Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies

Amanda Ziemann

Amanda Ziemann is currently pursuing a PhD in the Carlson Center for Imaging Science at RIT. She received both her BS in Applied Mathematics and her MS in Applied & Computational Mathematics from RIT. Her master's thesis was a collaboration between the Mathematics and Imaging Science departments, entitled "Using n-Dimensional Volumes for Mathematical Applications in Spectral Image Analysis." As a PhD student in the Carlson Center for Imaging Science at RIT, she continues to work in the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory. Her research with Dr. David Messinger focuses on using novel mathematical approaches to multi and hyperspectral image analysis, with a focus on developing graph theory-based locally adaptive algorithms. She has served as the College of Science representative on the Graduate Student Advisory Committee since the spring of 2010.

Amanda is originally from Buffalo, NY and in her spare time she volunteer at Scottsville Veterinary Adoptions, helping to socialize animals in the shelter.

Jason Myer

Jason Myers is a Bioinformatics student in the BS/MS program from Corning, NY. As as an undergraduate he participated in the National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (NIH-SIP) in Biomedical Research at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences located at Research Triangle Park, NC.

Jason is currently doing his thesis project in collaboration with researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Cornell in Geneva, New York, to map genetic variation in Erysiphe necator, a pathogen of grapes. E. necator is economically the most important grape pathogen in the world. Jason is analyzing data produced with Illumina high throughput sequencing machines to identify Single Nucleotide and Insertion/Deletion Polymorphisms. Jason says that “My research…has given me a chance to develop real-world problem solving skills in my field. The…pathogen…has a major negative impact on the wine industry and the work I am doing has the potential to help alleviate the economic strain caused by this parasite.”

Jason will be graduating at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

Fabiana Kotoriy

Fabiana Kotoriy is a second year Packaging Science Master's Degree student from La Paz, Bolivia. After completing a B.S./M.Eng. in Industrial Engineering from RIT in 2005, she worked as a Project Engineer for a local construction company before deciding to pursue a more specialized graduate degree.

Packaging was a natural career choice for Fabi because of her interest in materials, quality control and sustainable production systems. She has participated in a number of industry specific projects such as recommendations on package redesign for Wegmans' line of foaming hand soaps; updating industry guidelines on sustainable packaging for the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP); and beta testing of a packaging assessment tool for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC). For this last project, she got selected to participate in the official launch of the software that took place in Chicago during the SPC Spring Meeting.

Currently, Fabi is a representative of CAST in the Graduate Student Advisory Committee for 2011-2012.

Jesse Harrington

Jesse Harrington is second year MFA Industrial Design candidate originally located in Greene NY. Upon completing his undergraduate degree in Illustration from RIT in 2004 Jesse began teaching in a variety of atmospheres as well as began his career as a freelance illustrator in Berkeley CA. It was not long before Harrington found himself in Ketchikan AK as an Americorps VISTA. His work in Alaska would include development of a town wide effort in creating a youth to work program for disadvantaged youth. The program is now in its fourth year and continues to enrich and grow for the people of South East Alaska. It was here that he found his interest in design and would begin his pursuit of attending RIT for a graduate degree in Industrial Design.

Having a natural love for complex problem solving and a admiration for the constant continuation of the learning process Jesse has found his home with Industrial Design. While attending RIT he has worked on a multitude of projects including a bicycle powered skateboard, creating a hybrid sketching class, assisting at the Rochester Museum and Science Center and working with Green RIT to organize what has promised to be one of the largest group bicycle rides in the history of Rochester.

This year Jesse continues to work on his thesis, bicycle powered energy mechanisms for developing countries, in collaboration with the RMSC. After his scheduled completion of the ID MFA in May of 2010, Jesse plans on moving with his partner Erika to a unknown destination while she pursues her PHD in Philosophy and continue his work on making bicycles a more integrated part of daily life, further assisting American culture in its transition to a healthier, richer, and more uplifting society.

Sandra Turner

Sandra Turner is a second year Industrial Design Master of Fine Arts candidate from Fairport, NY. Prior to studying at RIT, Sandra worked in marketing, training, management,job counseling,and strategic development. She owns her own photography business and has a Bachelor in Science degree with a double major in marketing and art from SUNY Brockport.

Throughout her career, Sandra has struggled to find one area of expertise given her vast interest in business, art and design until she stumbled upon Industrial Design. By combining her education and work experience, Sandra is able to understand both the business and creative process of design and she looks forward to developing solutions that make a positive difference in people's lives.

This year, Sandra is exploring design solutions that improve the daily connections children and adults have with nature as part of her thesis, "The Backyard Experience." She is a member of the Graduate Student Advisory Committee for the 2009 - 2010 school year.

Farouk Bonilla

Farouk Bonilla is currently a PhD student in the Imaging Science program at RIT. He received a MS in Imaging Science from RIT and a MSEE with concentration in image/signal processing from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. He is also a diplomat Electrical Engineering from the National University of Colombia at Bogotá. Following his bachelor graduation, he worked for several years in different fields of Electrical Engineering, such as electronics, power, control and instrumentation, as well as, in different engineering areas as maintenance, field, design, and management. About four years ago, Farouk joined Xerox Corporation, and currently works as a Release Coordinator for the FreeFlow Print Server common controller of enter-production printers. Prior to this position, he worked for about 5 years as a Research Scientist in the Imaging Science/Research Labs at Eastman Kodak Company.

Farouk was born in Ibagué Colombia and grew up in Bogotá, the Colombian Capitol District. He is married to Enid, a Sr. EE specialized in non-linear, digital control, and electronics design. They have three little children and live in Webster, a fast growing suburb of Rochester NY.