The Rochester Engineer April 2025

It Might Feel Wild & Wooly (particularly on Bill’s game days), But the Thruway Has Been Getting Safer for Decades.... Pg. 27

THIS EDITION Twisting atomically thin materials could advance quantum computers Pg. 12

Researchers explore how mechanical signals influence viral infections in lungs Pg. 18

Student Article: CRISPR Genomic Engineering as a Tool to Develop Functional 3D Bioprinted Models Pg. 21

Corporate Members of the Rochester Engineering Society

ENTERPRISE LEVEL

CHAMPION LEVEL

SUSTAINING LEVEL

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About RES 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.

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 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 quarterly, four issues electronically. You can purchase individual copies directly from ISSUU. 2,500+ Circulation ISSN 0035-7405 Go to www.roceng.org to join the Rochester Engineering Society.

Click on the individual membership and you can submit your application on-line.

News items and articles are invited.

Materials should be submitted to e-mail: therochesterengineer@gmail.com www.roceng.org.

Stay up to date with the Rochester Engineering Society & their affiliates events by going to: https://roceng.org/Calendar

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Table of Contents

News of the...

ASHRAE 34 Letter from the Chapter President

NSPE-NY

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Cover Page

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Corporate Members of RES

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About RES

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Table of Contents

36 Genesee Brewing Company April Tour

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Board of Directors

Electrical Association

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President’s Message

37 May Casino Night- Benefit for the Kessler Burn Center at URMC

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RES Tutoring…New Opportunities

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2025 Rochester Engineering Scholarship Winners Announcement

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2025 MPES’ Scholarship Winners Announcement

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RES History

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Campus News UofR: Twisting atomically thin materials could advance quantum computers

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Campus News UofR: New technology could quash QR code phishing attacks

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Campus News RIT: Vodacek helping to bring machine learning to Indigenous communities

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Campus News RIT: Researchers explore how mechanical signals influence viral infections in lungs

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Campus News RIT: Engineering faculty receives DARPA Young Faculty Award honors

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Student Article: CRISPR Genomic Engineering as a Tool to Develop Functional 3D Bioprinted Models.

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Cover Article: It Might Feel Wild & Wooly (particularly on Bill’s game days), But the Thruway Has Been Getting Safer for Decades

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Affiliated Societies of the Rochester Engineering Society

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Final Page

Business Services: 15, 17, 19

35 NSPE-NY News | Save the Date Engineering Symposium of Rochester 2025

RPE

IEEE 38

April 2025 Newsletter

Click to go back to table of contents

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Board of Directors: Executive Board President DENNIS ROOTE, PE CDE Engineering & Environment, PLLC dennis.roote@cde-pllc.com

Treasurer / Imm. Past President MICHELLE SOMMERMAN, PE Colliers Engineering Michelle.Sommerman@collierseng.com

First Vice President DAWN LaPIETRA L3Harris Corporation dawnlapietra@gmail.com

Second Vice President MIKE KURDZIEL, PhD L3Harris Corporation mike.kurdziel@L3harris.com

Directors HOWARD RESSEL, PE Popli Design Group (retired NYSATE) ressel@frontiernet.net

STEVEN W. DAY, PhD Rochester Institute of Technology swdeme@rit.edu

RICHARD E. RICE Erdman Anthony rricesquash@gmail.com

NOAH KELLY NAM Products Services Manager, Alstom noah.kelly@alstomgroup.com

BRETT ELIASZ, PE Colliers Engineering Brett.Eliasz@collierseng.com

JESSICA SHANG, PHD Associate Professor, University of Rochester j.k.shang@rochester.edu

KENTON G. HINES Merrill Lynch Kenton.Hines@ml.com KELLY ROBINSON, PE, PHD Founder, Electrostatic Answers kelly.robinson@electrostaticanswers.com JESSIE COCQUYT Administrative Director Builders Exchange of Rochester res@frontiernet.net

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

SHEILA RANSBOTTOM, PE Senior Transportation Engineer, Wendel sransbottom@wendelcompanies.com

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President’s

Message

April First. Thus begins the final 3 months of the program year for RES and many of our affiliates. For starters, April 10th is the Engineering Symposium in Rochester, a face-to-face event that will be held April 10th at the RIT Inn and Convention Center. For details and registration, go to the website at https://www.eventleaf.com/e/EngineeringSymposiumRochester. Other events will follow in May and June, so keep an eye on the RES website and newsletter. We will post details of these events as they become available to us. And, as a reminder, if anyone has an event or other announcement, please let us know.

