An owl fascinates more than 100 children from Rochester city schools during a Wegmans ZooMobile presentation on RIT’s Love Day. RIT student clubs hosted activities on Feb. 14 that included science experiments, learning sign language, computer design, face painting, cookie baking and arts and crafts.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

Among senior design projects—each computer controlled—demonstrated by RIT computer engineering majors on Feb. 16 was a remote-controlled surveillance vehicle, shown above held by William Burgdorf, a fifth-year student. With him are project teammates Tom Fisher and Eleni Binopolus-Rumayor, also fifth-year students. The battery-operated truck, controlled via an Internet connection, includes an on-board server and camera that feeds live video to a computer application. The vehicle is a prototype for a device that could be used for home security or military and police applications. Binopolus-Rumayor, who graduates this month, has accepted a position as a software product engineer with IBM Corp. in Research Triangle Park, N.C., starting March 6. She previously completed five co-ops with IBM.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

Renee Keiser, third-year professional and technical communication student, enjoys the festivities at the second annual Groundhog’s Day Gala, sponsored by RIT’s Department of Communication. The real groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow again this year, signaling six more weeks of winter.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

Patricia Vonderahe ’87 (graphic design) and Richard Brainerd ’91 (photography) teamed up to tell students about their work on Wegmans Food Markets’ Menu magazine and other projects. Vonderahe, creative director for Wegmans, oversees a team of 35 designers, one photographer and two copywriters. Brainerd, a partner in Studio 2B and Digital Lightning in Rochester, does the photography for the magazine. The two spoke Feb. 8 as part of the RIT Alumni Career Speakers Series sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations and Cooperative Education and Career Services. The series continues at noon March 15 with Dwayne Shaw ’05 (information technology), a business analyst with JP Morgan Chase. His topic is “Graduating and Transitioning to Work.”

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

RIT’s mini-Baja car kicks up some dirt during the 30th annual Mini Baja East, hosted by RIT last spring. While team members have precious little time to sit around flipping through their favorite magazines—they have another car to finish building in time for this spring’s competitions, after all—they hope that others have time for a little page turning. To help offset costs of construction and travel to competitions, the team is selling magazine subscriptions and renewals at discounts of up to 85 percent off newsstand prices. Visit www.rit.edu/baja and click “online magazine drive.” For more information on RIT’s mini-Baja team, contact Dave Hallbach, team manager, at 475-5102 or dwh9049@rit.edu.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

The RIT Players and the COLA Department of Fine Arts performed The Exception and the Rule: A Brecht Show earlier this month, celebrating the influential 20th century playwright Bertolt Brecht. The two-part production began with a documentary-style presentation of selections from Brecht’s drama and poetry from the period, 1928-1938, including three scenes from Fear and Misery in the Third Reich. Shown above are Nate Jentsch as a Nazi storm trooper and Andrew Gibson, playing the character of a chauffeur.

Mark Fleming | photographer

Russell Bessette, left, executive director of the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research, presented a faculty development award to RIT astronomer Don Figer during a ceremony on campus Feb. 8. Figer recently joined RIT as a result of NYSTAR’s $750,000 grant, highlighting the agency’s commitment to assisting universities develop new areas of expertise leading to economic development.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

RIT President Albert Simone, left, and Jim Bodenstedt, RIT crew coach, center, thank Arthur Gosnell, chairman and CEO of Stonehurst Capital Inc., for his 10 years of sponsorship of the Stonehurst Capital Invitational Regatta. The regatta, one of the best-known collegiate fall rowing events, is held on the Genesee River in Genesee Valley Park. Co-sponsored by RIT and the University of Rochester, the event draws men’s and women’s crew teams from all over the country and Canada.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer