The University Magazine Spring 2011 Industrial designers are the creative minds behind products NTID’s new leader talks about his inspiration and what’s next RIT: The University Magazine The RIT brand: Help tell our story Executive Editors Imagine a university that accom- Deborah M. Stendardi Government and Community Relations plishes the following: Bob Finnerty ’07, University News Services • Rebuilds and revitalizes a Editor country (Croatia) after wartime Mindy Mozer, University News Services devastation. Contributing Editors • Sends students on co-ops and Lisa Cauda, Development and Alumni Relations internships across the globe where Lydia Palmer, Development Kelly Redder, Alumni Relations they hit the ground running and Craig Smith, Development are engaged with large and small Alumni Relations Staff companies. These students often Art Director have multiple job offers before Colleen McGuinness-Clarke ’87, ’08 University Publications graduation. Designers: University Publications • Connects students from Jeff Arbegast ’93 different disciplines in a project President Bill Destler talks about a new branding campaign during an Pete Bella, Jr. ’03 outside the classroom, and the open forum with the campus community. (Photo by A. Sue Weisler) Photographer team creates an environmentally A. Sue Weisler ’93, University News Services friendly soap and shampoo package system to be used by the hotel industry. Writers: University News Services • Prides itself on alumni who are leaders in their fields. For example, RIT has seven alumni Vienna Carvalho-McGrain Michelle Cometa who account for 11 Pulitzer Prizes in photojournalism. Kelly Downs • Works with the U.S. military to improve the reliability and safety of ships, planes and Will Dube ’09 Humvees, thus saving lives while also improving transportation efficiencies for the public. John Follaco Susan M. Gawlowicz ’95 These are real stories from RIT. It is an impressive body of work from our students, Marcia Morphy alumni, faculty and staff. And this is just the short list of success stories. Michael Saffran ’08 These stories are the crux of a new branding campaign for RIT. We’ve spent the last several Paul Stella ’03 months working with an outside firm, 160over90, based in Philadelphia. We are embarking on Copy Editor Marie Lang a national branding campaign this year in strategic areas and markets, so you will begin to see the university be more aggressive in this promotional arena. Print Production Brenda Monahan, University Publications Brand messaging is more than just taglines and logos; it’s about storytelling and project- University News Services ing the personality of the brand. And what a story and personality RIT has to share with the 132 Lomb Memorial Drive world. Rochester, NY 14623-5608 Why enhance RIT’s brand now? The university has tremendous momentum so now is the Voice: 585-475-5064 Fax: 585-475-5097 time to leverage our assets. We need to enhance our image with the general public and also E-mail: [email protected] broaden and deepen our relationship with our closest friends. That’s why we need your help Office of Alumni Relations as brand ambassadors. RIT has changed so drastically in recent years that many of our alumni Crossroads 41 Lomb Memorial Drive don’t fully understand what we have become. Rochester, NY 14623-5603 So, how can you help us? First, feel free to send me an e-mail with success stories you have Voice: 585-475-ALUM, Toll Free: 866-RIT-ALUM TTY: 585-475-2764, Fax: 585-475-5308 that connect to RIT ([email protected]). Secondly, I invite you to our marquee “branding” E-mail: [email protected] event—Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival. See for yourself the amazing activity Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, at RIT. Spread the word. The free festival is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. More New York, publishes The University Magazine. than 32,000 visitors attended last year’s event, a hands-on spectacle with hundreds of exhibits RIT promotes and values diversity within its work force and provides equal opportunity to all quali- and activities featuring the brilliant work of students, faculty and staff. I will see you May 7, fied individuals regardless of race, color, creed, age, rain or shine. marital status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, Go Tigers! gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status, or disability. Vol.13, No.1, 105.5M-P1106-3/11-LANE-CMcGC Printer: The Lane Press; Burlington, Vermont © 2011 Rochester Institute of Technology Bill Destler All rights reserved President www.rit.edu/president The University Magazine Spring 2011 Engineering organizations on campus are 12 working with alumnae to get more young women interested in the field. Alumni talk about what their Peace Corps In between classes, lab work and homework, religious communities have blossomed on campus. On any 18 service means to them. 24 given weekend, about 1,000 students take advantage of the diverse programs and services offered by the Center for Religious Life. A national study shows that students’ spirituality grows during college. Departments Other Features 2 On Campus 8 Imagine this 6 About Students Innovation and creativity festival helps students succeed. 