University Magazine Spring 2019

Tackling social, medical and conservation problems Ways we are doing good around the world

Also inside: RIT Venture Fund helps turn ideas into businesses

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Serving the greater good

We shape the future and improve the world through creativity and innovation. As an engaged, intellectually curious, and socially conscious community, we leverage the power of technology, the arts, and design for the greater good. RIT University Magazine RIT vision and mission, 2018-2025 Strategic Plan Executive Editors Lisa Cauda, Development and Alumni Relations Bob Finnerty ’07 MS, Marketing and Communications Deborah M. Stendardi, Government and Community Relations ur university learning opportunities at our campuses in John Trierweiler, Marketing and Communications isn’t like any China, Croatia, Dubai and Kosovo. Editor Oother. RIT RIT prides itself in preparing our Mindy Mozer, Marketing and Communications strives to be distinc- graduates to be citizens of the world. That

Art Director tive, to do things means preparing our students not just for Jeff Arbegast ’93 MS, Marketing and Communications in our own way. jobs and careers, but also for life. Today’s That mentality of world needs people who know how to cre- Photography Editor Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito ’07 uniqueness is baked ate and innovate, analyze and implement, into our university, collaborate and lead. Contributing Editors Kim Slusser, Development and Alumni Relations as we have no Creativity begins with people, and Cindy Sobieraj, Development and Alumni Relations interest in the status quo. at RIT we have an unusual assembly of Photographers In November, the RIT Board of Trustees exceptional individuals. Just take a look Elizabeth Lamark ’00, Marketing and Communications approved the university’s new strate- at pages 20-29 for examples of RIT Tigers A. Sue Weisler ’93 MS, Marketing and Communications gic plan—Greatness Through Differ- doing good around the world. Writers: Marketing and Communications ence: 2018-2025. The approved plan, along You’ll meet, among many others, Luke Auburn ’09, ’15 MS Rich Kiley with a new vision and mission that cap- Sabina Ismailova ’13 (telecommunications Scott Bureau ’11, ’16 MBA Greg Livadas Michelle Cometa ’00 Vienna McGrain ’12 MS ture who we are and who we plan to be, is engineering technology), who is helping Susan Gawlowicz ’95 Ellen Rosen now available at rit.edu/strategicplan. children with disabilities in Kazakhstan. Copy Editor Greatness Through Difference is the And Associate Professor Marcos Esterman, Marie Lang, Marketing and Communications product of 14 months of collaborative who with senior engineering students is planning throughout the RIT community. helping at-risk residents of a Cali, Colom- Print Production Brenda Monahan, Marketing and Communications Its 25 goals support four critical dimen- bia, neighborhood develop marketable sions: People, Programs, Places and skills in fields like advanced manufactur- Marketing and Communications University Communications Partnerships. The animating theme of the ing and agricultural technology. Elizabeth 22 Lomb Memorial Drive plan is innovation—the pivotal innova- Bondi ’16 (imaging science) is using her Rochester, NY 14623-5608 tion that can only be achieved through education to take action against elephant Voice: 585-475-5064 Fax: 585-475-5097 harnessing the power residing within and rhino poachers in Botswana. Email: [email protected] the intersection of RIT’s core strengths of From Rochester to Honduras to Ghana Office of Alumni Relations technology, the arts and design. In the RIT to Tanzania, RIT alumni, students, faculty Crossroads 41 Lomb Memorial Drive context, “innovation” is not about novelty and staff are making a difference. Rochester, NY 14623-5603 Voice: 585-475-ALUM, Toll Free: 866-RIT-ALUM or originality; it is about leveraging these Now that’s Tiger pride. TTY: 585-475-2764, Fax: 585-475-5308 signature strengths to produce graduates Email: [email protected] in every discipline capable of practicing Sincerely,

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, transformative change that serves the New York, publishes RIT University Magazine. greater good. RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and How are we doing this? values diversity within its workforce and provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals We are supplementing our classroom David C. Munson Jr., President regardless of race, color, creed, age, marital status, and online teaching with experiential and [email protected] sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender interdisciplinary learning, which ranges Twitter: @RITPresident identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status, or disability. from paid cooperative education positions with startup and Fortune 500 companies P.S. We invite you to join us on Saturday, Vol. 21, No. 1, 126M-P2362-4/2019-LANE-JSA to international experiences. On the glob- April 27, when nearly 400 exhibits will be Printer: The Lane Press; Burlington, Vermont © 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology al front, we are expanding our influence on display at our signature Imagine RIT: All rights reserved with strategic partnerships and overseas Creativity and Innovation Festival. Cover Kristen Denninger Snyder ’10 (environmental science) is opening a center in Tanzania to protect wildlife and promote conservation. This elephant, Meru, is wearing a GPS device so researchers can better

University Magazine Denninger Snyder Kristen by Photo understand her behavior. Spring 2019

2 10 20 RIT Esports is joining a national RIT research is helping North American A professor and engineering students collegiate league and moving into a river otters survive in the wild and be are empowering citizens of Cali, new esports lounge. content in captivity. Colombia. One of eight stories showing how RIT is doing good in the world.

Departments Features

2 On Campus 12 16 20 30 6 About Students Entrepreneurial Online RIT doing Faculty profile 8 Student Work ecosystem education good around Meet Hamad Research 10 The RIT Venture From MicroMaster the world Ghazle, who has 32 Alumni Updates Fund helps turn to RIT master— Alumni, students, taught hundreds 38 Class Notes ideas into how learners are faculty and staff of sonography 40 Tiger Love businesses. advancing their are making a students. 42 Tiger Cubs skills and careers. difference. 48 Archives On Campus Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito by Photo First-year applied mathematics student Brandon Lai practices with his esports team. RIT Esports is joining the Electronic Gaming Federation and will have a new on-campus space for competitions. About 1,200 community members are involved with esports, including intramurals and recreational.

Esports levels up with new national league

IT Esports is moving up a level, “Being able to add RIT as a member and best schools in the world,” said Chad joining a national collegiate league of EGF is one of my proudest moments, Weeden, assistant director of RIT’s School Rcommissioned by the Electronic and I can’t think of a better university to of Interactive Games and Media and adviser Gaming Federation and moving into a help forge this path with,” said Schrodt ’13 for RIT Esports. “Top collegiate esports new space the university is designating (finance and international business), ’15 students can come to RIT to compete at a for esports competitions. (MBA). “It’s great to see the university high level in something they love, while The esports industry is continuing to taking this growing group seriously earning a great degree in anything from grow worldwide, with more than 300 and supporting them.” engineering to graphic design.” million people engaging in electronic RIT Esports currently has about 130 The lounge will be equipped with six sports video games from the professional people playing in 14 different esports. gaming machines, gaming chairs, head- to the amateur level. On college campuses, The university has won three national sets and keyboards for specific games and student teams and programs are forming championships in the games Dota 2, Drop- player-types. It will also feature a coaching to represent their universities. zone and Rainbow Six: Siege. Esports players space and production station for the The Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF) have also received more than $22,000 students in charge of helping direct the works similar to an NCAA for esports. EGF worth of prize money in tournaments. teams during gameplay. The Davis Room will build on the model used in traditional To better support these RIT teams, the in the Student Alumni Union will also be sports to govern a collegiate league, which university is adding a new esports lounge outfitted with equipment to host larger includes competitive seasons for different in remodeled space on the first floor of esports events. esports. Institute Hall. To learn more, go to esportsrit.com. EGF was founded by RIT alumnus Tyler “This will be a premier place for esports Schrodt. students to compete with the biggest Scott Bureau ’11, ’16 MBA

2 | SPRING 2019 Do you know this RIT slang? In Brief

Every generation has its own additions to the English Moving up language. From having a blast in the ’50s to living your RIT is now listed as a “high research best life today, slang vocabulary is always evolving. activity institution” or “R2” under the updated Carnegie Classification of We asked RIT students what slang they use today. Take this Institutions of Higher Learning. quiz to test your knowledge of this generation’s slang terms. The R2 designation puts RIT among the top 6 percent of colleges and univer- Felicia Swartzenberg ’19 sities in the nation, those conferring at least 20 research/scholarship doctorates annually and spending a minimum $5 million a year on research. 1 Photonics for quantum Nearly 200 scientists and engineers You failed your test and 2 developing cutting-edge quantum tech- your friend tells you, nology shared their latest breakthroughs “big oof.” Your friend is— If someone refers to the at the Photonics for Quantum Workshop at RIT in January. RIT Weather Machine, A. Laughing at you because The conference was held in response you failed they are talking about— to a congressional imperative to accelerate quantum research. Speakers B. Making fun of the A. The Quarter Mile from the National Science Foundation, professor NASA, AIM Photonics, national labora- B. The Sentinel tories, industry and academia discussed C. Empathizing with you quantum technology development in C. The Zamboni in the five main applications—computing, Gene Polisseni Center communication, imaging, sensing and clocks. Don Figer, director of RIT’s Future Photon Initiative, said RIT is in a unique 3 position to help usher in the new wave of quantum technologies because of Your friend is eating its multidisciplinary emphasis and chicken wings and says, exceptional faculty and students. 4 Figer said another conference is “this slaps!” Your friend If friends are taking part planned for the summer of 2020. is saying— in HVZ, they are— Production set for April A. The wings are really good. In preparation for a future production A. Participating in an featuring new and innovative technolo- B. The wings are really gross. experiment in a lab gies in lighting, sound, special effects and mixed reality, the College of Liberal C. The wings are really spicy. B. Attending a Arts will be presenting a staged reading group video of an original science-fiction play, AI- game session Pollo, by COLA Theater Program Director David Munnell. C. Playing themed Three performances are planned April tag on campus 26-28 in RIT’s new MAGIC Spell Studios building. Students from COLA, College Answers: of Art and Design, Golisano College of 1. C—“Big oof” is akin to the phrases “that sucks,” “sorry that happened” or “too bad.” Computing and Information Sciences 2. B—Students like to joke that former RIT President Bill Destler (and now President David and Kate Gleason College of Engineer- Munson) use the tall sculpture The Sentinel to control the weather on campus. ing are collaborating on the multidis- 3. A—When something “slaps,” it is really great. ciplinary effort. For details on the free 4. C—Humans vs. Zombies (HVZ) is a live-action game of themed tag using Nerf guns. performance, go to rit.edu/theatrearts.

SPRING 2019 | 3 On Campus

Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito Brainpower Fourth-year students Rockella Caporale, applied arts and sciences, and Andrew Hennis, biomedical sciences, work together to identify parts of a model brain during an advanced clinical neuroanatomy class. The class, an elective offered by the biomedical sciences program, enables students to later learn on a cadaver, which heightens the quality of education for all health majors. About Students

Student Hailey Sanidad, kneeling, monitors sensors while members of Reynolds Battery fire a cannon at Genesee Photos by Lydia Palmer Country Village & Museum. Students are creating a protocol to keep the buildings safe from cannon fire.

Engineering students help bring cannon

our fifth-year engineering Mumford, N.Y., hosts a Civil students are putting some War Encampment, which draws Ffire back into histori- hundreds of infantry, cavalry cal reenactments at a country and artillery reenactors. A high- museum near campus. light of the weekend used to be Every July the Genesee a town battle around Country Village & Museum in the museum’s 68 historic structures. But in 2015, the museum From left: Fifth-year students stopped firing cannons in the Dylan Corbin, mechanical historic village because the engineering; Dilan Koc, industrial black powder charges appeared and systems engineering; Hailey Sanidad, mechanical engineer- to be damaging the windows ing; and Miles Bain, mechanical and plaster of the buildings. engineering, worked on a plan “One of the reasons reenac- to protect a museum’s historical tors enjoy coming here is the buildings when a cannon is fired. opportunity to skirmish within Photo by A. Sue Weisler

6 | SPRING 2019 Student Dylan Corbin uses sensors to monitor the vibration of windows The multidisciplinary senior design team measured and photographed the during cannon fire so the team can assess potential damage. windowpanes. The goal is to safely reintroduce cannon fire this summer.

To see a video, go to fire back to museum Watch bit.ly/RITGCVM.

the historic village,” said Peter Sanidad. “Authenticity is our “Having that experience before I solving opportunities. Wisbey, the curator of collec- main goal.” even start my career is great.” “It’s very different from a tions at the museum. “To be To help reintroduce can- Industrial and systems class project where you are able to move amongst a historic non fire for the reenactments engineering major Dilan Koc given a problem and you solve village is really a unique per- this summer, the students are also emphasized the value of it with a defined process,” said spective for a reenactor.” identifying the cause of the communication. Miles Bain, a mechanical engi- The museum wanted to damage and creating a best “I try to explain our ideas to neering student. reintroduce cannon fire but practices procedure to protect our clients in a language they “All of us will graduate with needed a plan to protect the the buildings while maintain- understand,” Koc said. “Our the necessary technical skills, 100- to 200-year-old structures. ing authenticity. audience is not engineers, so but it’s going to be the non- They looked to RIT’s multidisci- Mechanical engineering we need to change our language technical, soft skills that will plinary senior design students student Dylan Corbin said the and our perspective to commu- separate us in the workplace. from the Kate Gleason College experience has been invaluable. nicate well with them.” Having those skills makes the of Engineering. “The communication aspect In addition to improving difference between a good “We aren’t focusing on a of working with other disci- their skills in communica- engineer and a great engineer.” physical product,” said mechan- plines has a lot of direct real- tion, this project also provides ical engineering student Hailey world application,” said Corbin. students with unique problem- Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

SPRING 2019 | 7 Student Work Photo by Elizabeth Lamark Elizabeth by Photo This sculpture, made by fine arts studio major Levi Cassidy Cooper, is being displayed on the RIT campus near the entrance to the Vignelli Center for Design Studies.

