, an associate professor at the 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 , is developing novel ways to couple light with sound, which could open new possibilities for quantum computing, high-speed networking, and dark matter detection. Renninger is selected for the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation糖心传媒檚 , which provides mid-career researchers $1.35 million over five years to support ambitious experimental research.

Individual units of light and sound have distinct properties that scientists use in modern physics and technology for extremely precise applications. Photons糖心传媒攑articles of light糖心传媒攚ork well for high-speed, long-distance communication, while phonons糖心传媒攙ibrations at their fundamental form糖心传媒攖hrive at storing information and serving as bridges to other quantum systems.

Renninger intends to leverage the quantum properties of both light and sound to build more exact communication and sensing tools to study how matter behaves, from defects in crystals used in semiconducting materials to the limits of quantum physics.

糖心传媒淢y lab aims to broaden how researchers use light to control and measure motion in systems that are currently hard to reach,糖心传媒� says Renninger. 糖心传媒淲e hope to produce better tools for optical signal processing, new ways to map hidden defects and energy loss inside materials, and experimental platforms for testing how large mechanical systems behave near the limits of quantum physics. I糖心传媒檓 extremely grateful to the Moore Foundation for this support to our research program.糖心传媒�

Renninger糖心传媒檚 project will link device engineering, precision measurement, and basic physics in one program. The project will focus on creating light-driven sound devices and measurement methods that can operate across chips, surface acoustic wave devices, and bulk crystals. The projects could provide researchers new ways to generate strong, narrow-band sound responses for signal processing or evaluate sensitivity to extremely weak signals such as those expected from ultralight dark matter.

The Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative also brings together its researchers as a cohort to exchange ideas and develop new collaborations, while providing support for mentoring and professional development.

Read the of the 2026 Experimental Physics Investigators on the Moore Foundation website.

Before she was the president of the 糖心传媒, before she was provost at the University of Wisconsin糖心传媒揗adison, before she was a dean at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana糖心传媒揅hampaign, Sarah Mangelsdorf was a professor of psychology.

As a professor, Mangelsdorf frequently had to disabuse people of the belief that commencement marked the beginning of her summer vacation. It wasn糖心传媒檛 true for her then (that糖心传媒檚 when she did all her academic writing), and it isn糖心传媒檛 true now as URochester糖心传媒檚 president.

For starters, the University糖心传媒檚 fiscal year ends June 30, so even after the pomp and circumstance of graduation fades, more than a month糖心传媒檚 worth of financial work remains. Plus, research labs run year-round. The hospitals don糖心传媒檛 close. In many ways, URochester administration is a 365-day job.

But the summer rhythm is different糖心传媒攅specially since the University is in the middle of its $1.75 billion comprehensive fundraising and engagement initiative, . Over the last three months, Mangelsdorf has attended several alumni events across the country as part of an effort to raise critical University funds and to cultivate a deeper connection with the URochester community.

For Ever Better糖心传媒檚 aspirations are rooted in URochester糖心传媒檚 2030 strategic plan , which will hit its midpoint early next year. In a Leadership Conversation, Mangelsdorf shared her perspective on the strategic plan糖心传媒檚 progress and why she still believes in its objectives as the University adapts to challenges she and other planners couldn糖心传媒檛 have anticipated.

Here are five takeaways.

Tough times don糖心传媒檛 last; tough universities do.

To say these are difficult days for higher education would be a profound understatement. URochester and other universities across the country face heightened financial pressures, compounded by continued uncertainty around federal research funding. Plus, an enrollment cliff has created a new, serious existential challenge. These and other issues have forced institutions糖心传媒攎any wealthier than URochester糖心传媒攖o make hard staffing and investment decisions.

Mangelsdorf didn糖心传媒檛 minimize the worrying state of higher education and the University糖心传媒檚 place in it. But she did put it in perspective.

糖心传媒淭here were times that were more stressful and harder on our institution, and we survived all of it. We’ll survive this.糖心传媒�

Last year, URochester celebrated its 175th anniversary. That period spans the Industrial Revolution, a civil war, two world wars, two global pandemics, a depression and recession of the 糖心传媒済reat糖心传媒� variety, the birth of the atomic and information ages, and enormous political and social change.