April is also the month that RES traditionally announces Scholarship winners for RES and affiliate scholarships. Congratulations to the eight RES scholarship winners and nine MPES scholarship winners!

Now, on to some RES news: Notice that the magazine is published quarterly, supplanted on the off months by our biweekly newsletter, and further enhanced by our increased social media presence. These changes were instituted to make our communications more accessible, easier to read with content you want and the frequency you need. So far, we seem to be getting it right, but we would like to go beyond “getting it right”; we would like to “get it better”. That’s where you all come in. Let us know what you want to see in our newsletters, social media, website, and magazine.

Now, what’s inside the magazine this month: Lee Loomis gives a rundown of three opportunities for RES members and others interested in volunteering as tutors. These programs provide a vital service to students within the Rochester City School District.

Speaking of Lee Loomis, check out his Rochester History article as the walk through the history of Rochester Engineering continues; this month, focusing on activities and events of 1979.

Campus News – A sampling of the articles includes research at the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology in quantum computing; bringing machine learning to indigenous peoples; the relationship between mechanical signals in cells and viral infections; and bio printing of genetically engineered tissues and organs.

For those who travel the New York State Thruway, be sure to read the article from Hunt Engineers about improvements that have made travel along this vital thoroughfare safer.

As always, if you see anything the magazine that interests you, or have any suggestions, please feel free to contact RES at res@frontiernet.net.

Thanks again!

Dennis R. Roote, P.E. President, Rochester Engineering Society

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RES Tutoring…New Opportunities?!?

With the June 2024 closing of Dr. Walter Cooper Academy (RCSD School #10), the RES has been seeking a new way to support learning in the RCSD. The RES is NOT interested in forming and managing another tutoring team. Rather, it is the RES’s strong preference to support the recruitment of tutors from area universities, engineering consulting firms and other businesses, to join existing, established tutoring programs, in the Rochester City School District (RCSD).

We have met with the leaders of several local tutoring programs, describing the history of the RES Tutoring Team, to learn if the protocols of their programs are compatible with those of our “veteran” RES Tutors. We have identified three, RCSD K-6 elementary school, in-person, daytime tutoring programs we believe to be compatible with the interests and historic availability of our RES Tutors. The leaders of these programs have shared how they recruit and vet tutors, the academic focus, supervision and parameters of their tutoring programs, and if they would allow “teams” of RES Tutors to alternate their weekly tutoring assignments. Links to each of these programs are provided: “Help Me Read” - RCSD School #17, 158 Orchard St, Rochester, NY 14611 – Dr David Singleton - Director, Ms. Linda Maulding - Coordinator/Supervisor. School Office: (585) 225-4200. Founded in 2007, this is a program with its own on-site Coordinator, separate office and academic materials storage area. The curriculum support, from the School’s Teacher and Administrators, has been attracting tutors from all around Rochester’s neighborhoods and business community, for almost 20 years. Access information on their program and a tutoring application at: hmrcolc@yahoo.com, “Help Me Read” Coordinator/Supervisor’s phone: (585) 766-8440.

“TRU Impact – Rochester” - RCSD School #16, 321 Post Ave, Rochester, NY 14619 – Victor Norflee – Director.

Founded in 2020, this is an established program, led by an experienced RCSD High School Coach and his team, and guided by the School Principal and Community School Site Coordinator. It offers in-person school-day, after school and virtual tutoring. Curriculum includes basic reading, math, science and social studies. Access information on their program and a tutoring application at: www.truimpactroc.org, then go to “contact” page. Inquiries will receive an immediate response from the Director.

“Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts” - RCSD Charter School, 299 Kirk Rd, Rochester, NY 14612 – Dr Caitlin Loury - Chief Education Officer, Ms. Kilolo Moyo-White – Family Services Coordinator. School Office: (585) 225-4200. Established in 2014, over 90% of the students of this RCSD Charter School reside in the City of Rochester. The additional “arts-focus” in the curriculum of this 500+ student school provides experiences designed to awaken not only the academic, but also the dancing, artistic and musical spirit, in their learners. Access information on their program, and then a tutoring application at: www.renacad.org, https://forms.gle/WqCnkmhjy15yVUHD9 We have begun reaching out to as many of our “veteran” RES Tutors as possible, informing them about these new options, and to inviting them consider volunteering their considerable skills, as experienced tutors, in continued support for RCSD students.

Lee M. Loomis (585) 738-3079 (mobile & text)

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CONGRATULATIONS! TO THE ROCHESTER ENGINEERING SOCIETY’S 2025 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Joesph W. Campbell Memorial Alex Shuron Rochester Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering

DHURJATY Family Scholarship Isabella Doty University of Rochester, Mechanical Engineering

David Fergusson Memorial Darren Chen University of Rochester, Mechanical Engineering

Keith W. Amish Memorial Scholarship Hailey Epstein University of Rochester, Mechanical Engineering

IEEE William Knoff University of Rochester, Electrical and Computer Engineering

IEEE Kyle (Newt) Perlman University of Rochester, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Susan L. Costa Memorial Scholarship Nyasha Gwaza University of Rochester, Electrical & Computer Engineering

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Adam W. Lawas Scholarship Mary Cotter University of Virgina, Mechanical Engineering

CONGRATULATIONS! TO THE MPES’ 2025 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

VASTOLA SCHOLARSHIP (Sponsored by MPES) Benjamin Hebrock Wheatland-Chili High School Mechanical Engineering

COLLIERS ENGINEERING & DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP Elizabeth Frick Wayne High School Biomedical Engineering

ALSTOM FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Blade Surowiec Wayne High School Aerospace Engineering

RE:BUILD OPTIMATION AMERCIAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP COMPANIES SCHOLARSHIP Patrick Ward Anya Bhargava Churchville-Chili High School Victor High School Chemical Engineering Biomedical Engineering

LABELLA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Bria Torpey Honeoye Falls-Lima High School Electrical Engineering

EDWARD J. RIES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Luke Davis Geneseo High School Electrical Engineering

ERDMAN ANTHONY SCHOLARSHIP Erin Hallock Wheatland-Chili High School Civil Engineering

EDWARD J. RIES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Matteo Sinclair Pembrooke High School Microelectronic Engineering

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A Sampling from the Archives of the Rochester Engineering Society...1897 - 1978

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.

“The Rochester Engineer” (February 1979) The January 1979 RES Luncheon meeting was held jointly with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and featured a presentation, “The Partnership of Light and Business”, by Robert T. Dorsey, Manager of Lighting Technology Development, General Electric Co. Mr. Dorsey discussed the relationship of improved lighting levels to productivity, quality of life and reduced operating costs through reductions in business/accounting errors. His contention was, “Lighting can be a full-partner with business, contributing increased productivity, greater safety, reduced errors, better work quality and reduced lighting costs.” NY Senator Jacob K. Javits was the keynote speaker at the annual Engineers Joint Dinner. Receiving the “1978 Engineer of the Year” award was Dr. Rudolph Kingslake, renowned Professor of Geometrical Optics at the University of Rochester, and retired Director of Optical Design at Eastman Kodak Company. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), on February 26, 1979, North America would witness its final solar eclipse of the 20th Century. The 200 mile-wide, West-to-East total eclipse path, across North America, would begin at the Canadian Province of Manitoba, travel across southern Canada, across Hudson’s Bay, exiting the continent at Quebec and then Greenland. Editor’s Note: The next North American solar eclipse would not occur until 2024.

