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�

Numerous faculty members at the were appointed to named professorships during the first half of 2026. An honor designed to recognize the national stature of a professor糖心传媒檚 work, the named positions are part of a long-standing tradition to celebrate the work of URochester糖心传媒檚 faculty as researchers, scholars, and teachers.

, a professor of economics, has been jointly appointed as the inaugural David Zervos PhD 糖心传媒�93 Professor. She retains her appointment as Distinguished Researcher in the Center for Economic Research.

Bai糖心传媒檚 research focuses on macroeconomics and international macroeconomics.

The professorship was established with a gift from David Zervos 糖心传媒�93 (PhD). It is part of .

, a professor of sound arts and engineering, has been additionally appointed the William F. May Professor of Engineering. He retains his appointment as chair of the newly created Department of Sound Arts and Engineering and as a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Bocko糖心传媒檚 research centers on audio and acoustic signal processing糖心传媒攊ncluding flat-panel loudspeakers, spatial audio, and room acoustics modeling.

The professorship honors William F. May 糖心传媒�37, former CEO of American Can Company.

, a professor in the Institute of Optics, has been additionally appointed as the Dr. James C. Wyant Professor in Optics. Brown retains his appointment as director in the Institute of Optics and as a distinguished researcher in the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

Brown糖心传媒檚 research interests include polarization microscopy, freeform optical metrology, and photonic integrated circuits.

The professorship honors the late James Wyant 糖心传媒�69 (PhD), 糖心传媒�21 (Honorary), a pioneer in the field of optics and former URochester trustee

, a professor in the Institute of Optics, has been additionally appointed the inaugural William F. Krupke Distinguished Professor. He retains his appointment as a professor of physics and astronomy.

Boyd is known for his pioneering work in nonlinear optical interactions and nonlinear optical properties of materials.

The professorship was established with a gift by Bill Krupke, a physicist, laser scientist, technology entrepreneur, and a former program director at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Krupke糖心传媒檚 gift was matched as part of the Wyant Challenge.

, a professor of medicine, has been jointly appointed as the inaugural Robert B. Goergen Distinguished Professor in Cancer Care. She retains her joint appointment as a professor of oncology.

Casulo is an international expert and clinician-researcher in all forms of lymphoma, best known for her pivotal work in follicular lymphoma.

The professorship was established by Bob Goergen 糖心传媒�60, chair emeritus of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Pam. It is part of For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester.

, a professor of pediatrics, has been jointly appointed as the inaugural Dr. Paul and Beverly Yudkofsky Distinguished Professor in Pediatrics. Chess retains her joint appointment as a professor of biomedical engineering.

Chess糖心传媒檚 research focuses on lung injury and repair in newborns and optimizing the treatment of neonatal respiratory failure.

The professorship was established by Beverly Yudkofsky in memory of her late husband, Paul Yudkofsky 糖心传媒�63M (MD), 糖心传媒�66M (Res).

, an assistant professor of pharmacology and physiology, has been jointly appointed as the Paul Stark Professor in Pharmacology. Foga耀a will retain her joint appointment as an assistant professor of neuroscience.

Research in the Foga莽a Lab focuses on understanding the molecular basis of stress-related behaviors and the actions of fast-acting antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs, aiming to identify specific circuits, neuronal subpopulations, and synaptic mechanisms involved in these responses.

The professorship was established by a gift from Paul Stark 糖心传媒�64M (PhD), who led the clinical team at Eli Lilly that developed Prozac.

, a professor of mathematics, has been jointly appointed as the inaugural John F. Randolph Professor in Mathematics. Gordina retains her appointment as chair of the Department of Mathematics.

Gordina is a distinguished mathematician, researcher, and leader who joined the URochester faculty from the University of Connecticut. Her research interests involve heat kernel measures and their properties in the context of infinite-dimensional nonlinear spaces.

Eric Lincke 糖心传媒�54, 糖心传媒�57M (MD) established the professorship, . It is part of For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester.

, a professor of history, has been jointly appointed as the Dexter Perkins Professor in History.

His research spans early Atlantic and maritime history using historical archaeology and material culture to study trade, migration, and colonization networks.

The position honors the late Dexter Perkins, a prominent American diplomatic historian who helped establish URochester糖心传媒檚 graduate program in history and served as chair of the Department of History for nearly 30 years.

, a professor of microbiology and immunology, has been jointly appointed the Albert and Phyllis Ritterson Professor. He retains his joint appointments as a professor of pharmacology and physiology and as vice chair of education in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Kim糖心传媒檚 research interests are in innate and adaptive immune responses to infection and cancer immunotherapy.

