The Rochester Engineer August 2023

Corporate Members of the Rochester Engineering Society

C&S

Board of Directors:

OFFICERS:

President MICHELLE SOMMERMAN, PE

Bergmann Associates / msommerman@bergmannpc.com

First Vice President DENNIS ROOTE, PE

CDE Engineering & Environment, PLLC / dennis.roote@cde-pllc.com

Second Vice President MIKE KURDZIEL, PhD Harris Corporation / mike.kurdziel@L3harris.com

Treasurer

TBD - Dennis Roote is interim treasurer.

Immed. Past President GREG GDOWSKI, PhD University of Rochsester / Greg_Gdowski@urmc.rochester.edu

DIRECTORS:

HOWARD RESSEL, PE

Popli Design Group (retired NYSATE) / ressel@frontiernet.net

RICHARD E. RICE

Erdman Anthony / rricesquash@gmail.com

BRETT ELIASZ, PE

Bergmann Associates / beliasz@bergmannpc.com

KENTON G. HINES

Merrill Lynch / Kenton.Hines@ml.com

MICHAEL DUFFY

Bosch Security Systems, LLC / michael.duffy@us.bosch.com

STEVEN W. DAY, PhD

Rochester Institute of Technology / swdeme@rit.edu

NOAH KELLY

Leadership Excellence & Development Program (Engr.), Alstom noah.kelly@alstomgroup.com

LEANDRO AVEIRO

Engineering Group Manager - Verification & Validation, Alstom leandro.aveiro@alstomgroup.com

YVETTE LaBOMBARD, PE

Director Gas Engineering, RG&E yvette_labombard@rge.com

SHEILA RANSBOTTOM, PE

Senior Transportation Engineer, Wendel anumrich@wendelcompanies.com

Administrative Director LYNNE M. IRWIN

Rochester Engineering Society / e-mail: res@frontiernet.net or therochesterengineer@gmail.com

ROCHESTER ENGINEER AUGUST 2023

The Rochester Engineer

Published since 1922 by ROCHESTER ENGINEERING SOCIETY, INC.

Founded March 18, 1897

Volume 102, Number 2, AUGUST 2023

(Electronic Copies Only) You can purchase individual printed copies directly from ISSUU.

2,500+ Monthly Circulation

(11 issues electronically) ISSN 0035-7405

RES Mission Statement: The RES will become the lead organization for improving the image and influence of the engineering community in the greater Rochester area by: Demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the region’s engineering and technical capabilities; Providing the best clerical support and public relations assistance to our affiliates; Continually communicating the engineering and technical accomplishments to both the engineering and technical community and the public; Providing regular forums and networking opportunities for the exchange of ideas and discussion of issues; and, Providing programs that identify career opportunities to the region’s youth and develop the skills of the practicing engineer.

News items and articles are invited. Materials should be submitted to the administrative director at the society’s office, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, New York 14607; Phone number (585) 254-2350, e-mail: therochesterengineer@gmail.com.

The web site for the RES is: www.roceng.org. The deadline is the 10th day of the month prior to the issue. Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed in this publication are those of contributors, not of the Rochester Engineering Society, Inc. Advertising information may be obtained by contacting the office of the Rochester Engineering Society or going to the website at www.roceng.org

Published every month but July. You can purchase individual copies directly from ISSUU.

Go to www.roceng.org to join the Rochester Engineering Society. Click on the individual membership and you can submit your application on-line.

res news - board of directors

Dear Fellow Engineers,

Hope this issue finds you all in the thick of summertime good times! Check out the member profiles; Director and Highway Engineer, Howard Ressel (p14) and recent member and Computer Engineer Dawn LaPietra (p16). If you have a suggestion for a Member Profile or YOU would like to share your profile, please email us! The call for Professional Award nominations (p9) has been updated for 2023 as well as the 2023 Scholarship Application (p8).

Reminder, the RES social gathering on Thursday August 3rd will be at Three Heads Brewing. Let’s hope it’s a bit cooler than July so we can enjoy the outdoor deck!

We welcome a Sustaining Level Corporate Member to RES: Joseph C. Lu Engineering, PC (dba Lu Engineers), Cletus Ezenwa as the Member

Some highlights from this issue…

It’s back! Save the Date for the next RES Virtual Continuing Education Series on September 21st, see page 6 for details. In the Rochester History column (p10), Lee takes us back to 1977…Gloria Steinem was a featured speaker and there were two articles, one regarding Vehicle pollution and one regarding Automotive History in Rochester. If you are interested in either, please contact Lee Loomis at leeloomis46@gmail.com. The cover article that starts on page 20 details many improvements made as part of the Lake Road Phase II Improvements Project and a video fly through can be accessed via the QR code on the cover, check it out! The Student feature discusses cell segmentation - a key technique in the fascinating intersection of biology, medicine, and computer science (p26). In Campus News (p29), researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology are developing a virtual realitybased learning environment to improve middle school students’ interest in STEM fields, specifically the evolving construction industry. From

RES News - President's Message

personal experience, VR is THE way to get kid’s interest! News from Professional Firms Employee News starts on page 30

A few highlights from Affiliates (starting on p40) …

2023 IEEE Western New York Image and Signal Processing Workshop (WNYISPW) is on November 3rd, ASCE has a Red Wings baseball game at Innovation Field on August 24th, EAWNY's 66th Annual Clambake is September 13th , ASHRAE and RPE Fall Social is September 12th, ABCD's 35th Annual Fall Bridge Conference is November 9th, and save the date for the Terra Science Fair on March 23, 2024.

Would you like to be involved? We’re especially looking for people to help gather content for the RE. Please check out the committee list on the website at www. roceng.org and join one! We want to make sure your voice is heard!

Please contact us at res@frontiernet. net with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Thank you!

RES President

June 1, 2022 - May 31, 2024

Michelle Sommerman, PE Bergmann

Yewande Abraham is working with peers from Texas A&M and Virginia Tech on developing a VR learning environment to introduce middle school students to careers in the construction industry. Credit: Provided/RIT

RES PDH CONTINUING EDCUATION COURSES

Save the Date! (2 PDHs)

Date: Thursday, September 21, 2023

Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Cost: $20 for RES Members; $30 for Non-members

Theme: Hydrology

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Hydrology 1 PDH Pending by Barton & Loguidice

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Software

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Dam Hydraulics or Case Study 1 PDH Pending by Bergmann (now Colliers Engineering & Design)

Details are being finalized at print deadline and will be posted on the RES Calendar. Look for an email to register for this event soon!

Registration will be on the website calendar.

Registration closes at midnight, Wednesday, September 20th

Future Education Courses Being Planned - RES is offering these courses to support the engineering community Each Continuing Education Session will consist of two or three educational 1-hour webinars with one or two eligible for PDH's. Registration will be on our website soon: www.roceng.org.

*Date, cost, and topics are subject to change*

res - continuing education live event in June

Updates will be posted on the website calendar as they become available. Social Gatherings are the 1st Thursday of every month at 5:00 pm

Continuing Education Courses are the 3rd Thursday of every month from 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Here are the plans (subject to change):

EVENT DATE

Thursday, August 3, 2023

EVENT NAME

Social Gathering! Three Heads Brewing, 16 Atlantic Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. Time: 5:00 PM. Please register so we know many are attending!

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Social Gathering! Rohrbach's, 97 Railroad Street, Rochester, NY 14609. Time: 5:00 PM. Please register so we know many are attending!

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Continuing Education - Save the Date! 2 PDHs

Join us for a very exciting RES Webinar Series

Theme: Hydrology - see page 6 for details or go to the RES calendar on the website.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Continuing Education - Save the Date!

Join us for a very exciting Tour of KM Davies

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Continuing Education - Save the Date!

Join us for a very exciting RES Webinar Series Theme: Electric Cars

Thursday, October 5, 2023 Social Gathering! Rohrbach's, 97 Railroad Street, Rochester, NY 14609. Time: 5:00 PM. Please register so we know many are attending!

*Dates and topics are subject to change*

RES is excited to announce our 2023-2024 program year is a mix of Continuing Education and Social Gatherings!

STEP 1

ENGINEERING Scholarships

BEGIN by going to the RES Website Scholarship Page to Check the Eligibility Requirements!

STEP 2

REQUEST an interview appointment by going to scholarship application instructions and fill out the Eligibility Form.

STEP 3

GATHER the required data and supporting materials (details on website)

 Official Transcript

 Resume

 Applicant's Letter

 Reference Letter #1 and #2  Interview Report

Deadline to submit all items is Friday, December 8, 2023

Olivia Ernst, Biomedical Engineering Rochester Institute of Technology

2023 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Scholarship Jesse Burdick-Pless, Computer Science Rochester Institute of Technology

2023 Susan L. Costa Memorial Scholarship

Call for Nominations

2023 Engineer of the Year

Past Engineers of the Year 15 years...(first awarded 1963)

Mark Bocko, PhD

John W. Nieto

Richard Buckley

Susan Houde-Walter, PhD

Donald P. Nims, PE

Martin E. Gordon, PE

Diane M. Trentini

Robert L. Clark, Jr., PhD

Lalit Mestha, PhD

Maureen S. Valentine, PE

Sergio Esteban, PE

Brian J. Thompson, PhD

Gary W. Passero, PE

Kevin J. Parker, PhD

Satish G. Kandlikar, PhD

Young Engineer of the Year and Engineers of Distinction

Joshua Rodems, PE

2022 Young Engineer of the Year

Past Young Engineers of the Year -15 years...

Joshua Rodems, PE

Andrew D. White, PhD

Daniel Rusnack, PE

Nick Vamivakas, PhD

Brett Eliasz, PE

Emily M. Smith, PE

Matthew T. Sidley

Danielle Benoit, PhD

John Papponetti, PE

Courtney E. Reich, PE

Clement Chung, PE

Sherwin Damdar

Michael J. Walker, EIT

Nathan Gnanasambandam, PhD

Venkatesh G. Rao, PhD

The RES Board of Directors introduced a streamlined nomination form. A simple initial form allows an individual or organization to nominate a candidate. The RES committee will then contact the nominator if the candidate progresses to the next phase. At that point, a final form will be used to gather essential details from the nominator and candidate which will be used to determine our award recipients.

The RES will select and recognize the 2023 Engineer of the Year, 2023 Young Engineer of the Year (and Finalists), and 2023 Engineers of Distinction Awards in a variety of public venues and media. The Award recipients will be celebrated at an event to be announced in 2024.

Mark Bocko, PhD 2022 Engineer of the Year

RES NEWS - ROCHESTER HISTORY

A Sampling from the Archives of the Rochester Engineering Society.

1897 - 1976

by Lee M. Loomis

Continuing with the historical sampling of the earlier writings on behalf of the Rochester Engineering Society, the years following "The Great War", into and through the “Great Depression”, continued to be a time of reaching out for the maturing Society, both locally and nationally. The meeting minutes describe a series of technical discussions and presentations intended to broaden the technical horizons of the membership (especially the CE's, ME's and EE's). The RES affiliated itself with a number of National technical societies, adopted local Affiliated Societies, frequently held joint meetings with them and continued taking action on a growing list of public matters. Certain issues of standardization, some crucial to public safety, became the responsibility of the RES and its affiliates. In the pervasive economic downturn of the “Great Depression”, the magazine offered classified advertising for unemployed engineers, technicians and draftsmen and took other steps to try to deal with the crisis. Still, it continued its effort to shape the function, focus and infrastructure of the City of Rochester, and beyond. World War, again affected the Society, taking away many of its leaders while providing opportunities for others to step forward to fill these vacancies. In an effort to provide even greater perspective on the happenings and concerns of the day, a synopsis, featuring selected items from "The Rochester Engineer" has become an integral part of this series. The Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War are now history. These experiences have changed the face of and will, no doubt, influence the future of the community. The Rochester municipal leadership and the industrial community have become immersed in the cold-war, growth economy.

January 19, 1977 (Board Meeting, Chamber of Commerce)

The Board approved four applications for Regular Membership, one for Junior Membership and four for Student Membership. President Jack Corson announced that the RES’ annual support ($100) had been renewed for the Rochester Council of Scientific Societies. Engineers Joint Dinner Chair, Lee Loomis, announced that Margaret GrahamSmith of Channel 10 would be the MC for the Engineers Joint Dinner, on February 22nd RES Director, Richard Rice reported that work has continued in the Rochester Clean Cities Project and that his group is revising the current litter codes for the City. Douglas Marshall of the RES Awards Committee announced that James A. Clark, PE, nominee of the Monroe Professional Engineers Society, had been chosen as “1976 Rochester Engineer of the Year”. Following some discussion of the City of Rochester Downtown Development Plan, it was decided that the RES Civic Affairs Committee should evaluate and comment on this plan. RES Vice President, Elwood Dobbs reported that he had formed an RES Transportation Committee, and that its first project would be to assess the RochesterGenesee Regional Transportation Authority. RES Technology Transfer Project Manager, Andrew C. Hirsch, gave his monthly report, including his recent collaboration visits to Atlanta, GA, and Nashville, TN, where similar programs to ours are going quite well.

“The Rochester Engineer” (January 1977)

An article, “Loofbourrow Rebuts Muskie on Nine Pollution Claims”, by Joseph M. Callahan of “Automotive Industries” (reprinted by permission)

features a debate/rebuttal by Alan Loofbourrow, VP Chrysler Corp., of automobile pollution claims by made by Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME), Chair of the US Senate’s Environmental Pollution Subcommittee. The debate/rebuttal follows nine pollution claims made as Congress considers legislating tougher auto emissions standards. These claims included: 1) Is auto pollution still a critical problem? 2) Do we know enough about pollution to start? 3) Does the National Academy of Science support tougher standards? 4) Why don’t automobile manufacturers challenge the air quality standards? 5) Will a delay in tougher standards endanger health? 6) Has auto pollution in the air really been reduced? 7) Was there no auto-emission progress before 1970? 8) Is it wise to “invent” through legislative ultimatums? 9) Did industry, or government force catalysts on cars? Responses to these questions provide arguments between government-legislation driven changes versus industry-technology developed improvements in automobile engine emission/ efficiency. This issue announced that Gloria Steinem, Editor of “Ms” magazine and nationallyknown writer on the topics of minority and women’s rights, would be the featured speaker at the February 22nd, 1977, RES Engineers Joint Dinner. In “The Automotive History of Rochester, New York”, by W.G. Yengst, (reprinted by permission from “Antique Automobile”, the official publication of the Antique Automobile Club of America), we were told of early Rochester area automobile manufacturers Gearless, Genesee, Jenkins, Parsons and Regas. The article went on to describe the development and products of the Selden Motor Vehicle Company and the James Cunningham & Son Company. In addition to motor vehicles, other Rochester companies were the originators of engines (The Rochester Gas Engine Company [John Leary & William Graham], Morris & Corkhill, [Frank E. Brownell & H.L.F. Trebert]). Others produced accessories and components; tire pumps and compressed-air starters (Kellogg Mfg. Co.), decorative textile products (Schlegel Mfg. Co. and The Vogt Mfg. Co.), shock absorbers (J.H. Sager Co.) and engine air filters (Stay-new

Filter Corp. (subsidiary of Dollinger Corp)). Most enduring was Northeast Electric Company, founded in Rochester in 1908 by Joseph C. and Edwin A. Halbleib, then acquired in 1929 by General Motors Corp. and renamed the Delco Appliance Division. Editor’s note: Anyone interested in copies of these two foregoing articles, described in the January 1977 “Rochester Engineer”, is welcome to request a copy from, leeloomis46@gmail.com. This issue also reported that there had been a December 1976, ground-breaking ceremony for the Monroe County Resource Recovery Facility, on Emerson Street, the site of the former City of Rochester landfill. At that ceremony, County Manager Lucien Morin commented, “Construction of this multi-milliondollar facility climaxes years of intensive study and investigative work into the most appropriate vehicle for accommodating the long-range refuse disposal needs of Monroe County. Resource recovery should prove a more environmentally sound and economically feasible alternative to landfilling. Technically, this system is the best available. Environmentally, it provides benefits. Financially, while start-up is costly, the long-term costs are less than annual subsidization and establishment of a county-wide network of landfills.”

Subsequent articles in this series will describe the RES' continuing outreach to other technical societies as it considered its role in this and the larger community, along with more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its membership, especially those suffering from current economic crises, and adopted a greater role in shaping the future of the City and its environs. Noted also, will be the contributions made by RES members in the struggle to meet the challenges coming out of World War II and the Korean Conflict, as well as a hoped-for period of post-war growth and prosperity. These articles will also feature an impressive array of RES activities in support of post-war re-emergence of Rochester area industry, and the continuing prosperity of the second-half of the 20th Century.

We welcome your questions and comments on this series.

2023 Exhibition Day at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy

On June 15th, 2023, Dr. Walter Cooper Academy held its Annual DWCA Exhibition Day. This year’s celebration of the academic accomplishments of our students was very special, marking the completion of the first full year of in-person learning, since the end of the pandemic.

Following the “Expeditionary Learning” model, adopted in 2013 at our School, each Grade Level had adopted a theme for their learning; Kindergarten – “Weather Wonders”, 1st Grade – “Spinning Earth”, 2nd Grade – “The Secret World of Pollination”, 3rd Grade – “A Wolf’s Tale: The Reintroduction of the Gray Wolf”, 4th Grade – “The Land Around Us”, 5th Grade – “Community Ecosystems”, and 6th Grade – “Heroes of Change”.

The 2023-24 School Year, at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, will include in-person tutoring by the RES Tutoring Team...

The need is great… We have a large number of students in need of the one-on-one support that comes from in-person attention to their individual learning needs. Won’t you please consider joining our 2023-24 RES Tutoring Team…

Questions/Applications??? Reach out to RES Past President Lee Loomis and the RES Tutoring Team at…Rochester Engineering Society (585) 254-2350, via website: www.roceng.org, or via email: leeloomis46@gmail.com, (585) 738-3079 (mobile & text).

Principal, Dr. Eva Thomas, guided Dr. Walter Cooper (our school’s namesake) on a tour of the exhibits and a visit with his “Cooper Scholars”.

2023 Exhibition Day at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy

During the 2022-23 school year, our RES Tutoring Team has been working with Mrs. Sanzotta’s and Mrs. Costa’s 1st Graders and with Mrs. Goode’s 2nd Graders

Examples of their work, shown to their fellow students and to their parents, at the 2023 Exhibition Day, included:

“Spinning Earth”

Discovering and understanding the relationship between the Sun and our Earth, the cycle of day and night, and the four seasons of our climate.

“The Secret World of Pollination”

Discovering the inter-relationships between flowers, pollen and the bees which move the pollen to enable the growth of plants, their flowers, and their fruits.

Howard Ressel, PE

RES member since 1990

RES History

NYSATE Affiliate Representative

RES Director 2023 - 2025

Professional Development Committee - Member

Education

B.S Civil Engineering, University of Buffalo

Experience

1984 – 2021: New York State Department of Transportation

1984 - 1985: Jr. Engineer

1985 – 1989: Assistant Engineer

1989 – 2021: Professional Engineer I/Project Design Engineer/Squad Leader

2021 – Present: Popli Design Group Senior Highway Engineer

Organizations & Groups

New York State Association of Transportation Engineers – Member since 1990

Past President, Education Chair, Mini- Conference Founder (chair) Engineering Symposium in Rochester – Committee Member

IEEE Quality Units Standards Committee (QUSCom) – Member for 20+ years.

Transportation Research Board (TRB) NCHRP - served on many project panels for research projects.

PIE - Reviewer

US Metric Association – Member, Liaison from QUSCom

Empire State Passenger Rail Association - Member

Honors & Awards

NYSATE Engineer of the Year 2002

New York State Excellence in Transportation Award 2008

New York State DOT Region 4 Going the Extra Mile Award 2021

RES MEMBER PROFILE

Profesional Highlights

Project Design Engineer for the $100M Western Gateway (I-490) Rehabilitation Project

Project Design Engineer for the $36M Troop-Howell (Frederick Douglass – Susan B. Anthony Memorial) Bridge Project

Project Design Engineer for the Access 390 Project $52M

With NYSDOT Howard was the Designer or Project Design Engineer for over 65 projects with a value of over $340M.

Currently with Popli Design Group providing design services in the highway group.

Personal Highlights/Interests/Hobbies

(current and past)

Scouting – Cub master, Committee Chair, Chartering Org. Liaison

Temple Beth El – Building Committee, Security Chairperson, President Men’s Club

JCC Center Stage - Various past roles including Committee Chair, Stage Manger Etc.

Science Fiction

Travel

Spending time with my 4 Grandkids

Quote

“The only thing you need in life is a good doctor and a good mechanic.”

Dawn LaPietra

RES History

RES member since February 2023

Experience

25+ years in product development, focus in semi-conductor and electronics design

Nearly 20 years at Xerox Corporation

5 years at L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Education

BS, Computer Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, 1996

MS, Computer Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2003

MBA, Rochester Institute of Technology, Anticpated May 2024

Organizations & Groups

Society of Women Engineers

Professional Highlight

Mentoring and coaching team members to help them reach their goals.

Contributing to a successful product platform that brought new technology to a high volume product family while significantly reducing development costs.

Personal Highlight\Interests\Hobbies:

Cooking vegetarian meals

Spending time with family (including the fur babies)

Working out

Watching hockey games

Disney vacations

Health and wellness research

Hiking

Quote:

- Roman philosopher Seneca

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

The article this month will be electrical focused as it relates to Electric Vehicle chargers. But this still may be valuable to the general public that is interested in buying an electric vehicle…or two…or three…or four…or much more…!

Although this most likely won’t apply to residential home owners that may only own one electric vehicle, this article indicates that the National Electric Code (NEC 2023) has a new exception added under 625.40 which allows more than one charger to be on a single 120V circuit as long as each charger draws less than 16 amps. If the charger draws more than 16 amps or is greater than 120V then it must be on it’s own circuit.

To go along with the code changes, manufacturers are introducing energy management systems (EMS) that can balance the load of multiple chargers at once in order to meet the thresholds above, and stay under the 16 amps @120V. This is very attractive for multi-tenant residences where it is common to have multiple chargers being utilized at once.

EMS can also be programmed to charge the vehicles during off-peak hours in order to maximize savings.

Hopefully this article finds you well and can be used as a reference for your project needs. If anyone would like to contribute to the RES magazine and add an article or would like to request information on a specific topic (not limited to Electrical) just email me, beliasz@bergmannpc.com. As always, any comments are appreciated…! Thank you for reading.

Brett Eliasz, P.E., LEED AP BD+C , RES Director

Unlocking Business Value: Empowering IT to Make a Difference

In our rapidly evolving business landscape, Information Technology (IT) departments play a crucial role in driving organizational success. To truly bring value to the business, IT must go beyond traditional support functions and embrace a proactive and strategic approach. This article explores an approach that enables IT to maximize its potential and contribute significantly to the growth and success of the business

Align IT Goals with Business Objectives

To bring more value to the business, IT must align its goals closely with the organization's overall objectives. This entails understanding the strategic vision, identifying critical business needs, and tailoring IT initiatives to support them. By actively participating in strategic planning discussions and collaborating with business leaders, IT can contribute valuable insights and ensure that technology investments are aligned with the organization's goals. I’ve been leading IT alignment assessments for the last 28 years and it’s always proven to be a valuable experience brining new insights and identifying opportunities to better align.

Foster a Culture of Innovation and Collaboration

Encouraging innovation and fostering a collaborative culture within the IT department can empower teams to develop creative solutions. By creating platforms for idea-sharing, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning, IT can drive innovation and find new ways to optimize business processes, enhance customer experiences, and generate value by delivering your services in new ways. Embracing agile methodologies, promoting experimentation using pilot programs, and supporting a fail-fast (and recover) mentality can accelerate the pace of innovation and enable IT to deliver solutions that meet evolving business needs.

Embrace Emerging Technologies

Staying ahead in today's digital age requires IT to embrace emerging technologies and leverage their potential to transform business operations. Proactive exploration of technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things can open up new opportunities for streamlining processes, driving efficiency, and creating competitive advantages. By keeping

abreast of industry trends and identifying relevant technologies, IT can proactively recommend and implement solutions that drive business growth and deliver tangible value.

Enhance Data Analytics Capabilities

Data is the lifeblood of modern organizations, and IT can play a pivotal role in unlocking its value. By enhancing data analytics capabilities, IT can provide actionable insights that drive informed decisionmaking, improve operational efficiency, and enable data-driven innovation. Investing in robust data infrastructure, implementing advanced analytics tools, and fostering a data-driven mindset across the organization empowers IT to harness the power of data and deliver measurable business value.

Develop Strategic Partnerships

Building strategic partnerships with external vendors, technology providers, and industry experts can enhance IT's ability to deliver value to the business. Collaborating with trusted partners allows IT to leverage specialized skills, access cutting-edge technologies, and stay updated with industry best practices. Strategic partnerships also enable IT to tap into external perspectives, gain valuable insights, and foster innovation through cocreation. By actively seeking and nurturing these partnerships, IT can augment its capabilities, stay agile, and consistently deliver value to the business.

Wrapping it up

In an era of digital transformation, IT has the potential to be a powerful catalyst for business growth and success. By understanding business objectives and enabling IT to achieve those objectives, IT becomes a strategic enabler of innovation and growth.

THINK ABOUT IT!

Paul Bornemann VP Consulting

Entre Computer Services

Feedback: pbornemann@entrecs.com www.entrecs.com

C&S Engineers Detail the Lake Road Phase II Improvements Project

Introduction

Lake Ontario views, winding curves, rolling hills, and tree canopies spanning over the roadway have always been features that make the Lake Road corridor special to the Greater Rochester area. The route has long attracted car enthusiasts and motorcycle riders seeking a scenic ride. However, the combination of vehicular speeds in excess of the posted 35-mph limit, numerous non-standard horizontal/vertical curves and narrow shoulder widths, presented a clear safety concern.

In 2007, NYSDOT transferred ownership of Lake Road, in the Town of Webster, to Monroe County as part of an agreement that shifted ownership of the O’Rourke Bridge. For many years, the roadway had only received mill and overlay treatments. That changed when Monroe County decided to make a large investment in the corridor to address safety and drainage issues and provide pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations.

The investment began with the Lake Road Phase I Improvement Project, which broke ground in April of 2019 and was substantially complete in November of 2019. This project addressed concerns between the limits of NYS Route 250 and Pellett Road. In 2016, C&S Engineers was selected by Monroe County to perform engineering services for the Lake Road Phase II Improvements Project. The project proposed enhancements to the segment from Pellet Road to Bay Road, a continuation of Phase I. C&S assisted the County with the progression of the project through preliminary design, final design, and construction. Ravi Engineering and Land Surveying provided survey services during design and supplied the Resident Engineer during construction. Keeler Construction Co., Inc. was the general contractor for the project. The project broke ground in April 2021 and construction was completed in November of 2022. The overall project cost was $8.9 million.

Project Description

The Lake Road Phase II Improvement Project has completely transformed the transportation and infrastructure conditions to this lakeside neighborhood in the northeast corner of Monroe County. With an improved horizontal alignment and profile modifications, widened shoulders, a complete overhaul of the drainage system, replacement of a large culvert and removal of an abandoned railroad bridge, this project resulted in a critical improvement to safety along the corridor, and provides safe access for all users in this residential neighborhood. Initially scoped as a pavement rehabilitation project, it is these enhancements that makes the Lake Road Phase II Improvement project extraordinary.

Project Fly-Through

Click this link or scan the QR Code to see video.

Back to Table of Contents

COVER ARTICLE - C&S Engineers

The project includes enhancements to the segment of Lake Road between Bay Road and Pellet Road in the Town of Webster, Monroe County. This winding segment had numerous non-standard horizontal and vertical curves, resulting in reduced sight distances. The narrow, winding, tree-lined residential roadway created hazardous conditions when combined with some record of high speeds. This contributed to accident rates that were significantly higher than the Monroe County average rate for similar facilities and led to a fatal accident occurring in 2015.

Also, a factor in the accident rate concerns was the roadway cross section, that did not meet standards for an urban major collector with a posted speed limit of 35mph. While the existing 11-feet wide lanes meet standards, the shoulder widths were well below standards. For much of the corridor length, shoulders did not get wider than 1-foot, and only reached 3-feet as a maximum. The geometry was further restricted by steep, wooded slopes and multiple houses in close proximity to the road. These conditions made Lake Road difficult to access for pedestrians and bicyclists, which was a problem given the residential surroundings. Lastly, the drainage system had serious problems. The Town of Webster and Monroe County were constantly repairing or replacing drainage infrastructure after every major storm event.

The proposed improvements to this 2.3-milelong segment of Lake Road included a deep mill and overlay treatment, shoulder widening, horizontal and vertical alignment adjustments, and an overhaul of the drainage system. The intersection at Vosburg Road was realigned to address the poor geometry and the slip ramp at Bay Road was removed as it was no longer warranted. Additional work included removing the abandoned railroad bridge carrying the Hojack Trail over Lake Road and a complete replacement of the large culvert carrying Lake Road over Shipbuilders Creek.

Alignment improvements included extending out horizontal curves, flattening out vertical curves, eliminating compound curves and several spiral curves were updated. The modeling effort was extensive to develop proposed geometry that best met current standards and maximized safety improvements while minimizing the construction footprint. The proposed roadway section was widened to include 11-foot travel lanes and 5-foot shoulders. This provides safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists, which had been lacking for years. With the narrow geometric constraints throughout the corridor, this widening required the addition of retaining walls in multiple locations to limit impacts on adjacent properties. Additionally, the roadway widening work extended beyond the highway boundary in multiple locations, requiring 28 property acquisitions and easements. Developing a design that incorporated these infrastructure improvements within the tight geometric limitations certainly led to a challenging design.

The Gosnell Big Woods Preserve is located on the south side of Lake Road near the east end of the project. With steep grades in this area and the proposed roadway widening, the construction footprint extended outside of the highway boundary and into the Preserve property. The alignment through this section was particularly scrutinized to ensure impacts outside of the highway boundary were minimized. In addition, every avenue was explored to reduce impacts, including

Continued on page 22

COVER ARTICLE - C&S Engineers, Continued

using extra-long rail post to narrow the grading limits. Ultimately, a small strip acquisition was necessary to complete the grading work, but there were no real impacts to the Preserve itself. The right-of-way acquisition had to be performed using eminent domain as the listed owner was the Genesee Land Trust and this process followed the Land Trust’s requirements.

Lastly, significant utility work was also included in the project to take advantage of the road reconstruction. Multiple, long sections of water main were replaced, gas lines and overhead electric relocations were performed by RG&E, and coordination was needed with Monroe County Pure Waters (MCPW) for sanitary sewer improvements.

Project Highlights

Shipbuilders Creek Culvert Installation

The existing 8’- 6” span culvert was replaced with a new 16’- 0” span structure during the first year of construction (2021) under a road closure occurring from June 21st until September 15th. The new structure is a 3-sided precast arch with precast wingwalls founded on cast-in-place footings keyed into bedrock. Stone fill was extended on the eastern, downstream side of the creek due to flooding concerns. The most significant adverse condition the project faced was during the construction of this culvert. On July 17, 2021, the remnants of hurricane Elsa passed across the western New York region, dumping a record rainfall of 3.03 inches. This came at the absolute worst time for the Shipbuilders Creek culvert construction as the old structure had already been removed and the cofferdams had been installed. The resultant flood event completely demolished the water diversion system and stopped work in its tracks. As this culvert is only a half mile from Lake Ontario, floodwater elevations at the culvert are controlled by water levels in the lake. This led to a weeks’ long delay before work could even begin to repair and update the dewatering scheme for construction of the new culvert. Even with these record breaking conditions, Keeler was able to complete the culvert replacement work within the 90 day limitation spelled out in the contract.

Hojack Trail Bridge Removal

The Hojack Trail bridge was originally built in 1916 as part of the Hojack Line of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad. Ever since the railroad stopped operating in 1964, the bridge has received little to no maintenance, and there was very little information on whose ownership and maintenance responsibility it was. The bridge abutments had a clearance of only 27-feet between them, significantly restricting the roadway width along Lake Road, making it a pinch point and dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists to pass under the bridge. For these reasons, the bridge needed to be removed.

Existing Proposed

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COVER ARTICLE - C&S Engineers

The bridge was a 70-foot-long steel thru-girder design, which means it is non-redundant and difficult to remove following regular demolition techniques. During the second year of construction (2022), Keeler, along with their demolition subcontractor Sessler Wrecking, proposed to remove the bridge by dropping it to the ground. The plan was to sever the two thru-girders from each other, and drop the girders, one at a time, to the roadway pavement below. To address concerns with vibrations resulting from the impact, a layer of subbase material was added to the roadway below the bridge. In addition, vibration monitoring was installed at three nearby residences to ensure they were not affected by the removal.