Why I created this sculpture

“ ’ve always been quite existential and frequency that resonates and responds extremely considerate in my inter­ to other vibrations. Iactions with the world. Feeling so “The point of this sculpture is to deeply, and expressing so intensely, address the energy fields that we are becomes exhausting if there is no all very familiar with, subconsciously. digestion and energy that’s released Furthermore, by stepping inside and paus- back to me. Art allows the courage to give ing for a few moments, giving in to the up trying, to move confidently through moment and breathing deeply, it the void, embracing the fear of success. becomes a sort of personal ground- “FIELD was created and installed at RIT ing machine. It vibrates in the spring of 2018. With guidance and in response to touch, it support from Professor Elizabeth Kronfield, dances with the elements I committed over 250 hours of welding and of nature and interacts fabricating steel. The sculpture represents with life as we the electromagnetic toroidal energy field do, as all art does.” that all life generates. “This energy body can be felt between Levi Cassidy Cooper humans when they are close enough to share or blend this ‘personal’ space. While Fine arts studio BFA (now called studio arts) sometimes we are drawn closer and other Class of 2020 times we resist, everything vibrates at a Hometown: Dansville, N.Y.

8 | SPRING 2019 I am RIT for Life Connected. Engaged. Involved.

These alumni embody the spirit of RIT for Life. They give of their time, talent, and treasure to ensure Tiger Pride extends beyond campus and you can too! Attend an alumni event, mentor a student, give to the area of RIT that means the most to you—be RIT for Life.

Becky Brubaker ’93

“As a student, I knew then the prestige of RIT. What I have later learned is the great power that has come from reconnecting and seeing how much RIT continues to transform the lives of many. My reconnection, 15 years after graduation, has strengthened the pride I have in exponential ways. It’s an honor to be RIT for Life and give back.”

Denishea ’04 and Orlando ’04, MBA ’08 Ortiz

“RIT led us to find our purposes. We had great opportunities and we Dave Gallagher ’91 want current and future students to have even greater ones. This is “RIT’s reputation allowed why we give back. We give back to me to get my foot in the door help Tigers change the world, to and its education allowed me set the standard, to be boundless at to succeed, which is why I every opportunity. This is why we continue to be RIT for Life and are RIT for Life.” give back to the university.” rit.edu/alumni

© 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology | One Lomb Memorial Drive | Rochester, New York 14623 Research Research will help river otters survive in the wild

Caroline DeLong, esearch involving North American they are in various forms); and one study associate professor river otters based at a zoo in Roch- will determine whether otters look at items ester has concluded that the aquatic in a global perspective or a local one—the of psychology, is R mammals can visually discriminate question of whether one sees “the forest or conducting research between two-dimensional objects and the trees.” with river otters at the detect differences in shapes and colors. The new research, which continues Seneca Park Zoo in “That is a significant finding because into 2019, is supported by a Summer Rochester. The research otters may use visual object recognition to Undergraduate Research Fellowship will help zoos better care detect predators and prey,” said Caroline Grant to support student research from DeLong, an associate professor of psychol- the Department of Psychology and the for the river otters. ogy at RIT, who started doing otter research College of Liberal Arts. at the Seneca Park Zoo in 2010. Catina Wright, the primary zoo keeper The research, which also proved the first who cares for the otters at the zoo, was preliminary behavioral evidence for color also instrumental in the research project vision in North American river otters, was by training the otters—named Heather and published in the journal Learning and Be- Sailor—to target on the stimuli, giving them havior and a short video of the otters during gestures, talking to them and pointing to their testing was produced by the BBC. the place where the otters start the trials, DeLong said the research is helping ot- and rewarding them by giving them a fish ters survive in the future in nature. River when they succeed. otters practically disappeared from western The original study was supported by New York for decades, as their habitat in grants from the River Otter Alliance Foun- and along the Genesee River had them dation and the Milwaukee branch of the clashing with predators, including humans American Association of Zookeepers, as hunting them for their fur. In the 1990s, the well as support from RIT’s College of Liberal state Department of Environmental Con- Arts and its Department of Psychology. servation, with support from Seneca Park “This study took us about seven years to Zoo, captured them in the Adirondacks and complete. It was a major research effort,” repopulated them in western New York. DeLong said. “And there’s almost nothing Transforming RIT “They would get caught in beaver traps, out there on the perceptual and cognitive RIT publicly launched run over by cars … their habitat disappears abilities of North American river otters. a $1 billion blended when they clash with humans,” DeLong There are very few scientists conducting campaign last July said. “The more that we know about their research on North American river otters.” called Transforming visual perception, the better we can do in RIT graduate students Irene Fobe ’17 RIT: The Campaign for future preservation efforts.” (experimental psychology), Kenneth Tyler Greatness. A pillar of DeLong said the findings “can also assist Wilcox ’13 (psychology), ’17 MS (applied the campaign, which is us to better take care of them in zoos. Otters statistics) and Evan Morrison, who expects the largest fundraising need enriching activities when under hu- to graduate this spring with a degree in effort in RIT’s history, man care.” experimental psychology, also participated calls for the university As a result of her findings, DeLong is in the research, as well as numerous under- to improve the world continuing otter research with two other graduate students from DeLong’s Compara- through research and studies: One is whether otters have the tive Cognition and Perception Lab who discovery. To learn ability to classify shapes into different assisted in running the research sessions. more, go to rit.edu/ categories (such as being able to tell the transformingrit. difference between circles and triangles if Greg Livadas

10 | SPRING 2019 SPRING 2019 |11

Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito I have always felt like the Venture Fund investors are like our guardians. They provided us with terrific support and a home base in Rochester that we could always come back to if we needed it.”

Kailey Bradt ’15 (chemical engineering) ’18 MS (product development)

Photo by Pasha Kalachev 12 | SPRING 2019 Entrepreneurial ecosystem

RIT Venture Fund helps turn ideas into businesses

1 2 3 Encountering the inconve- OWA’s sustainable haircare The line of powder hair wash nience of traveling with many products are sourced from hydrates with water to form bottles of liquid haircare, OWA naturally-derived ingredients ready-to-use products. founder Kailey Bradt sought free of sulfates, parabens, alternatives to conventional silicones, and artificial color hair products. and fragrance.

ailey Bradt ’15 (chemical engineer- a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. ing), ’18 MS (product development) With the Simone Center for Innovation K had an idea for a waterless, powder and Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Prop- OWA (Out of this World shampoo that could change the way the erty Management Office, Center for Urban Amazing) Haircare world looks at haircare. Entrepreneurship, RIT Venture Creations When she needed funding to get her technology business incubator, and the RIT is headquartered company, OWA (Out of this World Amazing) Venture Fund, RIT is committed to pro- in Manhattan. The Haircare, off the ground, she got it from her viding an innovative environment where waterless shampoo will alma mater. makers and doers flourish. be available this spring. Launched in 2012, the RIT Venture Fund “Typically, this early investment is the invests in early-stage, high-growth com- hardest money to raise, and we understand panies founded by students, faculty, staff, that,” said James Watters, RIT senior vice alumni and RIT Venture Creations client president for Finance and Administration, companies in fields that complement RIT’s treasurer and chief investment officer for core academic competencies. RIT Venture Fund. “There are a lot of solid, From block chain and clean-energy tech- marketable ideas out there, and RIT is fortu- nology to telecommunications, manufac- nate to be able to help our growing commu- turing and game development, the Venture nity of entrepreneurs around the world.” Fund looks to create industry diversity and The fund typically invests between

SPRING 2019 | 13 Bob Fabbio ’86 MS (computer science), a serial entrepreneur, started eRelevance five years ago.

Fabbio’s company is one of 14 currently in the RIT Venture Fund’s porfolio.

Photo by Bill McCullough 14 | SPRING 2019 Entrepreneurial ecosystem

$100,000 and $250,000 in select start-ups. Along on the journey And, as with other venture capital arrange- Bradt’s OWA Haircare, which received ments, RIT receives an equity in exchange funding in May of 2018, is headquartered in for the financial support. Manhattan but will ship its products from However, unlike most other venture cap- Rochester. The patent-pending shampoo ital firms, the RIT Venture Fund is an “ever- is naturally derived and environmentally green” fund, meaning all of the investment friendly and underwent years of testing gains are re-invested into new start-ups. before hitting the market. “I have always felt like the Venture Fund eRelevance investors are like our guardians,” Bradt said. Bob Fabbio ’86 MS (computer science) was “They provided us with terrific support and part of the Venture Fund’s initial consulta- a home base in Rochester that we could al- tion team just prior to launching five years ways come back to if we needed it. It means ago. Today, Fabbio’s Austin-based eRele- so much to have the RIT Venture Fund come vance is one of 14 companies currently in along on this journey with our team.” the fund’s portfolio. And what a journey it has been. Bradt has eRelevance helps small His company provides a tech-enabled exhibited her product in competitions and companies generate service to small businesses, which are pitched to other potential investors all over more business from spending money on digital ads that convert the world, from Los Angeles to New York current customers leads into customers. to Paris. OWA is accepting orders through and prospects. The Fabbio’s company captures the leads owahaircare.com and plans to expand to with software they developed and markets retail stores by the end of this year. company is based in to potential customers across multiple “RIT has always been ahead of the game Austin, Texas. digital channels to keep their interest while when it comes to investing in our com- contacting them through an automated call munity members,” added Watters. “We center to convert customer inquiries into are thrilled with how our companies have business. grown and we look forward to expanding As a result, eRelevance’s service is our portfolio in the coming years.” increasing its customers’ lead-conversion rates by up to 400 percent. Vienna McGrain ’12 MS Fabbio started his business working with clients in the elective health care industry. He has since branched out to include real To learn more estate firms, law and accounting firms and HVAC companies, boasting more than 1,700 Over the past three years, the portfo- clients throughout the United States and lio of RIT Venture Fund companies Canada. has increased to 14, and it will con- Fabbio is quick to add that being a serial tinue to add start-ups in expanding entrepreneur—he has seven other start-ups industries such as machine learning, under his belt—doesn’t guarantee success. cybersecurity and robotics. The start- “The folks at RIT have all been very ups must adhere to criteria, including supportive of entrepreneurship, and I truly having capable management teams, appreciate the financial support they have the ability to prove significant market provided eRelevance,” he added. “They’re an opportunity and distinct advantages easy bunch to work with, and my intention over industry competitors. To learn is to continue to stay involved and connect- more, go to rit.edu/venturefund. ed to RIT for as long as they’ll have me.”

SPRING 2019 | 15 Online education

From MicroMaster to RIT master

mily Parana began instructing are looking to advance their careers and Once Emily Parana computing classes as an adjunct learn new skills. Learners who successfully earns a master’s degree Eprofessor at University of Pittsburgh earn an RITx MicroMasters certificate may in computing security at Bradford a few years ago and immediately apply for admission to the RIT program this July, she will put caught the teaching bug. that offers a pathway to credit aligned with She decided that if she wanted to con- their certificate. If accepted, students may that degree to work as tinue teaching, she needed to hone her be awarded nine credit hours toward their an adjunct professor cybersecurity skills and earn a master’s graduate degree requirements—which typi- teaching in Pennsylvania. degree. However, between her current job as cally take about 30 credits to complete. Parana got a jumpstart a technical analyst II at the college, having Since RITx launched MicroMasters pro- on her RIT master’s two young children at home and living in grams in Project Management and Cyberse- degree by completing the small town of Bradford, Pa., she needed curity in 2017, more than 500 people have a flexible online option. completed a certificate. RITx also launched the RITx Cybersecurity After some research, she discovered RIT’s a Design Thinking MicroMasters program in MicroMasters program fully-online master’s program in computing 2018, which the first learners will complete early last year. security. She was also introduced to RITx—a in April. As a result of this edX partnership, partnership that RIT has with the nonprofit more than 200 people have applied to RIT online learning platform edX. master’s programs, with many now starting RIT was one of the first universities to to matriculate. offer a MicroMasters program on edX. This “Our partnership with edX has surpassed new graduate-level learning opportunity our expectations,” said Thérèse Hannigan, would allow Parana to try a few online director of RIT Online. “We have increased offerings with RIT instructors and earn a visibility and introduced the RIT brand to RITx MicroMasters certificate in cybersecu- hundreds of thousands of learners world- rity. She would then have the chance to take wide. In addition to recruiting students for it a step further and apply that certificate RIT, working with this global platform has toward earning an accelerated and re- inspired pedagogical explorations, online duced-cost master’s degree from RIT. delivery innovations and collaborations “I’m funding this all on my own, so I feel with prestigious universities which include the investment of every cent and want to MIT, Berkeley, Harvard and more.” absorb as much knowledge as I can,” said Parana, who completed the MicroMasters Mastering your skills program in 2018. “It’s been a great, flexible Since becoming an instructor on edX, RIT transition back into being a student.” computing security senior lecturer Jona- MicroMasters programs are designed for than S. Weissman has gone from teaching learners with an undergraduate degree who 100 students a year to more than 100,000.

16 | SPRING 2019 Photo by Glenn Melvin

SPRING 2019 | 17 Online education

RIT is increasing its visibility by getting access to more than 18 million global learners on edX. Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito by Photo

Jonathan S. Weissman, senior lecturer in computing security, teaches more than 100,000 students each year in his online classes. He was nominated as a finalist for the edX Prize for Exceptional Contributions in Online Teaching and Learning for his offerings in the Cybersecurity MicroMasters program.