The late Phyllis Ritterson 糖心传媒�55M (MS) made provisions in her will that helped establish the professorship, which supports a faculty member in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

, a professor and the chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health Sciences, has been jointly appointed as the Albert David Kaiser Chair of Environmental Medicine and Public Health Sciences. Lawrence retains her joint appointment as a professor of microbiology and immunology.

Lawrence, who has a longstanding interest in public outreach and science education, is an expert in immunology and toxicology.

The chair was established in memory of 1909 alumnus Albert Kaiser, who was director of the Monroe County Department of Health and taught at URochester as a full professor.

, a professor of chemical and sustainability engineering, has been appointed as the Arthur Gould Yates Professor of Engineering. He retains his appointment as chair of the Department of Chemical and Sustainability Engineering.

Lipomi糖心传媒檚 research interests include molecular engineering of electronic and electroactive polymers.

The professorship was established in memory of Arthur Gould Yates, a businessman and president of the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railway Company in the late 19th century.

, a professor of urology, has been jointly appointed as professor of oncology, vice chair of research in the Department of Urology, and as the inaugural Susan P. and Edward M. Messing M.D. Professor in Urology.

McConkey is internationally recognized for his leadership in bladder cancer research, with a career focused on understanding the molecular drivers of disease progression and advancing new therapeutic strategies.

The professorship recognizes Edward Messing, former chair of the Department of Urology and an internationally renowned leader in bladder cancer and urologic research, and his late wife, Susan, who was a biostatistician at URochester Medicine.

, a professor of mechanical engineering, has been appointed as the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor.

Drawing on his years of industry experience, including nearly two decades at Eastman Kodak Co., Muir gives students hands-on, real-world design training. He was a 2022 recipient of URochester糖心传媒檚 Goergen Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

The University糖心传媒檚 Mercer Brugler Distinguished Professorships honor Mercer Brugler, Class of 1925 graduate and former chairman of the University糖心传媒檚 Board of Trustees. Demonstrated excellence in teaching is a prerequisite for appointment to the professorship.

, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics, has been jointly appointed as Dean糖心传媒檚 Professor. He retains his joint appointment as a professor of microbiology and immunology.

Munger糖心传媒檚 lab focuses on human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a herpes virus that is the leading cause of congenital viral infection.

The Dean糖心传媒檚 Professorship recognizes a faculty member糖心传媒檚 outstanding research accomplishments.

, a professor of finance, has been jointly appointed as the Gleason Professor of Finance.

Opp糖心传媒檚 work examines the impacts of financial institutions and markets on allocations, with a particular focus on the role of informational frictions.

The professorship honors the memory of James E. Gleason, president of Gleason Works from 1922 to 1947.

, an associate professor of neuroscience, has been jointly appointed as Dean糖心传媒檚 Professor. He retains his joint appointments as an associate professor of biomedical engineering and in the Center for Visual Sciences in the School of Arts & Sciences.

Padmanabhan’s research aims to understand principles of neuronal function in the mammalian brain using experimental and computational methods, with a focus on uncovering the biological bases of psychiatric disorders.

The Dean糖心传媒檚 Professorship recognizes a faculty member糖心传媒檚 outstanding research accomplishments.

, an associate professor of philosophy, has been jointly appointed as Arthur Satz Professor of the Humanities.

Her research interests include early modern philosophy, philosophy of science, and philosophy of perception.

The professorship is among several humanities professorships named for the late Arthur Satz 糖心传媒�51, a music major and the late president emeritus at the New York School of Interior Design.

, an associate professor of history, has been appointed as the Joseph F. Cunningham Professor.

Theobald is an award-winning teacher and researcher in the fields of US women糖心传媒檚 and gender history, Native American history, and the history of reproduction.

The professorship was established by the late Joseph Cunningham 糖心传媒�67 (MA) and his wife, Andrea, to support a scholar in history, particularly modern European and American history.

, a professor in the Institute of Optics, has been appointed as the inaugural Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professor in Optics. He retains his appointments as a professor of biomedical engineering and of ophthalmology.

Zavislan糖心传媒檚 research areas include improving the performance of optical imaging systems by modeling and measuring the coherence properties of light returned from objects of interest and adjacent objects not of interest.

Tina E. Kidger and Emery L. Moore established the professorship as part of the Wyant Challenge, which aims to increase faculty at the Institute of Optics by 50 percent.

糖心传媒 faculty regularly earn regional, national, and international awards and honors for their professional contributions to research, scholarship, education, and community engagement.

As part of an ongoing series, we糖心传媒檙e spotlighting their accomplishments.

Louis Constine receives Pediatric Oncology Award

, the Philip Rubin Professor of Radiation Oncology, received the听听from the听, the world’s leading cancer clinical research organization.听He was recognized for .

