated from RIT, Asher did On the truck, everything is less than $35, this, I knew I never wanted a person to feel contract work at Bausch & Lomb working and the space is equipped with a fitting that way in my boutique.” with medical packaging. room, dressers, wooden floors—nearly While working there, she began design- everything a person would expect to find in Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

WINTER 2020 | 43 Alumni Updates

Elliot Benitez ’07 created the Nuni Toaster, which toasts tortillas. The toasters are now for sale on Amazon.

Taco ’bout ingenuity: Grad invention hits market

lliot Benitez ’07 (marketing) was eat- years he was able to open a line of credit In March 2019, the company launched ing dinner with his mother during to invest into the tortilla toaster idea. He those toasters, which can toast six 6-inch ERIT’s winter break when he noticed hooked up with a product development firm tortillas in under a minute, on Amazon that his mom kept getting up to warm torti- and hired a patent attorney to perform a and sales have been growing rapidly each llas over the stove. patent search. month. Now he is looking for an investor Benitez thought there had to be a better They found nearly a dozen other patents and hoping to scale the business into an way and wondered if anyone was selling for tortilla toasters, but none of them was entire product line of tortilla toasters. a tortilla toaster. He searched Google and on the market, Benitez said. He began Benitez said he wouldn’t have made the Amazon and found nothing. studying the patents to try to figure out why. product without his hands-on education. Today—more than 13 years later— that By doing so, he was able to create a new “Research, development, and persistence same search points people toward the tortilla toaster design. can take you a long way,” he said. “That is Nuni Toaster, a tortilla toaster patented by Once the initial prototype was complete, RIT in a nutshell.” Benitez. he linked up with a bread toaster factory in And what does his mother think? “We have robots on Mars and cars are China and started working through eight “She loves it,” Benitez said. “We use it driving themselves and yet no one had ever iterations before manufacturing the first every time we make tacos.” figured out how to make a tortilla toaster,” 2,640 toasters. The first container arrived Benitez said. “With my technical back- in the fall of 2017 and Benitez began selling Mindy Mozer ground from RIT, it seemed doable to me.” them directly to consumers and collecting It didn’t happen, though, without a lot of feedback from users. research. After graduating from RIT, Benitez “We learned we were warming the torti- returned to his hometown of Chicago and llas too fast, like in 30 seconds, so we went To learn more put his marketing degree to use growing his back to the factory and lowered wattage on Go to nunitoaster.com or search for mother’s cleaning service. the product and introduced a second gen- the product on Amazon.com. The company did well and within a few eration model,” he said.

44 | WINTER 2020 Rob Goldman ’84, right, wanted to use his skills as a professional photographer to uplift the young people in his community. Learn more at imatterproject.org. Ronen Yaari Ronen Goldman cultivates love with photo project

fter years of working in commer- in the local community and asks them the mayor’s office, departments in New cial photography, Rob Goldman ’84 to write down why they matter. Once the Haven City Hall, radio stations, nonprofit A(professional photography) decided photoshoot is finished, Goldman combines organizations, and the general population. he needed to change his routine and focus the photos and quotes into large banners, Using the same high-end production on something new. window posters, and interactive exhibits crew he worked with during his years pho- “My work life and reason for making that are installed throughout the city. tographing professional models, Goldman photographs did not make sense to me “These young people are from all walks of is able to give that “celebrity” moment to anymore,” Goldman said. “I felt like I was life, but their photos will all be hung togeth- the participating youth. making photographs of a completely arti- er,” said Goldman, speaking about the social “During the shoot, they gain an incred- ficial world and selling people things they divisions in New Haven. “If I can visually ible state of elation and pride. When they didn’t really need. I wanted to cultivate love unify the city, people will see evidence of write down what they are doing and why instead of consumerism.” this unification and realize, ‘Hey, we are all they matter, and get to declare it publicly, it To work toward his goal of cultivating one community.’” tops the cake for them,” said Goldman. love, Goldman quit commercial photog- Goldman originally began this project By December, Goldman aims to have raphy and embarked on several indepen- in 2013 at seven locations in Long Island, 36 portraits posted across the city. In the dent projects that focused on the reality, N.Y. After encountering endless roadblocks future, he hopes to expand the project to struggles, and beauty of life. In 2018, he to the project’s growth on Long Island, he other cities and share the self-love and found success through the “IMatter” abandoned it and threw all of his materials jubilation with more youth across America. project in New Haven, Conn. in the trash. “It’s hard to articulate the feeling you get “IMatter” is a multimedia empowerment It took five years and a move to New Haven watching these young people looking up at program that “celebrates the sanctity and before the project saw the light of day again. their banner,” said Goldman. “You’re with them self-worth of teens and young adults.” In New Haven, Goldman was able to ex- and they are just shining. They’re beaming.” To accomplish this, Goldman takes pro- ecute “IMatter” on a larger scale. As word of fessional studio portraits of young people his project spread, he gained support from Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

WINTER 2020 | 45 1961 1971 1978 Lou Loutrel ’71 (GAP) and Kathy Loutrel celebrated their 50th wed- Key to abbreviations ding anniversary with a reception with their friends and 24 members Class Notes of their family at the French Lick Springs Resort in August.