March 21, 1979 (Board Meeting, University Club) RES Executive Director Joseph Campbell report on RES membership status: Regular Members – 478, Associate Members – 14, Student Members – 9, Junior Members – 33, Non-Resident Members – 23, Honorary Members – 5, Sustaining Members – 19, Retired Members – 3, Total Membership – 629. The Board approved four new applications for Regular Membership. It was announced that the RES Annual meeting, May 5, 1979, would be held at the University Club. The NY Water Pollution Association (NYWPA) has asked the RES to co-sponsor a July 1979, one-day seminar on pretreatment regulations and the disposal of toxic sludge. The Board approved, provided that RES Member, Libby Ford, also a member of NYWPA, would deliver opening remarks at this event.

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A Sampling from the Archives of the Rochester Engineering Society...1897 - 1978

By Lee M. Loomis “The Rochester Engineer” (March 1979) The Rochester Chapter of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) announced its 1979 Lighting Design Awards, including 1st Place – Wegman’s Food Markets building lobby on Brooks Ave., 2nd Place Wegman’s Food Markets office area on Brooks Ave., 3rd Place – RG&E Ginna nuclear power plant exterior lighting, Lake Rd., Ontario, NY. In his monthly article, “Three for Three…”, RES Technology Agent, Andrew C. Hirsch reflected on this, a third year of energy crises; in 1977 it was the natural gas shortage, in 1978 it was a national coal labor strike, this year (1979) it’s energy supply (primarily gasoline) disruption, due to the fighting in Iran. Andy reported that these crises have motivated the City of Rochester and the County of Monroe to focus even more on the impending results of the current energy audits of their respective facilities, by the RES Technology Transfer program contractors. Across the nation, Governments have increased their attention to the relentless rising cost(s) of energy. According to TV network news, recent gasoline rationing has only resulted in motivating motorists to keep their tanks 50% fuller than before, to avoid “running out of gas”, merely exacerbating the situation.

April 18, 1979 (Board Meeting, University Club) Following a detailed discussion of across-the-board rising costs for operating the RES, the Board approved changes (increases) in annual dues, as follows: Regular Membership - $35, Associate Membership - $35, Emeritus Membership - $5, Student Membership - $5. Plans were announced for a Fall 1979 joint RES-Society of Motion picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE) dinner meeting, at the University Club, followed by a tour of Channel 10’s new facilities on East Ave. “The Rochester Engineer” (April 1979) It was announced that RES member, Lynne Bellenger, PE, has been selected as “Young Engineer of the Year” by the NY State Society of Professional Engineers. The RES Board announced that former Rochester City Manager, Eli Freedman, has been named an Honorary Member. It was announced that RES Member, Ernest Mohr, Assistant Manager of the Facilities Organization, Kodak Park, would speak on, “Environmental Decisions that will shape our Future”, at the April 11, 1979, RES Luncheon, at the Colonial Inn, Empire Blvd. (roast beef plate $3.95).

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. It will feature more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its membership, as the Society 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, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War, 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.

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Campus News U of R

Twisting atomically thin materials could advance quantum computers Luke Auburn | Director of Communications, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences March 15, 2025

Graduate student Trevor Ollis fills a camera with liquid nitrogen to cool it to -120 degrees Celsius in order to examine monolayer materials developed in the laboratory of Nickolas Vamivakas. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)

Placing two layers of special 2D materials together and turning them at large angles creates artificial atoms with intriguing optical properties.

By taking two flakes of special materials that are just one atom thick and twisting them at high angles, researchers at the University of Rochester have unlocked unique optical properties that could be used in quantum computers and other quantum technologies. In a new study published in Nano Letters, the researchers show that precisely layering nano-thin materials creates excitons—essentially, artificial atoms—that can act as quantum information bits, or qubits.

“If we had just a single layer of this material we’re using, these dark excitons wouldn’t interact with light,” says Nickolas Vamivakas, the Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Optical Physics. “By doing the big twist, it turns on artificial atoms within the material that we can control optically, but they are still protected from the environment.”