ASCO is a charitable, educational, and scientific organization with a membership of 50,000 oncologists from 170 countries. Constine is the third radiation oncologist in ASCO糖心传媒檚 history to receive this award, following two others who served as mentors throughout his career.

Over the last half-century, Constine has devoted his life to understanding how cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy impact normal tissue in both adults and children.听At Wilmot Cancer Institute, he helped start the Long-Term Cancer Survivors Program within the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology in 1987 and served as director of听听from its inception in 2013 through 2024.

James Druckman named American Academy of Political and Social Science fellow

, the Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science, has been elected the .听 He is one of three to receive a 2026 fellowship from AAPSS.

Druckman has made seminal contributions to research on political psychology and the public糖心传媒檚 understanding of political communication, the AAPSS said in the announcement.

Each year, the APSS selects a small group of scholars and public intellectuals as fellows, in recognition of their contributions to social research and public policy. The 2026 fellows will be inducted at a ceremony in Washington, DC, in fall 2027.

Elaine Hill selected for prestigious leadership fellowship听

, Dean糖心传媒檚 Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health Sciences, . The program prepares women for senior leadership roles.

Hill, who is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and of economics, focuses on clinical and policy-relevant research across the life course, with a particular emphasis on maternal and child health.

Pulmonary leaders recognized for outstanding research, mentorship

Pulmonary researchers听, , and听 have been committed to helping people of all ages breathe easier for decades. Their dedication and outstanding contributions to pulmonary medicine and respiratory science , the world糖心传媒檚 leading medical society advancing global respiratory health.

The trio received awards during the 2026 ATS International Conference in Orlando, Fla.

Rivera, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine and a听, received the听听for her transformative work in thoracic oncology and dedication to advancing women糖心传媒檚 careers in pulmonary medicine.

Litonjua, director of pediatric pulmonology, received the听听from the ATS Environmental, Occupational, and Public Health Assembly for his foundational research on the developmental origins of asthma and lung disease.

Pryhuber, a professor of neonatology, received a听听for her contributions to听.

P. Emile Rossouw named American Board of Orthodontics president

, a professor of dentistry, and liaison to professional organizations, including the American Association of Orthodontists and the World Federation of Orthodontists.

Rossouw is chair and program director of Eastman Institute for Oral Health糖心传媒檚 Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

Al Uy receives honor from American Ornithological Society

The 听(AOS) has awarded听, Dean糖心传媒檚 Professor of Biology and chair of the Department of Biology, the听. The AOS annually recognizes individuals and groups whose ornithological research, contributions to the science and practice of ornithology, and service to the AOS merit special distinction.

Uy was honored for his research that explores the origin of species, combining genomic approaches with field data to uncover the molecular basis of reproductive isolation. In announcing the award, the AOS highlighted the research by Uy and his team on Darwin糖心传媒檚 finches of Gal谩pagos, seedeaters, tanagers, and hummingbirds of the Neotropics, and honeyeaters and flycatchers of the Solomon Islands. Uy also partnered with indigenous communities to establish conservation areas, culminating this year in the declaration of the Yato Protected Area糖心传媒攖he largest protected forest in the Solomons.

Read more about Uy糖心传媒檚 work in the Solomon Islands.

Carl Chiarenza, an artist-in-residence and a professor emeritus in the at the 糖心传媒, is being remembered as a notable American photographer and an erudite scholar.

Chiarenza, who died in May at the age of 90, was the Fanny Knapp Allen Professor of Art and Art History from 1986 until he retired in 1998. After retirement, he was named artist-in-residence and remained available for critiques and classroom visits.

Internationally known as a photographer specializing in abstract imagery, Chiarenza created photographs featured in more than 90 one-person and more than 280 group exhibitions since 1957. He authored numerous monographs and essays, as well as a seminal biography of American photographer Aaron Siskind called Aaron Siskind: Pleasures and Terrors听(Little, Brown and Company, 1982).

Beyond his contributions to photography and scholarship, Chiarenza was widely admired for his generosity and warmth.

糖心传媒淭he multitude of things that distinguish Carl as a scholar and as an artist are all secondary to the fact that he was a fine human and a generous citizen,糖心传媒� says , a professor of art and the chair of the Department of Art and Art History. 糖心传媒淚 don糖心传媒檛 remember many of the countless topics we covered over breakfast at the Frog Pond or Highland Diner in Rochester, but the warmth and wholly uncommon generosity of spirit is something I still embrace from every one of those times糖心传媒攖hey live with me.糖心传媒�

A trailblazer in photographic scholarship

Chiarenza earned an AAS in 1955 and a BFA in 1957 from Rochester Institute of Technology. He went on to earn an MS in 1959 and an AM in 1964 from Boston University.

In 1973, he became the first person to earn an art history PhD in photography from Harvard University.

糖心传媒淐arl ruffled feathers there by intending to write a dissertation not only on a living 听artist, but on a photographer糖心传媒攖wo categories that had never before been found worthy in that department,糖心传媒� recalls , a professor emerita of art history at URochester. 糖心传媒淚t is a tribute to his talent, and the force of his will, that he was allowed to proceed.糖心传媒�

Chiarenza lectured and conducted workshops at more than 100 institutions in 33 states during his academic career.

Before his tenure at URochester, Chiarenza was a professor of art history at Boston University, where he served in the roles of chairman and director of graduate studies. He also taught at Smith College and Cornell University.

糖心传媒淗e enjoyed teaching his lectures on the history of photography by starting with a cave painting,糖心传媒� says artist and landscape designer Heidi Katz, Chiarenza糖心传媒檚 wife of 48 years. 糖心传媒淗e loved his smaller engaging seminars, some co-taught with colleagues from other disciplines. But finally, he loved being artist-in-residence with his own studio space on the University campus for several years after he retired.糖心传媒�

Finding mystery in the ordinary

Described by colleagues as a prolific and tenacious artist, Chiarenza worked predominantly in black and white, producing photography of collages made from materials such as torn paper and various foils.

His creative process often included the other art form about which he was passionate: music. 糖心传媒淗e never worked in the darkroom or studio without music being a part of it,糖心传媒� says Katz, adding that Chiarenza was a singer and musician who played the saxophone and clarinet.

Chiarenza糖心传媒檚 works糖心传媒攆rom collages to single and multiple large format prints糖心传媒攁re collected on , and catalogues include Journey into the Unknown, which accompanied a at the Eastman House in 2021.

An Eastman House description of the retrospective noted, 糖心传媒淩ather than create straightforward records of the cast-off materials that appear before his camera, Chiarenza photographically transforms them into new and provocative images. [糖心传媒 His photographs often bear little resemblance to their actual subjects and instead suggest mysterious worlds that viewers are invited to explore.糖心传媒�

A legacy in art and education

Chiarenza糖心传媒檚 academic and artistic contributions leave a legacy in the worlds of art, photography, and research. The archive of his artwork is housed at the in Richmond, Virginia, and his papers are at Harvard University.

Along with his artistry. Chiarenza糖心传媒檚 legacy includes the artists, students, and scholars he mentored throughout his career.

糖心传媒淲hen I turn the key to my studio, I bring with me an audience of three,糖心传媒� says Topolski, adding that Chiarenza was a friend and mentor for 30 years. 糖心传媒淎long with my father, who gives me confidence and checks the standard of my craft, and my mentor from grad school who taught me how to embed meaning into process, Carl is there to remind me that what I do is wholly important as long as it is wholly genuine. And being genuine in my studio is respecting it relative to what envelops it糖心传媒攌inship and family.糖心传媒�

Chiarenza is survived by his wife and three adult children, Jonah, Gabriella, and Suzanne.

糖心传媒 faculty are leaders in their fields who are regularly recognized with regional, national, and international awards and honors for their professional contributions to research, scholarship, education, and community engagement.

As part of an ongoing series, we糖心传媒檙e spotlighting their many and varied achievements.

Michael Burritt named to Percussive Arts Society糖心传媒檚 Hall of Fame

糖心传媒�84E, 糖心传媒�86E (MM), the Paul J. Burgett Distinguished Professor and a professor of percussion at the , is among six extraordinary musicians named to the . The society cites Burritt as “one of his generation糖心传媒檚 most accomplished percussionists.”

Hall of Fame inductees represent a breadth of influence from the heights of orchestral innovation and jazz mastery to the frontiers of contemporary composition and world percussion. Burritt and his cohort will officially be inducted into the Hall of Fame during the lead-up to PASIC 2026 in Indianapolis this November.

Lauren Ghazal honored with Victoria Mock New Investigator Award

, an assistant professor and researcher at the , received the Oncology Nursing Society糖心传媒檚 2026 Victoria Mock New Investigator Award. The honor recognizes early-career researchers who are building a scientific foundation for oncology nursing practice.

As a family nurse practitioner and cancer survivor, Ghazal brings a unique perspective to her research, which focuses on improving the health and quality of life of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. Her work also explores the financial toxicity of cancer care among AYAs, integrating her background in economics and healthcare.