Hojack Trail Crossing

While the former railroad bridge needed to be removed, it was important to maintain the Lake Road connection to the Hojack Trail. This is the west end of the public portion of the trail and is highly utilized. While the steep grades in the area made it difficult, the design team developed a proposed layout that created an at-grade trail crossing. This section of Lake Road was in a sag curve, so flattening the curve and raising the profile actually improved sight distances through the area and made up more than 7-feet of the grade difference. The rest of the grade difference was made up by realigning the trail to provide a gradual slope down to the new roadway elevation. The new trail crossing was complemented by a standard Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) mid-block crossing.

Bay Road Intersection

Improvements –

Existing Geometry

Proposed Geometry

Another unique feature of this project was the re-design of the Bay Road intersection with Lake Road at the western end of the project. The existing intersection had a slip ramp from Bay Road northbound to Lake Road eastbound, which was no longer needed based on the traffic counts in the area. Also, the intersection was controlled by flashing red/yellow traffic signal in the middle of the intersection. The elimination of the slip ramp provided an opportunity for a large area of additional green space, and several trees were planted to enhance the area. The elimination of the slip ramp will also enhance the safety of the intersection.

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Existing Bridge

New Trail Crossing

COVER ARTICLE - C&S Engineers, Continued

Retaining Walls - Many of the residential properties throughout the corridor had beautifully maintained, well-established landscaping right up to the side of the road. In many cases, this landscaping coincided with steep grades running down to the road itself. The need for safety improvements necessitated a trade-off between the wider shoulders and impacts to these properties. Where the grades were too steep to avoid significant impacts to properties, aesthetic retaining walls were added to make up the difference in elevation. Multiple retaining walls were incorporated, some with heights as much as 13.5 feet. Protective fencing was also placed at the top of the retaining walls as there were properties that had yards that ran right up to the back edge of the walls. The use of the walls also significantly reduced the amount of tree cutting needed. The widened shoulders were incorporated throughout the entire project, and significant impacts to the adjacent properties were avoided in all cases.

Environmental Features – As with any project of this size, a primary goal on the Lake Road project was to minimize project disturbance and especially avoid impacts to environmental resources such as wetlands and endangered species. As the project disturbed more than one acre of soil, a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) was required that included permanent stormwater controls. Given the topography and constrained right-of-way (ROW), space was limited for open practices (ditches, ponds, etc). The team elected to install a stormwater treatment system (SWTS) as part of the closed drainage work. Not only would this treat a bulk of the water before entering Shipbuilder’s Creek, it was another way to reduce the project footprint as this structure was installed in conjunction with the closed drainage system.

To meet the runoff reduction requirement of the SWPPP, an infiltration trench was also installed at the intersection with Bay Road. This location was chosen for the quality soils in the area, relatively flat grades, and availability of ROW. The infiltration trench allows stormwater to dissipate back into the surrounding soils instead of discharging from the site.

Construction Schedule

The project was completed on time and can be attributed to quality of the contractor, the construction inspection team, and the detailed constructability considerations incorporated into the plans during the design phase. The total contract schedule was limited to 575 days, with a Notice to Proceed date of April 19, 2021 and a Project Completion date of November 15, 2022. Limitations were also placed on the contractor for when Lake Road could be closed to traffic for the replacement of the Shipbuilders Creek culvert and the removal of the abandoned Hojack Trail bridge. The project was effectively divided into two halves, starting at a point between the bridge and the culvert. 2021 construction included the eastern half of the project and incorporated the replacement of the Shipbuilders Creek culvert. The culvert replacement required a full road closure with a detour. Time restrictions were placed on the contractor to complete the replacement within a 90-day timeframe over the summer months, primarily to minimize impacts to school bus operations. The 90-day closure for the Shipbuilders Creek culvert replacement started on June 21, 2021 and the road was opened to traffic on September 15, 2021, four days ahead of schedule.

Existing

Proposed

Stormwater Treatment System Installation

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COVER ARTICLE - C&S Engineers

The western half of the project was constructed in 2022, with another detour required for removal of the Hojack Trail bridge. A 60-day time restriction was put on this closure as well with the intent of having the closure outside of the school year. This plan was developed specifically to separate out the lengthy operations between the two years of construction, as well as to limit the road closures to over the summer months. The 60-day closure for removal of the Hojack Trail bridge started on June 27, 2022 and the road was opened to traffic on August 25, 2022, one day ahead of schedule.

Summary

Construction of the Lake Road Phase II Improvements Project has improved one of Monroe County’s largest maintenance roadway responsibilities, while addressing significant safety and access needs in this residential area. The multiple-course pavement treatment extends the life of this corridor for years to come, and the upgraded alignment, widened shoulders and removal of the Hojack Trail bridge now provides much needed accessibility through the corridor for pedestrians and bicyclists. The complicated challenges overcome in both design and construction and the transformation of the Lake Road neighborhood resulted in an outstanding project.

It is projects like this that exhibit the amount of vision and ingenuity that are required on what was initially scoped as a pavement rehabilitation project. The public sees new pavement, wider shoulders and a new trail crossing where an abandoned bridge once stood. They do not see the years of planning that went in to developing a design that improves safety while minimizing impacts to their properties. The benefits to providing a widened roadway section with an extended pavement service life are only the beginning as what benefits will be reaped from this project. The increased safety leading to fewer accidents in the future and the elimination of maintenance headaches for both Monroe County and the Town of Webster will benefit us all. This project exemplifies all that should be celebrated and advertised about the engineering industry

Look for a presentation on the Lake Road Phase II Improvement project at the NYSATE mini-conference on October 3, 2023 at the RIT Inn & Conference Center. A Save the Date will be coming out soon!

For more information regarding C&S Companies, please visit www.cscos.com The C&S Rochester office is located at 100 South Clinton Ave., Suite 2700, Rochester NY 14604.

Author: Alex D. Brownell – Transportation Engineer

Contact Info: abrownell@cscos.com (585) 397-1460

Bio: Alex is an Engineer in C&S’s transportation service group, with a focus on the Western New York construction program/projects. He is a 2018 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology’s Civil Engineering Technology program, at which time he started with C&S. Prior to C&S, he completed three internships with NYSDOT Region 9 as a Transportation Construction Inspector and one internship with Prudent Engineering as a NICET Level II Construction Inspector. Alex worked on the Lake Road Phase II Improvements Project in design, performed the bidding phase tasks, and then held the role of office engineer for the entirety of the project’s construction. He resides in Henrietta and enjoys golfing, boating, skiing, and running is his free time.

Advanced Techniques in Cell Segmentation: A Comprehensive Guide

by Yuxing Wang, RIT

1. Introduction

Thousands upon thousands of cells captured in a single snapshot, a biological mosaic teeming with life's fundamental building blocks. Each cell has a story to tell, but how do we single out one protagonist from this multitude? Welcome to the realm of cell segmentation - a key technique in the fascinating intersection of biology, medicine, and computer science.

Cell segmentation is fundamental in biological and medical research, letting us closely examine and isolate cells in images, turning complex data into usable knowledge. Its importance is heightened with new technologies like RNA in situ hybridization that reveal RNA's location within tissues. This gives insights into cell arrangement, interaction, and physical traits. RNA location data is often paired with fluorescent staining, highlighting cell locations, thus extracting precise data from large datasets, and transforming raw biological images or gene expression into actionable information. This guide presents a comprehensive look at advanced cell segmentation techniques, showcasing its evolution from traditional methods to machine learning and deep learning, significantly reshaping this vital field.

2. Techniques in cell segmentation

Peering back into the annals of cell segmentation, we find a suite of traditional techniques that have proven their mettle over the years. These techniques, while they might not have the technological sheen of their modern counterparts, have been instrumental in making cell segmentation the powerful tool it is today

Thresholding methods were among the early frontrunners. As straightforward as it sounds, thresholding involves setting a limit, or 'threshold,' to differentiate between cells of interest and the background. The simplicity of thresholding methods, along with their ability to quickly process images, cemented their place in the cell segmentation toolbox. But they have their limits. They work best with high-contrast images and struggle when the intensity distribution between the cells and background is too similar, or when cells overlap. Some classic algorithms consist of the manual empirical selection method (Kong et al. 2011), histogram method (Azriel Rosenfeld and Pilar De La Torre. 1983), adaptive threshold method (See Fig. 1 Active Contour) (Shu et al. 2013) and maximum between-class variance method (OTSU) ((Arunachalam et al. 2017)).

Region-based methods were proposed as another major player in the early cell segmentation to address the above issues. These methods start with a 'seed' - a pixel or group of pixels inside a cell - and then expand, or 'grow,' the region by adding neighboring pixels that share similar properties. While region-growing methods handle overlapping cells better than thresholding techniques, they need accurate seed selection, which can be time-consuming and not always straightforward. Some classic algorithms include region growing (Rolf Adams and Leanne Bischof. 1994), region splitting and merging (Kang et al. 2009), and watershed methods (See Fig. 1 Watershed).

While these traditional techniques have been invaluable in the progress of cell segmentation, they are not without their challenges. They often require a high degree of manual intervention and fine-tuning, and can struggle with complex and varied cellular images. But they set the stage for the incredible advancements to come.

Deep learning-based techniques bring a real revolution in cell segmentation. Inspired by the workings of the human brain, these methods use artificial neural networks with multiple 'hidden' layers. This allows them to

learn complex patterns and make decisions based on a hierarchy of learned features. One prominent example is the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), designed to automatically and adaptively learn spatial hierarchies of features from cellular images. The U-Net architecture (Ronneberger et al. 2015), a deep learning structure, is specially tailored for biomedical image segmentation with higher segmentation accuracy(See Fig. 2), which is applied to several learning-based methods, such as Cellpose (Stringer et al. 2021).

The above technologies are mainly aimed at images as input to achieve cell segmentation. And now due to the advent of ISH technology, RNA-based techniques have been proposed, directly utilizing the RNA spatial information with or without the help of prior information to segment cell instances. Intrinsically, RNAs encode high-dimensional information based on gene expression for subcellular and cellular segmentation, followed by completing the spatial mapping of cell types. The RNA-based cell segmentation can be divided into two categories: Prior Information-based Algorithm, such as JSTA (Park et al. 2021) and Baysor (Petukhov et al. 2022), which identifies cell boundaries or cell instances using RNA spatial transcriptomics with the help of the cell

type annotations, initial cell segmentation information generated by image-based segmentation algorithms (See Fig. 3) and Spatial Transcriptomics-based Algorithm, such as Baysor (Petukhov et al. 2022), which directly leverage location information of RNA spatial transcriptomics to capture cell boundaries (See Fig. 3). In addition, GeneSegNet (Wang et al. 2022) was first proposed to integrate both RNA locations and imaging information within a single unified and fully differentiable network architecture to enable both visually plausible and biologically reasonable cell segmentation.