His eight-week Cybersecurity Funda- Weissman and has even taken classes with mentals, Network Security and capstone him again, as part of the RIT computing se- offerings in the Cybersecurity MicroMasters curity master’s degree that she’ll complete program feature lecture videos, discussion this summer. forums, quizzes, labs, assignments and readings. He sees this as an opportunity to Pathway to credit be accessible to even more learners, espe- Kathrine Ehrlich-Scheffer always wanted to cially since he’s now connected on LinkedIn go back to school to earn her master’s de- with more than 5,000 of them. gree, but she was never exactly sure where To date, more than “Every day I read, post and discuss doz- to start. half a million people ens of cybersecurity articles, since it’s one As director of the Women in Engineering from around the world of the many ways to stay current with the program at RIT and a mother, she knew that have enrolled in RIT’s cybersecurity industry,” said Weissman. “As she wanted to try online classes. However, three MicroMasters I say in all of my classes ‘Once a student of the idea was a little unnerving, since the programs on edX. mine, always a student of mine.’” modern internet wasn’t even a thing the Parana said that she can tell how much last time she took college courses. Then she time Weissman puts into his teaching. learned about RITx and the MicroMasters She took MicroMasters offerings with program.

18 | SPRING 2019 Online education

Q&A

How does a MicroMasters program work? There are typically four or five online offerings in the program, culminating with a final capstone experience. When starting an offering, there is an option to pay a fee to earn a verified certificate of completion. Learners may audit content for free, just to learn something new. When a learner successfully completes a verified certificate for all parts of a program, they have earned an RITx MicroMasters certificate.

How long does it take to earn? Learners may complete a MicroMasters program in as little as six months or decide to spread it out over a few years. While some MicroMasters programs are delivered in a self-paced format (where all Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito by Photo course content is available upon enrollment), others are in- Kathrine Ehrlich-Scheffer is following Mike Barcomb, a program director structor-paced (where content a new pathway to get an RIT master’s at IBM, has been able to work on his is released on a weekly basis). degree through the RITx MicroMasters MicroMasters program offerings On average, offerings require 6–12 hours of work per week. program on edX. The program allows on the go—whether he’s at home her to do the schoolwork from her in Massachusetts or on a work How much does it cost? Between $150 to $240 per kitchen table at home in Hilton, N.Y. project in Europe. offering.

How does the pathway to credit work? Learners who successfully earn an RITx MicroMasters “I knew this was a low-risk way to dip my Mike Barcomb, program director of certificate may apply for toe in, try online graduate classes and learn X-Force Incident Command at IBM, has also admission to the RIT graduate something new,” said Ehrlich-Scheffer, who found the MicroMasters program flexible, program that offers a pathway is now working on a professional studies yet technically demanding. to credit aligned with their master’s degree at RIT. “And at $150 per Barcomb discovered the certificate from certificate. If accepted, students may be awarded nine class, the edX courses were so affordable I a co-worker’s LinkedIn page and began to credits toward their graduate thought it was almost criminal not to do it.” research it. He has since completed two degree requirements—which Ehrlich-Scheffer navigated her way offerings and found that the self-paced typically take about 30 credits through the online learning environment learning is a good fit for his busy life. to complete. A program adviser and now has a MicroMasters certificate “It’s also been a great way to sharpen will work closely with students hanging on her office wall. Using that certif- my skills and find new ways to be more to select a plan of coursework. icate, she is also well on her way to earning productive at my job,” said Barcomb, who How can I learn more? new academic regalia and a master’s degree. is also a retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel. Go to rit.edu/ritonline/ritx or “It’s a learning process and I think that “My goal is to someday call myself an RIT contact RIT Online at anyone who has the desire to work to- alumnus, so I’m going to continue taking [email protected] or ward a master’s degree should try at least this path one step at a time.” 585-475-2400. one whole online course to figure out the rhythm,” said Ehrlich-Scheffer. Scott Bureau ’11, ’16 MBA

SPRING 2019 | 19 Write to us Do you know someone with an RIT connection who is doing good around the world? Email us at [email protected].

RIT doing good around the world

post-doctoral fellow is looking for ways to reduce Kristen Denninger anemia in mothers and their children in Ghana. Snyder ’10 (environmental An alumnus is helping residents of Puerto Rico science) will open A who live in the aftermath of destructive hurricanes. the Research and Innovation An alumna is improving educational opportunities for the Serengeti for kids with special education needs in Kazakhstan. Ecosystem (RISE) A multidisciplinary contingent of faculty, students center with the Grumeti Fund in and alumni is improving the quality of medical care Tanzania later this for some of the most vulnerable in Central America. year to promote An associate professor and engineering students are environmental conservation. empowering citizens of Cali, Colombia. RIT alumni, students, faculty and staff are using their education and skills to make the world a better place. Here are eight of their stories. Photo by Kate Tiedeman

SPRING 2019 | 21

Tanzania Photo by Kristen Denninger Snyder Kristen by Photo Kristen Denninger Snyder ’10 (environmental science) has helped start a research center in the Western Serengeti to help wildlife. Tackling conservation challenges head on

ome people contributions to the protection of threat- in Tanzania, develop local talent and make see massive ened species and their habitat across their space for women and youth in conservation Senvironmental range in the wild,” said Denninger Snyder. and develop collaborative projects with oth- issues as unsalvage- After graduating from RIT, she did ex- er academic institutions and organizations. able, but Kristen tensive research on African wildlife at the Current projects the center is conducting Denninger Snyder University of California, Davis, and is now are the monitoring and spatial modeling of ’10 (environmental living in Denver and working as a post-doc- wildlife damage and illegal activity, camera science) sees them toral scholar at Colorado State University trapping to evaluate human-wildlife inter- as motivation to and the Grumeti Fund. actions, and the study of elephant move- keep working toward In 2015, while a graduate student in ments and crop raiding behavior. Kristen Denninger environmental Davis, Calif., Denninger Snyder connected Although this region faces a number of Snyder ’10 conservation. with the Grumeti Fund, a nonprofit orga- challenges, previous conservation efforts “As dire as the environmental outlook nization tasked with wildlife conservation have made an impact on the local environ- currently is, demonstrable successes show and community development in the West- ment and communities. positive outcomes are possible,” said Den- ern Serengeti. Her skills aligned well with “Since 2003, elephant populations have ninger Snyder. the fund’s objectives, and they have worked increased four-fold and buffalo 10-fold. The issue Denninger Snyder is tackling together on establishing the research center Community-initiated task forces aim to is wildlife conservation in the Western and other projects. prevent crop losses to elephants using Serengeti. “The center will develop and support non-lethal approaches,” she said. Later this year, with the Grumeti Fund, research initiatives that provide tangible Denninger Snyder encourages people to she will open the Research and Innovation solutions to benefit the people and wildlife consider how individuals can contribute to for the Serengeti Ecosystem (RISE​) in Tanza- of the Serengeti ecosystem and beyond,” environmental solutions. nia and serve as the center’s head scientist. she said. “Inclusive conservation that cre- “When people are invested in and sup- “After participating in a number of ates opportunities for women and youth is port conservation efforts, we have the best internship and volunteer experiences work- fundamental to our objectives.” chance at success,” she said. ing with animals in the wild and captivity, The research center will help fund it became clear to me that I wanted to make graduate student education for scientists Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

22 | SPRING 2019

Ghana Photo by Brenda Abu Brenda by Photo Olivia Garror, a biomedical sciences major from Bainbridge, N.Y., assesses a child for malnutri- tion in a refugee camp in Ghana.

that contribute to anemia and find ways to make them less of a factor and reduce the likelihood of the condition. Using a grant from RIT’s Paul and France- na Miller Chair in support of International

Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito by Photo Experiential Learning, Abu and her student Brenda Abu, a post-doctoral fellow at RIT, is trying to reduce anemia in Ghana. She and three under- team crisscrossed the country, interviewing graduate students visited Ghana last summer to begin researching solutions. agency and program staff who work with the Ghanaian community to resolve anemia, as well as leaders of governmental and non-governmental programs. They spent time with a mother whose child suffers Battling ‘hidden hunger’ from anemia and met with a midwife who is respected and influential in her commu- in mothers and children nity. Abu took her team to open-air markets to see what food is sold and how it is han- dled and stored in the heat. They traveled s a graduate student in Ghana, Brenda Ghana and elsewhere in the world, includ- to a remote village built on stilts over a lake Abu witnessed the toll of anemia, a ing Rochester. and to three refugee camps. Acondition that afflicts as many as 70 Anemia is sometimes called the “hidden Abu envisions a holistic approach that percent of the children and 45 percent of hunger.” It creeps up slowly, causing severe includes public health programs and other the women in that West African nation. fatigue. But it can also affect the heart, sectors that aim to prevent the problem Her experiences convinced Abu to cause pregnancy complications and stunt through different means—fortified foods, pursue a career researching nutrition, children’s physical and mental develop- agricultural projects, financial programs to specifically looking for ways to reduce ment. Unchecked, it causes chronic help families improve their income and anemia in mothers and their children. illness, even death. access to clean water and sanitation services. Now as a post-doctoral fellow at RIT, she The causes vary: poor diet, genetics, Each contributes to building resilience has developed a program that capitalizes malaria and diarrheal infections contracted against undernourishment and disease. on the university’s goal of offering from pathogens in dirty water—all factors She says sharing nutrition research with more global and experiential learning that deplete the body of necessary nutrients, the people who need it is her calling. experience for its undergraduates. especially iron, and weaken the immune “It’s not enough to publish a paper,” Abu It’s the first global research experience system. said. “I think researchers have so much to be offered by RIT’s Wegmans School of What Abu is trying to do is better under- more to do.” Health and Nutrition, and there are plans stand all the factors—such as food choices, to apply what the students learned back in social programs, health and sanitation— Susan Gawlowicz ’95

SPRING 2019 | 23 Honduras Photo by A. by Sue Weisler Photo Mary Golden, program chair of interior design, Victoria Tripp ’18 (mechanical engineering), left, talks with a Honduran medical resident during a launched Hope for Honduras. research trip to identify ways to improve the quality of medical care in Central America. Designing better care for sick newborns

multidisciplinary contingent of tion, equipment and “skin-to-skin” care approach to addressing infant mortality,” RIT faculty, students and alumni is practices. Skin-to-skin incubation—also Golden recalled. Acreating awareness and innovative called kangaroo mother care—has dramatic LAH is currently working with a team of design solutions to improve the quality of positive effects on preemies and full-term volunteer architects, engineers, RIT interior medical care and education for some of the babies. designers and alumni on the construction most vulnerable in Central America. RIT faculty and students from interior, drawings for the now-14,000-square-foot At the heart of the university’s Hope for industrial and graphic design as well as addition and renovation. Honduras initiative is the collaboration electrical, mechanical and biomedical engi- To address the need for safe transpor- with in-country partner Hospital Escuela— neering programs began working together tation of critically ill newborns from local Honduras’ largest public hospital— to identify solutions that offer better access and rural hospitals to Hospital Escuela, a and the not-for-profit organization Little to medical care. multidisciplinary team of senior capstone Angels of Honduras (LAH). A growing list of corporate collaborators, students “designed and created a full-scale “The overarching objective of this effort including Herman Miller, Autodesk and prototype for an inter-hospital transport is to establish a viable, equitable model American Medical Response (AMR)—led by ambulance staged on a Toyota Landcruiser of accessible and quality medical care to Ted Van Horne ’99 (applied arts and scienc- 78 chassis,” Golden added. reduce infant mortality and improve the ex- es), CEO at AMR in Dallas—are providing The compact design addresses the coun- perience of patients, families and caregivers support and are stakeholders in the realiza- try’s transport practices and road condi- through innovative design and engineering tion of project prototypes. tions in a cost-effective vehicle that is easily solutions,” said Mary Golden, director of Golden was originally approached with a maintainable, repairable and properly out- Hope for Honduras and program chair of request to prepare interior design packages fitted with resuscitation and stabilization interior design. for a proposed 4,200-square-foot addition equipment, including incubators, ventila- Golden helped identify the challenges of to Hospital Escuela by LAH. tors, patient monitors and medical gases. caregiving for premature and critically ill Twenty seniors in healthcare studio, led In partnership with AMR, RIT is working newborns in Honduras during a 2017 trip to by Shannon Buchholtz ’96 (interior design), on constructing a prototype of the vehicle. Honduras with LAH founders. adjunct professor, created concepts in col- “We’re making huge steps forward in In addition to the spatial constraints laboration with Herman Miller. promoting better access to medical care for of Hospital Escuela, the group identified “While developing the initial propos- women and neonates in Honduras,” she said. additional key areas impacting accessi- al, however, it became clear that holis- ble medical care, including transporta- tic changes would be a more expansive Rich Kiley

24 | SPRING 2019 New York Photos by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito by Photos Computing engineering technology student Andre Lebron helps the Shore Foundation give away refurbished computers to Rochester residents. Fixing up computers to help people in need

hen he was in high school, Josh foundation pre-installed essential oper- Geise, a fifth-year computing ating systems, like Windows 10, to ensure Wsecurity student, was involved that each computer is ready to use once it in the Virginia Student Training and Refur- finds a new home. bishment Program. Through the program, Families who attended the event repeat- Geise became a program manager and edly expressed gratitude for the philan- helped run events where the group donated thropic gesture. refurbished computers to local families. “I’m a single parent of five children; I “It’s something I really like doing couldn’t get them all computers on my because it makes a huge difference in own,” said Rochester resident Tashawada people’s lives,” said Geise. “But when I Josh Geise, computing security student Heard. “I didn’t have anything like this came to college, I couldn’t participate in when I was younger; it’s great that they that program anymore.” Chance Wright ’18 (advertising and public have programs like this now.” To continue his work in computer relations); and Nathan Bracalente, a Heard’s daughter, Jaemahni Hall, is a refurbishment and help increase computer fifth-year mechanical engineering student, junior in high school. This new computer accessibility in the Rochester area, Geise and their friends from the Phi Kappa Psi will help open doors and prepare her for and his high school friend Brian Martens ’18 fraternity helped. her future. (management information systems) started “I’ve planned a few different events in “It will help me with assignments in the Shore Foundation, their own nonprofit the past, but there is nothing that even school and it will help me look up colleges, organization that donates refurbished com- came close to how I felt during this event,” fill out applications for college and help me puters to people in need. said Geise, president of the Shore Founda- research essays on how to get into college,” In December, the Shore Foundation tion. “The months of hard work our team said Hall. “I really appreciate this. You only donated 548 computers to families and put into this event was instantly rewarding get something like this once in a lifetime.” organizations in downtown Rochester. as we were able to tangibly see the differ- Fellow board members Charlie Henle, a ence we were making in people’s lives.” Felicia Swartzenberg ’19 fifth-year mechanical engineering student; In addition to the physical device, the

SPRING 2019 | 25 Puerto Rico

Providing safe power after a hurricane

ntrepreneur David Rodriguez ’92 (MBA) is doing his part to provide Enew clean energy solutions to the nearly 3.4 million residents of Puerto Rico who live in the constant presence of de- structive tropical storms and hurricanes. With his company, inverSOL, he and his team have developed a lower-cost, no maintenance solar generator designed to power basic home appliances. The company was formed in March 2018 and, six months later, inverSOL opened a manufacturing and retail David Rodriquez facility on the island. ’92 (MBA) has “After Hurricane developed a solar Maria hit in 2017, most generator to help Hurricane victims people were using gas without power in generators to power their Puerto Rico. homes. This is not only expensive, but can also be dangerous,” said Rodriguez, who has a home, an office and several family members on the island. InverSOL units are focused on providing power to refrigerators, LED lights, charging stations, laptops, fans, televisions and radios via solar energy. “We’ve put a lot of thought into the design of the product, and the No. 1 priority is safety,” he said. “My direction to the inverSOL team is that no matter what, we must think about our kids or grandparents using the generators.” InverSOL’s solar generator relies on technology that enables the unit to run silently, without gas or oil, and be weather- proof and portable. The inverSOL team is in the final stages of prototype design for a whole-house solu- tion using lithium batteries. Several new initiatives are also underway, including a mobile app that will remotely operate the units and wind turbine add-ons so the units can run optimally at night.