As part of the Mock Award, Ghazal presented a lecture in April at the Oncology Nursing Society糖心传媒檚 annual Congress, titled 糖心传媒淎dvancing Equity in AYA Cancer Survivorship.糖心传媒�

Ali Goli named a 2025 Marketing Science Institute Young Scholar

, an assistant professor of marketing at , has been named a . The MSI Young Scholars Program recognizes outstanding early-career researchers in marketing, fosters crossdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthens connections between academia and industry. This year糖心传媒檚 cohort represents some of the most promising scholars globally. Goli will join fellow 2025 MSI Young Scholars at a retreat in New York City later this spring.

Goli糖心传媒檚 research spans digital marketing, advertising, public policy, customer loyalty, and behavioral economics. He teaches in areas such as marketing analytics, digital marketing strategy, and data-driven decision making.

Yanan Guo receives Distinguished Paper award at computer security conference

Assistant Professor听听from the听听is the senior author of a study that won a Distinguished Paper award at the听.

Guo and her colleagues from Zhejiang University in China and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore were recognized for their paper titled “Demystifying and Exploiting ASLR on NVIDIA GPUs.”

The conference is the premier forum for presenting developments in computer security and electronic privacy, and for bringing together researchers and practitioners in the field.

Frank Huo awarded American Chemical Society honor

, the Dean and Laura Marvin Endowed Professor in Physical Chemistry and an associate professor of optics, has received the in Theoretical Chemistry by the Physical Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society.

The award by researchers who are in the first 10 years of their career as independent researchers.

Alex Iosevich named 2026 Simons Fellow in Mathematics

, a professor of mathematics, has been named a 2026 by the Simons Foundation糖心传媒檚 Mathematical & Physical Sciences. The Simons Fellow Program extends academic leaves to a full academic year, allowing more time to focus on research.

Simons Fellows are selected based on their scientific accomplishments in the five years preceding the application and on the potential scientific impact of the work to be done during the leave period.

Bryanna Moore named Greenwall Faculty Scholar in Bioethics 听

, an assistant professor of health humanities and bioethics, of philosophy, and of pediatrics, will join the ,听a national career development award supporting innovative research on pressing ethical issues in clinical, biomedical, and public health decision-making.

Moore糖心传媒檚 project will explore the role of听parents糖心传媒櫶齬easons in听pediatric听decision-making.

Simon faculty garner 糖心传媒楥onnecting to Practice糖心传媒� Award

听补苍诲 , along with coauthor and Simon Business School PhD student have received the 糖心传媒溙切拇綕 for their paper titled 糖心传媒�.糖心传媒� Wu is the Susanna and Evans Y. Lam Professor and Pandey is an assistant professor at Simon.

The award, presented by the Financial Accounting and Reporting Section (FARS) of the American Accounting Association, recognizes research that meaningfully bridges academic insight and professional practice. The FARS Midyear Meeting typically receives 400 to 500 submissions each year.

Their paper examines how the Sarbanes-Oxley Act reshaped career pathways in public accounting, reducing on-the-job learning opportunities and altering the profession糖心传媒檚 attractiveness. The study highlights broader implications for labor markets, professional mobility, and the pipeline of accounting talent.

Elena Prager named to Poets&Quants糖心传媒� 2026 糖心传媒�40 Under 40糖心传媒� List

, an assistant professor of economics at Simon Business School, has been named to the 2026 糖心传媒�40 Under 40 MBA Professors糖心传媒� list by Poets&Quants, a prestigious annual recognition honoring the world糖心传媒檚 most talented young business school professors.

A leading microeconomist, Prager has earned recognition for the impact of her research and teaching. Her work focuses on issues at the intersection of health economics, labor economics, and industrial organization, with recent work examining health insurance networks, hospital pricing, employer consolidation, and how public policy influences labor supply and program participation.

In 2025, she received the for a coauthored paper. She also serves as a contributing faculty member to Simon糖心传媒檚 .

In the video below, Prager explains how market power impacts consumers, workers, and innovation in the modern economy.

Agnes Thorarinsdottir receives NSF CAREER award

The National Science Foundation has granted its most prestigious award for early-career faculty,听the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, to , an assistant professor of chemistry.

In ,糖心传媒� Thorarinsdottir is developing transition metal coordination compounds with highly temperature-sensitive electrochemical properties.

Thermoelectric devices are important for the advanced manufacturing of instruments for energy generation, cooling and heating, wearable electronics, and healthcare. The fundamental knowledge gained from this project will enable a transformative approach to the design of next-generation thermoelectric devices that can convert waste heat into electricity for immediate or later use and employ electricity for cooling applications, as well as electrochemical temperature sensors that can operate continuously in remote locations.

Research in the Thorarinsdottir group focuses on applying the tools of synthetic molecular and materials chemistry to the design of new electrochemical systems that address challenges in energy, catalysis, and environmental sustainability. Emphasis is placed on harnessing variable-temperature electrochemistry and framework materials to facilitate the development of electrochemical systems that are suitable for electricity-to/from-fuels and heat-to/from-electricity conversions.