Norman J. Wironen ’71 Deborah Marcuccilli ’78 (KGCOE) (GAP) retired successfully defended her title from Abbreviations Frank A. Cicha ’61 (GAP) retired from a 20-year 2018 as women’s sprint champion at from Advanced Safe & Lock, career as a the U.S. Canoe/Kayak National CAST Rochester. He and his wife, Judy, financial Champion­ships in Warren, Pa., in College of Applied Science moved to the Legacy at Erie Station, advisor with August. and Technology (now CET) a retirement community in Henrietta. Edward Jones. He was also 1979 CAD Leslie “Les” Greenberg ’61 (GAP) honored by David Kutz College of Art and Design completed a nine-month course to the Greater ’79 (GAP) become a member of the Network Gardner was elected CCE of Consumer Hearing Assistive Chamber of Commerce with a lifetime president College of Continuing Education Technology Trainers. achievement award in recognition of of the (now SOIS) his decades of volunteer activities Inter­­­national and professional achievements. Association CET 1962 of Panoramic College of Engineering Technology 1973 Photo­ CHST Edward “Doc” Amos ’73 (GAP) graphers (IAPP) for a second term. College of Health Sciences received a life member award from The association will be planning a and Technology RIT Ambulance for founding the conference for the fall of 2020 in the RIT Student Safety Unit in 1970, the Rochester area. CIAS precursor to RIT Ambulance, during College of Imaging Arts the April 2019 annual banquet. and Sciences (now CAD) Michael Rothman Havelin ’73 CLA (GAP) has launched his 16th book, College of Liberal Arts Ben Bones & the Uncivil War, the sixth COS book in the Ben Bones series. He has College of Science been around the sun 75 times now and is working on his 76th circuit. FAA Fine and Applied Arts 1975 (now CAD) Brian Shapiro ’62 (CIAS) has a GAP painting, Girl Blessing Torah, on exhibit Graphic Arts and Photography at the Dr. Bernard Heller Museum in (now CAD) New York through June 30, 2020. The painting is part of a group show GCCIS titled “Relative Relations.” Golisano College of Computing Gretchen Romey-Tanzer ’79 (CIAS) and Information Sciences 1970 was awarded the Massachusetts KGCOE Gary Mastrodonato ’70 (SCB) worked Cultural Council Artists Fellowship in Kate Gleason College for the Department of Defense for 32 the area of crafts in January 2019. Her of Engineering years. He worked with military instal- focus was in woven and constructed lation commanders and headquar- textile design. She recently retired NTID ters personnel, and he was the DoD from 29 years of teaching high National Technical Institute pointman for the 1996 Olympics. school art and is working on building for the Deaf her weaving studio and gallery in Brewster, Mass. Learn more at SOIS William “Bill” Truran ’75 (GAP) tanzersfiberworks.com. School of Individualized Study loves shooting recipe shots, so he is grateful to have landed a job shooting 1981

SCB for a restaurant website. Perry Lee Saunders College of Business “Willy” Conley SVP 1977 ’81 (CIAS) NTID “Summer Vestibule Program” Kevin Hall ’77 (FAA) has won an is pleased to Jon Yerger ’70 (KGCOE) is a excellence award by the Connecticut announce founder, first chairman, and a current Art Directors Club for his work in two new member of the board of directors of branding. Hall is principal/creative di- book releases. About Class Notes the Volunteers Improving Neighbor- rector at Kevin Hall Design, a graphic Visual-Gestural Class Notes are edited for space, hood EnvironmentS (VINES). VINES design and branding firm just outside Communication: clarity, and style. Share information by makes fresh produce available to all. New Haven, Conn. A Workbook in going to rit.edu/alumni/class-notes. For more, go to vinesgardens.org. Nonverbal

46 | WINTER 2020 Expression and Reception explores 1982 universal gestures, facial expressions, Alumnus part of team that built large YMCA body language, and pantomime. Listening Through the Bone examines life cycles and experiences as a deaf individual, which he expresses through a collection of poems.

Keith M. Cagle ’82 (CLA) is the current chairperson of American Sign Language and Interpreting Education Department at RIT/NTID.

James Whritenor ’82 (KGCOE) has decided to move on after 35 years of fun engineering work at Eastman Kodak John Mischler ’81 (SCB) joined Co. and then Kodak Alaris. He started Habersham Vineyards and Winery as his own business as a life/career its director of sales and marketing. coach with the goal of helping people Habersham Vineyards is Georgia’s find happiness and fulfillment in the oldest active winery. next chapter of their lives. LaBella Associates 1983 Tim Webber ’97 has worked as a civil engineer with Joel Kwiatkowski ’83 (CAST) LaBella Associates for seven years. works in telecom and lives near Sac- ramento, Calif. He has been married 25 years and enjoys biking, hiking, im Webber ’97 (civil and snow and water sports. engineering technol- ogy) helped design one 1984 T of the largest YMCA facilities Mark Vedel ’84 in the country. (SCB) started at Webber is vice president and Thomas Mancuso ’81 (CCE) used Sharp Business director of civil engineering the experience of his management Systems in at LaBella Associates, an process course to pursue a career in Los Angeles international architecture, the golf-teaching realm after a 35-year as a network engineering, environmental, career in research and development services and planning firm in at Eastman Kodak Co. He not only architect. Rochester. The Schottland became a USGTF instructor but Family YMCA, in Pittsford, successfully achieved the status of Kathleen Weintraub ’84 (FAA) and N.Y., opened in September. master golf teaching professional in T. I. Weintraub ’84 (GAP) celebrated “LaBella has worked with 2002. He has maintained a working the birth of their first grandchild, the YMCA in many different program in Rochester and Ft. Waylon Michaud. They recently regions of New York state, Lauderdale, Fla., for the past 17 years. traveled to Iceland, Scotland, and and we support its mission the Shetland Isles. to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all,” said areas; and art, music, 1986 Webber. “We enjoy working and dance studios. on projects that enhance the “The site had to be laid out community and know that in a manner that made sense this YMCA will be an asset to for a variety of diverse users, community members of all including the member visiting ages.” the gym, a parent dropping The new facility includes off children at daycare, and many of the traditional an elderly patient visiting the elements of a YMCA, but on health care facility,” said a larger scale, such as a swim- Webber, as he discussed Joyce Moyer ’81 (SCB) retired from ming area with two pools, a challenges this project Morgan Stanley where she was Catherine Rinehart Hogan ’86 splash pad, and a whirlpool; presented. “I am incredibly senior vice president, financial (CAST) directed her first short film, a spinning stadium with 90 proud of what our engineer- advisor, for about 20 years. Her POTSHOT, which is streaming on stationary bikes; more than ing team accomplished for the grandaughter, Masako Moyer, Amazon Fire TV (Great Lakes 18,000-square-feet of fitness YMCA at this location.” finished her first year in RIT’s medical channel) and on Roku (Great Lakes illustration program. VOD channel).