That rough historical catalog illustrates the president糖心传媒檚 point, one that she is uniquely qualified to make, having guided URochester through the COVID-19 pandemic: the University has seen a lot of hard times and is still here.

Mangelsdorf offered the optimistic view that pandemics, depressions, recessions, and other forms of adversity are not permanent states.

URochester has some adversity advantages over peers.

The idea that the current headwinds won糖心传媒檛 last is comforting, but only so much, given the effects they糖心传媒檙e having on the University. Hiring has slowed. Graduate student funding is getting harder to come by.

Mangelsdorf acknowledged the financial squeeze that faculty and staff are feeling and the psychological toll it takes on the URochester community. People want to feel like they糖心传媒檙e part of an institution that is vibrant and thriving, that it糖心传媒檚 charging forward. The president believes the University is moving forward, just not as fast as its leaders would like. (See: headwinds.)

Mangelsdorf also pointed out that URochester is faring better than others. There are colleges and universities around the country that aren糖心传媒檛 hiring anyone, faculty or staff.

Some of URochester糖心传媒檚 distinctive features have positioned the University to weather the storm better than others.

One example is the University糖心传媒檚 commitment and ability to engage freely in transdisciplinary research. In the early days of funding constraints, URochester committed $8.5 million to research centers poised to address some of humanity糖心传媒檚 most pressing and complex challenges. URochester糖心传媒檚 physical footprint feeds into this.

Mangelsdorf shared that when the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) was most recently on campus, they were practically gushing that biomedical engineering students can simply walk across the street to do hands-on medical research. To understand why, look no further than two of the universities where Mangelsdorf previously served. Northwestern University糖心传媒檚 medical center is 12 miles from its main campus. Although Wisconsin糖心传媒揗adison is one contiguous campus, it糖心传媒檚 two miles wide, so the medical center isn糖心传媒檛 exactly a walk across the street for everyone.

The River Campus糖心传媒檚 proximity to the Health Sciences Campus can糖心传媒檛 be overemphasized as a facilitator for transdisciplinary research and collaboration. Ophthalmologists can work with faculty in brain and cognitive sciences. Clinicians studying aging can work with biologists.

Obviously, none of this eliminates the financial and policy pressures URochester faces, but it does give the University assets to draw from as it confronts them.

Boundless Possibility has always been a living thing.

As Mangelsdorf wrapped her second semester as president, COVID-19 hit hard. Around that time, the Board of Trustees urged her to start building the 2030 strategic plan. The president recalled telling the board that her priorities were public health and the University糖心传媒檚 fiscal solvency. She would turn to the strategic plan when there was more stability.

The pandemic backdrop matters because even when the president and others dug into the particulars of Boundless Possibility, the world and University felt different. That is to say, the plan they were creating reflected what was important then and would continue to matter for the foreseeable future.

糖心传媒淚f strategic plans are really going to work, they have to be living documents. They糖心传媒檙e not just static things you write and don糖心传媒檛 pay any attention to as the world changes around you.糖心传媒�

Artificial intelligence came on at a similar speed and pervasiveness as COVID-19, but unlike the pandemic, it糖心传媒檚 not going anywhere. Fortunately, the plan accounted for this糖心传媒攊n a way.

Although AI has advanced faster than Mangelsdorf or any of the planners could have anticipated, Boundless Possibility糖心传媒檚 structure allowed the University to adjust without abandoning its priorities. And URochester has answered by naming , a professor of electrical and computer engineering, the inaugural associate vice president and vice provost for artificial intelligence and forming an AI Council led by , the Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean of the University of Rochester Libraries, and , the director of data core in the UR Health Lab.

Boundless Possibility also says nothing about STELLAR or NSF OPAL awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF). And yet, URochester is receiving $15 million over two years to launch the NSF STELLAR Engine and up to $13.7 million to support the final design phase for a world-leading, high-power laser facility. The strategic plan was always meant to create the conditions that enabled URochester to leverage its strengths糖心传媒攊n this case, optics and lasers.

Some challenges are bigger than URochester.

Sometimes agility isn糖心传媒檛 enough. Many of the forces reshaping higher education糖心传媒攆rom federal research funding to immigration policy糖心传媒攁re beyond URochester糖心传媒檚 control. For Mangelsdorf, the most concerning are the restrictions affecting the international community.