Stress is the body糖心传媒檚 natural reaction to a challenge. While our psychological, behavioral, and biological responses to stress can be beneficial, chronic stress can have serious negative health implications. At the new Resilience Research Center, faculty from across the 糖心传媒 investigate why some people bounce back from stress, trauma, and adversity and others don糖心传媒檛糖心传媒攁nd what can be done about it.

, Dean糖心传媒檚 Professor, , and Professor, Departments of and :

糖心传媒淢y research focuses on early-life exposures to neighborhood and community sources of stress and how those exposures affect health throughout the life course.

In looking at how the pandemic exacerbated the overdose crisis, we found that pre-pandemic community vulnerability and local economic conditions, as measured by high unemployment, explained most of the large increases in overdose mortality through 2022. We also found that access to substance-use treatment during pregnancy improved outcomes for mothers and infants, including reducing preterm birth and severe maternal morbidity. In terms of environmental exposures during pregnancy, our team has found adverse infant and maternal outcomes with exposures to traffic, shale gas development, low-quality public drinking water, hazardous waste management, construction projects, and extreme heat.

has led me to say environmental policy and economic policy are health policy. Policies that target improving community contexts and building community resilience are likely to have meaningful returns on investment, leading to improved health and well-being over the long term.糖心传媒�

, Professor, , and Executive Director, :

糖心传媒淭here are remarkable stories of resilience, of people who have come from amazingly difficult systems, families, experiences. For three decades I have studied how early adversity and trauma impact human development at various levels of functioning. The bulk of has focused on child sexual abuse, and my work has contributed to foundational knowledge that explains the vast mental and physical health disparities exhibited by survivors.

These disparities include difficulties in social relationships with peers, parents, romantic partners, and even with one糖心传媒檚 own children. Marked mental health difficulties, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and an overactive stress-response system can disrupt key stress-regulated physiological systems associated with health and longevity. These disruptions affect our ability to fight off disease and can set the stage for metabolic and behavioral problems.

I pay particular attention to variables, conditions, and contexts that help explain why some survivors emerge relatively unscathed in comparison to their peers, as these are clues to early intervention and prevention.糖心传媒�

, Professor, and Departments of and , and Associate Chief of Research,听 :

糖心传媒淪tress is experienced across the lifespan. What changes are the challenges or stressors we face. Children absolutely feel stress, whether from school pressures, family circumstances, or social dynamics. Adolescents often experience stress around identity and belonging, while adults may juggle work and caregiving or financial strain. For older adults, stress combined with aging can increase the risk for poor health in later life.

My current focus is on finding ways to promote well-being and immune health in caregivers of a family member with dementia, as well as individuals at risk for dementia. We found that improving attention and the speed at which stressed caregivers processed information糖心传媒攗sing computerized cognitive training糖心传媒攁lso improved their memory performance under laboratory stress. Importantly, cognitive training also lessened their negative emotional responses to memory problems and challenging behaviors of their family member with dementia, suggesting that these brain games can build caregivers糖心传媒� cognitive and emotional resilience.糖心传媒�

Political science professor examines how American multinational corporations have shaped糖心传媒攁nd been shaped by糖心传媒攇lobal governance structures, tracing how firms influence regulatory frameworks, economic policy, and transnational cooperation. He argues that corporations are not merely market actors but central participants in constructing and sustaining international order. (Cambridge University Press)

Eastman historian and musicologist offers a lively cultural history of postwar performers who redefined artistic and personal freedom. Through vivid portraits of musicians, dancers, and experimental artists, he charts how their embrace of self-realization transformed the arts, psychology, education, and wellness糖心传媒攅stablishing authenticity as an enduring American ideal. (University of California Press)

Assistant Professor of Russian documents the unlikely ascent of Soviet rock cinema, a genre born from Cold War tensions and underground music scenes. Safariants shows how the films reflected perestroika-era upheaval and continue to influence Russian cultural identity, even as shifting political forces reshape their meaning and legacy. (University of Wisconsin Press)

Professor of Conducting and Ensembles leads the Munich Philharmonic in a sweeping performance of Philip Glass糖心传媒檚 滨迟补颈辫煤, a monumental choral-orchestral work inspired by a vast hydroelectric dam. Lubman糖心传媒檚 interpretation highlights both the meditative pull and dramatic scale of Glass糖心传媒檚 vision, capturing the work糖心传媒檚 immersive sonic landscape. (M眉nchner Philharmoniker)