Moiré is less The work builds on the 2010 Nobel Prize–winning discovery that peeling carbon apart until it reaches a single layer of atoms creates a new two-dimensional (2D) material called graphene with special quantum characteristics.

Scientists have since explored how optical and electrical properties of graphene and other 2D materials change when layered on top of one another and twisted at very small angles—called moiré superlattices. For example, when graphene is twisted at the “magic” angle of 1.1 degrees, it creates special patterns that produce properties such as superconductivity.

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Campus News U of R

Twisting atomically thin materials could advance quantum computers Luke Auburn | Director of Communications, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences March 15, 2025

Vamivakas and his fellow researchers place monolayer materials in chips that are cooled through a cryostat to observe their unique optical properties. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)

But scientists from Rochester’s Institute of Optics and Department of Physics and Astronomy took a different approach. They used molybdenum diselenide, a 2D material that is more fickle than graphene, and twisted it at much higher angles of up to 40 degrees. Still, the researchers found the twisted monolayers produced excitons that were able to retain information when activated by light.

“This was very surprising for us,” says Arnab Barman Ray, an optics PhD candidate. “Molybdenum diselenide is notorious because other materials in the family of moiré materials show better information-retaining capacity. We think that if we use some of those other materials at these large angles, they will probably work even better.”

The team views this as an important early step toward new types of quantum devices.

“Down the line, we hope these artificial atoms can be used like memory or nodes in a quantum network, or put into optical cavities to create quantum materials,” says Vamivakas. “These could be the backbone for devices like the next generation of lasers or even tools to simulate quantum physics.”

The research was supported through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and conducted at the URnano facilities.

Science & Technology

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Campus News U of R

New technology could quash QR code phishing attacks Luke Auburn | Director of Communications, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences February 11, 2025

The improved QR code format would let smartphone users know if they’re heading to a secure website—or wading into a potential ‘quishing’ scam.

The ubiquitous QR (quick response) codes that appear on everything from parking pay stations to soda cans and promotional flyers have become an increasingly popular target for cybercriminals to exploit through QR code– based phishing attacks, also known as “quishing.” Bad actors will place phony QR codes that direct smartphone users to enter their sensitive private information in fake websites masquerading as bank websites, parking enforcement offices, or other seemingly official sources.

How many quishes could a QR code quash if a QR code could quash quishes? (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)

Researchers at the University of Rochester have engineered a new form of QR codes—called self-authenticating dual-modulated QR (SDMQR)—that can protect smartphone users from these types of attacks by signaling if users are being directed to a safe link or a potential scam. The technology is outlined in a new study published in the journal IEEE Security & Privacy.

The SDMQR codes provide an added layer of security by allowing an official source such as a company to pre-register its URLs and embed a cryptographic signature in a QR code. When a code is scanned by a user, the QR code decoder can signal to the user whether the link is from a verified source and can be safely followed, or if it is from an unverified source for which users should exert caution in following the link and in sharing sensitive personal information.

Importantly, the added layer of security with SDMQR codes comes transparently, without any interference with the existing functionality of a QR code. “Retrofitting security is always a key challenge because once you’ve got existing players in the game, and an existing workflow, changes that do not maintain backward compatibility are just too disruptive,” says Gaurav Sharma, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and biostatistics and computational biology.

SDMQR codes look much like traditional QR codes, but they use elongated ellipses instead of the traditional black and white squares. Today’s smartphone cameras have such a high resolution that they can differentiate the more complex shapes and, as a result, embed more information in each code.

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Campus News U of R

New technology could quash QR code phishing attacks Luke Auburn | Director of Communications, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences February 11, 2025

Sharma and his coauthor Irving Barron, an assistant professor of instruction in electrical and computer engineering, have been exploring opportunities to commercialize the technology. They worked with UR Ventures to file a patent for SDMQR codes and secured a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore industry applications, such as replacing traditional UPC barcodes—the 12-digit code and series of bars that typically identify a product—with these more sophisticated QR codes.