For decades, most international students in F-1 status and exchange visitors in J-1 status have generally been allowed to remain in the US for the 糖心传媒渄uration of status糖心传媒� (D/S). Basically, if a student is properly enrolled at URochester, they are legally allowed to be in the country for as long as it takes to complete their academic program. That糖心传媒檚 important for PhD students, who might need five or more years.

In July, the Department of Homeland Security finalized with fixed admission periods of up to four years for F-1 and J-1 visa holders, set to take effect September 15. Mangelsdorf shared the relief that .

Mangelsdorf lamented the amount of policy that seems to target international students and faculty because universities are a sort of 糖心传媒渟uperpower糖心传媒� for our country. People from all over the world come here to study, and it糖心传媒檚 mutually beneficial to a great degree.

糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 very important that we link arms to fight the good fight for higher education.糖心传媒�

Citing 糖心传媒渟trength in numbers,糖心传媒� Mangelsdorf emphasized the increasing importance of collaboration and advocacy. She pointed to the and participation in national organizations such as the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The president noted that banding together with the AAU and AAMC provides opportunities to respond to policies collectively and, in some cases, take joint legal action.

There are more than 10,000 reasons to be hopeful.

If Mangelsdorf wants to feel better about the future, all she has to do is walk through campus. Students give her hope for the future.

The president shared her love of fall when students arrive and return. Their belief in their ability to make the world a better place is as palpable as their energy and enthusiasm.

糖心传媒淚 love their optimism. And the world doesn’t change if people are just bystanders and don’t really engage. And our students are not passive in this world.糖心传媒�

Mangelsdorf pointed to the activities fair as proof of the students糖心传媒� ambition and said it not only inspires her, but also shows their interest in making a huge difference after graduation.

The president has also been buoyed by the faculty. At a time when faculty members could be voicing concerns about what the fiscal constraints mean for them, many have only expressed worry about students having the resources they need to succeed. 糖心传媒淎nd that tells you something about our faculty,糖心传媒� Mangelsdorf said. 糖心传媒淪o, even in these really challenging times, there are lots of reasons to be optimistic and thankful.糖心传媒�

Professor Emeritus , who served as professor of optics and of at the 糖心传媒 for almost 38 years, died on September 12 at age 98. Colleagues and friends remember him as a brilliant researcher, strong mentor, and a leader who forged connections from the lab to the marketplace.

Prior to his retirement in 2015, George was the Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Electronic Imaging and director of the from 1977 to 1981, helping to significantly expand the program. He was also the founding director of the University糖心传媒檚 Center for Electronic Imaging Systems, now the .

Michael Morris, a professor at the Institute of Optics from 1982 to 2001, says his former colleague embodied 糖心传媒渆xcellence in research mentoring, interpersonal skills, and program management during a period of unprecedented growth for the Institute.糖心传媒�

Adds Morris, 糖心传媒淗is office door was always open, and he had a keen sense of humor and thrived on engaging in stimulating one-on-one discussions (and debates) with both colleagues and students. He was unique and will certainly be missed.糖心传媒�

George pioneered basic research in holography with the discovery of the holographic stereogram. He also invented the ring-wedge photo detector and developed the first robot vision device to sort medical X-rays, a long-standing challenge in the field. Additionally, he is credited with being the first person to develop a theory for the space and wavelength dependence of speckle (a pattern that appears when many waves of the same frequency, for example from a laser, interfere), which has been applied to remote sensing of satellites and space debris. He published more than 130 papers, held more than a dozen patents, and was also a fellow of Optica, the SPIE, and the IEEE.

糖心传媒淧rofessor George was unparalleled in program building, was a tireless advocate for the Institute of Optics, and was a committed mentor to many of our distinguished alumni,糖心传媒� says , the Dr. James C. Wyant Professor in Optics and director of the Institute of Optics. 糖心传媒淗is leadership laid the groundwork for today糖心传媒檚 many successes at the Institute.糖心传媒�

Over the course of George糖心传媒檚 long teaching career, he advised more than 50 graduate thesis students. In honor of his commitment to graduate education, the Nicholas George Endowed Fellowship in Optics was created at URochester in 2013. Two years later, the Nicholas George Endowed Professorship in Optics was established through a gift from Milton Chang, a former student of George糖心传媒檚 at the California Institute of Technology, with additional commitments from George糖心传媒檚 colleague Joseph Goodman, the William Ayer Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, as well as Morris and his wife, Ruth.