WINTER 2020 | 47 Tiger Love

Couple celebrates 50 years of crafting a business

friend introduced Winifred “Winnie” (Gray) Bixler ’69 (art A and design) to Michael Bixler ’69 (printing) when they were juniors at RIT’s downtown Rochester campus. They went to an old, nearby restaurant (Camp’s) and had ham sandwiches for dinner. “We enjoyed each other’s company and had similar aspirations,” Michael said. “We enjoyed RIT and had a positive view of things to come after graduation.” Annie Schlechter The Bixlers celebrate 50 years of Michael and Winnie Bixler, both 1969 graduates, run Bixler Press and Letterfoundry in Skaneateles, marriage in 2019 as well as 50 years since N.Y. “I think one of the greatest things we took away from RIT is meeting each other,” Michael said. they graduated. And that positive view is as strong as ever. Today the couple lives in Skaneateles, machines that cast type in metal, one char- full time. N.Y. Together they run the Bixler Press and acter at a time. Michael says their work is a “We offer a very unique service, and Letterfoundry, where they do Monotype craft more than a commercial business. people seem to track us down and find out typesetting, fine letterpress printing, They have worked with editors, authors, where we are. It’s not the kind of work you traditional book typography, and offer and artists from all over the world, includ- can go out and solicit,” Michael said. classes in book arts. ing Japan, Australia, England, Mexico, and Winnie said she feels honored to be part “Our journey in creating books has been Canada. of the process of creating a beautiful and long and diverse,” Winnie said. “I have Monotype composition and letterpress valued book, calling each project a special done book binding, design, and letterpress portfolios included projects for photog- journey. She said they both feel a great printing. It has been great, and it all started raphers Minor White, Irving Penn, Issey sense of accomplishment as they complete at RIT.” Miyaki, Eliot Porter, Ansel Adams, Imogene each project. After a stint in the Navy, living in Hawaii, Cunningham, and Andre Cartier Bresson. “We have been doing this work together the Bixlers moved to Boston and started They also set the entire text for Alexander for 50 years, sharing the same creative spirit their own Monotype shop in 1973. They Lawson’s History of the School of Printing. and interests,” Michael said. “If it hadn’t moved to Skaneateles Lake in 1983 and Limited edition letterpress books, set on been for RIT, we would never have had this began restoring an 1867 brick mill building. the Monotype, have been their specialty. enriching life journey.” They live over their first floor shop, There are few people in the world who which still features Monotype typesetting still do this type of work professionally, Mindy Mozer

48 | WINTER 2020

All in the family Elizabeth Lamark Elizabeth

A pinning ceremony in August welcomed incoming legacy students to RIT. This year, 132 students with multi-generational ties started classes at the university. There are about 600 legacy students currently enrolled at RIT. The pinning ceremony is an annual tradition.

1987 1990 1992 Frederick J. Hall ’93 (FAA) is a Renee Reagan Booths ’87 (FAA) Clayton Ebrahim “Ebe” part-time instructor of American Sign is QE for Magna Seating of South Turner ’90 Randeree ’92 Language at the Fairfax County Public Carolina. She manages quality on the (KGCOE) (CAST) Schools/Adult and Community new third-row seats for the BMW X7. became received the Education. He has taught American director of Carl D. Perkins Sign Language for 25-plus years. 1988 NASA’s Langley Humanitarian J. Pellingra ’88 (CAST), ’01 MBA Research Award from 1994 (SCB) received his 21st U.S. patent Center in the Florida Michael Janssen ’94 (CAST) was this year. All are packaging material Hampton, Va., Association for ratified by the Las Vegas City Council or design related. on Sept. 30. Career and as the new director of Public Works Since 2015, Turner had served as Technical Education. This is the highest in February 2018. In this role, he man- 1989 Langley’s deputy center director. award given by the organization for ages a staff of 300. The department Lou Luba outreach and service to the career designs, constructs, and maintains ’89 (CLA) 1991 and technical education community. infrastructure for the city of Las Vegas. was awarded the state of 1993 Mona Connecticut Samaan- Oliver Ellsworth Ockenden Award and ’94 (CAST) was the launched Mona recipient Moon Naturals, of a governor’s a natural proclamation deodorant and skincare company. All from Gov. Ned Lamont as the 2019 products are handmade in Fairport, Prosecutor of the Year, for his N.Y. The company was inspired and continued work with victims of Randall “Randrew” McGarvey ’91 Mark Anderson ’93 (CAST) and his created as a result of her sister’s sexual assault. (CAST), ’01 MBA (SCB) and his wife, Natalie, an MBA student, said breast cancer diagnoses. Learn more wife, Denise, have been married their second child is now a Tiger. That at monamoonnaturals.com. Ed Portolese 20 years. They moved to Jacmel, makes four of five Andersons Tigers. ’89 (SCB) was Haiti, in June 2017 to oversee an Atul H. Patel ’94 (KGCOE) has promoted to orphanage run by the Hands and Joseph taken on the role of product manager, chief informa- Feet Project. The project focuses Brennan ’93 Aviation Headsets, at the Bosch tion officer of on caring for orphaned and (FAA) created Building Technologies Division in the Arconic Inc. abandoned children and also this piece to once Minneapolis area. He also recently and transferred helps to keep families together again show his qualified as a top five finalist standup to Pittsburgh on by providing jobs to the local gratefulness comedian in the ACME Comedy Club March 1, 2019. community. for his talents. Funniest Person Contest.

WINTER 2020 | 49 1 2

Tiger Cubs

3 4 5 6

7 8

Neha Gupta Goyal ’05 (GCCIS), ’10 MS Anthony Macri ’08 (KGCOE) and his wife, Edward Wolf ’09 (KGCOE) and his wife, 1 (GCCIS) and Kart Goyal are thrilled to 4 Alisha, celebrated the birth of their first child, 7 Elizabeth Ihidoy-Wolf, are overjoyed to announce the birth of their second child, Amaya Margaret Clare, in May 2019. announce the birth of their second daughter, Cora, Radha Goyal, in April 2019. who was born in July 2019. Arthur Connors ’09 (KGCOE) and his wife, Sean O’Connor ’07 (CAST) and his wife, 5 Susan, welcomed their first child in Erin (Schmidtmann) Purington ’10 (COS) 2 Meghan, welcomed their second child, November 2018. 8 and Jonathan Purington ’10 (COS) Ronan Thomas O’Connor, in April 2019. welcomed their second child, Jasper Thomas, in Thomas “TJ” Wasik III ’09 (GCCIS) and March 2019. He likes to practice his tiger roar in the Alan Krzywicki ’07 BS/MS (KGCOE) and 6 Megan Wasik are overjoyed to announce the middle of the night. 3 Kyle Krzywicki ’07 MBA (SCB) announce birth of their son, Thomas Joseph Wasik IV. He was the birth of Wesley Krzywicki in December 2018. born in May 2019.

50 | WINTER 2020 Thomas “Tom” Innsbruck, Austria, in January 2020. Peeples ’94 In curling, the skip is the captain of Alumnus helps make the world a better place (KGCOE), ’03 the team. MS (CAST) was promoted to 1999 senior technical Eric Wiley ’99 (CIAS), ’00 MBA project manager, (SCB) relocated to Memphis to aviation, on the off-highway product assume the role of director, business development team at Goodyear. He and new product development, at is responsible for delivering new Graphic Packaging International. products to support the global aviation product road map in all 2000 segments including airline, military, Laura (English) Estey ’00 (CAST) business jet, and general aviation. will be the general manager of a new French bistro, Kristines, opening in 1995 Princeton, N.J., in the fall of 2019. She has two children, Elliot, 5, and Lucy, 1, with her husband, Eric.