In addition to using new shapes for QR codes, the researchers are developing QR codes that can use color to embed more information and allow a single code to drive people to up to three destinations. Sharma says that their customer discovery research through the NSF I-Corps has shown that companies are interested in the technology because it allows for branded codes that could be used on packaging to replace both the modern black-and-white codes and the UPC codes scanned at checkout aisles.

“Something that has been repeatedly brought up to us is that companies want to move away from having a traditional UPC barcode on their packaging and are increasingly moving to QR codes and other 2D barcodes because of their robustness,” says Sharma. “The footprint is a concern because they want to have as much information in as small an area as possible. Our technology can help them achieve that.”

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Campus News RIT

Vodacek helping to bring machine learning to Indigenous communities International funding will help address human-wildlife conflict and climate change in Kenya and Ecuador

by Mollie Radzinski | March 19, 2025

Elephants gather near a water hole in Kenya.

Photo credit: Tony Vodacek

Indigenous communities in Kenya and Ecuador have access to machine learning technology to help combat human-wildlife conflict and climate change thanks in part to a new partnership that includes RIT. Anthony Vodacek, professor in the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, is assisting with the Ltome-Katip, or Elephant-Rat, Project, funded by the Lacuna Fund.

The project is a pioneering initiative dedicated to generating Indigenous-labeled data for machine learning and AI. It is led by the Shuar Nation in the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Samburu tribe in northern Kenya. Also involved is the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, Space4Innovation, and the Indigenous Musap Biological Station in collaboration with the GEO Indigenous Alliance.

As described in the project’s proposal, “by actively involving Indigenous communities in data collection, labeling, and map development, the team will bridge critical gaps in understanding climate change, human-wildlife conflict, and afforestation and deforestation.”

Vodacek has spent time in both Kenya and Ecuador to help facilitate the work.

Microphones were placed in various areas to pick up sounds from different species.

The data is then labeled and entered into remote sensing analysis where conclusions can be made.

A remote sensing device, called an AudioMoth, is attached to a tree in Kenya to monitor wildlife.

Photo credit: Tony Vodacek

Specifically, elephants are being studied in Kenya, where babies fall into wells because of ongoing water scarcity issues and are sometimes separated from their mothers. In Ecuador in the Amazon, rats are becoming a problem in the crop areas of the forest.

The collaboration with Indigenous communities allows for ensuring culturally relevant and effective solutions.

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Campus News RIT

Vodacek helping to bring machine learning to Indigenous communities International funding will help address human-wildlife conflict and climate change in Kenya and Ecuador

by Mollie Radzinski

“A lot of AI development has taken place within a western bias so including Indigenous communities tries to reduce some of that bias,” explained Vodacek. “It’s important to use their knowledge and bring the technology to them so they can apply it to the problems they have.”

RIT has also reached another part of Kenya, as Vodacek represented the university in the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Jomo Kenyetta University of Agriculture and Technology to enhance education, research, and technological innovation in the field of imaging science. The partnership will include specialized workshops, research grants, and hands-on training in advanced imaging systems.

These, and numerous other global collaborations, help RIT shape the future and improve the world through innovation. For more information on RIT’s global engagement, go to the RIT Global website.

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Campus News RIT

Researchers explore how mechanical signals influence viral infections in lungs New work brings together an under-studied area of mechanical signals on cells and their influence on viral infections

by Michelle Cometa | February 24, 2025

Professors Karin Wuertz-Kozak, left, and Maureen Ferran will be working on a new research project to explore how mechanical forces influence viral infection rates in the lungs to reduce disease progression.

Photo credit: Scott Hamilton/RIT

Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology are investigating how mechanical forces—such as stretching and changes in tissue stiffness—influence viral infection rates in the lungs to understand how disease progression can be reduced.

The process combines virology and mechanobiology, two distinct areas of study that had not been explored at the same time but might prove to be a way to better understand disease progressions to intervene earlier and improve patient outcomes.