, who holds the professorship named for George, met him at his home in California shortly after joining the University and recalls him as 糖心传媒渁 distinctively sharp and curious individual, eager to learn about my research and generous in offering his advice.糖心传媒�

糖心传媒淚 felt deeply honored to be bestowed the Nicholas George Professorship of Optics, and profoundly grateful for the generosity of his students,糖心传媒� Marcos says. 糖心传媒淓very day, I draw inspiration from Nicholas George糖心传媒檚 contributions to optics and to the world.糖心传媒�

In some of Earth糖心传媒檚 coldest places, soil freezes, thaws, and slowly creeps downhill, creating large, wave-like patterns across entire hillsides. The patterns resemble those made by familiar fluids糖心传媒攖hink paint dripping down a wall or icing down the side of a cake. But the physics behind those everyday materials can糖心传媒檛 explain how the icy landscapes form.

So 糖心传媒 researchers went looking for a better comparison. They found one in an unlikely place: oobleck.

In a published in AGU Advances, , an assistant professor in the Departments of and , and her URochester colleagues used mathematical modeling to compare how different fluids behave. Their analysis suggests that solifluction patterns糖心传媒攖he ripples formed as frost-heaved, water-saturated soil slowly moves downhill糖心传媒攆orm through a process analogous to the unusual behavior of oobleck, a mixture of cornstarch and water that becomes harder to move the harder it糖心传媒檚 pushed.

糖心传媒淭his demonstrates how patterns in everyday fluids can be compared and contrasted with complex patterns in sediment to better understand how Earth糖心传媒檚 surface evolves,糖心传媒� Glade says.

What is solifluction?

Solifluction is a gradual process where soil freezes and heaves upward. When there is a thaw, saturated soil turns to icy sludge and creeps downhill at a few centimeters per year, forming large-scale patterns that resemble fluid-like ripples. Over time, the movement can sculpt entire hillsides. The behavior of the frost-heaved soil and the formation of solifluction patterns are complex because of seasonal variability in water and ice in the soil.

To understand the behavior of solifluction patterns, the researchers used computer and mathematical models to examine a range of fluids, from paint dripping down a wall to folding lava and rolling waves. But these fluids could not account for the solifluction patterns in icy soil. So researchers turned to something more unusual: a strange substance called oobleck.

Predicting the movement of icy soil

Oobleck may be familiar from children糖心传媒檚 science experiments, but its unusual physical properties have also made it useful for scientists studying how certain fluids move. Unlike ordinary fluids, oobleck becomes harder to move when force is applied. The mixture thickens as it flows downhill and hits bumps, causing a pileup of material behind the bump, which ultimately forms waves.

The researchers found that solifluction patterns look similar and form through a somewhat similar process. Variations in moisture and other properties can cause frost-heaved, water-saturated soil to move at different speeds around small bumps, creating wave-like patterns on hillsides in cold regions.

糖心传媒淏y having an equation that is similar to the oobleck waves, we were able to find something that gives us these patterns.糖心传媒�

Using this information, the researchers developed an equation that could reproduce solifluction patterns.

糖心传媒淏y having an equation that is similar to the oobleck waves, we were able to find something that gives us these patterns,糖心传媒� says Glade.

Developing an equation for soil movement could help determine whether a hill will have a landslide or predict the probability of an oil pipeline burst caused by heaving soil.

While the model has not yet been tested in real-life applications, it is a step toward developing processes that could help researchers better understand how landscapes change.

糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 improving our understanding of this fundamental system so that we can try to better predict things in the future,糖心传媒� says Glade. 糖心传媒淟andscapes are always changing.糖心传媒�

Other URochester researchers who contributed to this research include , a professor of and a senior scientist; PhD student JohnPaul Sleiman; research scientist Fernando David C煤帽ez; and postdoctoral associate Sara Williams.

Embracing the opportunity

The internship was an immersive experience for Maryame Kouram, a master糖心传媒檚 student at the . Kouram worked with , which runs family-events websites and sells advertising to local businesses like schools, museums, and summer camps.