3. Challenges and Limitations of Advanced Techniques

Despite the immense potential of advanced techniques in cell segmentation, it's crucial to understand they are not a panacea. Like every technological innovation, they bring their own set of challenges and limitations. Firstly, the techniques based on machine learning and deep learning require extensive and high-quality training datasets. The painstaking task of manually annotating images for training and validation is a significant bottleneck. Additionally, the performance of these techniques is directly linked to the diversity and quality of these datasets. Therefore, biases or inconsistencies can lead to subpar segmentation. Secondly, variations in imaging conditions - such as differences in lighting, staining procedures, or imaging modalities - can affect the performance of these models. They may be highly accurate for the specific conditions they were trained on but struggle to generalize to new

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Advanced Techniques in Cell Segmentation: A Comprehensive Guide, Continued

scenarios. Finally, RNA-based techniques are not directly using imaging information to obtain cell boundaries. As a result, cell boundaries do not fully match the actual images and can appear rather artificial in real applications.

However, the scientific community is actively working on these issues, striving to refine these techniques, make them more user-friendly and accessible, and develop standards for training data. As we continue to push the boundaries of cell segmentation, these challenges serve as exciting puzzles to be solved on our journey toward fully unlocking the power of this technology.

4. Conclusion

We've traveled a fascinating path in the study of cells, from simple methods to modern techniques like deep learning and RNA-based methods. This journey has brought us face-to-face with numerous achievements and challenges. It's been an exciting exploration, with important applications in biology, medicine, and computer science. Now, studying cells is more important than ever. We're not just looking at cells individually, but understanding their complex interactions. However, there are still challenges to overcome, like getting good quality data and dealing with different imaging conditions. These aren't roadblocks, though. Instead, they help us strive for better, more precise ways of studying cells. So here's to the past, present, and future of cell segmentation - a journey of discovery that continues to unlock the secrets of the microscopic world, one cell at a time. q

Yuxing Wang, a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of Computer Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, supervised by Dr. Dongfang Liu. With a research focus on cell segmentation.

References:

(Kong et al. 2011) Jun Kong, Lee AD Cooper, Fusheng Wang, David A Gutman, Jingjing Gao, Candace Chisolm, Ashish Sharma, Tony Pan, Erwin G Van Meir, Tahsin M Kurc, et al. Integrative, multimodal analysis of glioblastoma using tcga molecular data, pathology images, and clinical outcomes. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 58(12):3469–3474, 2011.

(Azriel Rosenfeld and Pilar De La Torre. 1983) Azriel Rosenfeld and Pilar De La Torre. Histogram concavity analysis as an aid in threshold selection. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, (2):231–235, 1983.

(Shu et al. 2013) Jie Shu, Hao Fu, Guoping Qiu, Philip Kaye, and Mohammad Ilyas. Segmenting overlapping cell nuclei in digital histopathology images. In 2013 35th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), pages 5445–5448. IEEE, 2013.

(Arunachalam et al. 2017) Harish Babu Arunachalam, Rashika Mishra, Bogdan Armaselu, Ovidiu Daescu, Maria Martinez, Patrick Leavey, Dinesh Rakheja, Kevin Cederberg, Anita Sengupta, and MOLLY NI’SUILLEABHAIN. Computer aided image segmentation and classification for viable and non-viable tumor identification in osteosarcoma. In Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing 2017, pages 195–206. World Scientific, 2017.

(Rolf Adams and Leanne Bischof. 1994) Rolf Adams and Leanne Bischof. Seeded region growing. IEEE Transactions on pattern analysis and machine intelligence, 16(6):641–647, 1994.

(Kang et al. 2009) Wen-Xiong Kang, Qing-Qiang Yang, and Run-Peng Liang. The comparative research on image segmentation algorithms. In 2009 First international workshop on education technology and computer science, volume 2, pages 703–707. IEEE, 2009.

(Ronneberger et al. 2015) Olaf Ronneberger, Philipp Fischer, and Thomas Brox. U-net: Convolutional networks for biomedical image segmentation. In International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, pages 234–241, 2015.

(Stringer et al. 2021) Carsen Stringer, Tim Wang, Michalis Michaelos, and Marius Pachitariu. Cellpose: a generalist algorithm for cellular segmentation. Nature Methods, 18(1):100–106, 2021.

(Park et al. 2021) Jeongbin Park, Wonyl Choi, Sebastian Tiesmeyer, Brian Long, Lars E Borm, Emma Garren, Thuc Nghi Nguyen, Bosiljka Tasic, Simone Codeluppi, Tobias Graf, et al. Cell segmentation-free inference of cell types from in situ transcriptomics data. Nature communications, 12(1):1-13, 2021.

(Petukhov et al. 2022) Viktor Petukhov, Rosalind J Xu, Ruslan A Soldatov, Paolo Cadinu, Konstantin Khodosevich, Jeffrey R Moffitt, and Peter V Kharchenko. Cell segmentation in imaging-based spatial transcriptomics. Nature Biotechnology, 40(3):345–354, 2022.

(Wang et al. 2022) Wenguan Wang, Yuxing Wang, Dongfang Liu, Wenpin Hou, Tianfei Zhou, and Zhicheng Ji. GeneSegNet: A deep learning framework for cell segmentation by integrating gene expression and imaging. bioRxiv; 2022. DOI: 10.1101/2022.12.13.520283.

Researcher receives grant to build a virtual reality learning

environment focused on the construction industry Program aimed at middle school students to learn about and improve interest in STEM fields

Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology are developing a virtual reality-based learning environment to improve middle school students’ interest in STEM fields, specifically the evolving construction industry.

More companies are integrating technology into construction, such as operating drones and laser scanners to view landscapes and map out existing site conditions before actual construction. Utilizing technology as a teaching tool for today’s students and identifying relevant applications in construction can be a way to increase interest in the field, said Yewande Abraham, assistant professor of civil engineering technology in RIT’s College of Engineering Technology.

“Virtual reality is a great way to engage students and provide an immersive learning experience,” said Abraham, who will work with researchers from Texas A&M and Virginia Tech on the four-year National Science Foundation project to develop an interactive learning environment for advancing data sensing and computational thinking skills. RIT will receive nearly $300,000 as part of the larger, $1.3 million award given to the team led by Texas A&M. The partners will deliver a virtual learning platform with interactive modules, including the academic content that Abraham and her collaborators will produce in conjunction with several RIT construction management alumni participating as industry advisory board members.

“It is all encompassing, capturing information from important stakeholders, including industry practitioners, middle school teachers and students to ensure the materials are relevant and will be adopted,” she said. “This is the change we want to see in our industry with more students interested in STEM fields as a result of exposure to this platform.”

Researchers have found that introducing STEM field options to students, starting in middle school, can influence academic paths for high school and college, then eventually to careers in STEM fields. Allowing students access to newer technologies and data about construction materials, processes, and industry challenges can provide exposure to needed skills and knowledge. It can also be a safer learning option.

“If you are trying to get young students to a construction site, it could be challenging to organize those field

trips. Safety issues must be considered. For instance, getting appropriate personal protective equipment. Large numbers of visitors could be disruptive to a project as well,” said Abraham, who teaches in CET’s civil engineering technology, environmental management and safety department and is an expert in sustainable built environments and has a background assessing activelearning approaches to undergraduate coursework.

Involving RIT’s K-12 University Center in targeting middle school teachers and students, especially those from under-represented groups, and supporting the implementation of the platform with these groups could begin a shift in how the construction industry is viewed, and how professionals in the field are prepared.

“Most studies say the industry is still lagging in technology adoption. There are lots of opportunities to leverage technologies to improve productivity, safety, efficiency, and the quality of a project,” she said. “What we are doing with our project is showing the students that construction is not just bricks and mortar, it is more than that—it is exciting and interesting—and with recent advances in the use of computational tools and digital technologies, we are making some progress in the industry.” q

Yewande Abraham is working with peers from Texas A&M and Virginia Tech on developing a VR learning environment to introduce middle school students to careers in the construction industry. Credit: Provided/RIT

Professional Firms Employee News

SWBR News

SWBR Names Civil Engineering Leader and Welcomes Three New Members

SWBR welcomes Senior Civil Engineer Michael Guyon, PE. The addition of Guyon expands the firm’s in-house design services to include civil engineering.

With over 30 years of infrastructure experience, Guyon’s work includes leadership roles at both private design firms and in the public works sector. In his new role, he will manage all civil engineering aspects of the firm’s land use, environmental, transportation planning, and design projects. Civil engineering design services will include site development, roadway design, stormwater management, and municipal services. Guyon is also recruiting staff to expand the new department. “I am excited to lead this new initiative at SWBR,“ said Guyon. “I’m thrilled to not only provide site design for new projects, but to help the team grow and better serve our clients.”

“The addition of civil engineering has been one of our strategic initiatives,” said President Tom Gears, AIA. “This new service allows SWBR to meet even more of our clients’ design and engineering needs.”

Guyon earned his bachelor of science in civil engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and resides in Penfield, NY.

SWBR also welcomes Support Services Technician Malcolm Ahmad to its Technology Group.

Ahmad, a former intern at the firm, assists the team with laser scanning and building technology services, oversees the archive database, and supports studios with Revit modeling

and detailing for projects. He credits his talent for math and geometry for drawing him to a career in architecture.

When asked what excites him about the future of architecture, Ahmad said, “New technology and innovation is making the design field more accessible each day. It’s not necessarily a requirement that people be good at math and drawing to be a designer, so much as having access to digital aids to convey an idea.”

As part of the firm’s housing studio, Littlefield is responsible for drawings and plans for affordable housing projects. Littlefield credits her high school CAD and architecture classes for drawing her to a career in architecture. She has a bachelor of science in architecture and master of architecture from Kent State University and lives in Webster.

Walz’s 30+ years of experience make him a welcome addition to the construction administration team. He acts as the client and design team representative to ensure quality control and compliance with construction documents and keep projects on time and within budget. He sees meaningful design as the creation of spaces that elegantly meet and exceed the functional requirements. Walz is a graduate of the State University of Delhi and lives in Chili. q

The firm welcomes Project Designer Reihley Littlefield and Construction Administrator Tim Walz.

Michael Guyon, PE

Malcolm Ahmad

Reihley Littlefield

Tim Walz

GPI News

Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. Announces Key Staff Additions to Western NY Branch

Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. announces the recent addition of key staff in our Western New York branch.

Thomas Hurley, Director of Construction Services offers more than 30 years of experience in civil engineering, construction oversight, and project management, most of which was in the public sector. Recently retired from the New York Thruway Authority (NYSTA), he served as Assistant Division Director for the Buffalo Division from 2008-2019 where he managed programs for bridge inspection, permitting, environmental compliance, and construction management. Prior to that he spent 20 years with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in the Regional Construction Group joining the department as a junior engineer, and later as construction engineer and engineer-in-charge for large-scale roadway and bridge reconstruction projects. Tom will be responsible for the management and growth of construction services across the region.

Caitlyn Hemmes, PE, Chief Highway Engineer brings to our local team extensive experience in the management and design of roadway and pedestrian facilities, typically taking projects from feasibility studies, through design, and into construction. A licensed professional engineer, her portfolio of work ranges from local roads and rural highways to urban arterials, highways, and multi-level interchanges. She specializes in roadway resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation; safety and ADA improvements; and maintenance and protection of traffic. Caitlyn will be based in our City of Rochester office, from which she will serve clients across the region.