Carly Smith ’00 (CLA) received her black belt certification in Lean Six Sigma. Jeremy Sniatecki ’95 (CIAS) is the lead designer on packaging design 2002 for a series of “little army men” style toys based on the “Fallout” video game series, in conjunction with Toynk/Fourth Castle and Bethesda. 1997 Laura Astorino ’97 (CIAS) is a freelance project manager. Chris Guarente ’02 BS/MS (KGCOE) flew the Stratolaunch aircraft on its first flight on April 13, 2019. The Stratolaunch aircraft is the largest aircraft in the world and is designed with dual fuselages to allow the air- craft to carry a rocket in between for launch of payloads into space. He is

currently the chief test pilot at Scaled A. Sue Weisler Composites in Mojave, Calif. Brennan Ireland ’18 Ph.D. was selected for a fellowship to serve as a futures analyst with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Cliff Devries ’02 (SCB), head diving rennan Ireland ’18 Ph.D. government, nonprofits, and coach at RIT (astrophysical sciences industry to serve the nation and Upstate Band technology) was and citizens around the world. NY Diving, won selected by the American “It’s an opportunity to take the 2019 AAU Association for the Advance- a high-level degree in science national diving ment of Science for a Science in a different direction,” said championship in Riverside, Calif. His & Technology Fellowship to Ireland. “With this fellowship Reinhard Koch ’97 (CIAS) and Karin Upstate Divers won eight individual serve as a futures analyst with I feel like I’m going to be mak- Baierl were married on April 30, 2019, national titles and the overall team the U.S. Agency for Interna- ing an impact, helping to make in Frankfurt, Germany. He is a research championship. tional Development. the world a better place.” engineer at Manroland Sheetfed. The fellowships provide In this position with USAID, 2003 opportunities to outstand- Ireland will use his analytical 1998 Jacob “Jake” ing scientists and engineers skills to quantitatively evalu- Stephens ’03 to learn first-hand about ate countries to get a better (GCCIS) policymaking and contribute picture of what their futures accepted the their knowledge and analytical look like. challenge of a skills in the policy realm. The Futures Team assists system Fellows serve yearlong USAID’s field-based missions engineering role assignments in the federal around the globe for emerging at Constellation government and represent a trends so their programs in Aviation Solutions. The primary broad range of backgrounds, health, governance, agricul- objective is a tech refresh of FAA disciplines, and career stages. ture, natural resource manage- Runway Status Lights systems. Runway Each year, the fellowship adds ment, and economic growth Status Lights is an advisory system to a growing corps over 3,000 can help developing world Mark Mooney ’98 (KGCOE) will be designed to reduce the number and strong of policy-savvy leaders citizens live better, healthier, skipping a mixed team representing severity of runway incursions and working across academia, and more productive lives. Team USA Curling at the upcoming prevent runway accidents while not World Winter Masters Games in interfering with airport operations.

WINTER 2020 | 51 Class Notes

Colbert’s Showtime animated series Ryan Susa ’05 (COS) accepted a Alumna feted with National Design Award Our Cartoon President, which position at Grifols Diagnostics Solu- premiered in May 2019. tion in Emeryville, Calif., as a senior technical product trainer. Marc-Anthony Arena ’05 (SCB) began the beta program for his latest 2007 device, OnlyYouCanCallMe.com. His Dan Buschel ’07 (CAST), ’08 MS device blocks all phone calls coming (CAST) earned his MBA from Marist into a landline, except those from College and received the Master of people you actually know. Business Administration Award for Academic Excellence for the School Kara (Doughman) Austin ’05 (CIAS) of Management, class of 2019. has accepted the position of assistant director, marketing and communica- 2008 tions, in the division of Development Trish Salmon ’08 (CAST), ’11 and Alumni Relations at RIT. MS (CAST) is a New York Cares volunteer since 2007, baptized born again Christian since 2013, full-time city of New York worker since 2015,

A. Sue Weisler New York Cares team leader since Patricia Moore ’74 was part of RIT’s Creativity and Innovation 2017, New York City homeowner Alumni Spotlight Symposium in 2017. since 2019, licensed motorcyclist and driver since 2019, and a soon-to-be author of an autobiography. atricia Moore ’74 by older people. She received (industrial design), an prominent exposure in the 2009 Pinternationally renowned media and raised awareness Melanie designer, gerontologist, and of universal design among the Gladstone ’09 leading authority on consumer design community. MS (NTID) is lifespan behaviors, received She was named RIT’s “Alumna continuing the prestigious Cooper Hewitt of the Year” in 1984 and in Jeff Kryger ’05 (SCB) married her job as a National Design Award in 2012 became a member of Stacey King aboard the Anthem of teacher of the New York City in October. RIT’s Innovation Hall of Fame. the Seas cruise from Cape Liberty, deaf and hard Moore was honored in the Moore becomes RIT’s second N.J., to Bermuda on June 16, 2019. of hearing in Design Mind category in rec- industrial design graduate to They were joined on the cruise by Washington, ognition of a visionary “who receive the design industry’s family and friends, including many where she has had a profound impact most coveted award after RIT alumni and members of the Phi works with students ages 3-11. on design theory, practice or Scott Wilson ’91 received the Kappa Tau fraternity. public awareness,” according National Design Award in Rebecca Lane to the Cooper Hewitt website. Product Design in 2012. Oesterle ’09 From 1979 to 1982, Moore The National Design MS (CAST) traveled throughout the United Awards recognize designers has retired from States and Canada disguised who exhibit excellence, inno­ full-time work. as a woman in her 80s to learn vation, and enhancement of She was the about the challenges faced the quality of life. senior manager of packaging and graphic develop­ment for Just Born Tianay (Hardy) Perrault ’03 (SCB) Elizabeth Stock ’04 (CIAS) won a Quality was promoted to Lower Elementary 2019 Bronze Summit International Confections in Principal at East End Prep in Creative Award for Best Logo Bethlehem, Pa. East Nashville. Design-Consumer. She will continue to 2004 2005 serve on the National Board of Scott Kanzelmeyer ’04 (GCCIS), Brett Hall Directors for the Institute of Packaging ’08 MS (GCCIS) graduated in ’05 (CIAS) Professionals as well as the industry May 2019 from Pennsylvania was advisory board for the Department of State University with a Master of nominated Packaging Science at RIT. Professional Studies degree in for a Audrey Lallier ’05 (SCB) married homeland security with the daytime Jordan Braun in Vernon, N.Y., on May Mark Tiffany ’09 (CLA) earned a geospatial intelligence option. Emmy on 4. The couple lives in Austin, Texas. Master of Science degree in medi- the PBS cal management from the Simon Tamara (Clark) Kids series Mike Murawski ’05 (CIAS) has Business School at the University Washington Peg + Cat been promoted to the role of of Rochester and accepted a new ’04 (CAST) for the corporate supplier quality specialist position at Tanner Health System in shared this sixth at MillerCoors in Milwaukee, Wis. Carrollton, Ga. He will be the principal photo of her consecutive year, this time in the He previously worked at Adelsheim trainer for Tanner’s Epic Electronic son, William, category of outstanding directing Vineyard in Newberg, Ore., as an Medical Records System, respon- who represent- for a preschool animated program. enologist and cellar worker. Mike sible for training surgical nurses, ed RIT for college spirit day at his He was also promoted to animation and his wife, Melissa Backus, live schedulers, and anesthesiologists. summer camp in Richmond, Va. director on season two of Stephen in Milwaukee.