The , under , delivers a vibrant program celebrating the genre-crossing compositions of Jeff Tyzik 糖心传媒�73E, 糖心传媒�77E (MM). Blending classical precision with jazz vitality, the album showcases the ensemble糖心传媒檚 virtuosity and stylistic range. Performances by high-profile alumni artists enhance the technical brilliance and joyful energy that define Tyzik糖心传媒檚 music糖心传媒攁nd his abiding connection to Eastman.
(Summit Records)

Professor of Opera 糖心传媒�92E (MM) conducts this stirring contemporary opera confronting the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. With music by Brian Current and a libretto by Marie Clements, the recording follows a young woman transformed by a spiritual encounter. Fusing contemporary classical music with Indigenous language and traditions, this work functions as both elegy and call to action, demanding these lives not be forgotten. (Bright Shiny Things)

This story appears in the spring 2026 issue of Rochester Review, the magazine of the 糖心传媒.

As an undergraduate, I loved studying African history糖心传媒擡thiopia, Senegal, Angola糖心传媒攁nd literature, film, and history from Latin America. Those two interests felt like separate tracks.

The turning point came in a lecture on Black conquistadores of Mexico. I remember sitting there thinking, 糖心传媒淭his has to be wrong,糖心传媒� because I had never heard this history before糖心传媒攁nd I spent most of my childhood in Mexico. It completely floored me.

Suddenly it clicked: I could bring my two interests together, asking what it means to study Blackness in Mexico, a place so closely associated糖心传媒攙isually and narratively糖心传媒攚ith Indigenous civilizations like the Maya and听Mexica.

On an exploratory trip to Mexico, 听I reviewed a box of documents from the 1600s. Right away, I found dozens of references to enslaved Angolans and Congolese. I thought: If this random request yields so much history, what would a true, in-depth study produce?

That led to my first book, (Cambridge University Press, 2018). So much of my archival material never made it into the book, so when Covid hit and the archives closed, I wrote (Hackett Publishing, 2024).

There糖心传媒檚 a will from Zacatecas, in northern Mexico, written by a man in the 1700s who owned something like a convenience store. He lists his stock糖心传媒�20 yards of ribbon and lace, four pounds of candles糖心传媒攁nd then itemizes what people pawned to buy things: a coral bracelet, a silver pendant. A student might read that and think, 糖心传媒淢y sister has a pendant like that.糖心传媒� Suddenly, 1712 doesn糖心传媒檛 feel so distant.

Another document that has stayed with me is an investigation into a gay community in Mexico City. I was never taught that queer communities existed in the colonial period. The document is violent糖心传媒攖hese people are being persecuted by crown officials糖心传媒攂ut within it you find lists of homes where they dined, and their nicknames for each other: La Rosada, 糖心传媒渢he pink one,糖心传媒� and La Coqueta, 糖心传媒渢he flirt.糖心传媒�

Mapping those communities onto the past and then asking what we do with that knowledge has been powerful. A student raised in the 2000s or 2010s will see things in that document that I never would. That糖心传媒檚 what keeps me committed to primary sources: Each generation reads them anew.

My current research follows 1,463 people kidnapped in a pirate attack in Veracruz and dispersed to places like colonial Charleston, South Carolina, and Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). What did it mean for those people, and for those left behind? What did it mean to land in a foreign port, not speaking the language, and, in some parts of Saint-Domingue, in a setting with very few women?

I糖心传媒檝e always been drawn to the footnote on the page that says, 糖心传媒淲e don糖心传媒檛 know what happened to this person.糖心传媒� I糖心传媒檓 obsessed with those gaps. Why don糖心传媒檛 we know? What connections are we missing?

For me, sport offers another way into these questions. I try to HIST 154: World History Through Soccer every World Cup cycle. It always strikes me how central sports are to everyday life in Latin America, the United States, and Europe糖心传媒攁nd yet when we open many standard histories, they糖心传媒檙e barely mentioned. How can that be, when on a given Sunday in some cities a huge share of the population is either at the stadium or listening on the radio?

In Buenos Aires alone there are 79 stadiums; that糖心传媒檚 a profound transformation of urban space that we rarely treat as historically significant.

I糖心传媒檓 especially interested in the history of women糖心传媒檚 soccer. Archival photos of women playing in uniforms in Chile in the early 1900s raise questions about why those stories disappeared in the 1960s. If I ever move fully into researching the 20th or 21st century, it will likely be through this lens. We don糖心传媒檛 take sports seriously enough in academia.

糖心传媒 faculty are leaders in their fields who are regularly recognized with regional, national, and international awards and honors for their professional contributions to research, scholarship, education, and community engagement.

As part of an ongoing series, we糖心传媒檙e spotlighting their many and varied achievements.

URochester faculty members receive ACLS Fellowships

罢丑别听听has named听, assistant professor of history and director of the Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies program, and , assistant professor of Black Studies,听.

