RIT’s School of Mathematical Sciences hosted the Monroe County Math League All-Star Competition March 4 for the seventh consecutive year. Approximately 650 high-school students from more than 35 school districts participated. Winners advanced to higher levels throughout the day and faced each other in the closing competition. The top competitors will attend the state-level competition. Here, Matt Hill, a sophomore, tied with senior James Dobler in the final Buzz contest.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

DynaMOE, a robot built by a FIRST Robotics team from Wilmington, Del., captures a ‘trackball’ during the Finger Lakes Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, held at the Gordon Field House and Activities Center, March 7-8. Teams from Rochester’s Nazareth Academy, Churchville-Chili Senior High School, Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School (Rochester City School District) and Penfield High School will all advance to the national FIRST Championship, April 17-19, in Atlanta.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

Two RIT students will showcase their work at NTID Dyer Arts Center through March 26. Sweet Reassurance, an MFA thesis exhibition by Debra Ruzinsky, features kiln-cast glass and mixed-media work, including Apparition, pictured above. BFA senior Jeremy Quiroga will also be highlighting mixed-media work including wood, metals and paint in his exhibition, (Arte de’Q) Subconscious.

Photo submitted by Debra Ruzinsky

RIT students thousands of miles away celebrated the declaration of Kosovo’s independence Feb. 17. RIT’s sister university, the American University in Kosovo, closed for two days to allow students, faculty and staff to celebrate this historic moment. The declaration was celebrated by the RIT community on this side of the ocean, as well. Above, Jim Myers, director of the Center for Multidisciplinary Studies, proposes a toast to celebrate Kosovo’s independence.

Ken Huth | photographer

EMBA alumni from RIT’s E. Philip Saunders College of Business attended the fourth annual Sharpen the Saw Day, March 6. Hosted by accounting professor Daniel Tessoni, the event’s guest speakers included B. Thomas Golisano, founder and chairman of Paychex, and RIT trustee, Saunders College Dean Ashok Rao and RIT President Bill Destler. Golisano, left, recounted the early days of Paychex and how it has gone on to serve more than 560,000 business clients nationwide. He also gave insights on his latest venture, serving as owner of the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer

Marc O’Donnell, an RIT biochemistry major from Elmira, far left, recently participated in a student research expo at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, sponsored by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. During the exhibition, O’Donnell talked about his research project with Sen. George Winner and Assemblyman Thomas O’Mara, who both represent O’Donnell’s hometown in the New York State Legislature. O’Donnell’s research focuses on investigating the molecular interactions between single wall carbon nanotubes and a laser dye, Rhoadmine 101. Probing these interactions allows for a better understanding of the mechanism by which carbon nanotubes are able to disperse effectively in organic solvents. Accompanying O’Donnell to the expo was his chemistry professor, Christopher Collison.

Photo submitted by Dennis Kennedy

Even squirrels need a good home. More than 120 first-year students in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences designed and built nest houses for the furry creatures. Amos Scully, professor, came up with the “squirrelly” idea as a student project for the 3-D Design course. The wooden nest houses will be donated to a local wildlife rehabilitator who will distribute them to other rehabilitators in the region. The houses will help injured and displaced squirrels acclimate back into the wild.

A. Sue Weisler | photographer