Vienna McGrain ’12 MS

Photo by A. Sue Weisler 26 | SPRING 2019

Puerto Rico South Africa Photo by A. by Sue Weisler Photo Elizabeth Bondi ’16 (imaging science) and her team have created a deep learning system to detect elephant poachers. Cracking down on poachers with imaging

lephant and rhino poachers in South All night, staff at the base station mon- Africa can run, but they can’t hide itors videos streaming from the drones. Efrom drones. Once the imagery hits the computers, An imaging system created by a team led Bondi’s system takes over to check for hu- by Elizabeth Bondi ’16 (imaging science) man activity in the park. Her team labeled automatically detects illegal hunters and fed the learning system thousands of infiltrating national parks at night. sample images provided by Air Shepherd to The conservation group Air Shepherd build a memory bank and the basis for mak- Image by Air Shepherd Image by flies drones carrying thermal infrared ing predictions when scanning new videos. AI software developed by Bondi scans infrared cameras to find the body heat of humans “We’ve been able to do .3 seconds per videos for wildlife and trespassing humans. and animals at night. Bondi’s research is image,” Bondi said. “After we process the helping Air Shepherd save time by rapidly image, either locally or by using cloud “Elephants are one of my favorite ani- analyzing imagery and predicting the pres- computing, then we’re able to display the mals, so poaching and conservation is a ence of potential poachers. detections we predicted.” cause I care about,” Bondi said. “If SPOT can The process of monitoring videos at Bondi is leading the project at the Uni- be used to help people save animals and in- night is slow and tedious, and poachers versity of Southern California’s Center for vestigate further, then that would be really don’t wait around to get caught. Artificial Intelligence and Society, where exciting for me. It’s one of the main reasons Bondi’s deep learning system, called she is a Ph.D. candidate in computer science. that I wanted to work on this project, to “SPOT” (for Systematic Poacher detector), Her goal is to make drones into agents make sure all the work I am doing for my alerts the monitoring team who notifies that can detect activity in the field and de- Ph.D. is useful in the real world and protect- park rangers or law enforcement of a cide whether detections are certain enough ing animals, hopefully.” potential threat to the animals under to alert park rangers or people monitoring their protection. the videos, she said. Susan Gawlowicz ’95

SPRING 2019 | 27 Kazakhstan Photo by Dias Zhumabayev by Photo Photo by Kamila Rollan Kamila by Photo Sabina Ismailova ’13 created an organization to help children with developmental disabilities in Kazakhstan. Creating educational opportunities for all

abina Ismailova ’13 (telecommunica- to balance the scales—an after-school pro- that time, she retained her focus on helping tions engineering technology) was gram for 8-to-12-year-olds to learn English, people with disabilities. Sworking as a telecom engineer at a math, sports and arts for academic and so- “Having come back and studying issues prominent global company in Kazakhstan cial inclusion; an inclusive theater created of education of people with disabilities, I when she realized something was missing. to increase socialization opportunities for understood that the project wasn’t going to “I liked my work, but I wasn’t making teens and young adults with special needs; work, at least not right now. I am not aban- any contribution to my society,” said the and professional orientation courses, such doning my technical education though—we Kazakhstan native. as food preparation and cooking, for older are preparing to open the first assistive She changed that in 2017 by creating participants. Most of the programs are con- technologies library soon in our center. Lat- Education for All, a growing nonprofit or- ducted with volunteer help. er, we have plans to start developing apps to ganization for children with developmental Before starting Education for All, Ismai- help people with different disabilities with disabilities. lova participated in the Global Solutions their day-to-day life as well as education.” “In our country, kids with special Program, a nonprofit called Singularity Kazakhstan is home to more than 18 education needs and with disabilities are University based in Silicon Valley that million. Nearly 10 percent of the population segregated. They study in special schools, helps people use technology to create social is made up of people with disabilities. which in our country are called correctional change. “My goal is that every child, no matter schools,” said Ismailova, now executive Ismailova saw an opportunity to com- their background, ability, need or social sta- director of Education for All. “They have a bine her degree and technical skills to tus, gets a quality education and an oppor- completely different curriculum, which is help build a distance learning initiative for tunity to enroll in an elite school or college, not individualized, and there are extremely people with low incomes or disabilities so and to get a job they love,” she said. low standards.” they could study at universities in Kazakh- Her organization began three programs stan. Although it did not come to fruition at Michelle Cometa ’00

28 | SPRING 2019 Colombia

Associate Professor Marcos Esterman works with engineering students to bring technology to Cali, Colombia. Photo by Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito by Photo Making a social impact with technology

ssociate Professor Marcos Esterman “This generation has a much greater led by Esterman is focused on helping and several RIT senior engineering awareness of the issues facing the planet families in rural areas near Cali harness Astudents are on a mission to empow- and is passionate about addressing those the power of aquaponics to sustainably er citizens of Cali, Colombia, through cut- issues in proactive ways,” said Esterman. farm fish and plants. The goal is to develop ting-edge technology including solar-pow- Last year, a team of six engineering modular systems that families can initially ered 3D printers and aquaponics. students created a versatile solar-powered implement to support their household and RIT is working with partners from the 3D printing system that can function either expand on for commercial possibilities. Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO) on or off the energy grid, providing much Three UAO students, led by UAO faculty to help residents of a Cali neighborhood greater portability and access. member Alvaro Rojas Arciniegas ’08 (in- at high risk of attracting youth to gang activ- This year, a new team of six multidis- dustrial engineering), ’13 (imaging science), ities to develop marketable skills in fields ciplinary senior design students is build- flew to RIT in January to study abroad and like advanced manufacturing and agricul- ing on that work to expand the printing work on the project. They are the first co- tural technology. system’s capabilities, adding elements like a hort of UAO students to study here. Late this The globe-trotting, collaborative projects pellet extruder and pellet dryer. spring, students from RIT and UAO will fly are part of the students’ multidisciplinary The project is being funded with back to Colombia to deliver the two systems senior design course. Esterman believes donations from Bill Hard ’74 (industrial to the Cali residents and to participate in a these types of opportunities to solve engineering) and Sally Hard ’71 (business one-week workshop on commercialization. real-world problems while making a social administration). impact are where RIT students truly thrive. Another team of six engineering seniors Luke Auburn ’09, ’15 MS

SPRING 2019 | 29

Faculty profile Hamad Ghazle He has won the RIT is pronounced Eisenhart Award “HAH-med for Outstanding Gha-zlah” Teaching.

Hamad Ghazle ’88

Tucked in Hamad Ghazle’s What draws you to sonography? Your eldest daughter is in What does RIT mean to you? bookcase, next to volumes Ultrasound is an embodiment the diagnostic medical RIT, to me, is a totally different on ultrasound and human of engineering and medicine all sonography class of 2021. place. It was my home, my anatomy, is a battered blended together. Sonography is What does this mean to you? family, my existence. I made Arabic-to-English diction- life to me. Sonography is passion First thing, she made the great friendships and relation- ary with dog-eared pages and joy. If you’re scanning some- decision herself. That’s what ships and RIT embraced me. and notes scribbled in one, you are seeing inside of is important to me. I teach my After I graduated, I maintained the margins. Ghazle left them without cutting them open, kids to be honest, respectful contact with professors and war-torn Lebanon on a without using radiation. Each and independent. We didn’t friends, and I came to visit. scholarship to Georgetown human is different. It’s a mystery. even have a conversation about I never left. University in the 1980s, ultrasound, and I didn’t know. I want to contribute to the with the dictionary as The ultrasound program started Admissions told me. I’m looking reputation of RIT. I want this his compass for navigating in the College of Science and is forward to it. I want her to see a place to be seen as a hub of a new language and life in now part of the College of Health different side of me, to see how tolerance and learning, a hub the United States. Within Sciences and Technology. caring her father is. I think that for diversity and inclusiveness a year, he transferred to How has the program evolved? is where the reward is. and respect and honesty— RIT, dictionary in hand, The curriculum has changed. a microcosm to be applied else- to study ultrasound. We increased our affiliations You are famous for your upbeat where. I am only one constituent He graduated with his with hospitals and clinics. The personality and positive of this whole picture, and some- BS in 1988 and returned student number has increased. attitude—and a few signature one else is another aspect. in 1994 to lead the pro- The majority of the equipment phrases like, “I can’t complain.” That is the richness of who gram. Since then, Ghazle we have is through donations It’s really true. I do mean it. I we are as a community. has graduated hundreds from industry. We’re offering can’t complain. Maybe it’s my of sonography students, more specialties, workshops childhood. I don’t take things Susan Gawlowicz ’95 helping them navigate the and conferences. Many of the for granted. There’s always hope. profession that means so adjuncts and guest speakers much to him. are our graduates. Do you ever complain? We all have problems. I could How do you approach teaching? complain, but what’s the gain? Tune in When someone comes to me, It makes yourself feel horrible I am not only teaching them and makes people around you Intersections: The RIT ultrasound. I’m teaching them feel the same way. There are Podcast is a twice-monthly how to go out there and behave things that make me sad. When conversation between people and interact with people. I want people condone behaviors that whose daily work is making to teach them about life. We all they know are disruptive and a difference in the world. To work together. I care about our they intentionally encourage it. listen to Hamad Ghazle in students as human beings. If I Violence begets violence. Respect one episode, go to can attend to their needs and begets respect. Kindness begets http://bit.ly/RITpodcast. help them and treat them with kindness. respect, why wouldn’t I?

30 | SPRING 2019

On Sundays, Ghazle works as a sonographer.

He has a cuckoo clock in his office to break the silence when working late.

Ghazle sleeps about four hours a day and wakes up without an alarm clock.

He loves classical music, especially Beethoven.

Ghazle’s hidden talent is soccer.

He’s never had coffee in his life and he doesn’t like chocolate.

Photo by Elizabeth Lamark SPRING 2019 | 31 Alumni Updates

Jackie Bergin ’16 (advertising and public relations) uses her communication skills beyond storytelling by working as an associate Photo by Ilya Timofeyev product marketing manager at Squarespace.

Passion for communication turns into a career

hen Jackie Bergin was growing to think both strategically and creatively up, she entered essay contests and how to apply that thinking in the Wand enjoyed telling her cousins industry. scary stories. “Many of my courses included hands-on “I loved storytelling and I always imag- advertising experiences, when we formed ined I’d be an author,” she said. “Writing student-run agencies and pitched integrat- was always a passion of mine. It was some- ed marketing campaigns,” she said. “I con- thing I felt confident in.” stantly find myself applying the marketing Bergin ’16 (advertising and public and communication principles I learned at relations) is parlaying that passion into a RIT within my role at Squarespace.” career as an associate product marketing She said RIT also helped her conceptu- manager at Squarespace, a website builder alize, conduct and present research, and and hosting company in New York City. She Webster, Bergin chose to attend RIT for “its think as an entrepreneur. That helps her develops marketing strategies for new and vibrant, diverse community, small class craft messages for both current and poten- existing products, developing messaging or sizes and distinguished faculty with experi- tial customers, encouraging them to make advising on competitive positioning. ence in the field. However, what sealed the their dreams a reality with a website. “Writing and storytelling is a huge deal for me was the focus on technology, “Most importantly, RIT taught me how part of marketing, advertising and public innovation and entrepreneurship.” to effectively work and communicate with relations,” she said. “Product marketing She said RIT’s communications courses individuals from technical disciplines,” involves working across many teams in the and research coupled with real-world prac- Bergin said. “This skill has become invalu- organization, including the product, public tical application in the advertising and pub- able in my role at Squarespace as I partner relations and creative teams. It’s a lot of jug- lic relations industry also were appealing. with engineering and product teams to help gling different things, but that also means “Advertising took my passion for writing build future products.” it’s exciting. No two days are the same.” and applied it in a practical way,” she said. A native of the Rochester suburb of Bergin credits RIT for teaching her how Greg Livadas

32 | SPRING 2019 Photo by A. Sue Weisler

Mark Oney ’81 (electrical engineering) helped start EmployeeChannel Inc., which provides software and services that improve communication. The San Francisco company opened a second office in Rochester last year.