RIT professors Karin Wuertz-Kozak, a bioengineer, and Maureen Ferran, a virologist, are investigating the relationship between mechanical forces, such as changes in stiffness or stretching, and viral pathogenesis in lung tissue through a National Science Foundation grant they recently received.

Understanding how cells respond to mechanical signals could help in understanding disease progression and eventually be a way to develop new therapies and interventions, including repair and regeneration of damaged tissues, said Wuertz-Kozak.

“The concept of mechano-biology is about trying to understand how mechanical signals change the behavior of a cell,” she said.

“Typically, someone studying mechanical forces like stretching or stiffness would not be the same person studying virus progression, and vice versa. This project allows us to merge both perspectives.”

The team will investigate how viruses infect lung fibroblasts under different mechanical loading conditions, and how differences in the mechanical environment may alter cellular pathways that influence viral performance. In the lungs, the predominant mechanical cues include breathing-related stretching and stiffness-changes associated with diseases such as lung fibrosis. An indicator of this condition is abnormal tissue rigidity.

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Campus News RIT

Researchers explore how mechanical signals influence viral infections in lungs New work brings together an under-studied area of mechanical signals on cells and their influence on viral infections

by Michelle Cometa | February 24, 2025

Ferran, a professor in RIT’s Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, is an expert in genetics and immune response. She leads the Viral Genetics Lab where research focuses on using viruses as tools for cancer therapy, probing the immune response, and studying age-related diseases.

“Our findings may ultimately help guide physicians when advising patients on exercise during a viral infection,” said Ferran. “Exercise leads to increased breathing frequency and increased mechanical forces on lung tissue. By understanding how these forces affect infection progression of lung cells, we can recommend strategies that minimize complications and potentially improve recovery.”

Wuertz-Kozak, an expert in cellular micro-environments and tissue engineering, leads the Tissue Regeneration and Mechanobiology Lab in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering. Through the lab, her team is developing treatment options for tissue regeneration and pain reduction.

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Campus News RIT

Engineering faculty receives DARPA Young Faculty Award honors Jairo Diaz Amaya’s work is recognized for advancing soft materials’ assembly

by Michelle Cometa | February 20, 2025

Jairo Diaz Amaya, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, was honored with a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award for his work conducting fundamental research in the fabrication and self-assembly of colloids—key elements of soft matter.

The DARPA Young Faculty Award is given to young faculty scholars conducting foundational research in the broad areas of national security and to support a portion of their career research initiatives for the Department of Defense. Diaz Amaya’s project will explore new technological routes to create functional materials.

“In my project, I am using a new soft matter platform where polymers and colloids direct assembly instructions across length scales” here, similar to the way in which life self-assembles, multiple molecules seem to provide dynamic instructions to create shape and function. We are not at the complexity of biology, but we are providing strong insights into what is possible,” said Diaz Amaya, who has been at RIT since 2021.

Understanding materials science from the molecular and nanostructure standpoint, researchers like Diaz Amaya seek to detail the behaviors of natural soft matter systems —the term used for materials such as polymers, colloids, gels and other liquid substances.

Diaz Amaya’s background multiple disciplines including chemical engineering to material science, physics, and structural biology.

He leads the Soft Matter Signaling Lab in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering, where the team designs and develops novel soft materials to further explore their relevance to physical and life systems. His focus is about how colloidal platforms can extract fundamental principles to create functional materials.

Prior to coming to RIT, he worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Soft Matter Research at New York University and the Advanced Science Research Center Structural Biology Initiative at the City University of New York. The combination of disciplines is the basis for his current work in exploring how materials evolve and change as well as how materials can be best used to create more advanced structures with properties that were otherwise unavailable.

Most recently, Diaz Amaya was awarded a grant from the DOD Advanced Research Projects division for “Osmotic signalers for functional materials” a three-year project to determine new technology routes and functions to create functional materials.

