Photo Spotlights

Independent critic and historian A. D. Coleman, left, presented “Deconstructing Robert Capa’s D-Day: The Unmaking of a Myth” at the PhotoHistory/PhotoFuture Conference April 20-22. More than 300 photography enthusiasts gathered for the first-ever PhotoHistory/PhotoFuture Conference to absorb scholarly presentations and panels. The three-day international conference on photography was sponsored by RIT Press, the scholarly book publishing enterprise at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The conference featured presentations by leading photography scholars from universities across the United States to the University of New South Wales in Australia, as well as talks by experts from prestigious institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and Records Administration and the National Geographic Society.

A video game release party was held on April 20 for Super Daryl Deluxe, created by RIT alumni Dan Plate ’16, left, and Gary Porter ’15. The game was released April 10 on Playstation 4, Switch and Steam for PC. Dan and Gary Games was created in 2012 when they were students and they currently are in RIT’s Venture Creations technology business incubator.

The building that will house MAGIC Spell Studios is taking shape. The program is a first-of-its-kind effort in higher education and will link RIT’s internationally ranked academic programs with high-tech facilities needed to commercialize computer gaming, film and animation, and digital media projects.

RIT celebrated research at the annual PI Reception, honoring a host of faculty, including 10 new inductees in the PI Millionaires Club.

Eight Beat Measure, RIT’s original all-male a cappella group, performed a 30th anniversary concert in the Gene Polisseni Center.

Over 200 RIT students and volunteers constructed two frames for houses for Flower City Habitat for Humanity. The event was sponsored by RIT’s Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement as part of their “Into the ROC” service programs. The frames will be moved to their permanent locations for homes to be erected in Rochester.

NTID-supported student researchers presented posters and demonstrated their research at NTID’s third annual Student Research Fair April 13. The fair showed how students are breaking new ground in access technology, health science, astrophysics, mathematics, biochemistry, communication studies, psychology, education, environmental research, and more. Andrew Smith (BFA-3DDD) and Maliki Callahan (AAS-3DGT), and their project advisor, Heather Smith-Schmitz (seated) demonstrate NTID’s Motion Capture system.

Spider-Man and Spider-Woman characters were spotted in the Student Alumni Union, one of the many locations on campus participating in Tora-Con 2018 on April 14-15. Nearly 3,000 people attended the two-day event, where attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite character. The 14th annual event was put on by RIT’s Student Anime Club.

NTID’s Performing Arts Department presents The Wonderful World of Oz April 19-22. A few of the performers, pictured here from left to right, are Fred Michael Beam, Perseus McDaniel, Amy Ausdenmoore and Jeff Pratt. Show times are 7:30 p.m. April 19–21 and April 27-28; and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 22. Tickets are $12 for general audiences; $10 for alumni, faculty, staff and children age 12 and older; and $5 for students, seniors (60+) and children under age 12. Tickets may be purchased through the RIT box office online at https://rittickets.com or by phone at 585-475-4121. Tickets also will be available on performance days two hours prior to curtain. The production will raise funds to support NTID’s performing arts activities.

Members of the RIT Ambulance corps demonstrated emergency medical service techniques during its 50th anniversary reunion on April 14. The agency, an all-volunteer, student-run organization, was recently recognized for its exemplary training, emergency preparedness and community service.

The RIT student team from Aesthetician Labs took first place in the New York State Game Dev Challenge, hosted by RIT and sponsored by Empire State Development, for their game Crazy Platez. From left, Noah Ratcliff, Sam Cammarata and Aidan Markham accepted the $12,000 prize from RIT President David Munson at an event at The Strong in downtown Rochester on April 12. Crazy Platez is described as a high-octane, Rochester-themed game in development that encourages players to race to deliver “plates” to residents and refill tanks before they run out of gas.

Steven Ciccarelli, associate professor in the College of Applied Science and Technology, is one of the recipients of the 2018 Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching. The award encourages the professional growth and development of RIT faculty and specifically recognizes those members of the academic body who contribute most to enhance student learning. Full-time faculty with seven years or more of full-time teaching experince are eligible for this award.