52 | WINTER 2020 2011 theory. As a mathematician, he has 2017 James Julianna made several contributions to McCormick Johnson- numerical solutions to partial ’18 (CLA) and Truesdale ’11 differential equations, optimization Alexis (CIAS) opened theory, and numerical analysis. He is Collazo ’18 a design and currently a Ph.D. student studying (CLA), ’19 marketing applied mathematics and will defend MS (CIAS) agency, True his thesis in 2020 at North Carolina are engaged. Creative Design State University. They met and Marketing, in Ithaca, N.Y., in 2016. during their A year later, Brandon Kelloway ’11 2016 freshman (CIAS) joined True Creative and in Nate Levesque Jazmin Ruiz Castellanos ’17 MS year thanks to RIT Tech Crew and July 2019 they expanded True ’16 (GCCIS) is (CAST) and Anthony Dreas ’18 began dating during their junior year. Creative to Rochester. They can be excited to (CAST) met while they were both They will be getting married in found at truecreativeny.com. announce the at RIT. Jazmin was working on her October 2020. release of his master’s degree in EHS manage- 2014 second book, ment and Anthony was working on 2019 Dan Wang ’14 The Thought his bachelor’s degree in design and Hector Escobedo ’19 (COS) is now (CIAS) Trap. The applied arts. Last April, they got employed in a full-time position as a celebrates his Thought Trap married in the Dominican Republic. software engineer at Obsidian Sys- promotion to examines the tems, where he previously interned. marketing dystopian side to the web where our Brendan This is despite the fact that his major director, Ameri- attention is a commodity. John ’17 was not in software engineering or cas for BS/MS computer science, but computation- Hasselblad, Emily Moore (COS/ al mathematics. Some of his fellow after a two-year tenure as product ’16 (CIAS) GCCIS) and students derided him for taking a manager, Americas for Hasselblad traveled Mikaela keen interest in the Haskell program- Consumer/Aerial and broncolor. to Morocco David ’17 ming language, which, it turns out, his with her family (CLA) got company uses exclusively. He is quite for a vacation married in happy to have proven them wrong. in July. Salamanca, N.Y., on Aug. Earl Sharkey 10, 2019, at ’19 (KGCOE) the Seneca landed a Paige Peckham ’16 (CIAS) Allegany Resort and Casino. The two dream job accepted a position as a designer met at RIT in the Native American at Snapchat. Steven Lucchesi ’14 BS/ME at Red Thread in Boston. Student Association Club in 2014. (KGCOE) and Katy Wurman ’14 They live in Florida with their dog, BS/ME (KGCOE) were married in William Pruitt ’16 (CAST) has pub- Kona, and both attend the University Rochester on Aug. 3, 2019. Several lished the article, “A Disciplined Ap- of Florida. former and current RIT Tigers were proach: Perform corrective actions in attendance to celebrate the using the 8D model.” The column 2018 newlyweds, who met their first year appears in the May 2019 edition of at RIT. They live in Houston, where American Society of Quality’s (ASQ) Steve is an account executive with flagship periodical, Quality Progress. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Katy is a managing consultant with Simpler Consulting, an IBM Company. Mike Troise ’19 BS/ME (KGCOE) 2015 Jonathan Amerault ’18 (KGCOE) has begun working as a mechanical Jennifer was promoted from associate design engineer with TAIT in Lititz, Stanton ’15 manufacturing engineer to Pa. TAIT specializes in the design and (GCCIS) manufacturing engineer at Teleflex fabrication of concert stages and live started Timothy Wilhelm ’16 (KGCOE) Medical. In his free time, he finished entertainment automation solutions. working at married Layla (Petruzzelli) Wilhelm hiking “The 48 4,000 foot mountains” He has already had the opportunity Niantic Inc. as a ’16 (KGCOE) on June 22, 2019, in in New Hampshire and continues to work on shows for artists such as client engineer Rochester. The wedding party actively hiking and exploring the Queen + Adam Lambert, Ariana on the game included Nathaniel Huff ’14 (GCCIS), Appalachian Trail. Grande, and Celine Dion. Pokemon Go. Paul Snell ’13 (GCCIS), Joanna The new job Pecko ’16 (KGCOE) and Fabian Marie Elena Zambito included a relocation to Seattle. Perez ’16 (KGCOE). Other RIT McCartan ’19 (CHST) attendees included Jay Humphreys ’18 (KGCOE) landed her Ryan Vogt ’15 ’19 (KGCOE), Ben Litts ’16 (KGCOE), and Austin dream job at (GCCIS) was Chris Meyer ’16 (KGCOE), Kuzara ’18 the original again a Givens Elizabeth Pattie ’18 (COS), Nicole (CAST) Mayo Clinic Associate Mackey ’19 (CHST), Andrew have been in Rochester, and research Bogdan ’16 (KGCOE), Joe Marsico together Minn., working assistant at ’16 (COS), Aidan Steiger ’17 since they in the cardiac Argonne (KGCOE), Kelly Weiskittel ’19 were high disease National (KGCOE), Kyle Rohde ’19 (GCCIS), school department. Laboratory working on partial and Patrick Pipino ’90 (SCB). juniors. They got married in Buffalo, differential equation optimization N.Y., where they are from.

