Photo Spotlights

Joe D’Amato, left, and Justin LaChausse, mechanical engineering majors and members of RIT’s Formula SAE team, work on this year’s newly designed, student-built racer in the mechanical engineering department’s machine shop on April 28.

RIT’s mini-Baja team captured fifth and sixth places among nearly 90 challengers in the Mini Baja West in Portland, Ore., in April. RIT's two cars, which were entered separately, also earned top-10 placements for design, endurance, hill climbing, maneuverability, “rock crawl” and sales report.

Fifth-year software engineering student Chris Boncha discusses his senior project with a fellow student at the Software Engineering Senior Projects Poster Day, May 7. A total of seven projects were on display, including an online co-op evaluation system and a telephone fraud monitoring and detection system. View the projects at http://www.se.rit.edu/current_projects.php.

Andrew Street pushes hard to the finish as the RIT Moon Buggy nears the finish line at the Great Moon Buggy Race held April 3 in Huntsville, Ala. Despite breaking three chains in competition, the team went on to finish in 12th place, posting their best finish yet at the national competition.

Geneticist, author and filmmaker, R. Spencer Wells visits RIT to talk about his groundbreaking research in population genetics that traces humanity back to a single ancestor. Wells’ work—the subject of a PBS National Geographic documentary—follows humanity’s migration from Africa to the far reaches of the world. Here, Wells (left) talks to students Rebecca Rigden, Chalonda Rolle, Jody Pape and Daniela Palacio.

Sparks fly as Erica Sacheli, a third year student from Rochester, works to complete the final project for her Welded Sculpture class in RIT's School of Art. During 10 weeks of training, Sacheli and her fellow students get to combine steel with their unique visions to create works of art. Mahany Welding Supply in Gates donates its facilities, which feature the latest in welding technology, to members of the class. Mahany's staff has been on hand throughout the period to help students turn their visions into reality.

Kelly Benjamin, fourth year environmental science student, takes in the festivities at RIT's Celebration of Scholarship. The annual event salutes scholarship donors while providing them an opportunity to interact with the students assisted by their generosity. More than 100 scholarship donors took part in this year's celebration. There are 478 scholarhsip programs that benefit RIT students.

RIT President Albert Simone (top, center) welcomes a delegation from Tianjin University of Technology in China. The student athletes, considered to be among China's top collegiate martial artists, join RIT's martial arts team for a pair of local presentations. The first show is today at 7 p.m. in NTID's Panara Theatre. An encore performance is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Ritter Ice Arena. Both presentations are open to the public, and admission is $5. Tickets are available at the door.

RIT’s School of Hospitality and Service Management hosted its 19th annual Puttin’ on the RITz dinner-dance on April 17 at the RIT Inn & Conference Center. Above, from left, Jennifer Matteson, Janina DeBellis, Jeff Haberbusch and Jillian Patterson prepare the salad, a bed of dandelions and arugula. The gala, attended by 276, was organized entirely by students.

In honor of Earth Day, RIT’s Facilities Management recycling department partnered with Delta Phi Epsilon fraternity and environmental sciences professor Karl Korfmacher’s honors class to conduct the second annual RIT Waste Audit. From left, students Taryn Kay, Alicja Bajorska and Kim Roberts weigh and measure trash. Auditors went through 335 lbs of RIT garbage of which they found 27 percent could be recycled—a big improvement over last year’s audit where 50 percent of trash on campus could be recycled but wasn’t.

Students enjoy a joust during the kickoff to RIT's Spring Festival 2004, sponsored by the College Activities Board. The weekend celebration got underway on Friday with the Student Government barbecue. Other activities include a carnival and an outdoor movie, but the featured event is a concert by Guster and Matt Nathanson.

Soaring temperatures are coaxing many RIT students outdoors for a well deserved study break. On Thursday, the mercury topped 80 degrees in Rochester for the first time this season. The warmer weather offers a welcome diversion from the students' mounting academic demands. Final exams get underway in just over two weeks. RIT's commencement weekend is scheduled for May 21-22.