Russell Bachman, Technical Coatings Expert, joins GPI with more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry, bringing extensive experience in specification preparation and review, failure analysis, corrosion surveys, and inspection on various types of structural coatings projects. A chemical engineer with NACE and SSPC certifications, he is recognized for his expertise in corrosion control with a concentration in the development, application, and use of protective coatings and linings for the water/wastewater, industrial, chemical, marine, and petroleum industries. In addition, he has extensive experience with the metalizing of steel structures. Russ joins an esteemed local coatings construction group and will serve clients throughout the region.

GPI is consistently recognized in the industry. The firm is currently listed #70-Top Design Firms, #25 in Transportation, #10 in Bridges, and #58-Construction Management/PM-for-fee Firms in ENR’s Top 500 Design Sourcebook. q

Thomas Hurley

Caitlyn Hemmes, PE

Russell Bachman

Professional Firms Employee News MRB News

Julianne Oehlbeck Joins MRB Group as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

MRB Group President and CEO Ryan T. Colvin, PE, recently announced that Julianne Oehlbeck, formerly Vice President of Legal and Associate General Counsel for Chobani, LLC, has joined his team to serve as Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel for the expanding engineering, architecture, and municipal services firm. Oehlbeck will shepherd the legal interests as it continues its dramatic growth under Colvin’s leadership.

“This is a significant step for the firm. While the need to utilize inhouse general counsel has been apparent for some time, we waited for precisely the right person to fulfill this critical role,” Colvin stated.

“Julie’s broad expertise has guided Chobani through growth and expansion. Before that, she was instrumental in guiding Eastman Kodak through service and product development in order to sustain the firm throughout an era of technological upheaval and sea change,” Colvin said.

“Her business and legal acumen is exactly what is needed to help us innovate and advance to meet evolving needs and modern challenges. She also understands and respects our core, client-focused values. Julie’s capabilities are renowned and it is with great pride that we welcome her to MRB Group,” Colvin continued.

As vice president of legal at Chobani, Oehlbeck provided legal and business advice to the company. She most recently advised Chobani’s Supply Chain (Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, New Product Development, Procurement, Quality, R&D, Safety, Environmental and Sustainability), Information Technology (including data security) and Chobani Café on day-to-day operations, legal matters, business risks, contractual matters as well as strategic decisions.

Prior to her role at Chobani, Julie was senior counsel at Eastman Kodak Company, serving as lead counsel for all retail business units and Kodak gallery, while

advising on all marketing initiatives. Julie also was a senior attorney at Global Crossing Telecommunications, Inc., where she advised and supported their North American and Latin American sales operations and procurement team. Prior to those in-house positions, Julie was an associate at Nixon Peabody, LLP, and Woods Oviatt Gilman, LLP, in Rochester, New York.

Julie received her J.D. from Albany Law School and her B.A., Cum Laude, from Clemson University. In addition to her leadership role at MRB Group, she will continue her work with the Chenango Memorial Hospital, where she serves its Board of Directors as an Executive and Treasurer, chairing both the finance and audit committees.

“I look forward to working with a strong multi-disciplined team at MRB Group,” said Oehlbeck, who noted that she was drawn to a culture that supports innovation. She believes that creative culture has been a catalyst for the firm’s rapid growth and advancement.

“MRB Group has expanded its unique and comprehensive municipal services numerous times in response to local government needs,” she said.

“The firm’s agility, prospective planning, and clientfocus are an indication of its greater potential. More recent expansions have added an array of broader services such as architecture for the health care and education markets, creating opportunities to guide an evolving enterprise that is adapting to a changing – and challenging – world,” Oehlbeck stated.

“I see many more opportunities ahead, and am thrilled to begin this exciting journey with MRB Group,” she concluded.

MRB Group has served the greater Rochester and Central New York areas for more than 95 years, providing engineering, architecture and municipal planning as well as operational support services since 1927. For more information, visit mrbgroup.com.q

Fisher Associates News

Environmental and Survey Team News from Fisher

Fisher Associates congratulates Nicole Lake, PWS on becoming a certified Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS). Nicole is an established Environmental Scientist with proven leadership in the environmental field. She has worked on a diverse portfolio of projects including invasive species controls, habitat assessments, wetland and watercourse delineation/mitigation/restoration, and environmental assessments.

The firm welcomes Faith Page as our new Environmental Scientist II. With a BS degree in organizational zoology, Faith brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong passion for environmental preservation. Her extensive certifications and training include OSHA 10 hour, HAZWOPER 40-Hour Training, Waste Management Safety Training, NYS DEC Erosion & Sediment Control Training, FEMA and Burn Training, IAS Certified Arborist, NYS

Boaters Safety and Game of Logging: LV1 and LV2. Additionally, the survey team recently added two new professionals in Rochester.

Brent Bailey brings 20 years of field experience to his role as a Project Surveyor, having worked as a survey technician, and party chief on projects across the eastern United States. He has provided boundary, asbuilt, topographic, ALTA, and construction surveys for a diverse portfolio of clients from residential to commercial work.

Edward Seiffer joins the firm as an Instrument Person with the survey group. Ed brings six years of diverse survey and natural resource experience, with previous roles in instrument, boundary, and topographic survey, as well as field work in tree care and invasive species identification and treatment. q

Beardsley Architects + Engineers News

Two Join Beardsley Architects + Engineers

Beardsley Architects + Engineers announced that Mathew Milne has joined the firm as Electrical Engineer I in the firm’s Auburn, NY office.

Mr. Milne is a 2018 graduate from Clarkson University with 5 years of experience working with commercial and healthcare clients. He is a problem solver with experience that ranges from project planning and coordination to systems design and programming. At Beardsley, Mr. Milne will be working on projects with civic and federal clients.

The firm also announced that Hannah Wambach has joined the firm as Architectural Designer in the firm’s Albany, NY office.

Ms. Wambach has over 7 years of experience working with residential and commercial clients as an architectural designer, project manager, and tile and stone fabricator. With a diverse background that bridges the construction industry and architectural design, Ms. Wambach’s experience is well-suited to continuing her work on commercial and residential projects at Beardsley. q

Matthew Milne

Hannah Wambach

Nicole Lake

Faith Page

Brent Bailey

Edward Seiffer

What's News

AIA Rochester News AIA Announces 2023 Design Excellence Awards

The Rochester chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Rochester) held its 2023 Design Awards Gala in June at the Memorial Art Gallery.

Five firms garnered eight awards as selected by a jury of peers from AIA Maine.

Edge Architecture’s Rochester Prep High School was awarded a Design Award, which is the highest of the accolades given. The designers were tasked to solve three key challenges of the original space – entry, circulation, and organization. The renovation and addition addressed design and scale with a unique approach. Global organization of circulation flows ensured efficient movement, sight lines, and security, with minimum disruption. While they have only been at their new location a short while, they are already seeing a difference in the community they now call home: Higher graduation rates, lower crime. With this project, Edge’s design is truly “Changing History.”

A Design Award was also presented to PLAN

Architectural Studio's Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery Building & Sanctuary. A building and site with deep historical roots, the county, in 2011, had just enough funding to stabilize the building shell, while the interior of the building was mothballed. The County recently secured enough funding to complete the

project, renovate the interior, and utilize the building. Interior materials were selected for their durability, while complementing the building’s exterior. Glass became a primary design theme throughout the entire project, whether it was transparent walls separating spaces, colorful windows incorporating the US Armed Forces emblem as well as the Finger Lakes landscape, or oriented so that light, color, or views could penetrate the interior spaces.

Mary Clark Thompson Chapel Rehabilitation – Woodlawn Cemetery by Bero

Architecture earned a Merit Award under the Commercial/ Municipal/ Institutional Category and West End Heights – Supportive Housing by PLAN

Architectural Studio earned a Merit Award in the Residential-R2 Group.

A Citation Award was given to Passero for their APEX Student

Housing under the Residential-R2 Category. PLAN

Architectural Studio received two citation awards for both their Barrington House, under the Residential-R1 Group and FLCC - Center for Allied Health, under the Education/Higher Education Group.

The Community Impact Award was awarded to in.site:architecture for their Silver Lake Brewing Project.

The winner of the Designers Unleashed: Ideas Competition Roc the Riverway was Adam Badura

Above is the compilation of AIA Rochester’s 2023 Design Awards winning projects.

Back to Table of Contents

for his Garden Project. This year’s competition focused on an ongoing local initiative that is part of the ROC the Riverway/Building Bridges to the Future initiative. Badura’s project encompassed many features meant to enhance the pedestrian experience, removing them from the urban landscape, while providing a haven from city life. The bridge serves as a beautiful and sustainable means of crossing the Genesee River.

Since 2020, AIA Rochester has held a People’s Choice contest based on our Design Awards project submittals. This year, the contest is going on the road to ask the public to weigh in. For the remainder of 2023, the public can vote for their favorite Design Awards project submitted for awards. All votes are free of charge. The winning project will be recognized at the end of 2023. A QR code taking visitors to the People’s Choice Contest appears on our new Design Awards banner display system, which will be on view in public venues throughout the area.

For more about AIA Rochester and its programs, visit www.aiaroc.org and follow AIA Rochester on social media.

AIA Also Announces Rochester Scholarship Program Award Largest Scholarships to Date

The Rochester Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Rochester) and the Rochester Architect Foundation (RAF) have again partnered to help the next generation of architects pursue their training.

Six merit-based scholarships totaling $20,000, the largest amount awarded to date, were given to students heading to school this fall to study architecture courtesy of AIA Rochester and the RAF, with contributions from AIA National, Women in Architecture, and the Family of Myron Starks.

Savannah Swinter, a 2023 Rush-Henrietta High School graduate, was awarded the $2000 Myron Starks Memorial Scholarship to attend SUNY University at Buffalo this Fall. "With this scholarship, I get to explore my passions to create accessible architecture for a better tomorrow", Swinter remarked.

College students Jack Christie and Eliott English, both attending SUNY Alfred State College, were each awarded a $4000 AIA Rochester scholarship. English stated that "With this scholarship, the American Institute of Architects is expediting my dreams into reality, and I am truly grateful for this!"

Julie Nguyen, of Rochester Institute of Technology, earned the $2000 AIA Women in Architecture scholarship. Upon receiving the honor, Nguyen said “Receiving this scholarship is very special to me because it provides my family and I with monetary support which enables me to reach my fullest personal and professional potential. Thank you again for this opportunity, and I am so excited to start my M.Arch journey at RIT this fall!”

SUNY University of Buffalo’s Hannah Ruth and Antonio Vargas, each received $4000 AIA Rochester scholarships. After being awarded the scholarship, Ruth exclaimed, "I feel incredibly honored to be recognized by such a profound community in the field and look forward to using this

opportunity to continue my passion for learning, explore the role of architecture in other parts of the world, and further my career of sustainable, socially conscious, inclusive service."