WINTER 2020 | 53 In Memoriam

1955 1962 Karl H. Mischke ’69 (CCE) 1975 Harold Frank Cowan ’55 Milton R. Keenan ’62 (CCE) Aug. 7, 2019 Sherrie Falardeau ’75 (CCE) (GAP) June 24, 2019 May 25, 2019 David L. Mishkin ’69 (GAP) Aug. 15, 2019 Nicholas A. Tritto ’55 (CCE) Winsor E. Larter ’62 (CCE) June 26, 2019 Robert E. Mezzanotte ’75 Alumni Aug. 12, 2019 July 2019 Robert W. Morgenroth ’69 (NTID) July 4, 2019 Joseph M. Panus ’62 (SCB) (KGCOE) May 26, 2019 Charles H. Palmer ’75 (CCE) 1941 1956 Aug. 21, 2019 Thomas E. Ransburg ’69 Aug. 13, 2019 John E. Person Jr. ’41 (GAP) Ralph P. Dandrea ’56 (GAP) Aug. 26, 2019 William J. Peters ’75 (CCE) July 29, 2019 (KGCOE) July 24, 2019 1963 Daniel A. Stetzel ’69 (CCE) Jan. 7, 2019 Phyllis (Briggs) Deal ’41 (SCB) Lester R. Luckenbach ’56 Joseph A. Phillips ’63 (GAP) June 10, 2019 Ray R. Ruliffson ’75 (KGCOE) Aug. 15, 2019 (CCE) June 18, 2019 May 20, 2019 July 8, 2019 1970 1946 Lawrence R. Smith ’75 1957 1964 Thomas S. Fazekas ’70 (SCB) (KGCOE) Aug. 5, 2019 Marva (VanDusen) Burt ’46 James E. Fantone ’57 (COS) Michael F. Bonanno ’64 (CCE) July 7, 2019 (SCB) Aug. 6, 2019 May 4, 2019 May 12, 2019 John P. Knott ’70 (KGCOE) 1976 Philip S. Franco ’57 (KGCOE) Aug. 16, 2019 James W. Cockerill ’76 (GAP) 1947 May 2019 1965 Walter F. Shafer ’70 MS Irene (Jankowski) Gadawski May 18, 2019 William E. Kruse ’57 (KGCOE) John W. Bailey ’65 (KGCOE) (GAP) May 20, 2019 ’47 (SCB) April 29, 2019 Arthur Edward Hodge ’76 Aug. 3, 2019 Aug. 5, 2019 Joan (Warner) Howe ’47 (SCB) May 28, 2019 Kerwin C. Playfoot ’57 William D. Ferguson II ’65 1971 (SCB) June 26, 2019 John W. Matejcik ’76 ME (KGCOE) June 11, 2019 (SCB) Aug. 2, 2019 Rufus C. Crow Jr. ’71 MBA Dean L. Williams ’47 (KGCOE) Aug. 18, 2019 William F. Voisinet ’57 Harold R. Jackson ’65 (CCE) (SCB) June 1, 2019 (KGCOE) July 15, 2019 Patricia (Hogan) Oremus ’76 (KGCOE) April 23, 2019 April 23, 2019 Arthur L. Floran ’71 MBA (SCB) July 9, 2019 Joseph Matrone ’65 (SCB) (SCB) July 13, 2019 1948 July 25, 2019 Peter C. Logel ’71 (CCE) Michael J. Bach Jr. ’48 (GAP) 1958 1977 Ronald T. Ferri ’58 (FAA) John A. Shane ’65 (CCE) June 17, 2019 March 24, 2019 William M. Allen ’77 (SCB) June 13, 2019 June 24, 2019 Albert M. Rozman ’71 (NTID) July 4, 2019 1949 Richard A. Osburn ’58 Joseph J. Taraci ’65 (SCB) April 22, 2019 Robert K. Hoyt II ’77 (CCE) Norman B. Biggart ’49 (GAP) (KGCOE) March 19, 2019 June 17, 2019 Michael W. Walsh ’71 (SCB) Aug. 8, 2019 May 20, 2019 Walter Werther ’65 (CCE) April 28, 2019 Warren Russell Malone ’77 Henry Junge ’49 (CCE) 1959 Aug. 21, 2019 (CCE) May 23, 2019 Maurice A. Archambault ’59 June 7, 2019 1972 Jeffrey C. Strieter ’77 (CCE) (GAP) April 19, 2019 Stephen K. Bleau ’72 (CCE) Roberta (Bennett) Lockwood 1966 July 20, 2019 Max B. Conrad ’59 (CCE) Jacque E. Clements ’66 July 26, 2019 ’49 (SCB) June 18, 2019 Thomas T. Young ’77 (CCE) Aug. 16, 2019 (FAA) Aug. 15, 2019 Samuel A. Corcimiglia ’72 Richard C. Skagenberg ’49 July 21, 2019 Stephen Kubica ’59 (KGCOE) James H. Crable ’66 MFA (KGCOE) Aug. 25, 2019 (GAP) Aug. 10, 2019 June 4, 2019 (FAA) May 23, 2019 Frank Dagonese ’72 (CCE) 1978 1950 Albert F. Puttlitz ’59 (KGCOE) Robert J. Ross ’66 (SCB) June 17, 2019 Paul J. Prince ’78 (CCE), ’82 Robert E. Drees ’50 (KGCOE) Oct. 9, 2018 July 17, 2019 George H. Frank ’72 (CCE) MS (CAST) Aug. 22, 2019 June 25, 2019 Patricia (Tillinghast) Sipowicz July 13, 2019 Leo E. Williams ’78 (CCE) Harry E. Tomaschke ’50 ’59 (SCB) April 6, 2019 1967 Lawrence H. Michael ’72 June 24, 2019 Terry J. Donovan ’67 (CCE) (KGCOE) April 19, 2019 K. Richard Wheeler ’59 (SCB) MBA (SCB) Aug. 2, 2019 June 2, 2019 June 17, 2019 1979 1951 John N. Young ’59 (COS) Joseph H. Souder ’67 (CCE) 1973 Christine Mary Barber ’79 Roland J. Ketchum ’51 (FAA) July 1, 2019 Nov. 21, 2018 Daniel J. Brady Jr. ’73 (SCB) (NTID) April 23, 2019 July 31, 2019 May 9, 2019 Dirk C. Vantoorenburg ’79 Carolyn (Auyer) Peckham- 1960 1968 Roland W. Laine ’73 AAS (CCE) July 9, 2019 Anthony A. Dibiase ’68 (CCE) Welch ’51 (SCB) Nov. 5, 2018 Ralph G. Coleman ’60 (CCE) (GAP) May 5, 2019 Aug. 14, 2019 Audrey Jane (Sherman) Aug. 22, 2019 John F. McCabe ’73 (CCE) 1980 Anthony J. Fretto ’68 MBA Starken ’51 (SCB) June 15, David A. Pytcher ’60 (SCB) April 11, 2019 Daniel Patrick Harrigan ’80 (CCE) June 7, 2019 2019 June 11, 2019 Gregory M. Motala ’73 (CCE) (SCB) June 6, 2019 John E. Parnell ’68 (COS) April 13, 2019 Peter M. Nicastro Jr. ’80 1952 1961 June 14, 2019 Martin C. Rokosz ’73 (CCE) (CCE) May 9, 2019 Anthony Decroce ’52 (FAA) Carl Dumbauld ’61 (GAP) David D. Selbert ’68 (CCE) July 19, 2019 Harry A. Miller ’80 (CCE) Aug. 22, 2019 July 14, 2019 July 14, 2019 Theodore D. Shadler ’73 July 20, 2019 Donald M. Woodruff ’52 Robert Flaherty ’61 (SCB) William L. Valentine ’68 (CCE) Aug. 16, 2019 Eugene P. Ritter ’80 MBA (SCB) Aug. 9, 2019 July 1, 2019 (KGCOE) Aug. 28, 2019 Ronald P. Sitter ’73 (CCE) (SCB) July 31, 2019 David Hastings ’61 (GAP) July 4, 2019 David G. Rusin ’80 (SCB) 1953 July 24, 2019 1969 June 16, 2019 Richard E. Bagg ’53 (GAP) Kenneth M. Klaus ’61 (GAP) Cecil M. Angle ’69 (SCB) 1974 Deborah Lynn Vogt ’80 MBA June 4, 2019 July 19, 2019 July 5, 2019 Cole F. Hartley ’74 (CCE) (SCB) May 20, 2019 Albert Z. Seymour ’53 David G. Kopp ’61 (CCE) Ralph S. Barbaro ’69 (CCE) May 11, 2019 (KGCOE) May 28, 2019 Aug. 5, 2019 May 9, 2019 Marcia L. Standera ’74 MS 1981 Joseph T. Simpson ’61 (GAP) M. Frank Erwin ’69 (KGCOE) (CCE) Aug. 8, 2019 Carmen John Gallo ’81 (SCB) 1954 Aug. 16, 2019 April 7, 2019 George W. Wambach ’74 MS July 5, 2019 Thomas J. Wenglein ’54 Raymond E. Thompson ’61 Harry J. Kelly ’69 (CCE) (CCE) June 2, 2019 Norman Lewis Johnson ’81 (SCB) Aug. 5, 2019 (KGCOE) Oct. 19, 2018 June 10, 2019 (GAP) July 1, 2019

