News Stories

Growing up in Youngstown, N.Y., near Niagara Falls, Alessandra Santarosa always had the urge to explore. As she readies to graduate this month from RIT with a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in German, and sociology and anthropology, Santarosa is ready for more adventures: joining the Peace Corps and teaching English in Kosovo for two years.

Abraham Glasser, a fourth-year computer science major from Pittsford, N.Y, wasn’t certain where he would land after graduation. But he credits his co-op experiences at Microsoft and NASA for helping him determine that he didn’t want a typical 9-to-5 job. Instead, he realized that a career developing accessible technologies for deaf and hard-of-hearing people would fulfill a passion for research.

When Gabrielle Cole starts her new job, she will be the only female engineer at the company. Her journey from academics to professional was influenced by several factors—from family and hometown to campus and co-op experiences. She was able to build on these foundations toward an ideal first job.

Growing up in India, Shahana Althaf thought earning a doctorate was a distant dream. But, despite potential roadblocks, she persevered and will receive her Ph.D. from the Golisano Institute for Sustainability on May 10.

Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 14: Growing up in India, Shahana Althaf thought earning a doctorate was a distant dream. Despite potential roadblocks, she persevered and will receive her Ph.D. from RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability on May 10. Shahana talks with Associate Professor Callie Babbitt about how she overcame cultural pressures and the challenges of balancing home life with a young child to fulfill her dreams.

Optics and Photonics News features work by Mishkat Bhattacharya, associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy.

RIT’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship, in partnership with Rochester Economic Development Corp., has received $137,500 in funding from J.P. Morgan Chase Bank to help build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that will benefit small-business owners and residents of the City of Rochester. The funding is part of a larger $400,000 gift from Chase Bank to the City of Rochester.

Ramkumar, an RIT alumnus and former faculty member, had been serving as interim dean and was named to the permanent position following a national search. He assumes the permanent dean’s role immediately and said he intends to continue the college’s focus on producing highly talented, applied engineers and applied scientists who will make a difference.

WHAM-TV talks to Dave Tyler, director of social media.

Symmetry Magazine features Jason Nordhaus, assistant professor of physics, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and his work to reduce barriers to STEM for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

WXXI talks to Eugene Fram, Saunders College of Business professor emeritus and retail expert.

WHAM-TV reports on the new RIT & AT&T Mobile Tech Lab. Computing security student William Eatherly pictured.