The ACLS Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. Awardees were selected from a pool of more than 2,000 applicants through a multi-stage peer review process and represent a broad range of institutions, fields, and career stages.

Ball received the ACLS Fellowship for the project titled 糖心传媒淧ushing Past GDP Per Capita: Brazilian Maternal Health 1915糖心传媒�75.糖心传媒澨� It examines and compares maternal health and childbirth from 1915 to 1975 for urban and interior spaces in three Brazilian states: S茫o Paulo, Bahia, and Goi谩s. Learn more about Ball糖心传媒檚 research on her听.

Ealey received the ACLS Fellowship for the project titled 糖心传媒淒issonant Dramaturgy: Black Women糖心传媒檚 Music-Theatre and the Politics of Possibility.糖心传媒� The project examines Black women糖心传媒檚 music-theatre in the 19th and 20th centuries as a legitimate form of Black feminist intellectual production.

National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity recognizes Meagan Driver

, an assistant professor in teaching and curriculum at the , has been selected for the 2025 Strong Start Coach Excellence Award from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD).

The honor recognizes a first-year coach in the Faculty Success Program who demonstrates exceptional commitment to the coaching role, increasing effectiveness, and consistently positive feedback from Faculty Success Program participants. All coaches who coached for NCFDD in 2025 were eligible for consideration.

Ehsan Hoque inducted into AIMBE College of Fellows

Professor from the 飞补蝉听.

Election to the AIMBE College of Fellows is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to medical and biological engineers, comprised of the top two percent of engineers in these fields. College membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering and medicine research, practice, or education糖心传媒� and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of medical and biological engineering or developing/implementing innovative approaches to bioengineering education.”

Hoque was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows 糖心传媒渇or pioneering scalable, ethical AI technologies that improve neurological care, social communication, and health equity across clinical and global contexts.糖心传媒� He was inducted along with 175 colleagues who make up the AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2026 at a ceremony held during the AIMBE Annual Event in Arlington, Virginia, in April.

Researchers earn best original article honors

, the David R. Williams Director of the听, the Nicholas George Professor in听, and a professor of ophthalmology at URochester, was the scientific coordinating author of a paper that received the 2025 Obstbaum Award for the best original article published in the听Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

罢丑别听听reports results from a novel measurement of ocular dominance using a binocular visual simulator in several eye clinics. It represents a major multidisciplinary, multi-centric milestone in improving the correction of presbyopia. , director of refractive services in the Department of Ophthalmology at URochester, is a coauthor. The award was presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Annual Meeting on听Sunday, April 12,听in Washington DC.

Eric Phizicky honored with RNA Society’s Outstanding Service Award

, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics, was recognized for his exceptional dedication and significant contributions to听the , particularly in the development and modernization of its flagship journal,听RNA.

An internationally recognized researcher in tRNA biology, Phizicky has served the organization in numerous committee roles and by organizing annual meetings.听.

Wilfred Pigeon selected for Research Mentor Award

, a professor of psychiatry and of public health sciences, was recently selected for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine糖心传媒檚 2026 Research Mentor Award. The award recognizes leaders who are fostering the next generation of researchers in sleep and circadian science.

Pigeon is the director of the at . His primary research and clinical focus is the mechanisms, consequences, and treatment of sleep disturbance, especially as they co-occur with common medical and mental health conditions.

Elena Prager糖心传媒檚 research on work requirements lands Best Paper Award

, an assistant professor of economics at , has received the Best Paper Award from the . The annual award recognizes the most outstanding paper published in the journal over the past three years and highlights research with meaningful implications for economic policy and practice.

Prager was honored for her 2023 coauthored paper, 糖心传媒溙切拇綕 Her research focuses on the intersection of industrial organization, health economics, and labor markets, using detailed empirical data to examine how policy shapes behavior among firms, workers, and consumers.

A leading scholar in her field, Prager continues to earn distinction for her work. In 2025, she received the for a coauthored paper and is a contributing faculty member to Simon糖心传媒檚 . Her recent research explores topics such as health insurance networks, hospital pricing, employer consolidation, and the effects of public policy on labor supply and program participation.

Tricia Shalka named a 2026 ACPA Diamond Honoree

, an associate professor of higher education at URochester糖心传媒檚 Warner School of Education & Human Development, has been named a 2026 Diamond Honoree by the . She is one of 22 individuals nationwide recognized for making significant and lasting contributions to the field of student affairs and higher education.

A leading expert on trauma among college students, Shalka糖心传媒檚 research examines how traumatic experiences impact student success and how trauma-informed practices can guide administrators, faculty, and staff in supporting and responding to student survivors. .