糖心传媒淚 felt included by the team from day one,糖心传媒� says Kouram. 糖心传媒淭he first week, I got to meet with the content and sales teams, learn what they do on a daily basis, and also learn about their pain points to understand the purpose of my internship.糖心传媒�

Kouram had a strong champion in Debra Ross, the company糖心传媒檚 founder and chief executive. After Kouram developed an AI-powered tool that combined data from several sources糖心传媒攊ncluding customer records, Google Analytics, an ad server, and others糖心传媒擱oss saw how the tool transformed her sales team糖心传媒檚 work and had applications beyond her business.

糖心传媒淔or less than $100 a year in tokens, she糖心传媒檚 revolutionized how my staff can query our database and provide beautiful and actionable reports to our clients.糖心传媒�

糖心传媒淭here are so many contexts in which businesspeople get data from all kinds of sources and need a way to put it together,糖心传媒� says Ross. 糖心传媒淚 realized that this is publishable and something that people throughout industry would find of interest.糖心传媒�

Ross encouraged Kouram to present the model she developed, Vera, at the . Before the internship ended, Kouram further refined the tool to cut its cost by 80 percent.

糖心传媒淔or less than $100 a year in tokens, she糖心传媒檚 revolutionized how my staff can query our database and provide beautiful and actionable reports to our clients,糖心传媒� Ross says.

Developing industry experience

Data science master糖心传媒檚 student Naman Bhagat interned with , a Rochester company that develops intelligent imaging and radar products for performance-critical edge AI systems. Working with radar datasets to detect motion, he was stuck by the difference between developing real-world production systems and working on class or research projects.

糖心传媒淵ou have to think about trade-offs instead of always chasing metrics,糖心传媒� says Bhagat. 糖心传媒淭hose numbers matter, but in the end, it is mostly about meeting the requirements and making it deliverable with the lowest cost.糖心传媒�

糖心传媒淲hat employers really care about, more than your coding skills or your grades, is your ability to stand alone and figure things out,糖心传媒� Bhagat adds.

糖心传媒淲hat employers really care about, more than your coding skills or your grades, is your ability to stand alone and figure things out.糖心传媒�

At , a photonic biosensing startup in Rochester (cofounded by URochester Medicine faculty member and two of his graduate students), Zihan 糖心传媒淔rannie糖心传媒� Zheng 糖心传媒�27聽helped the company build data pipelines and use analytical tools that transform raw photonic and microscopy data into meaningful biomarker insights, dashboards, and automated reports.

糖心传媒淚 learned that improving a data pipeline isn糖心传媒檛 just about fixing one bug at a time,糖心传媒� says Zheng. 糖心传媒淓very step affects what comes next, so I first had to understand the workflow as a whole and identify where different parts were conflicting. That helped me simplify the process, fix the underlying problems, and make the analysis more reliable and automated.糖心传媒�

The Center of Excellence in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence will begin accepting applications in December from New York companies that want to offer internships.

The 糖心传媒 has been awarded the first round of funding from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to advance the NSF OPAL project into its final design phase, with funding potentially totaling up to $13.7 million. The funding advances the proposed scientific research facility another major step toward construction. The proposed two-beam, high-peak-power facility, to be constructed at the University of Rochester, will be the world糖心传媒檚 most powerful laser system and serve as a shared resource to the global scientific community.

is designed to give researchers unprecedented capabilities to investigate open questions in quantum electrodynamics, recreate conditions in the early universe, and produce the most powerful electron accelerator on Earth.

The NSF OPAL project will:

• Reestablish US leadership in ultrahigh-intensity laser-based science.
• Develop optics that will have direct impacts on next-generation lasers for national security, fusion energy, advanced semiconductor and industrial manufacturing, and medical applications.
• Usher in new measurement tools that will provide impacts across particle physics, nuclear physics, and fusion and plasma physics.

The next phase for NSF OPAL

The new award marks the crucial next phase of NSF OPAL, building on nearly $18 million in NSF funding awarded in 2023 for the project糖心传媒檚 initial design and technology development. With this latest award, the project team will complete the design of a next-generation laser facility and advance critical technologies, including high-energy amplifiers, large-aperture optical components, and advanced diagnostics. The facility will also integrate AI and machine learning into experiment planning, operations, and data analysis from the outset, making it among the first major scientific user facilities to build AI/ML into its core design.