Entrepreneur creates communication solution

ark Oney ’81 (electrical engineer- and artificial intelligence technologies. whom have an affiliation with RIT. Oney ing) credits his interest in start- “I’m cautiously optimistic that it is going expects that number to conservatively grow Mups to working at Apple Inc. in to be the biggest one yet,” said Oney, whose by 50 percent each year. the late 1980s. He was employee No. 4,204. earlier companies were all acquired. Unlike with email blasts or internet por- “That was probably the time period that Oney, senior vice president of product tals, EmployeeChannel has created an app had the greatest influence on my career and operations of EmployeeChannel, said the that enables employers to more effectively who I am as an entrepreneur and leader,” company was founded in 2015 in San Fran- interact with a modern workforce. Employ- said Oney, who managed software product cisco. In early 2018, the company wanted to ers can engage employees in a two-way dia- development for Apple and was part of the expand its product development team and log, and communicate to distinct audiences team that helped turn around the com- open a second office. Oney began looking at through their mobile devices. Employees pany’s ailing PowerBook business. “Our onshore locations outside the West Coast. can get personalized responses to requests teams were constantly challenged to deliver He put Rochester on the list of possible and receive information from the company against a steady stream of near-impossible cities because of his relationship with RIT. easier and faster. goals. And yet somehow teams managed to Oney is a founding member of RIT’s West Oney said the company’s goal is to own find success despite the fact that the odds Coast Board of Advisors. the leadership communication space. were often stacked against them from the “We wanted access to affordable top tal- “I never stay awake at night thinking are start.” ent. We wanted to be close to a nationally we going to be successful or fail,” Oney said. That success, Oney said, gave him the recognized university. We wanted to be at a “I stay awake wondering how successful we confidence to leave Apple and embark location where there was a commitment to will be. The market opportunity is huge and upon an entrepreneurial path, helping to developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem,” it’s on us to determine how much of that create and grow eight startups. His current he said. “Rochester had all of the ingredients.” market we will earn. We intend to be the startup, EmployeeChannel Inc., provides The company moved into the RIT Down- leader in this space. I’m excited that we are communication software and services that town Center for Innovation and Entrepre- on to something big.” help employers better communicate and neurship at 40 Franklin St. last May. The engage with employees using mobile, cloud office started with five employees, all of Mindy Mozer

SPRING 2019 | 33 Alumni Updates

Tigran Vardanyan, left, and Aaron Bailey ’05 (mechanical engineering) are friends, violinists and founders Photos by Luis Pena ’07 of the ArcRest, a company that builds a new style of shoulder rest for stringed instruments.

Engineering and art make beautiful music

hen Aaron Bailey and Tigran Europe use the ArcRest. Vardanyan, who is celebrating 20 years with Vardanyan restyled a shoulder “As musicians we want to be able to con- the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Wrest for their own violins, little nect with the instrument, to have nothing As they developed the ArcRest, they asked did they know their simple design, made in intrusive in there so that you can blend musicians they knew to test the device. Bailey’s home workshop, would be sought with the instrument and it blends with your “We were pleasantly surprised. One by musicians around the world. body. The ArcRest allows you to approach colleague had used the same type of rest Just as there are unique designs of violins the instrument more naturally,” said Bailey, his entire career. We asked his opinion of and other stringed instruments, there are who began playing the violin at 3, played it, maybe he’d show it to his students. We many different styles of shoulder rests with RIT’s Philharmonic and continued never thought he’d use it himself,” said available to musicians. Bailey ’05 (mechani- studying after college with Vardanyan. Vardanyan. But that was what he did. cal engineering) and Vardanyan found a Both looked to tradition and the old mas- Bailey, a senior mechanical engineer way to build a shoulder rest that fits both ters, who often played their instruments with Council Rock Enterprises in Rochester the curves of violins—and bodies— but still without shoulder rests, when they started to and current member of the Brighton (N.Y.) allows for freedom of movement and does design the ArcRest. Symphony Orchestra, continues to make not impact sound. “Our question was, how did they do the devices in his basement workshop. The ArcRest shoulder support is made of this without anything? You had to learn to He and Vardanyan have designed new flexible materials, lightweight padding and balance the instrument yourself. But we models made of carbon fiber composite minimal anchors to hold a violin in place. thought with a little support, especially if it materials and they continue to produce sev- Over the last two years since the company helps the sound rather than takes away from eral different thicknesses of pads. They also was incorporated, artists from the New York it and doesn’t destroy that natural relation- created smaller rests for children. City Ballet Orchestra, Pacific Symphony ship between instrument and artist and and several chamber music ensembles in gives some support, this could work,” said Michelle Cometa ’00

34 | SPRING 2019 Moving across the country for an internship helped Suzanne Farrell ’12 (motion picture science) realize she was on the Photos by Liz Pieri right career path. She is now a software engineer in the applied vision science department at Dolby in San Jose, Calif.

Alumna finds her place at Dolby Laboratories

here is an RIT graduate behind the rell. “I never saw myself as an engineer, but “A lot of what we learned in the motion enhanced image quality of mov- I knew working in a post-production track picture science program is directly appli- Ties viewed with Dolby Laboratories’ would never work for me.” cable to the work we do here at Dolby,” said technology. Suzanne Farrell ’12 (motion pic- After completing her degree, Farrell Farrell. “They were interested in me and my ture science) is a software engineer in the moved to San Jose, Calif., for an internship degree because it was quite unique.” applied vision science department at Dolby. at Dolby Laboratories. For someone unsure of her path, landing “We are always trying to deliver a quality During the internship, she did research an internship at Dolby was a stroke of luck experience to the consumer by tailoring the on technology the company was developing that helped Farrell determine what she experience to the way each individual con- regarding viewer preferences on luminance wanted to do for her career. sumes media and preserving the director’s dynamic range and presented it at the Na- “Early on, I definitely had many bouts of artistic vision for how they want their film tional Association of Broadcasters confer- frustrations and would question if this was to look,” said Farrell. ence in 2013. At the beginning of 2014, she what I wanted to do with my life,” said Much of her work toward achieving these graduated from an internship to a full-time Farrell. goals involves research in luminance dy- position. “Ultimately, I believe this was the right namic range preferences, backlight modula- “There is a nurturing and support- company to come to. It helped me develop tion using image statistics and fidelity ive atmosphere at Dolby,” said Farrell. “I and hone my skills, gave me unique oppor- video testing. stayed because I wanted to see my research tunities to share my research with a wide Farrell stumbled into software engineer- through to the end.” audience, and living across the country, ing as a junior in the motion picture science Farrell is one of five RIT motion picture away from friends and family, is something program. science alumnae working at Dolby, and it’s that helped me grow as a person.” “I took my first post-production class and not just the company’s popularity that’s realized it was not my cup of tea,” said Far- reeling graduates in. Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

SPRING 2019 | 35 Alumni Updates

Photo by Dogancan Heperler Ali Vatansever ’08 (film production) directs on the set of Saf, which was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The film received an honorable mention at its U.S. premiere in January at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Alumnus who fled hurricane directs film that took Toronto film festival by storm

he Toronto International Film Festi- devastated everything and stayed in a shel- Vatansever. She reviewed and critiqued her val (TIFF) is one of the world’s largest ter for 11 days.” former student’s scripts, including the one Tpublicly attended film festivals in When the university shut down for for Saf, when she would visit him in Turkey the world, attracting nearly half a million months to rebuild, Fulbright officials sent during trips to neighboring Greece. people annually. Vatansever to RIT to continue his studies. Saf had its U.S. premiere at the Palm For Ali Vatansever ’08 MFA (film produc- “I arrived in Rochester with nothing more Springs International Film Festival in tion), the festival served as an incredible than a small backpack,” he said. “It was a California in early January. Meanwhile, showcase for his film, Saf, which “weighs a challenge, but the RIT community made the Vatansever is working on his third film— family’s transformation in a poor region of transition easy.” about a father and son’s journey in modern Istanbul where urban gentrification and the Six months later, when Fulbright officials Turkey as the father seeks consent to take Syrian refugee crisis are intertwined.” offered him the chance to go back to New his terminally ill son’s life. Vatansever admitted to being “absolutely Orleans, Vatansever opted to stay at RIT. “I “I tell stories to connect people,” overjoyed and terrified” upon learning his felt at home,” he said. Vatansever said. film would be screened in Toronto. It was He became a thesis student of Adrianne He recalls discovering some of those an astounding achievement for the Turkish Carageorge, an associate professor in the stories during his time at RIT—“two years director, an Istanbul native who overcame School of Film and Animation (SOFA) in full of art and joy in the city of Kodak,” he a tumultuous arrival to the United States RIT’s College of Art and Design. recalled. “We were shooting films, watching when he arrived on the Gulf Coast to attend “I sensed right away that intellectually movies at the Dryden and The Little, and the University of New Orleans. and creatively Ali was truly exceptional,” enjoying student life as much as possible. “During my third week in the U.S., Hur- said Carageorge, who currently serves as I connected with the world on a different ricane Katrina hit the city,” said Vatansever, SOFA’s interim director. level. I learned which stories matter to me.” who was attending school on a Fulbright Herself an award-winning filmmaker, scholarship. “I left the city right before it Carageorge became a mentor and friend of Rich Kiley

36 | SPRING 2019 A great professor makes all the difference to the student experience.

Engaged, motivated students at all degree levels look for faculty members to offer a valuable mix of knowledge, inspiration, and exposure to opportunities that will help them set the stage for professional success. Great professors teach students how to challenge assumptions “As students head into the world on and think across the boundaries of their disciplines. Great internships and jobs, we want them to be professors ignite passion in students by demonstrating that prepared to interact with communities passion in their own research and scholarship. that have a very distinct sense of identity and place but are also dealing with myriad Professors launch careers and futures that economic and cultural changes.” will change industries, lives, and the world. Learn more, and make your gift at —Professor Lisa Hermsen, Ph.D. Caroline Werner Gannett Endowed Chair rit.edu/transformingRIT.

Donor support of professorships helps to champion outstanding teaching, a hallmark of the student experience and student success.

The Caroline Werner Gannett Endowed Chair is charged with challenging students to interpret modern media and communication in ways that include critical and creative analysis of digital culture and data curation. Design visualization, geospatial technology, electronic literature and virtual or augmented reality are part of the student experience guided by the Chair. Professor Lisa Hermsen, Ph.D., the current Gannett Chair, specializes in the rhetoric of science, technology, and medicine. She is the principal investigator for a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to study community from many perspectives, including historical, geographic, literary, environmental, and socioeconomic.

© 2019 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology | One Lomb Memorial Drive | Rochester, New York 14623 1968 David Folkman Company helps musicians find rehearsal space ’68 MFA (FAA) Key to abbreviations co-publisher and design Class Notes director of Hogan’s Alley, the Magazine of the Cartoon CAST College of Applied Science Arts, reports and Technology (now CET) issue No. 22 is now out. Included is CAD College of Art and Design a detailed look at the origins of the CCE College of Continuing Education (now SOIS) CET College of Engineering Technology classic Jonny Quest animated series, CHST College of Health Sciences and Technology along with rare production artwork. CIAS College of Imaging Arts and Sciences (now CAD) 1971 CLA College of Liberal Arts Norman Wironen ’71 (GAP) retired COS College of Science after a 20-year career as a financial FAA Fine and Applied Arts (now CAD) adviser with Edward Jones. Prior GAP Graphic Arts and Photography (now CAD) to Edward Jones, he owned and GCCIS B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences operated the family photography KGCOE Kate Gleason College of Engineering businesses, Wironen Inc. and The NTID National Technical Institute for the Deaf Wironen Studio Inc. in Gardner, SOIS School of Individualized Study Mass. He looks forward to enjoying SCB Saunders College of Business retirement with his wife, Chris, with SVP NTID “Summer Vestibule Program” whom he celebrated their 46th wed- ding anniversary, his two daughters About Class Notes and six grandchildren. Class Notes are edited for space, clarity and style. Share information by going to 1973 www.rit.edu/alumni/class-notes. Jane (Chase) Wattenberg ’73 MFA (GAP) 1956 wrote the chapter, “Picturebooks and Photo­ graphy” in the Gabriel Isserlis ’16 (film and animation) created Tutti, an Airbnb new Routledge for music rehearsal space. Isserlis is an amateur musician. Companion to Picturebooks 2018. She is an author/ artist of photo-illustrated books for Jon Blanchette ’56 (KGCOE) retired children including the photomon- hat do you get when the idea for the company even from General Motors with 34 years of tage, hip-hop retelling of Henny- you combine a love before he graduated from RIT. service and an overlapping career of Penny (2000); the Children’s Choice W of music with a He was at RIT for seven years 24 years with the U.S. Navy. Then he Award winner, Never Cry Woof! (2005); degree in film and animation taking IT courses on the side. bought, repaired and sold used cars and the Baby Board Books, Mrs. and a strong background in He came up with a couple for many years. Needing another Mustard’s Baby Faces (2007) and Mrs. internet technology? Gabriel hundred ideas and narrowed challenge, he imported a scrap Mustard’s Beastly Babies (2012). Isserlis ’16 (film and animation) his business plan down to the MiG-17PF aircraft and restored/rebuilt used the combination to create Airbnb concept because it got it. It is now flying in airshows in the 1976 a company called Tutti. the most positive feedback. Northeast. It received a first place at Deborah Tutti is an Airbnb for music He attended Founder Oshkosh in 2016 and was featured Kinahan ’76 rehearsal space. Launched Institute in February 2018 and again in the November issue of the (SCB), ’88 MBA in late 2018 in London, Tutti launched the idea later that year Smithsonian Air & Space magazine. (SCB) is pleased enables musicians to book with eight venues. His goal in to announce and pay for rehearsal space in the coming years is to expand 1961 that her first private homes, public spaces to other cities, including in the Gene DePrez ’61 novel, Love, such as community centers United States. (FAA), ’62 (FAA), Despair and and churches, and professional Isserlis said he has used ’68 MFA (FAA) Other Heart- studios. his RIT network of designers, received the aches, is now “Most of my family are musi- software engineers, animators, Lake Mohawk available on Amazon.com. cians and I’m constantly hear- and businessmen for help with Preservation ing them complain about being the company. Foundation 1977 able to find cheap, accessible And he’s interested Award for Outstanding Volunteer Gregory Hafer ’77 (GAP), ’79 rehearsal space, especially in a in more input from the RIT Leadership, with his wife, Patty (GAP) retired from his position as city they don’t know,” said Isser- community. To learn more, DePrez ’76 (CLA). He also presented manager technical development lis, an amateur cellist who was go to www.tutti.space. the inaugural Thèrése DePrez Award and support at Lehigh Valley Health in the RIT Orchestra and on tech “I can’t imagine my life for Outstanding Production Design Network-Schuylkill. He and his crew while he was a student. without music,” he said. “I want honoring his late daughter at the wife, Elaine, are splitting time Isserlis started working on to support musicians.” High Falls Women’s Film Festival between their homes in Pottsville, in Rochester. Pa., and Fort Myers, Fla.