54 | WINTER 2020 1982 1994 Jack Stephen Demcovich Elizabeth E. Brocious ’94 ’82 (CCE) June 6, 2019 (CIAS) June 12, 2019 Audrey C. Enfonde ’82 (CCE) Brent Edward Decoste ’94 April 18, 2019 (CAST) June 2, 2019 Monica I. Lambert ’82 (CCE) May 18, 2019 2000 Eileen L. Kimball ’00 (CAST) 1983 June 14, 2019 Marcia Marie Allen ’83 (CCE) April 2, 2019 2001 Michael Paul Gorman ’83 MS Glenys L. Crane-Emerson (CAST) May 3, 2019 ’01 (CLA) Aug. 28, 2019 At left, Neil Montanus 2004 ’53 in a 1954 self portait. 1984 Above, the portrait Joseph P. Harding ’84 Evelyn A. Sizemore ’04 (CIAS) Montanus took of Walt (CAST) Aug. 19, 2019 July 5, 2019 Michael Jennings Clarke ’84 Sara C. Bettis-Harrington ’04 Disney is still in use at (GAP) May 17, 2019 (CLA) May 6, 2019 Disney facilities today. Donald Frederick Vanwinkle ’84 (CCE) Aug. 25, 2019 2014 Amos Kivelowitz ’14 (CAST) 1985 June 14, 2019 William H. Kest Sr. ’85 (CCE) Remembering Neil Montanus Aug. 6, 2019 2016 Angelica Lopez ’16 (NTID) 1986 June 24, 2019 eil Montanus ’53 (graphic arts Marilyn S. Bailey ’86 (CCE) and photography), considered Aug. 5, 2019 2017 by many to be Eastman Kodak N Dirk L. Large ’86 (GAP) Sidney A. Freeland ’17 (NTID) Co.’s most famous photographer, died June 14, 2019 Aug. 15, 2019 on Sept. 6 in Rochester. He was 92. He began work in a photo studio 1987 in his hometown near Chicago, but Ronald Joseph Gregory ’87 Faculty and Staff soon received a job offer from Kodak MFA (GAP) May 2, 2019 to work in its photo illustration divi- George Albert Mathis Jr. ’87 sion as a portrait photographer. It (CCE) May 7, 2019 Bob Baker, former director and curator of NTID’s Dyer would become the starting point of Annette (Kibbe) Nitko ’87 an illustrious career. (NTID) July 17, 2019 Arts Center, Oct. 8, 2019 During his career with Kodak, 1988 Nancy Heuer, former Montanus took 55 of the 565 Colorama assistant to the dean in photos—the colossal, panoramic

Joseph A. Atallah ’88 (CCE) A. Sue Weisler Saunders College of displays that dazzled commuters April 23, 2019 Montanus’ work was featured in RIT’s Peter J. Nystrom ’88 Business, Sept. 15, 2019 in New York City’s Grand Central University Gallery and at High Falls (KGCOE), ’97 MS (CAST) Terminal for decades. June 14, 2019 Weston Kemp, former Montanus’ portrait of Walt Disney Gallery, pictured here, in 2012. assistant professor of in 1961 was called the “best portrait 1990 photography, Sept. 28, ever taken” of Disney and is still in On the occasion of his 90th birth- Thomas Joseph Martin ’90 2019 use at Disney facilities today. Origi- day during a visit to the Henrietta, (NTID) June 30, 2019 nally hired as a portrait specialist by N.Y., campus in 2017, RIT’s former Paul Wenger, associate 1991 Kodak, Montanus was asked to take College of Imaging Arts and Sciences professor in the School of (now College of Art and Design) pre- Carl Patrick Michaud ’91 Mathematical Sciences, the official White House portrait of sented him with a special certificate (CAST) May 15, 2019 Aug. 8, 2019 Gerald Ford, taken in the Oval Office Timothy S. Parker ’91 (CAST) after Richard Nixon’s resignation in and named him a Notable Alumnus. May 15, 2019 1974. “Neil’s work had a huge impact on Todd A. Wolfanger ’91 (CAST) Correction His work and personal photogra- how people take pictures today,” said Aug. 19, 2019 J. Alexander Scott ’22 (FAA) phy took Montanus to more than 30 his son, Jim. “His work was seen by died March 13, 1990. His date countries on six continents over a tens of millions of people around the 1993 of death was listed incorrectly 35-year career. After he retired, Kodak world at a time when photography as Eileen M. Maher ’93 (CCE) in the Fall 2019 RIT University asked him to serve as an ambassador a hobby was in its infancy. As a result, July 18, 2019 Magazine. for the company by training groups he is one of the important photogra- Jodi Diehl Nestle ’93 MS of young photographers. Training phers of the 20th century. (CLA) June 16, 2019 others was a skill that he had learned “It was the Kodak connection that Robert M. Parker ’93 (CCE) years earlier when he was hired to Neil made while attending school July 22, 2019 teach night classes in photography at RIT, which helped him to land his at RIT. dream job at Kodak,” he added.