These activities are intended to establish key enabling technologies, strengthen partnerships with US industry, and support continued collaboration to develop the critical laser optics and experimental diagnostics that NSF OPAL and other future state-of-the-art facilities will need. The University of Nevada, Reno-led is one example: Launched with a $4.5 million NSF grant in August 2026, it糖心传媒檚 building the diagnostic 糖心传媒渆yes糖心传媒� for the NSF OPAL laser facility and other petawatt-class laser systems.

Workforce development is central to the project. The final design phase includes hands-on training for the next generation of laser facility designers, builders, operators, and scientific users. Such training will strengthen a national talent pipeline in photonics and laser science, while reinforcing URochester糖心传媒檚 standing as a center for laser and other scientific technology on the world stage. In addition, it will benefit from the extensive lasers and optics community in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region and across the country to develop and potentially commercialize key technologies.

NSF OPAL, which would be constructed at URochester糖心传媒檚 (LLE) with a future award, is intended to operate as a shared national resource: a facility available to the broader scientific community as a research environment and a hub for scientific collaboration.

糖心传媒淲ith this summer糖心传媒檚 celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of Nobel Prize糖心传媒搘inning research at LLE, we know that this kind of support from the NSF has the potential to open doors to the next era of frontier science that will re-establish US leadership in the application of ultra-intense lasers,糖心传媒� URochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf says. 糖心传媒淭his level of advanced research requires an outstanding team, and I want to thank our federal partners at NSF, our Congressional delegation, including Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Representatives Morelle, Langworthy, and Tenney, and our New York State partners, including Governor Hochul, for their support.糖心传媒�

A multi-institutional effort

Activities supported under the final design award span five institutions: the University of Rochester, the University at Buffalo, the University of California, Irvine, the University of Notre Dame, and Plymouth Grating Laboratory.

Government leaders express their support for NSF OPAL

US Senator Charles Schumer: 糖心传媒淭he 糖心传媒 is a global leader in cutting-edge laser research. With this $13.7 million National Science Foundation award, the university糖心传媒檚 bold vision of building the world糖心传媒檚 most powerful laser system, right here in Rochester, is one step closer to becoming reality. I fought to reauthorize NSF in my CHIPS & Science Law with Upstate NY糖心传媒檚 world-leading research universities, world-class workforce, and innovation ecosystem in mind. I have long advocated for critical federal investment in the UR糖心传媒檚 Laser Lab and will continue to be laser-focused on delivering even more federal resources to advance this next-generation work.糖心传媒�

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: 糖心传媒淲ith this design award, the university can advance U.S. leadership in high-intensity laser research with the potential to have profound implications for energy, security, medicine, and more. I’m proud to have worked to pass the CHIPS & Science Law to help secure funding for critical projects like this, and I糖心传媒檒l keep fighting to give New York’s researchers and students the resources they need to strengthen our global leadership in next-generation technology.糖心传媒�

Congressman Joe Morelle: 糖心传媒淚 join the entire scientific community in commending the University of Rochester on this well-deserved milestone. The development of NSF OPAL will provide a unique research environment and prepare the Laboratory for Laser Energetics to lead the country in this cutting-edge research and technology,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “By advancing high-shot-rate laser systems, integrating AI and machine learning into facility operations, and training the next generation of laser scientists and engineers, NSF OPAL will help define the future of high-energy-density science. Thank you to the National Science Foundation for its continued work to move this important project forward.糖心传媒�

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: 糖心传媒淯pstate New York is home to world-class researchers whose work strengthens our national security and keeps America at the forefront of scientific discovery. This funding brings the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 OPAL project one step closer to advancing American leadership in laser technology, with the potential to drive breakthroughs in energy, manufacturing, and defense. I糖心传媒檓 pleased to see this project move forward and help train the next generation of American scientists and engineers.糖心传媒�

Congressman Nick Langworthy: 糖心传媒淭his investment is a major step forward in restoring American leadership in the most advanced scientific research and laser technology. NSF OPAL has the potential to put the United States at the forefront of high-intensity laser science while strengthening our national security, advancing breakthrough technologies and training the next generation of American scientists and engineers. We are fortunate to have the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 world-class Laboratory for Laser Energetics right here in our region, and I will continue working to ensure projects like NSF OPAL have the federal support they need to turn groundbreaking research into real-world discoveries, good-paying jobs and greater opportunities for the entire I-90 Tech Corridor.糖心传媒�

New York Governor Kathy Hochul: 糖心传媒淭he 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 Laboratory for Laser Energetics is a shining example of New York State糖心传媒檚 innovation economy, and this crucial investment further reinforces the college糖心传媒檚 reputation as a leader in cutting-edge discoveries. This project, coupled with the recent announcement of federal and state investments in the NSF STELLAR Engine, demonstrates that New York remains committed to growing next-generation R & D and energy industry applications and technologies, generating sustainable economic growth.糖心传媒�

The 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 is leading a new national research collaboration with 糖心传媒�s (RIT) to understand how universities can improve outcomes for low-income undergraduate students in engineering and computer science.

Supported by a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Advancing Understanding & Resilience Actions (AURA) S-STEM Research Hub will bring together researchers at 10 universities. The project will examine how institutional support systems, coordinated interventions, and campus partnerships shape student resilience, persistence, academic achievement, and workforce readiness.

A national effort to improve STEM student success

AURA is one of only eight projects funded through the , which builds on the foundation糖心传媒檚 longstanding Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) program. The S-STEM program provides scholarships and access to institutional resources to support academically promising domestic students from low-income backgrounds to persist in STEM degrees and enter the scientific and technical workforce.

The NSF S-STEM Research Hubs are designed to identify which strategies and supports contribute to S-STEM student success糖心传媒攁nd where gaps remain. The AURA Research Hub will focus on engineering and computer science S-STEM students, investigating the relationships among holistic interventions, resilience, persistence, and students糖心传媒� experiences of imposter syndrome and stereotype threat.

For many students, these experiences are shaped by financial, social, and institutional factors. By identifying which interventions are most effective, the AURA Research Hub will generate evidence to inform institutional policies and practices that foster student success.

Expanding opportunity in STEM education

, an assistant professor in the Warner School糖心传媒檚 Center for Professional Development and Education Reform and the principal investigator on the grant, says expanding access to STEM requires more than opening the door to higher education.

糖心传媒淐apability and potential exist in every community, but opportunity does not,糖心传媒� says Fluet. 糖心传媒淲hen students from different backgrounds and life experiences are supported in STEM programs and fields, they bring their unique perspectives and contribute to more creative problem-solving. Expanding and supporting opportunities for low-income students not only strengthens their pathways to college and careers糖心传媒攊t also strengthens the future of science and innovation itself.糖心传媒�

Research across 10 universities

Joining Fluet as URochester co-principal investigators are Michael Occhino, director of STEM research impact and university engagement, and , associate professor and director of program evaluation, both with the Warner School糖心传媒檚 Center for Professional Development and Education Reform.

The RIT co-principal investigator is , professor and director of the iSchool in the Golisano College of Computing at RIT. Mason leads the , which studies the impact of institutional structures on mindset, provides scholarships and supports for low-income students in RIT糖心传媒檚 College of Computing, and informed the design of AURA.

The AURA Research Hub team will study engineering and computer science students across 10 partner universities to identify how factors like self-determination, , campus support systems, community connections, and learning environments impact resilience and persistence. Self-determination theory, a psychological framework pioneered by longtime URochester faculty members Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, focuses on the conditions that foster people糖心传媒檚 motivation, development, and well-being.

Initial university partners include the , , , and . Six additional institutions are expected to join during the first two years of the project.

糖心传媒淲e are at a watershed moment for technology and education,糖心传媒� says Mason. 糖心传媒淎s artificial intelligence reshapes how we learn, work, and solve problems, the AURA Research Hub has an opportunity to generate knowledge that supports educators in creating teaching and learning environments where more engineering and computing students can succeed.糖心传媒�

Translating research into practices that better support students

Using surveys, interviews, and other mixed-methods research approaches, AURA researchers will identify programs and strategies that effectively support engineering and computer science students from low-income backgrounds. The AURA Research Hub will build STEM pathway support toolkits and share its findings through conference publications, journal articles, spotlights, and other resources for faculty and student affairs professionals at higher education institutions.

The hub will also establish professional learning communities using the and develop a two-year research fellowship program for STEM faculty to analyze teaching and learning practices through the lens of their discipline. The goal is to strengthen collaboration among faculty and translate research findings into better student support practices nationwide.