38 | SPRING 2019 Brian Peterson ’77 (GAP), ’78 (GAP) Communications as a trainer in leads with innovation that enables John Letteney ’83 (CLA) was elected is pleased to say that he is still go- 2008. He was recently promoted to life-saving medical care, sustain- as the fourth vice president of the ing strong in photography, doing district manager for the states of able communities, efficient utility International Association of Chiefs aerial and function photography in Arkansas and Louisiana. At 60, he is networks, along with global com- of Police during its annual confer- Portland, Maine. He also has a part- still active as a golfer, bowler, munications infrastructure and is ence in October in Orlando, Fla. time job doing yacht restoration fisherman and a motorcycle headquartered in Schaffhausen, with a friend, which helps him with enthusiast. Switzerland. 1984 maintaining his 25-foot sailboat. He John Viggiano ’84 MS (CCE), has no plans to retire because he is 1981 1982 ’87 MS (GAP), ’10 Ph.D. (COS) having too much fun. Jonathan Abes ’81 (CAST) recently presented “Calculation of Scalars in retired from the U.S. Army after 21 Neugebauer-Like Models. II: Final years, with duty in the Middle East, Scalar Function is Copula” at the Germany, Korea, Ft. Bliss, Ft. 26th Color and Imaging Conference Belvoir, Ft. Bragg, Hawaii and Nov. 12-16 in Vancouver. The paper Pittsburg Recruiting Battalion. He is was previously published in the a combat veteran of the war in Iraq. September–October 2018 issue of He is presently working as a data the Journal of Imaging Science and center facility manager/engineer for Technology, and has applications in the Department of Defense. more efficient and accurate profiles for color printers. He is an assistant John “CJ” Asselta ’81 (KGCOE), ’84 professor of photographic sciences (CAST) worked at Lockheed Martin at RIT. Nicholas Whitman ’77 (GAP) in Colorado for 30 years. He is cur- began photographing North Adams’ rently retired as of 2015 and living abandoned Sprague Electric Co. the good life in the foothills of the factory in 1988. Documenting the Rockies. then-deteriorating 19th-century mill buildings, Whitman captured Howard Dawn Campbell ’82 (GAP),’83 scenes ranging from vast post- Goodman ’81 (GAP) has been busy pursuing industrial landscapes to minute (GAP) got the photography since retiring from the traces of the plant’s former workers. crazy idea in U.S. Air Force. She exhibited Whitman’s meticulously composed the fall of extensively in juried exhibitions photographs are on view at MASS 2013 to walk and had two solo exhibitions. Most MoCA. el Camino de recently, the Studios of Cocoa Beach Santiago, the invited her to participate in its 1978 ancient gallery exhibition “Exposed to a Gregory Hitchin ’78 (GAP) has pilgrimage View” July 24-Sept. 24. She received been named as one of the 2018 route that spans nearly the entire Best of Show for her piece “Into the North America’s top 50 economic width of Spain. It took him 35 days Looking Glass.” developers by Consultant Connect. to walk the 540 miles and he was Martha DiMeo ’84 (GAP) is a He serves as the director of economic commissioned to produce an 1983 contributor to the Graphic Artists development and tourism for the exhibition of photographs which he Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical City of Waynesboro, Va. has since exhibited widely. This Guidelines, 15th Edition. She shared past fall, he decided to take two and her expertise in the Digital Imaging a half weeks to walk from Porto, & Photo Retouching & Restoration going north for about 160 miles and category. ending in Santiago. The coolest part was that Julio de Matos ’82 MFA David Noyes ’84 (GAP), ’85 (GAP) (GAP), who lives near Porto, was was awarded the second annual able to take the time from his busy Keith Bellows Award for Excel- schedule to accompany him. lence in Travel Journalism by the North American Travel Journalism Association. Noyes has received numerous awards for his photog- Deborah Marcuccilli ’78 (KGCOE) raphy and travel writing, including was accompanied by Alyxandra the NATJA Travel Photographer Vanderweel Sherwood ’15 MS (CLA) of the Year, four of the past seven on a quest to knock a long-time years, and four prestigious Lowell item off her bucket list with a trip to Thomas Awards for excellence in the Grand Canyon in November 2018. travel journalism.

1980 Gerard Kiernan ’83 (CAST) is 1986 David Imme Gerald “Chip” Hoffman ’81 (GAP), director of operations at the Albert Zahniser ’86 (CAST) joined ’80 (NTID) ’83 (GAP) is honored to be teaching Eastern States Exposition. A record Amazon Web Services as a solutions retired as a documentary photography/ number of visitors attended the architect in the Philadelphia metro computer photojournalism in the spring 2018 Big E, in West Springfield, Ma., area. programmer semester at Chatham University, breaking the fair’s all-time high for the 19th Pittsburgh, Pa. attendance figure, with a final tally 1989 JDC after 20 of 1,543,470. The all-time highest Matthew Miller ’89 (GAP) is now years and Jeff Rowoth ’81 (SCB), ’91 MS single day attendance record was senior photographer and studio joined (CAST) joined TE Connectivity as also broken when 172,659 visitors manager at Cole Haan in Greenland, Sorenson global travel manager. His company attended Sept. 22. N.H.

SPRING 2019 | 39 Tiger Love

Chris Brenner ’87 and Marcy (Thurman) Brenner ’87 lived on the same floor in Gleason Hall as students. They were married in 1991. Love at first double-take

hortly after Marcy (Thurman) Brenner ’87 (new media marketing) arrived at SRIT in the fall of 1984, she caught a glimpse of Chris Brenner ’87 (graphic design) skateboarding down the Quarter Mile. “I literally stopped and spun around and did a double take as he went by,” said The Brenners returned to RIT last October during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend for a Marcy, who had just transferred to RIT reunion of the Community Service Clubhouse, their special-interest housing floor in Gleason Hall. from Buffalo State. Later that day, Marcy attended her first residence hall floor meeting. She had been assigned to live on the special-interest floor did do community service projects and recently retired as a preschool aide. called Community Service Clubhouse. To made some really tight friendships.” Living in the Community Service Club- her surprise, the skateboarder was there. Community service projects included house was a special time for both of them “I was like, ‘Oh my God, he lives on my fixing up a playground in Rochester and and their classmates. At least three other floor,’” she said. “It was meant to be.” doing art projects with elementary-school couples from the floor also got married, Meant to be it was—the two have been children. Chris added. together ever since. Chris and Marcy had their first date in Some former residents gathered for Chris, who had just started his second January at an RIT hockey game. They were a reunion last October during Brick City year at RIT, requested to live in the Com- married in 1991 and have two children, Homecoming and Family Weekend. munity Service Clubhouse. He lived on the Thomas Brenner ’16 (photojournalism), “When you walked up on that floor, for same floor in Gleason Hall during his first and Amy Brenner, a senior at Quinnipiac some reason it felt very magical,” Chris said. year and had gotten to know the residents. University. They live in Fair Haven, N.J. “You just never knew when you got off that “The best way I can describe Community Chris, who works in the enterprise sales elevator what was going to be happening.” Service Clubhouse is it was like the most group for Apple, said he remembers that fun co-ed fraternity ever,” Chris said. “We first meeting where he met Marcy, who Mindy Mozer

40 | SPRING 2019 1990 Graduate receives DOD award

Oscar Gutierrez ’91 (GAP) launched his Nelson Mandela exhibition to celebrate the centenary of the birth of former president Mandela in July 1918. The photographs capture Mandela and other South African luminaries from the initial stages of the negotiations of South Africa’s Karl Espenhorst ’90 (FAA), ’91 constitution, the first democratic (FAA) celebrated 25 years of elections and important moments marriage on Dec. 11 with his lovely that formed democratic South Africa. bride, Jacque. Photos by Dave Vergun, U.S. Army U.S. Vergun, Dave by Photos Tracy Tao-Moore ’92 (graphic design) received an Outstanding Department of Defense Service Members and Civilian Employees with Disabilities Award for 2018.

graduate of RIT is one personnel with disabilities for Kristen Tobin-Risk ’90 (SCB) of about two dozen their contributions in support co-founded Frankly Organic Vodka, Department of Defense of the DOD mission and recog- which launched in September 2018 A employees who received an nizes exemplary department and has gained distribution in Texas Outstanding Department of organizations for their efforts and Arizona with expansion plans Defense Service Members and to advance a diverse and in 2019. Frankly Organic Vodka is Civilian Employees with Dis- inclusive workforce. the first functional spirit— the John Simmons ’91 (SCB), ’94 (SCB) abilities Award for 2018. “I am shocked and totally company uses functional ingredi- and his wife, Kristine Simmons Tracy Tao-Moore ’92 surprised. I feel humbled to ents like turmeric root, maca root, ’90 (CLA), recently celebrated their (graphic design), who is hard be selected for this prestigious wild cherry bark and ginger root. 25th wedding anniversary. of hearing, is the lead graphic award,” Tao-Moore said. “It artist for the Mission Support never occurred to me that I 1991 1992 Branch, Technology Division, would receive it. This is prob- Mitchell Bilker ’91 (SCB), ’95 MBA Brian Stumm U.S. Army Human Resources ably my proudest achieve- (SCB) accepted a position as con- ’92 (KGCOE), Command at Fort Knox, Ky. ment.” troller at Chestnut Hill College in ’93 MS She received the award HRC’s graphic arts office Philadelphia. He will be responsible (KGCOE) Oct. 4 during the 38th Annual produces more than 500 for accounting and financial affairs joined Jade Disability Awards Ceremony at printed and designed products of the college as well as oversight Bird Universal the Pentagon. The ceremony is each year. Tao-Moore collabo- of student billing and collections Fire Alarm Co. part of DOD’s annual obser- rates with customers to ensure and benefits accounting and Ltd. as vice vance of the National Disabil- visual presentations, training administration. president ity Employment Awareness aids, briefing resources and global strategy Month, held each October. other graphics-oriented mate- in March 2018. The award recognizes rials meet their needs. He was appointed general manager for Jade Bird Fire Alarm Interna- tional (Europe) S.L., a business unit of Jade Bird Universal Fire Alarm Co. Ltd.

Michael Ryan ’92 MBA (SCB) Kevin Kelly, published a new book, Make deputy director Your Career Go BOOM! Not Bust: of the Office of Practical tips to succeed in an Force Resiliency ever-changing world. The book is for the Under now for sale on Amazon. Secretary of Defense for Donald Urmston ’92 (SCB) Personnel and presented “Using Technology Readiness, Deborah (Schubert) MacKenzie ’91 to Differentiate Instruction” presents Tracy (GAP) was promoted to vice president at the NYIT Speedtech confer- Tao-Moore ’92 of operations at Schubert b2b in the ence on Nov. 30, 2018. He is an with the award. fall of 2017. She worked her way up assistant professor of business the agency ladder for 15 years. She is at SUNY Orange, where he happily married and loves being a specializes in entre­preneurship mom to two teenaged daughters. and marketing.

SPRING 2019 | 41 Tiger Cubs 2 1 3

4 5

6 7

Luke Auburn ’09 (CLA), ’15 MS Jeffery VanTassell ’03 (SCB) Lauren Iuranich ’12 (CAST) Steven Haber ’09 (GCCIS) and 1 (CLA) and his wife, Chelsey, 3 and his wife, Tracey, welcomed 5 and her husband, John, are 7 Stephanie (Lipari) Haber ’09 welcomed their first child, Emma, Ella Rose in November 2018. happy to announce the birth of their (CIAS) announce the birth of their to the world in November 2018. second child, Enzo, in June. first child, Olivia Rose. This future Sara (Paduano) Frandina ’09 Eight Beat Measure groupie was Stephen Staurovsky ’08 4 (CAST) and Peter Frandina Christine (Lowry) Moulton born in May 2018. 2 (GCCIS) and Crystal Staurovsky ’08 (KGCOE) welcomed Nora 6 ’10 (KGCOE),’10 MS (KGCOE); welcomed Logan Charles—king of Bridget, their first child, into the Alex Moulton ’10 (KGCOE), ’10 ME Samuel Rueby ’11 (GCCIS) and Peepo the dog, lord of tummy time world in November 2018. (KGCOE); and big sister Charlotte his wife, Samantha, had their baby and protector of the realm. are proud to announce the addition daughter in September. Both baby of their new baby girl, Madelynne and parents are happy and healthy. Alexandra, in August 2018.

