Photo Spotlights

Host RIT captured seventh and 15th places overall among 71 challengers in the 30th annual Mini Baja East competition May 5-7 at RIT and Hogback Hill Motocross track in Palmyra, Wayne County. Shown here, RIT’s Ryan Lindauere, a second-year mechanical engineering major, competes in the land maneuverability challenge on May 6. A team from Ecole De Technologie Superieure in Montreal captured first place overall in the collegiate design and off-road driving competition, which was the largest-ever Mini Baja East contest and drew hundreds of spectators. RIT last hosted the event in 1982.

David Parish, second from right, president of the Livingston County Historical Society, presents a copy of the 1830 published proceedings of New York State Assembly to RIT's Cary Graphic Arts Collection. The book, which documents the charter of one of RIT's forerunners, the Rochester Athenaeum, has been donated to the collection in recognition of the university's 175th anniversary. Among those attending the presentation were, from left to right, Scott Canaan, Information and Technology Services senior database administrator, David Pankow, Cary Collection curator, and Dane Gordon, College of Liberal Arts professor emeritus.

James Macchiano, left, and Cory Hoffman will head up RIT Student Government for the 2005-2006 academic year. Macchiano, a third-year animation student, becomes president with Hoffman, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student in the dual degree (BS/MS) program, as his vice president. The election experienced the highest student voter turnout yet with a record 3,300 votes, more than twice last year's participation.

Student Government revived a campus tradition with the RIT parade, organized in honor of the university's 175th anniversary. The event, held on April 30 as part of the annual Spring Festival, featured floats created by RIT clubs, departments and other campus groups, as well as dancing and juggling acts.

Joanne Isham described technology challenges related to remote sensing during the IT Collaboratory Symposium at RIT. Isham, deputy director at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, told the audience that enhanced mapping techniques offer important new benefits to first responders and the military. About 90 participants of the May 4 symposium also learned about advances in photonics, nanomaterials and microsystems.

The 15th annual E3 Engineering and Technology Fair drew hundreds of Rochester-area middle school students to RIT’s George H. Clark Gymnasium on April 28. The fair, sponsored by the Rochester Engineering Society, featured more than two-dozen hands-on exhibits emphasizing engineering, exploration and experimentation.

In an effort to fight hunger in Rochester, RIT students made 2,000 peanut butter and jelly bagels that were delivered to local food kitchens and community centers, May 3. Food donations for the fifth annual PB Jam were provided by Genesee Valley Foodlink and Wegmans.

RIT's College of Business honored E. Philip Saunders with the 2005 Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneur Award during a luncheon at Oak Hill Country Club on April 28. During his speech Saunders advised would-be-entrepreneurs to "work hard, be persistent and not spend any money until you've earned it." The ceremony was the official kickoff for the second annual RIT Entrepreneurs Conference held on campus.

Jingjing Pan joined her scholarship donors, Nancy and Bruce Bates, for RIT's annual Celebration of Scholarship. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf student, who is studying chemistry, performed a piano solo during the dinner event on April 14. Each year, Celebration of Scholarship salutes the donors to a growing number of tuition assistance programs. There are more than 500 scholarships available at RIT, with 31 created last year.

Bausch & Lomb chairman and CEO Ronald Zarrella, right, shares details of a new research partnership with RIT. The company is committing $2.5 million to fund the Bausch & Lomb Endowed Chair in Microsystems Engineering in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. Bausch & Lomb may also provide additional funding of up to $2.5 million over the next five years to support research at RIT related to ocular diseases. Harvey Palmer, engineering dean, and RIT President Albert Simone joined Zarella for the announcement, which followed the company's annual shareholders meeting on April 26.

Thomas Curley, president and chief executive officer of the Associated Press, debates freedom of information in America during a panel discussion at RIT, April 26. During his visit to campus, Curley was presented the Isaiah Thomas Award in Publishing from RIT's School of Print Media. He becomes the 25th recipient of this honor.

Experts in the gravure industry celebrate the grand opening of RIT’s Gravure Research Library in the School of Print Media, April 5. Pictured (from left) are Walter Vail, president of the Gravure Education Foundation (GEF); Walter Siegenthaler, executive vice president of Max Daetwyler Corp.; Laura Hatch, GEF executive director; and Robert Chung, Gravure research professor. GEF and Gravure Association of America donated their library collections to RIT. The library’s opening was one of the highlights of Gravure Day, which promotes understanding of gravure technology and explores research and career opportunities with students.