Research News

Scientists have reported detecting gravitational waves from 10 black hole mergers to date, but they are still trying to explain the origins of those mergers. The largest merger detected so far seems to have defied previous models because it has a higher spin and mass than the range thought possible. A group of researchers, including RIT Assistant Professor Richard O’Shaughnessy, has created simulations that could explain how the merger happened.

WROC-TV talks to Moumita Das, associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, about her work with neurons and an NSF-funded project to build synthetic neurons.

WXXI talks to Moumita Das, associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, about her work with neurons and an NSF-funded project to build synthetic neurons.

Liam Reilly became motivated to participate in research on sustainable polymers when he learned of the damaging effects of plastic production on our environment. His research is centered on one specific relationship we have with nature, our production and disposal of our most commonly produced material: Plastic.

The team, led by three Ph.D. students from the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, won first place in the OpenEDS Challenge focused on semantic segmentation.

Researchers from RIT and six other universities are teaming up to build synthetic neurons and a programmable network of such neurons in an effort to better understand the rules of life. The project is part of the National Science Foundation’s “Big Ideas” initiative— 10 bold, long-term research and process ideas that identify areas for future investment at the frontiers of science and engineering.

Terra Daily features research by Nima Pahlevan ’12 Ph.D. (imaging science).

Ifeoma Nwogu, an assistant professor of computer science, received an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award and grant for her five-year project to study human behavior by using machine learning techniques to analyze and find patterns in the many signals that individuals display during social interactions.

Scientists are currently building the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), which will conduct the most ambitious all-sky survey of the universe to date, and RIT is thinking about ways to mine through the treasure trove of data it will produce.

WROC-TV talks to student Justin Gallagher and Professor Don Figer, director of the Center for Detectors, about a sensor technology that may contribute to finding other planets.

Alexandria Shumway was selected to do research abroad over the summer through the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) RISE program, or German Academic Exchange Service. Through this program, the fifth-year bioinformatics and computational biology (BS) and bioinformatics (MS) student traveled to Kiel, Germany, to complete her research at the Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel.

Abby Rolston became aware of the amount of plastic waste that is thrown away each day while working as a veterinary assistant. Today her research is focused on the degradation of blended polymers provided by the Packaging Science Department at RIT.