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Biology BS

Nestled in the basement of the Student Alumni Union, the WITR radio station space is a treasure trove of music, personalities, and nostalgia. The station and the music have greatly evolved since its first broadcast in 1961, but one thing has remained constant: the tight-knit network of students and alumni.

A chance encounter on the RIT campus has resulted in a student band forming, playing gigs, and working on an album. It’s a testament to the performing arts ecosystem at RIT, and how easy it can be to find other students who share the same passion for performing arts.

Within Brown Hall on RIT’s campus, newly renovated lab spaces house state-of-the-art equipment allowing for essential research. One such space is the genomics lab, where Elle Barnes, assistant professor in the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, is working to help protect one of the key members of the local ecosystem: salamanders.

For more than 30 years, Robert Rothman has led hundreds of RIT students on tours to the Galápagos Islands to observe the wildlife and landscape that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Rothman’s A Paradise for Reptiles, an homage to the 19th century scientist, is an accessibly written guide for anyone interested in Darwin, the Galápagos, and reptiles in general.

A new training program for RIT students, faculty, and staff aims to bolster a campus-wide approach to supporting student mental health. Nearly 300 people have completed the Mental Health First Aid Training course last semester and have received certification from the National Council of Mental Wellbeing.

Several RIT students from a variety of colleges and academic disciplines have been awarded prestigious international fellowships and scholarships.

Artificial intelligence, robots, glass blowing, drones, cybersecurity tours, and performing arts are just a sampling of what lies in store for the thousands of visitors expected at this year’s Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29.

Plastic pollutants, the coronavirus, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the strength of nanowires, and why freshly cut grass smells the way it does—these are some of the topics students from Rochester Prep High School explored during a mentorship program with RIT faculty. They shared their projects and new perspectives during the RIT-Rochester Prep Capstone Showcase held Feb. 6 at RIT.

The mother and brother of a late NTID faculty member and alumna are paying tribute to her memory by establishing the Skyer Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing students achieve success in STEM-related majors.

Many RIT students' experiences as undergraduates have helped them get into top graduate degree programs.

The National Institutes of Health are funding RIT scientists to explore vesicular stomatitis virus’s (VSV) potential for treating prostate cancer. Associate Professor Maureen Ferran from the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences secured a three-year, $451,718 Research Enhancement Award (R15) grant from the NIH to investigate prostate cancer cells’ susceptibility to the virus.

Ten College of Science students received funding to work with faculty mentors on summer-long research projects as part of the HHMI Inclusive Excellence Summer Research Experience. The program is for students who just completed their first year at RIT and helps broaden RIT’s research groups to include a greater diversity of culture.