22 Tiger Talk 10 By design 34 Alumni Activities Graduates are the creative minds behind everyday products. 38 Class Notes 16 The call to serve 48 From the Archives Four deaf firefighters volunteer in the Rochester area. Cover 22 Gerard Buckley Nur Shafika Mohd Sairazi, a board member of the Muslim Student Association; Jared Krichevsky, NTID’s first graduate to serve as its president talks about his inspiration. past president of the Jewish student group Hillel; and Prisca Edwards, a leader in InterVarsity Chris- 32 Climbing ranks to lead New York tian Fellowship, represent the diverse campus Former Rochester mayor and police chief ignited his career at RIT. religious communities. (Photo by A. Sue Weisler) On Campus NOTEBOOK CIAS dean named New institute tackles health care Lorraine Justice was The university will open the Institute of Health Sci- RIT President Bill Destler and RGHS CEO Mark named the next dean of ences and Technology this fall, which will consist of Clement will co-chair the institute’s advisory board, the College of Imaging three facets of health care and position the RIT–Roch- consisting of faculty, physicians, staff, trustees and Arts and Sciences. She ester General Health System Alliance as a contributing students. starts July 1. player in the reform of the nation’s health care system. Existing programs that will likely move to the insti- Justice has served in The College of Health Sciences and Technology— tute include diagnostic medical sonography, nutrition/ higher education for becoming RIT’s ninth college—will dietetics, biomedical sciences/ more than 20 years. educate the next generation of health medical technology, health systems Under her leader- care providers and related research- administration, physician assistant, ship, the Hong Kong ers. Two additional components of clinical research management and Polytechnic School of the institute—the Health Sciences Re- medical illustration. Design emerged as one search Center and the Health Sciences The Health Sciences Research of the top 30 design Outreach Center—will meet work Center will focus on infectious schools in the world. force and community needs and apply disease and immunology, cancer, Frank Cost has been innovative technologies to health cancer vaccines and blood disor- serving as interim dean. care delivery. ders, cardiovascular disease, health The new institute will channel the strengths and systems engineering, biotechnology, bioengineering, RIT, UR join forces expertise of the partnership to produce technologi- imaging science, computing and information science, RIT and the Univer- cal solutions to health care delivery. RIT’s hands-on deaf technologies and medical devices. sity of Rochester have education complements Rochester General Hospital’s The final component of the institute, the Health created a joint master’s applied clinical approach. Combining these approaches Sciences Outreach Center, will aid regional work force degree in medical gives the alliance the potential to affect health care and development programs by retraining displaced work- informatics. improve the efficiency of the “smart hospital,” says RIT ers in Lean Six-Sigma for health care, an approach to Students will Provost Jeremy Haefner. streamlining and improving patient-care processes. The take courses at both A vice president/dean will be hired by July to lead center will also partner with regional work force devel- campuses and receive the institute and will report directly to Haefner. The opment agencies and develop and support community a common diploma vice president will facilitate interactions with colleagues health initiatives. bearing the seals of RIT and CEOs at other institutions and will, initially, direct For more information about the alliance, go to and UR. the outreach and research centers until those positions www.rit.edu/rghs. are filled. Susan Gawlowicz ’95 Graduation speaker Brian Hinman, a pio- IN THE NEWS For more, go to rit.edu/news neer in the computer- based communication industry, is the keynote “They’re going out to verify that that person is actually there. speaker for the 126th My guess is that some of the smaller firms are pretty spooked commencement cel- by it.’’ ebration at 3 p.m. (Boston Globe, Jan. 1, 2011) May 20 in Gordon Field House. Ron Hira, associate professor of public policy, talks about increased scrutiny by the Hinman is a venture U.S. Department of Homeland Security on H-1B visas, used by technology compa- partner at Oak Invest- nies to import temporary workers. ment Partners and “My favorite part is the sparkling lights at night, the phospho- executive chairman of GreenVolts Inc. and rescence. The diving is a bit of an adventure.” Aurora Algae Inc. He is (The New York Times, Dec. 24, 2010 ) co-founder of 2Wire, a Wendy Dannels, a faculty member in NTID’s engineering studies department, talks provider of broadband about participating in a 10-day trip for deaf and hard-of-hearing scuba divers in the service platforms for Philippines.