The scholarship winners were publicly recognized during AIA Rochester's Design Awards Gala at the Memorial Art Gallery on June 15. q

• Civil Engineering

• Architecture

• Construction Phase Services

• GIS/Mapping Services

• Grant Writing & Administration

• Planning Services

• Economic Development

News From Professional Firms

CHA News

CHA Releases 2022 Sustainability Report

Highlighting

Strides Toward a More Sustainable Future

CHA Consulting, Inc. (CHA) an innovative, fullservice engineering, design, consulting, and program/ construction management firm, announces the release of its 2022 Sustainability Report. With the release of the 2022 report, CHA highlights the noteworthy progress made toward the firm’s ambitious green goals and implementation of processes and programs to advance a more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable future. CHA has continued to reduce its carbon footprint, meeting its reduction goal two years early, while expanding and strengthening the services and expertise that are having an impact on its clients’ sustainability objectives. CHA’s most significant impact is realized on projects as a trusted client partner across a large geographic footprint with diverse challenges. Several of these impressive projects are highlighted in the report.

CHA’s sustainability efforts remained centered around four strategic pillars:

Sustainable Services and Clients: Providing sustainable practices in the services we offer to help our clients plan, design, and build projects that endure.

Sustainable Workforce: Inspiring our employees by creating an environment that connects us to our company and communities and challenges our employees to grow personally and professionally.

Sustainable Communities: Meaningfully engaging with stakeholders and supporting the communities in which we work and live.

Sustainable Operations: Measuring our environmental footprint and implementing programs to reduce resource use, waste, and carbon emissions.

Continued on page 53...

Continuing Education Opportunities

Go to the RES Website for Updated Details On All Meetings -

Thursday, September 21

Rochester Engineering Society (RES) p 6

Continuing Education - Theme is Hydrology

2 PDHs Pending

Place: Zoom

Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Cost: $20 for RES Members, $30 for Non-members

Registration will be on the RES Website calendar at www.roceng.org. Registration closes at midnight, Wed.

September 20th

Tuesday, October 3

New York State Association of Transportation Engineers

NYSATE 14th Mini-Conference

Earn up to 6 PDHs

Place: RIT Inn & Conference Center

Look for the full page advertisement in the September issue.

For more information email: nysatesection4@gmail.com

Engineers’ Calendar

The engineering societies are encouraged to submit their meeting notices for publication in this section. The deadline for submitting copy is the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. Please email to: Therochesterengineer@gmail.com. The meetings offering PDHs are highlighted in blue. Details about the meeting and affiliate (if in this issue) are on the corresponding page listed next to the affiliate name.

Tuesday, August 1

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) p 40 EXCOM Meeting

Place: Hybrid, via WebEx and in-person (see vtools for venue and WebEx login)

Time: 11:50 am to 1:00 pm

Registration links for our events are at: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/360677

Thursday, August 3

Rochester Engineering Society (RES) p 7 Monthly Social Gathering

Place: Three Heads Brewing, 16 Atlantic Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

Time: 5:00 pm

Registration: Please register so we know how many people are attending! www.roceng.org and go to the calendar.

Thursday, August 24

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) p 44

Join the ASCE Rochester Section for a Red Wings

Baseball Game at Innovation Field – Rochester Red Wings vs. Worcester Red Sox

Place: Innovation Field, One Morrie Silver Way, Rochester, NY 14608

Time: Gates open at 12:00, First Pitch is at 1:05 pm. Don’t miss the pre-game happy hour located at the 10th Inning Bar with live music from Genesee Saw.

Cost: $10 per person for a 200-level ticket.

Registration: RSVP by August 14th via Constant Contact link: https://sections.asce.org/rochester/events

Support Your Affiliate Attend A Meeting

To post continuing education opportunities on this page please contact the Rochester Engineering Society, 585-254-2350, or email: therochesterengineer@gmail.com

ENGINEER AUGUST 2023

www.roceng.org continuing education calendar | engineers' calendar

Tuesday, September 5

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) p 40 EXCOM Meeting

Place: Hybrid, via WebEx and in-person (see vtools for venue and WebEx login)

Time: 11:50 am to 1:00 pm

Registration links for our events are at: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/360679

Thursday, September 7

Rochester Engineering Society (RES) p 7 Monthly Social Gathering

Place: Rohrbach’s, 97 Railroad Street, Rochester, NY 14609

Time: 5:00 pm

Registration: Please register so we know how many people are attending! www.roceng.org and go to the calendar.

Wednesday, September 13

Electrical Association p 49

66th Annual Clambake

Place: St. Paul Fireman’s Exempt, 690 Thomas Avenue, Rochester

Time: Clambake Buffet at 5:30 pm. Doors open at 4:30 for beer and soda (cash bar available).

Cost: $70 for Members ($75 after Aug. 23rd); $75 for Non-members ($80 after Aug. 23rd). All tickets need to be purchased in advance and no tickets sold after September 6th .

Contact Karen at the Electrical Association for reservations, www.eawny.com or 585-382-9545.

The RES website (www.roceng.org) has a calendar of events for this month's meetings and meetings that are received or updated after print deadline. Please refer to the website for updated information. If you wish to be listed in the calendar please send details to res@frontiernet.net.

Section Officers

Message from the Chair

Dear Colleagues,

Mark Schrader

Danielle Walters

Bruce Smith

Parsian K. Mohseni

Kelly Robinson

Jean Kendrick

Eric Zeise

Paul Lee Young Professionals

Eric Brown Student Chapters Univ. of Rochester Ming

Lee

Jamison Heard Committees

Jean Kendrick Communications

Christine Frayda

Howard Bussey Newsletter

Mark Schrader PACE

Bruce Rubin

Greg Gdowski

William Brewer

Congratulations to the ten professional members inducted into the IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) Eta Chapter during the joint Region 1 and 2 Board of Governors meeting on June 3. Among this group were three Rochester Section members: William Fowkles, Sreeram Dhurjaty, and Eric Brown. IEEE -HKN membership recognizes individuals who exhib it outstanding scholarship, impeccable character, and a dedication to lifelong learning and service.

The Rochester Section will be increasing the presence of HKN within the section by establishing IEEE -HKN University Chapters at both RIT and U of R, and nominating deserving professional members. IEEE Members interested in HKN professional membership can f ind more information on the IEEE -HKN website.

There are additional joint Region 1 + 2 events coming up. IEEE Sections Congress will occur August 11 -13 in Ottawa, CA. Sections Congress is open to all IEEE members to network, learn and help shape the future of IEEE.

On August 19th, the Rochester, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh Section Young Professionals Affinity Groups will host a joint tailgate for the Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers pre -season game in Pittsburgh (#366617). Lastly, the IEEE WIE Forum USA East will occur October 26 -28 in Pittsburgh, PA. This event focuses on developing and improving leadership skills for individuals at all stages of their careers.

The next Rochester Section ExCom meeting will be on Tuesday, September 5th (vTools #360679) f rom noon to 1 pm. Please pre -register on vTools for in -person or virtual attendance.

Stay healthy, and best regards,

Report on The 2023 6th UAV STRATUS Conference

The Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS) sponsored the 6th UAV STRATUS conference on May 22nd and 23rd, 2023. The two -day conference, held in the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, at RIT, brought together individuals from 12 states an d 2 countries. Total attendance was around 90. The conference brought together academics, industry representatives, and domain specialists to share perspectives on this rapidly evolving field of a wide range of topics. The 7th STRATUS Conference will be held in May 2024 at SUNY ESF.

More information can be found at the conference website: Stratus -Conference.com

Back to Table of Contents

2023 IEEE Western New York Image and Signal Processing Workshop (WNYISPW)

November 3, 2023, at the RIT CIMS Conference Center ( 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM)

Brought to you by Orolia. Additional support from L3 Harris, SRC, and Vanteon.

2023 WNYISPW Information Link: https://ewh.ieee.org/r1/rochester/sp/WNYISPW2023.html

For paper, poster, or abstract-only submissions: NYISPW@gmail.com

The 2023 Western New York Image and Signal Processing Workshop is a premier venue for promoting image and signal processing research in our area and for facilitating interaction between academic researchers, industry professionals, and students. Sponsored by local chapters of IEEE and IS&T, the workshop comprises both oral and poster presentations. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Image Processing:

- Applications of Machine Learning, Deep Learning, LLMs and Generative AI

- Computer Vision

- Image Compression and Segmentation

- Image and Color Science

- Object Recognition and Detection

- Medical Imaging

- Human-Computer Interaction

- Video Processing and Analysis

• Signal Processing:

- Radar and Wireless Communications

- Synthetic Aperture Radar

- Remote Sensing

- Electronic Intelligence

- Waveform Detection and Parameter Estimation

- Speech and Audio Enhancement and Recognition

- Applications of Machine Learning, Deep Learning, LLMs and Generative AI

Author resources:

‣ Full paper submissions: 4 page previously unpublished paper for oral, poster, or virtual poster presentation (corresponding author fields virtual poster questions). All accepted full papers will be submitted for inclusion in IEEE Xplore as well as other abstracting and indexing databases.

‣ Abstract -only, non-archival submissions: Recent work for poster or virtual poster presentation that is not quite ready for publication, or is in review, or was recently accepted. Abstracts will be included in the Workshop proceedings (non-archival) but will not appear in IEEE Xplore.

‣ Please use WNYISPW@gmail.com to submit full papers or abstracts for the Workshop.

‣ IEEE resources and tools for authors: https://conferences.ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org/writeyour -paper/authoring- tools-and- templates/

‣ IEEE manuscript templates: https://www.ieee.org/conferences/publishing/templates.html .

Workshop Cost:

$50 Non-IEEE member, in-person attendance.

$15 Non-IEEE member, virtual-only attendance.

$40 IEEE member, in-person attendance.

$10 IEEE member, virtual-only attendance.

$0 Student (with ID), made possible by L3 Harris

Women In Engineering - Leadership Opportunities

IEEE WIE Rochester would like to invite volunteers for the 2023 -2024 WIE Executive Team. Open positions include Vice-Chair as well as Newsletter and Website Coordinator. In addition, we are looking for candidates for the 2024 Executive Team for Chair, Secretary, and Social Media Coordinator.

If interested, please reach out to Deyasini Majumdar, 2023 Chair, IEEE WIE Rochester, at deyasini.majumdar@ieee.org

A Low -Cost Oxygen Concentrator – Engineering A Product For COPD

This is a preliminary announcement for a presentation on ZOOM titled “A Low-Cost Oxygen Concentrator For COPD - From Concept to Product In a Year” to be held on Saturday October 7 at Noon.

This talk will be presented by Dr Aparna Dixit, Professor, Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (PSIT), Kanpur, India.

A full abstract of the talk, Dr. Dixit’s full bio, and a registration link will be provided in the September Newsletter. Please contact Mark Schrader at m.schrader@ieee.org with any questions.

http://sections/asce.org/rochester/home

The Rochester Red Wings take on the Worcester Red Sox at Innovation Field on August 24, 2023. Join the ASCE Rochester Section with group tickets in the 200-level section.

Don’t miss the Pre-Game Happy Hour located at the 10th Inning Bar with Live Music from Genesee Saw. Cash bar available with a $2 beer special.

DATE: Thursday, August 24, 2023

PLACE: Innovative Field One Morrie Silver Way Rochester, NY 14608

TIME: 12:00 pm Gates Open 1:05 pm First Pitch

COST: $10 per Person for a 200-level ticket

Please RSVP by: August 14, 2023 via Constant Contact link @ https://sections.asce.org/ rochester/events

66th ANNUAL CLAMBAKE

Wednesday

September 13, 2022

St. Paul Firemen’s Exempt

690 Thomas Avenue

Rochester, NY

Members

$70 ($75 after 8/23)

Non-Members

$75 ($80 after 8/23)

Doors Open at 4:30 p.m.

