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Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

RIT received the 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education, for the sixth year in a row. Also, for the third consecutive year, RIT is being honored as an institution committed to diversity for 2019 by Minority Access Inc. And Professor André Hudson, pictured above, is among the individuals Minority Access will celebrate at the National Role Models Conference this year.

Scientists have mapped the DNA of bacteria found within a chronic disease affecting grapevines, a feat they hope will ultimately help protect the multibillion-dollar grape industry that produces juice, jelly, wine and other important products.

RIT is helping more students from nontraditional pathways get hands-on experience in scientific research early in their academic careers through a unique summer program focused on mentorship.

PBS station WCNY features Christy Tyler, associate professor in the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, and Matthew Hoffman, associate professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences, discussing microplastics in the Great Lakes. The segment begins at the 9:40 minute-mark in the video.

The 28th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, held on Aug. 1, is structured as a professional research conference. Research themes included everything from fundamental microbiology to the fine arts.

RIT’s genomics research capabilities have evolved significantly over the past year. The university has invested heavily in revamping and equipping its Genomics Research Lab Cluster. The overhauled genomics facilities will boost capabilities for researchers in multiple disciplines, including bioinformatics, biotechnology and environmental science.

During a single year, Jessica Salamone ’99 (biotechnology), director of Genetic Counseling and Cancer Risk Assessment at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care in Rochester, will counsel thousands of women on their hereditary cancer risk.

Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 20: Learning assistants bring a different perspective to a student’s educational experience. At RIT, the Center for Advancing STEM Teaching, Learning & Evaluation trains undergraduates to be learning assistants, and facilitate small-group or other interactions in the classroom. Dina Newman, associate professor in the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, and recent biology graduate Gretchen Horst talk about how the program works.

NPR features a story by WXXI in which Karl Korfmacher, a professor of environmental science, discusses how asphalt creates “urban heat islands” and how vegetation can combat the effects of heat waves.

City Newspaper reports on work by Assistant Professor Christopher Kanan and Associate Professor Christy Tyler, both in the College of Science.

ZooNooz, a publication by the Seneca Park Zoo, highlights projects with RIT.

Intersections: The RIT Podcast, Ep. 17: Science professor André Hudson mentored three area high school students, and their collaboration led to the discovery that a rare bacterium kills E. coli and B. subtilis. The group published their findings in an academic journal. Hudson talks with Kit Mayberry, RIT vice president for strategic planning and special initiatives, about what he learned about himself as a teacher and a scientist on the project.