42 | SPRING 2019 1993 Robert groom is a graduate of St. Bonaven- Richard LaRocco ’93 (FAA) has Jackson ’99 ture University and works in been a firefighter/paramedic for the (CAST) is now a finance. Many alumni from RIT Montgomery County Fire and Res- high school were on hand for their wedding cue Service for the past 14 years and engineering celebration. was promoted to the rank of lieu- educator and tenant in 2015. He lives in Mount author. His first Erin Shawkey-Thaete ’00 (SCB) Airy, Md., with his family and is still book, Looking has joined Morgan Stanley’s Ithaca, playing and coaching lacrosse. Out From N.Y., branch as a financial adviser. Within, A She is also serving as president of 1995 Journey Into A Poetic Landscape, the board of directors for Cornell is available on Amazon.com. Cooperative Extension, Schuyler He is preparing to release the first County. Daniel Lee ’04 (CLA) has started a children’s book of a three-book set, new company to help people A Family Like Me, discussing a 2002 remember the important people blended family from a child’s Chad Heitzenrater ’02 (GCCIS) was they meet. Their first product is perspective. awarded his DPhil (Ph.D.) from the Rememorate, a photo-based contact University of Oxford Department management app. It’s a small team Jonathan of Computer Science in November that includes three RIT grads and is Phillips ’99 MS 2018. available on the app stores for both (COS) released iPhone and Android devices. Learn his book Camera 2003 more at rememorate.com. Image Quality Richard Gary ’03 EMBA (SCB) was Benchmarking promoted to chief operating officer, 2007 with co-author Imaging Solutions Business Unit of Henrik Eliasson Change Healthcare. in January of 2018 as the newest of the Wiley-IS&T Series in Jeremy Sniatecki ’95 (CIAS) was Imaging Science and Technology. chosen by Universal Studios/ He has been a leading contributor to Factory Entertainment to create a the notable camera image quality of retro travel poster design to the Google Pixel smartphone line of commemorate the 25th anniversary products since its inception and of Jurassic Park, inviting visitors to currently manages the Display Color the fictitious Isla Nublar where the Science Team at Google. Erhardt Graeff ’07 (CLA, GCCIS) is original film takes place. an assistant professor of social and Nicolás Rubio ’99 (SCB), ’01 MBA computer science at Franklin W. 1997 (SCB), a member of Grupo Orinoco, Jose Padin ’03 (SCB) is Citrix CTO Olin College of Engineering. He Sumir Varma ’97 (KGCOE) ac- an energy and environmental policy and director of sales engineering. completed his Ph.D. in media arts cepted a position at Intel Corp., think tank, and visiting professor at He combines 20 years of IT and sciences at MIT in June 2018. working in the RAMP organization the Instituto de Estudios Superi- leadership with more than a decade to bring new technology nodes into ores de Administración (IESA), was of experience in the public sector, Kelly production. project leader for the I Forum on including the Department of Monahan ’07 Competitiveness of Cities and Re- Defense. He is happily married to (SCB) released Rachel gions: A Theme for the Public Policy his beautiful bride of eight years, her first book (Coene) Agenda. It was held on May 31, 2018, Victoria Padin. They have three with Academic Spence ’97 at IESA in Caracas, Venezuela. children. Press last fall, (CIAS) has How behavioral joined 2000 2004 economics FIFTEEN, a Megan influences Buffalo, N.Y., Lessard ’04 management full-service (CIAS) joined decision-mak- marketing Providence ing: A new paradigm. The text agency, as College as critically re-examines the manage- creative digital ment function in 21st century director. She previously served as publishing workplaces. creative supervisor at the former services Roberts Communications in specialist at Daniel Uerz Rochester. Phillips ’07 (KGCOE) Memorial Library. She will be has joined 1999 providing technical and logistical Erdman Jason support for college faculty, students Anthony as an Adlowitz ’99 and staff in all aspects of digital electrical (CIAS) has publishing services. project owned his engineer in the own business, Andrew Graves ’04 (COS) was facilities core aW Marketing, promoted to assistant director of lab business in the for 10 years. He develops smart operations for FlowMetric Inc. in Rochester marketing communications for Colleen Anguish ’00 (CIAS) and Doylestown, Pa. He will be leading office. He has more than 10 years of small and medium-sized companies Timothy McMahon were married on the science staff in labs in the U.S. experience specializing in the as well as global brands. Sept. 29, 2018, in Buffalo, N.Y. The and Europe. building design industry.

SPRING 2019 | 43 Class Notes

2008 Alumnus receives Presidential Rank award

Christina Lewellen ’08 EMBA (SCB) and her husband, Richard, have adopted two teenaged sisters, Kaitlyn, 17, and McKenzie, 13. They join the couple’s biological children, Morgan, 15, and Bryn, 13. The family lives in Stephens City, Va. Malory Hendel ’11 (NTID) moved to Brian Abraham ’08 Ph.D. Kansas after living in Maryland for (GCCIS) joined the faculty of 16 years and started a new St. Jude Children’s Research job at Savers, a thrift shop in Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., as Olathe, Kan. an assistant member. He arrives at St. Jude having completed a post-doctoral fellowship in computational biology at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Ma. 2010 Diane Currie ’10 MS (CAST) was a recipient of the Bronze Portfolio Distinction from the Photographic Society of America for her photo collection, “Winged Ambassadors.” Katherine McCooey ’11 (CIAS) It was featured in a four-page Clayton Turner ’90, center, was honored with a 2018 Presidential and Ryan Kelly ’12 (SCB) exchanged spread in the September issue Rank Award for outstanding leadership. He recently returned to RIT wedding vows on Aug. 4, 2018, of the Photographic Society of to visit with researchers in the Center for Detectors. in Woodinville, Wash. They were America journal. fortunate to have several RIT alumni friends join their celebration, Olgun Cengiz layton Turner ’90 (elec- and capabilities for future including Katie Harris ’12 (CIAS), ’10 MS (GCCIS) trical engineering) is a missions and projects. He Drew Lierheimer ’12 (SCB), Devin started to C2018 Presidential Rank became deputy director of the Lamb ’12 (SCB), Chris Anderson work as a Award Meritorious Executive center in 2015. ’12 (KGCOE), Moe Sedlak ’11 (CAST), senior software recipient. The deputy director “I am humbled and honored Lauren Bell ’14 (KGCOE) and Derek engineer at of NASA’s Langley Research to receive the Presidential Burkhardsmeier ’14 (CIAS). Vereign. Center in Hampton, Va., Rank Award for doing what I received one of the nation’s love, exploring and inspiring Samuel Rueby ’11 (GCCIS) passed highest civilian career leader- for NASA and the nation,” said his third Microsoft certification 2011 ship awards, given to only 5 Turner, who is a member of exam, awarding him the title Micro- percent of senior executive the RIT President’s Round- soft certified solutions developer. service employees in recogni- table. He did this while he and his wife tion of outstanding career Turner was recognized were expecting a baby in October. achievements and contribu- specifically for delivering tions to NASA and the U.S. key aeronautics engineering Sara Roger ’11 (CIAS) received government. milestones such as Greased one of two Distinguished Alumni Turner began his career Lightning, a small un-crewed Awards from Cultural Leadership with NASA in 1990 and has aircraft system which became St. Louis in October 2018. held many leadership posi- a test bed for distributed elec- tions. At Langley he is respon- tric propulsion technology and 2012 sible for the planning and resolving complex calibration James R. execution of complex flight anomalies in the CERES scien- Gimbi ’12 Elizabeth Cardella ’11 (CIAS) is and ground system projects tific satellite. He also chaired (GCCIS) is the video and media specialist for involving 3,600-plus employ- the standing review boards for serving as a Miranda Real Estate Group Inc., an ees and onsite contractors. the Orion deep-space vehicle, policy adviser award-winning real estate brokerage In addition, he is respon- the SLS rocket and the Ground for U.S. Sen. based out of Clifton Park, N.Y. She sible for the creation and Systems Development and Rand Paul is FAA drone certified and creates development of technologies Operations programs. through the compelling video marketing pieces TechCongress Congressional for all areas of the industry. Innovation Fellowship.

44 | SPRING 2019 Toni Jolevski ’12 (CLA), ’12 MS 2015 (CLA) became a school psychologist at Rochester City School District. Alumni contribute to award-winning teams

Matthew Partacz ’15 (KGCOE), ’15 ME (KGCOE); Saul Fernandez ’17 (KGCOE); and Craig Bishop ’15 (KGCOE) pose for a photo with an F-14 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst, N.J., on Oct. 4. lumni of RIT’s new media design program Sarah Meacham ’16 (CIAS) married Ahad much to celebrate Kyle Midden in Old Forge, N.Y., on when Google announced the Oct. 13, 2018. One of her sorority winners of its 2018 Material sisters was her maid of honor, with Design Awards. several more sisters in attendance. Of the four companies honored, three had a new media design graduate play a major role: Linzi Berry ’09, product design systems lead Jessica Portilla ’12 (SOIS) and Samantha (Vent) Schreiber ’15 for Lyft; Valentin Drown ’11, Michael Mulvaney ’11 (CLA) were (SCB) and Andrew Schreiber ’16 lead product designer for married on May 11, 2018, in Cancun, (KGCOE) were married on Sept. 29, Simple Habit Meditation; and Mexico. More than 55 guests 2018, in Rochester. They met in Emmi Hintz ’12, lead product traveled to Mexico to celebrate their orientation group during their designer for Anchor. wedding, including 13 RIT alumni. freshman year in 2011. Several RIT The awards honor achieve- They have been together since their alumni and students were in ments in employing Google’s third year at RIT in 2009. They live attendance including: Jon Runkel material design system in in Rutherford, N.J. ’15 (GCCIS); Tyler Koski ’16 (CAST); four categories: adaptation, Keith Shaughnessy ’16 (CAST); experience, expression and Chad Monkhouse ’16 (KGCOE); innovation. Anchor won for Erik Hamnqvist ’16 (KGCOE); Rory adaptation, Simple Habit Glackin ’16 (KGCOE); Veronyka Meditation for experience Martinez ’18 (SCB); Ashleii Kono and Lyft for innovation. ’15 (CIAS); Billy Moore ’17 (KGCOE); Drazen Gasic ’12 (CAST); Ray Glegg ’83 (CCE); Elizabeth Jeanette Schramm ’16 (CLA) Reeves O’Connor ’99 (CLA), ’07 MS married Justin Rueb ’17 (KGCOE), Samantha Killian ’18 (CIAS) is (CLA); Michael O’Connor ’07 (COS) ’17 ME (KGCOE) on July 28, 2018, in a packaging engineer at Unilever ’17 MS (SOIS); Liza Borton ’78 Boise, Idaho, after five and a half leading ice cream brands Magnum, (FAA); Justin Vent ’62 (CCE); MacK- years together. The two met during Klondike and Good Humor for enzie Crable ’18 (CAD); Eric their freshman year at RIT and were North America and Canada Gardiner ’18 (CET); and Cassi among the founding members of refreshments. VanBuskirk ’12 (CIAS), the the sci-fi club Space-Time Adven- photographer and owner of Creative tures at RIT. Justin works as a Touch Photography and Design. statistical process control engineer for Micron Technologies. Jeanette is 2016 the owner of JR Writing and Editing Jacqualyn Schulman ’12 (COS) and works from home as a completed her Ph.D. in pharmacology professional editor and content at Upstate Medical University in creator. Syracuse, N.Y., on Nov. 2, 2018. Her dissertation is titled “The 2018 Significance of the Bok-IP3 Receptor Michael Interaction and the Role of Bok in Begonja ’18 Mitochondrial Dynamics.” (CAST) joined CPL, a 2014 full-service George Glessner ’14 (SOIS) was design firm. In Peter Bruschi ’18 (KGCOE) is a promoted to manager, emergency Emily Moore ’16 (CIAS) graduated his new role as design engineer at Detroit Speed in preparedness for Rochester General with a dual master’s degree from civil designer, Mooresville, N.C. The job allows Hospital, and also serves as the American University in May 2018 he will assist him to be hands-on and work interim emergency preparedness and began her career at Booz Allen the civil engineering team with directly with a world-class machine manager for Unity Hospital in Hamilton as a design strategist in stormwater, water and wastewater shop and fabrication staff to bring Rochester. Washington, D.C. treatment projects. his designs from paper to product. In Memoriam