WINTER 2020 | 55 Archives Cary Graphic Arts Collection Cary Graphic The Cary Graphic Arts Collection, shown here in 1982, connects the past with the present. Cary Graphic Arts Collection turns 50

IT is celebrating the golden anniver- Flagler Cary Charitable Trust. The collection Times Museum of the Printed Word, and sary of the Cary Graphic Arts Collec- came to RIT through the foresight and in- the Kelmscott/Goudy Printing Press, among Rtion, a veritable treasure trove of one fluence of RIT printing Professors Alexan- many others. of humankind’s greatest inventions—the der Lawson, future Cary Professor Herbert Rooted in the past, the rare book collec- written word. Johnson ’62 (printing), and Albert Davis, tion has a digital future in the Virtual Cary From 3rd millennia BCE Cuneiform tablets vice president of development, who posi- Collection. Remote accessibility will ben- that mark the beginning of writing to the 21st tioned RIT to house the rare book library. efit students and researchers unable to visit century Palm Pilot that introduced a similar Their personal legacy has matured into an RIT and expand the collection’s reputation short hand (remember “Graffiti”?), the Cary internationally known collection shaped by and its community of Friends of the Cary Collection connects the past with the present succession of curators and the university’s Collection. and enriches everyone who enters the space evolving mission. Cary Curator Steven Galbraith is commit- on the second floor of Wallace Library. The Cary Collection has educated two ted to liberal undergraduate access to the The Cary Graphic Arts Collection was generations of RIT students. Its holdings physical collection. His welcoming attitude installed in 1969 in RIT’s School of Print- have grown to 45,000 volumes, with con- and Hugill-Fontanel’s guiding philosophy ing and Management Sciences in James tent expanding into graphic design, callig- of “preservation through use” make the E. Booth Hall as a teaching and research raphy, the development of letter forms, the collection a vital part of an RIT education. library with 2,300 volumes dedicated to the history of the book, and materials related to The Cary Collection hit a landmark year history of printing. book arts and fields including paper mak- in teaching in 2018-2019. More than 2,500 The collection belonged to New York ing, book design, and bookbinding, said students between the fall and spring City-based printing executive Melbert B. associate curator Amelia Hugill-Fontanel semester visited the Cary library for class Cary Jr., who operated his own private press ’02 MS (printing technology). sessions that reflect the university’s and socialized with influential type design- A 50th anniversary exhibit, on display expanding curricula. ers and printers Frederic Goudy and Bruce through the fall semester, highlights “Teaching shows our greatest impact,” Rogers. samples from Cary’s initial collection and Galbraith said. Cary’s personal library passed to his wife milestone acquisitions, including pages and, upon her death, was held in the Mary from the Gutenberg Bible, The New York Susan Gawlowicz ’95

No. 9, November 2019—RIT (USPS-676-870) is published 9 times annually by Rochester Institute of Technology, One Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, N.Y. 14623-5603, once in March, three times in May, once in July, two times in August, once in September, and once in November. Periodicals postage paid at Rochester, N.Y. 14623-5603 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to RIT, Rochester Institute of Technology, One Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, N.Y. 14623-5603.

56 | WINTER 2020 2019 Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend

A

B C D

E F G A. Eakin Howard, B. Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito, C. A. Sue Weisler, D. Elizabeth Lamark, E. Myers Creative Imaging, F. A. Sue Weisler, G. Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito A. Sue Weisler, Imaging, F. Lamark, E. Elizabeth Creative Myers D. A. Sue Weisler, C. B. Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito, A. Eakin Howard,

A The men’s hockey team honors alumni who gradu- (medical technology), E Chi Nguyen, a Ph.D. student G From left, grandparents skated to a 4-0 win against ated 50 or more years ago. Gil Whisnant ’72 (biology), in astrophysical sciences Bob and Nancy Piwko; Merrimack College in Laura (Brown) Delaney and technology, played Nick Piwko, a second-year front of 9,805 fans at C Fifty years after the Black ’68 (applied arts and video games during the computer engineering Blue Cross Arena. Awareness Coordinating sciences), and James Presidents’ Alumni Ball. major; Robby Piwko, a Committee became Manning ’70 (business fourth-year game design B Pat Harris ’54 (chemistry) officially recognized as administration). F Former Student Govern- and development student; looked through yearbooks RIT’s first cultural club, ment President John mom Tammy Piwko; with her daughter, Cindy five of its founding mem- D Journalist Anderson Simmons ’91, left, and Vice dad Rob Piwko ’96 Lower, center, and Natalie bers reunited at Brick City Cooper, Student Govern- President Eric Senna ’91 (mechanical engineering) Anderson, executive Homecoming and Family ment Distinguished spoke at the celebration of and sister Annie Piwko of director in Development Weekend. From left to right Speaker, talked about the 30th anniversary of the Buffalo, N.Y., enjoyed the and Alumni Relations, are Kenneth Everett ’69 the state of the world Tiger Statue. Student Gov- family weekend. at the Golden Circle (business administration), and journalism to more ernment commissioned Luncheon. The event Ostein (Barnes)Truitt ’70 than 3,800 people. the statue in 1989. Periodicals www.rit.edu

We’re on to something life-changing.

Faculty and students at RIT are evolving one of nature’s oldest designs. This project started with keen observation of the simple yet powerful muscle movements of the common river trout. After collaborating with ecologists, designers, and several types of engineers, they created a fully submersible robot fish. The effects aren’t just felt in the classroom. The technology inside can be adapted to create a new wave of prosthetics. When creativity and innovation collide, you’re on to something life-changing.

Rochester Institute of Technology rit.edu/umag19