Beer & Soda + Cash Bar Available

Cheese - Cracker - Veggie Tray

PRIZES & SPONSORS

WELCOMED

All tickets must be purchased in advance. Upon receipt of your payment, your ticket(s) will be forwarded to you.

No tickets will be sold after Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Tickets will not be available at the door. Sorry, no exceptions!

Clambake Buffet at 5:30 pm

Little Neck Steamed Clams (3 Dozen per Person)

Raw Clams

Clam Chowder

Steak Sandwiches

Italian Sausage

Sausage in Sauce

Polish Sausage

Chicken

Zweigle Hotdogs

Hamburgers

Pasta Salad

Macaroni Salad

Baked Beans

Salt Potatoes

Corn on the Cob

Dessert

Watermelon

Brownies

Coffee

Electrical Association of Western New York PO Box 20219, Rochester NY 14602 0219

585 382 9545 ~ www.eawny.com ~ karen@eawny.com

Rochester Chapter American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Rochester ASHRAE website: www.rochesterashrae.org

Dear ASHRAE Family,

Welcome to the 2023-2024 ASHRAE year! Last year will be tough to top with record attendance at our monthly chapter meetings. Many thanks to all of you for your dedicated participation, and to our Past President Matt Kremers for his steady and enthusiastic leadership.

Additionally, I’d like to thank our Scholarship Committee Chair, Mike Benedict, for spearheading the effort to restart the distribution of our Charles Lynch and Jack Betlem Scholarships. An important part of our mission is giving back to the community, and Mike went above and beyond to make this happen last year and create a sustainable foundation for future giving.

As Matt highlighted in last year’s president’s message, former Society President Mick Schwedler said, “We have never been more essential as an industry.” While Mr. Schwedler was speaking about our response to COVID-19, the essential nature of our industry was highlighted again this year with our efforts to combat climate change. Several members of our chapter participated in a coordinated effort between ASHRAE and NYSERDA to help guide health care providers through the challenge of complying with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Our state recognizes how vital ASHRAE is and has welcomed us in to help shape the implementation of this legislation. Many thanks to all our members who volunteered their time to participate in this effort.

Looking forward, I am confident that we can embrace this momentum as a chapter and make great strides in 2023 and 2024. Our new society president, Ginger Scoggins, has established her theme for this year as “Challenge Accepted: Tackling the Climate Crisis.” We face a massive challenge in overcoming global warming and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, but as Ms. Scoggins says, “We can accept the challenge of our day regarding the impact of our buildings on the climate crises by equipping our members with the knowledge they need to design and renovate buildings to address the greenhouse gas emissions of our industry.”

Our year will begin at the Chapter Regional Conference in Connecticut on August 17th and will continue with our annual Fall Social in September. This year we will be collaborating with Rochester Plant Engineers for our Fall Social and expect a great turnout. Bret Fryover, President-elect and Program Chair is already developing an excellent program schedule for the year. Bret has been a critical member of our chapter leadership for many years, and I am certain that the commitment he has demonstrated to our chapter in years past will manifest itself in a program schedule that you will find informative and relevant to today’s issues.

I would like to also thank the rest of our officers, board members, committee members, and YOU, for making this chapter a wonderful place to share ideas, learn from each other, and simply enjoy each other’s company. I look forward to seeing you all in September!

Jim Parks ASHRAE Rochester Chapter President 2023-2024

35th Annual Fall Bridge Confer ence

T hur sday, November 9, 2023

In-Per son or Vir tual Option

DoubleTree by Hilton Rochester

1111 Jef fer son Road

Rochester, NY 14623

SAVE THE DATE

Attendance Benefits:

• Earn up to 6-PDH Credits

• Network with up to 300 bridge professionals

• Enjoy coffee breaks, a buffet lunch, and a post -conference cocktail hour provided by ABCD

Registration:

Conference Sponsorship, Advertisement and Exhibitor Booth Registration begins in October. Visit and sign up at the ABCD WNY website, www.abcdwny.com

For additional information contact:

Emily M. Smith, P.E.

Fisher Associates, P.E., L.S., L.A. D.P.C.

Email: esmith@fisherassoc.com

Phone: (585) 334-1310

Association for Bridge Construction and Design Western New York Chapter www.abcdwny.com

Terra Rochester Finger Lakes Science & Engineering Fair

Harold Clark TRFSEF Director

Rochester, NY Section

P.O. Box 23795

Rochester, NY 14692

www.iesrochester.org

IES Rochester Section Presents FUNDAMENTALS OF LIGHTING

Updated in 2023, the IES Rochester Section will offer a multi-night educational opportunity coming this fall.

Fundamentals of Lighting is an introductory course comprised of ten modules, presented over three evenings. In a basic and straight forward style, each module provides up-to-date material on lighting concepts, systems, equipment, calculation procedures and other important design and industry issues. This course is ideal for those who have only a basic awareness of lighting and professionals who want a thorough overview of the field.

Details to Follow

www.iesrochester.org

Back to Table of Contents

Rochester Chapter Website: www.aspe.org/rochester

President/: DAVE JERECKOS

IBC Engineering, PC 3445 Winton Place Suite 219 Rochester, NY 14623 585-292-1590

Vice President Technical: LUKE LAWATSCH

Labella Associates 300 State Street Suite 201 Rochester, NY 14614 585-454-6110

Vice President Legislative: TREVOR SAX

IBC Engineering, PC 3445 Winton Place Suite 219 Rochester, NY 14623 585-292-1590

Vice President Membership: REBECCA KOLSTAD

Kolstad Associates 40 Harrison Street Rochester, NY 14605

Treasurer / Education Chair: JENNIFER WENGENDER, P.E., CPD CPL

255 Woodcliff Drive, Suite 200 Fairport, NY 14450 585-454-7600

Administrative Secretary: ADAM KRAMER Bergmann

280 E. Broad Street Suite 200 Rochester, NY 14604 585-498-7802

Newsletter Editor: NADIA THOMPSON

Turner Engineering

359 West Commercial St, Ste 2190 East Rochester NY 14445 (585) 381-3360

Affiliate Liaison: EMILY MILLER WMS Sales 9580 County Rd. Clarence Center, NY 14032 (716) 741-9575

President's Message

It’s official we have a new Board to serve you this year We have brought in some new folks while several folks are retiring or have retired. We congratulate Dave Myers (Labella Associates) on his recent retirement and wish him well. Al Smith has also stepped off as VP Legislative as he is scheduled to completely retire in April of 2024.

Our new board members, listed under our logo on the left have met and are already working hard to make sure our chapter has another great year! I welcome Luke Lawatsch, Trevor Sax, and Emily Miller to the board as brand-new members! Good Luck! I would also like to thank the existing board members who are staying on either in their current positions or new positions, your continued support is appreciated.

We have 68 Members consisting of 46 Full, 13 Associate and 9 Affiliates. In that group of 68 members we have 17 PE’s and 9 CPDs. Of those that attend meetings, about half are members If you attend meetings but are not a member, we are always glad to see you but please consider joining the Rochester Chapter of ASPE

Our Annual ASPE Rochester Golf Outing at Victor Hills Golf Course on Thursday, June 8, 2023, was very successful! Luckily, we had a great day of weather with only a little bit of rain, but no smoke! We had 27 sponsors and 66 total golfers I want to thank all our sponsors for helping to make this event possible! The winning team was LaBella Associates with a score of 64, a big congratulations to you And I want to give an honorable mention to the last team, Emerson Swan and friends with a score of 86.

The ASPE Tech Symposium will be in Bellevue, Washington from September 28th to October 1st of 2023. Registration is now open There will be 30 Tech sessions over 2-1/2 days

I want to thank the members of the Rochester ASPE for a great 2022-23 season and look forward to another great year in 2023-24!

Dave Jereckos, Chapter President

(Chapters are not authorized to speak for the Society)

“Everyone at CHA takes ownership in envisioning sustainability as both an end goal and a challenge – as individuals, as teams and as an organization – and this report details that compelling story. We will continue to build on our ESG momentum and raise the bar for ourselves and those around us,” said Jim Stephenson, CEO. “Every day with each new project, our team is working toward responsibly creating a sustainable world in partnership with our clients, through the planning, design, and development of resilient infrastructure and buildings that minimize environmental impact and enhance human well-being, and more energy efficient solutions.”

The 2022 Sustainability Report details innovative practices and technologies, impactful and rewarding projects, expanded efforts to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, meaningful contributions to communities, and continued integration of environmentally friendly practices in corporate programs delivered by CHA’s growing and expert staff. Organizations seeking to jumpstart their sustainability efforts can engage our team at sustainability@ chacompanies.com

CHA’s 2022 Sustainability Report is available on the CHA website. q

Affiliated Societies of the Rochester Engineering Society

American Consulting Engineering, Companies of New York

President, Pat Nicoletta, PE

American Public Works Association

Monroe County/Genesee Valley Branch

Chairman, Peter Vars, PE,

American Society of Civil Engineers, Rochester Section

President, Andrew Wojewodzic

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Rochester Chapter

President, Matt Kremers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Rochester Section

Chairman, Berto Perez

American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Rochester NY Chapter President, David Myers

Electrical Association

Executive Director, Karen Lynch

Monroe Professional Engineers Society

President, William Grove

Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association President, Jared R. Ransom, LS

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Inc., Rochester Section President, Jennifer Abraham

New York State Association of Transportation Engineers, Section 4 President, Christopher Reed

Rochester, NY Section P.O. Box 23795 Rochester, NY 14692 www.iesrochester.org

IES ROCHESTER MEETINGS ARE BACK !!!

SEPTEMBER 29,2021 - 7:00 PM FREE Event

Rochester Plant Engineers President, Brian Laurer

COME TOUR THE WINNER OF OUR IES ROCHESTER EXTERIOR LIGHTING AWARD - ROC CITY SKATE PARK MEMBERS FROM THE DESIGN TEAM FROM STANTEC AND FROM THE CITY OF ROCHESTER WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.IESROCHESTER.ORG

Imaging Science & Technology, Rochester Chapter President, Bruce Pillman

Sheet Metal & Air-Conditioning Contractor’s National Association Rochester, Inc.

Executive Director, Don Fella

Wednesday October 13 - 12:00 Noon

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Rochester Section Chairman, Eric Brown

Basics of Modern Theatre Lighting System Design

- Power Distribution & Control

- DMX & Networking

- LED Theatrical Luminaires

Location & Details TBD - Save The Date !

Please Visit Our Website For More Details www.iesrochester.org

Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Rochester Chapter President, Tim Gallman

Society of Plastics Engineers, Rochester Section President, Brett Blaisdell

Association for Bridge Construction and Design President, Ashley Freeman PE

International Council on Systems Engineering, Finger Lakes Chapter President, Teresa Fronk

affiliated societies of the rochester engineering society

Terra Rochester Finger Lakes Science & Engineering Fair

Director, Harold R. Clark, PhD