Alumni 1938 Donald J. Rider ’54 (CCE) 1964 William F. Bloss ’73 (SCB) Karl Alan Kendrick ’81 (GAP), Melania (Mowchan) Rogers Nov. 29, 2018 Earl A. Dupra ’64 (CCE) Sept. 22, 2018 ’83 (GAP) Aug. 27, 2018 ’38 (SCB) Aug. 24, 2018 Dec. 4, 2018 1955 Lawrence M. Sasso ’64 (GAP) 1974 1982 1939 George J. Searle Jr. ’55 (GAP) Nov. 2, 2018 Robert A. Reddy ’74 (CAST), John P. Huss Jr. ’82 (CAST) Dominick Diiorio ’39 (FAA) Nov. 11, 2018 Robert C. Lambert ’64 (SCB) ’78 MS (CAST) Sept. 7, 2018 Aug. 14, 2018 Nov. 1, 2018 Milton L. Rapkin ’55 (SCB) Oct. 28, 2018 Wilson P. Crawford ’74 (CCE) Sept. 4, 2018 Sept. 16, 2018 1983 1942 1966 Robert D. Deegan ’74 (CCE) Ronald Samuel Valentine ’83 Rita Fox Dermody ’42 (FAA) 1956 Barbara (Kohler) Fritzberg Oct. 28, 2018 (CCE), ’86 (CCE), ’90 (CCE) Jan. 7, 2018 Clifford J. Provost Jr. ’56 (CCE) ’66 (FAA) Oct. 12, 2018 Mark R. Matusak ’74 (FAA) Nov. 24, 2018 Aug. 31, 2018 Oct. 16, 2018 Jeffery Gene McGuire ’83 1943 Louis A. Zollo ’56 (CCE) 1967 Joseph J. Pasky ’74 (GAP) (NTID) Nov. 16, 2018 Ann (Gustin) Zetterlind ’43 Sept. 6, 2018 James J. Knapp ’67 (GAP) Nov. 18, 2018 (SCB) Oct. 27, 2018 Aug. 22, 2018 1984 1957 John C. Lanphear ’67 (SCB) 1975 Roland Thomas Bowks ’84 (CCE), 1944 Anthony E. Personale ’57 Oct. 3, 2018 Peter C. Swarts ’75 (CCE) ’85 (CCE),’86 (SCB) Oct. 8, 2018 Mary (Bayer) Decker ’44 (SCB) (CCE) Oct. 14, 2018 Aug. 20, 2018 Deborah S. Pickhardt ’84 Aug. 27, 2018 Robert A. Ross ’57 (FAA) 1969 Roger W. Dewispelaere ’75 (COS) Nov. 16, 2018 Sept. 23, 2018 Lyle A. Ross ’69 (CCE) (CCE) Sept. 16, 2018 Theresa (Ciccone) Broderick 1947 Jerry D. Price ’57 (GAP) Sept. 7, 2018 ’84 (GAP),’93 MS (KGCOE) Betty (Cleverly) Delles ’47 Aug. 25, 2018 Arthur G. Mitton III ’69 (GAP) 1976 Sept. 23, 2018 (SCB) Oct. 21, 2018 George A. Scatko ’57 (KGCOE) Dec. 3, 2018 Mark Stanley Edmondson Thalia Hambas ’84 MS (CAST) Shirley (Stone) Sumner ’47 Nov. 19, 2018 Raymond L. Warn Jr. ’69 ’76 (CAST) Nov. 27, 2018 Aug. 23, 2018 (SCB) Nov. 3, 2018 (SCB) Sept. 24, 2018 Kenneth S. Willi ’76 (CCE) 1958 Nov. 28, 2018 1985 1949 Samuel T. Randazzo ’58 1970 Daniel Thomas ’76 (CLA) Ralph Thaxton ’85 (CCE) Charles F. Elam ’49 (KGCOE) (KGCOE) Dec. 8, 2018 Ronald G. Raleigh ’70 (CCE) Nov. 30, 2018 Nov. 14, 2018 Dec. 8, 2018 Aug. 29, 2018 Joan Greule ’76 (COS) Judith Ann Mattern ’85 MBA Olive (Murphy) Goodwin ’49 1959 Richard E. Vanness ’70 (CCE) Dec. 7, 2018 (SCB) Oct. 27, 2018 (SCB) Nov. 20, 2018 Albert F. Puttlitz ’59 (KGCOE) Sept. 18, 2018 John E. Lyons ’76 (KGCOE) Sept. 7, 2018 Leonello Casilio ’70 (CCE) Oct. 30, 2018 1986 1950 Gilbert W. Countryman ’59 Oct. 3, 2018 Mary E. McCrossen ’76 MBA Mary (Latham) Pedersen ’86 Don M. Thurau ’50 (GAP) (SCB) Oct. 23, 2018 Robert F. Lochner ’70 (CCE) (SCB) Sept. 06, 2018 (SCB) Sept. 18, 2018 Oct. 22, 2018 Nov. 28, 2018 William C. Pevc ’50 (GAP) 1960 Roger T. Goss ’70 (GAP) 1977 1988 Nov. 13, 2018 Pasquale A. Russo ’60 (CCE) Aug. 26, 2018 Robert Francis Hawthorne Stephanie Smith Albert Lee S. Knight ’50 (KGCOE) Sept. 7, 2018 Michael J. Spencer ’70 (GAP) ’77 (CCE) Oct. 1, 2018 ’88 (NTID) Oct. 4, 2018 Aug. 24, 2018 Richard Szulewski ’60 Sept. 11, 2018 Joseph P. Cosentino ’77 (CCE), Bernadette Corina Ebanks William F. Wilson ’50 (KGCOE) Sept. 17, 2018 David L. Edmunds ’70 (SCB) ’78 (CCE) Nov. 30, 2018 ’88 (NTID) Dec. 13, 2018 (KGCOE) Dec. 13, 2018 Aug. 22, 2018 Jill (Binyon) Kurtz ’77 (FAA), Martha (Kirk) Lays ’50 (SCB) 1961 ’79 (FAA) Aug. 19, 2018 1989 Sept. 13, 2018 Francis L. Lotemplio ’61 (CCE) 1971 Jeffrey F. Hainon ’77 (KGCOE) Dawn K. Oryl-Patino ’89 Ida Warzecha ’50 (SCB) Aug. 18, 2018 Alvin L. Lentzer ’71 (CCE) Oct. 17, 2018 (NTID) Oct. 4, 2018 Sept. 13, 2018 John D. Izzo ’61 (CCE) Nov. 2, 2018 Aug. 15, 2018 Audrey (Cady) Francis ’50 Duane K. Palmiter ’61 (SCB) Richard J. Leary ’71 (GAP) 1978 1990 (SCB) Nov. 9, 2018 Nov. 7, 2018 Oct. 1, 2018 Martin P. Carroll ’78 (CCE) Paula E. Oehmke ’90 Frank Pincelli ’71 (KGCOE) Nov. 12, 2018 (CCE) Nov. 12, 2018 1951 1962 Aug. 19, 2018 Louis J. Moneta ’78 (CLA) James Richard Cotie ’90 John S. Simpson ’51 (FAA) Andrew A. Fehlner ’62 (CCE) Jeffrey P. Burdick ’71 (SCB) Oct. 25, 2018 (SCB) Oct. 29, 2018 April 24, 2018 Sept. 9, 2018 Nov. 27, 2018 Raymond Swain Jr. ’78 (GAP) Louis J. Zeh Jr. ’51 (GAP) William A. Miller ’62 (CCE) Oct. 23, 2018 1991 Oct. 7, 2018 Oct. 6, 2018 1972 Lloyd E. McKee ’91 (CCE) Donald S. Weidemiller ’51 John C. Kern ’62 (CCE) Clark D. Nash ’72 (CCE) Oct. 1979 Dec. 13, 2018 (KGCOE) Nov. 5, 2018 Nov. 17, 2018 3,2018 Geraldine E. Krenzer ’79 Charles L. Branch ’62 (GAP) William H. Nash Jr. ’72 (CCE) (CCE) Oct. 20, 2018 1993 1953 Nov. 1, 2018 Oct. 9, 2018 Elinor Lavell ’79 (CCE) Jason William Cicora ’93 Anthony P. Scalise ’53 (CCE) Victor J. Plati ’62 (SCB) Deborah (Goldblatt) Nov. 16, 2018 (CAST) Aug. 22, 2018 Oct. 19, 2018 Sept. 18, 2018 Sprengart ’72 (SCB) Oct. 30, David S. Bobik ’93 (CAST) Donald B. Schoepf ’53 Leni Lee (Lyman) Brusso ’62 2018 1980 Sept. 20, 2018 (KGCOE) Sept. 14, 2018 (SCB) Oct. 15, 2018 Alison Wong Noto ’80 Robert F. Cimmino ’93 (GAP) 1973 (FAA),’82 MST (FAA) Nov. 7, 2018 1954 1963 Ronald H. Stiggins ’73 (CCE) Nov. 3, 2018 Walter J. Penazek ’54 (CCE) Charles O. Wright ’63 (CCE) Dec. 4, 2018 1994 Oct. 4, 2018 Oct. 29, 2018 John P. Magnani ’73 (GAP) 1981 Samuel J. Kost ’94 (SCB) William D. Wright ’63 (COS) Aug. 20, 2018 William Robert Jones ’81 Sept. 9, 2018 Nov. 27, 2018 (CCE) Sept. 22, 2018

46 | SPRING 2019 1996 Charles M. Heckert ’96 (CAST) Aug. 18, 2018 Francis Andrew Cook ’96 Remembering Tristan O’Tierney (CAST) Sept. 2, 2018 Gary Roger Greene ’96 MS (KGCOE) Nov. 4, 2018 1997 George Michael Nadeau ’97 MFA (CIAS) Sept. 19, 2018 1998 Jon R. Fox ’98 (CAST) Sept. 4, 2018 John C. Henshaw ’98 (NTID) Sept. 13, 2018 2000 Christine C. Cass ’00 (CAST), ’00 MS (CAST) Oct. 6, 2018 2002 Jason J. Bowers ’02 (CAST) Nov. 22, 2018 2003 David L. Childs ’03 (CAST) Nov. 11, 2018 2004 Phillip I. Boykin ’04 (COS) Tristan O’Tierney ’08 (computer science) gave Sept. 24, 2018 RIT one of the first sketches he made of Square’s Matthew R. Davis ’04 original mobile payment app. (KGCOE) Oct. 18, 2018. Michael P. McCarthy ’04 (NTID) Aug. 29, 2018 ristan O’Tierney ’08 (computer science), passion for photography. 2009 who co-founded Square, a company When he was a student at RIT, O’Tierney Evan M. Lafferty ’09 (CAST), Tthat revolutionized the mobile payment was active in Computer Science House. The ’10 MBA (SCB) Oct. 31, 2018 process for small retailers, died unexpectedly 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient on Feb. 23. He was 35. had continued to be a big supporter of Computer 2011 Square is the electronic payment service Science House and had donated toward an Matthew E. Reynolds ’11 MBA that allows people to accept credit cards with upcoming renovation effort to create a project (SCB) Sept. 18, 2018 a square-shaped card reader that attaches to a room in the living and learning community. tablet or mobile phone through the audio jack. He was also a member of RIT’s West Coast Prior to joining Square in 2009, O’Tierney Board of Advisors. Faculty and Staff worked at Yahoo!, Apple and VMware. He also Paul Tymann, a professor of computer worked on the official iPhone app for Barack science and director of the Center for Computing Stephanie Smith Albert ’88, Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and on Outreach, Research and Education, first met NTID’s director of Diversity Twinkle, one of the first Twitter client apps. O’Tierney when he was a student in his and Inclusion, Oct. 4, 2018 O’Tierney met Jack Dorsey, the creator of accelerated first-year computer science class. Twitter who had the inspiration for Square, Tymann kept in contact with him after he Robert Golden, former through Twinkle. Dorsey’s friend and Square graduated and visited him before he left Square. professor in the Division co-founder, Jim McKelvey, was losing sales at “There are certain students who stand out, of Language, Literature and his glass blowing studio in St. Louis because and Tristan was one of those,” Tymann said. Communication, Nov. 29, 2018 he could not accept credit cards. O’Tierney “He was incredibly smart. He was really gifted Joseph Mincey, dining joined them in creating the company. when it came to technology, but he also had services employee, Jan. 13, 2019 O’Tierney, who developed the original a real creative, artistic streak to him. But the iPhone application, left Square in June 2013 thing I remember most about him was that after more than four years to develop his he was an incredibly nice person.”

SPRING 2019 | 47 Archives

The May 21, 2004, convocation celebration, which included fireworks, was the first event at Gordon Field House. Photos by A. Sue Weisler Since then, many big-name performers, such as Jimmy Fallon (2008) and Rihanna (2007), have performed there. Gordon Field House has served the RIT community for 15 years

hen making plans to further de- campus was “incomplete without a field conception and assisted both financially velop and enhance the Henrietta house” and predicted that it would be the and conceptually with the project. Gordon Wcampus, former RIT President most used building on campus; and he in particular was an avid advocate for a Albert Simone and former trustee Lucius wasn’t wrong. field house and thought it would greatly en- “Bob” Gordon felt that a key component The field house is open 17 hours a day, hance student life on the main campus. that could enhance student life activities seven days a week, and serves as a gather- “Having experienced the important part was missing: a field house. ing place for the community. It also serves a field house played in my years at Andover In May 2004, Simone and Gordon as a venue for events such as Imagine RIT: and Yale, I became one of Al’s most enthusi- proudly opened the Gordon Field House Creativity and Innovation Festival, com- astic supporters for one at RIT,” said Gordon and Activities Center to provide students mencement ceremonies, as well as confer- in an interview about the dedication of the with a center for athletics and community. ences, talks, concerts and other student life field house. Gordon passed away in 2008. Situated in the center of campus, just off events. Fifteen years later, Simone and Gordon’s the Quarter Mile between the dorms and When it came to naming the new facil- idea of a central, community space for academic side, the $25 million facility con- ity, it made sense to honor long-time RIT athletics has been fully realized. With tains a two-story fitness center and weight contributors Gordon and his wife, Marie, nearly 430,000 people passing through and room, an aquatics center, meeting spaces because of their dedication to this project, using the facility annually, it has become a and a 60,000-square-foot indoor track field according to stories published at the time. thriving hub for student life and wellness. and event venue. They supported former President Former President Simone believed the Simone’s idea for a field house from its Felicia Swartzenberg ’19

No. 1, March 2019—RIT (USPS-676-870) is published 6 times annually by Rochester Institute of Technology, One Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, N.Y. 14623-5603, once in March, two times in May, two times in August 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.

48 | SPRING 2019 Join us October 18–20, 2019! Engage in new events and favorite traditions including Presidents’ Alumni Ball, Hockey, Speakers, Reunions, Music, Tours, and more.

Book your hotel now for October! RIT Brick City Homecoming rit.edu/brickcity @RIT_BrickCity Periodicals www.rit.edu

Experience the creativity

A Free Festival For Everyone

What What you’ll see Imagine RIT: Creativity and Nearly 400 interactive Innovation Festival is the presentations, exhibits, university’s signature event, research projects, a showcase that displays hands-on demonstrations, the ingenuity of students, and live performances. faculty and staff. New this year Admission Futurist Symposium with Free and open to the public, alumni panel at 11 a.m. in rain or shine. Parking MAGIC Spell Studios. available on RIT’s campus and at Monroe Community To learn more College with a free shuttle Visit www.rit.edu/imagine. service to RIT.

April 27, 2019 Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Rain or shine Free and open to the public