RIT Awards PI Presidential Award to Professor John Schott

Recognizing his broad impact in the advancement of funded research at Rochester Institute of Technology, John Schott is the recipient of the university’s Principal Investigator Presidential Award.

The honor was announced Feb. 22 at RIT’s annual PI reception. The purpose of the award is to highlight the outstanding achievements of an RIT researcher in three specific areas—impacting students, conducting interdisciplinary scholarship and forming inter-institutional collaborations.

In presenting the award, RIT President Albert Simone acknowledged the scope of Schotts’ impact. “John has supervised hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students on their individual and team projects, and students all over America use his textbook,” says Simone. “RIT is very fortunate to have a professor of John’s caliber.”

Schott, the Frederick and Anna Wiedman Professor in RIT’s Center for Imaging Science, founded the university’s remote sensing initiatives. His work has led to advances in understanding how the atmosphere affects remotely gathered data. Under Schott’s guidance, RIT has developed and implemented MISI, the Modular Imaging Spectrometer Instrument. Scientists throughout the United States—as well as RIT faculty and students—use this airborne system to collect data across many color bands.

During his 27 years at RIT, Schott has also led a variety of research collaborations with other laboratories, universities and federal agencies. He calls it an honor to have his efforts recognized with the PI Presidential Award.

“This award is particularly special for me because it comes from Dr. Simone who has been a supporter of our activities for many years and a steadfast champion of RIT’s research agenda,” states Schott. “I also value it because it is not just about the research but about involving students in the enterprise, which has always been a personal theme of mine.”

In addition to a personalized plaque, Schott receives $2,500 to be spent on a research initiative of his choosing.

Schott is a resident of Gates, N.Y.