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CRISPR Genomic Engineering as a Tool to Develop Functional 3D Bioprinted Models. By Iker Martinez Zalbidea, PhD Student, RIT. 3D bioprinting represents a revolutionary advancement in medical technology that offers many innovative approaches to healthcare and biomedical research. These include the development of personalized implants and prosthetics, functional human organs for transplantation, or development of customized disease treatment models for research purposes [1, 2, 3]. Another innovative development is CRISPR-Cas9 technology, a geneediting tool that allows for precise modifications of the genome [4]. The integration of CRISPR-Cas9 genomic engineering and 3D bioprinting will revolutionize the fields of regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and drug development.

Applications:

By CRISPR editing the cells used in 3D bioprinting, it is possible to improve tissue properties, correct genetic defects, and introduce new functionalities that may not be present in natural tissues. Several key applications of CRISPR in 3D bioprinting-based medicine include: Engineering Functional Tissues CRISPR technology can be used to edit the genes of the cells used in bioprinting to enhance their ability to form functional structures, such as blood vessels, cartilage, or nerve tissue. In this regard, CRISPR can be used to induce the expression of genes that promote the formation of blood vessels, tissue regeneration, or stem cell differentiation.

Figure 1 A few examples of 3D printed human tissues [3].

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Gene Therapy and Disease Modeling By editing the genomes of cells used in 3D bioprinting, researchers can create personalized models of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, or specific cancer types. These models can be used to study disease mechanisms, test new drug candidates, and develop personalized therapeutic strategies. In this way, CRISPR-edited bioprinted tissues can serve as powerful tools for preclinical drug testing, reducing the reliance on animal models and enabling more accurate predictions of human responses to treatments [5, 6]. Personalized Medicine The use of patient-specific data in both CRISPR and 3D bioprinting can result in personalized therapies for each patient. For example, CRISPR can be used to correct genetic mutations in a patient’s own cells, which are then bioprinted to create autocompatible tissues. These bioprinted tissues can be used for transplantation (including animal organ xenotransplantation), reducing the risk of immune rejection and improving the success rate of grafts [5, 6, 7].

Enhanced Stem Cell Therapy CRISPR can be employed to improve the differentiation of stem cells into specific cell types needed for 3D bioprinted tissues. In this way, CRISPR-edited stem cells can be used to create more functional and stable tissues for therapeutic applications, such as cartilage regeneration or bone repair [8].

Drug Testing and Toxicity Screening By incorporating genetically modified cells into tissue constructs, researchers can mimic human disease states and screen drugs for efficacy and safety. This is particularly important in the early stages of drug development, where traditional 2D cell cultures and animal models often fail to accurately predict human responses.

For instance, bioprinted tissues with CRISPR-edited liver and other cells types have been used to screen for the toxic effects of pharmaceutical compounds, enabling more accurate predictions of drug safety [9, 10]. Another example are 3D printed glioblastoma models (printed with tissue derived gelatin bioink) for drug screening using CRISPR [5].

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Figure 2 General 3D bioprinting applications and cell types that can be used to emulate different organs [11].

Process The process of developing a genetically modified cell line, and using them in a 3D bioprinted tissue involves several crucial steps:

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Cell isolation and expansion: Depending on the goal, different cell types can be used. For example, induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated into different cell types (such as liver or heart muscle tissue), and can be obtained from pre-existing repositories, or generated from individual patients using genetic reprogramming [12].

-CRISPR target design: The first step before genetically modifying cells is designing the guide RNA targeting the gene of interest. For the most common CRISPR-Cas9 applications the goal is to target the protein coding regions of a gene. In other applications, the gRNA is aimed at regulatory regions, such as gene promoters.

For example, CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to “knock-out” (disable) a gene an induce a disease phenotype, which can then be studied in a 3D model.

CRISPR Delivery: The entire CRISPR system (which includes Cas9 and guide RNA) -is delivered into the cells. Delivery methods include viral vectors and lipofection.

3D bioprinting: The 3D scaffold should have pores for nutrient and waste exchange to support cell survival, and should be composed of biodegradable materials like

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hydrogels, alginate, or collagen, that allow the cells to adhere and proliferate. The bioprinter should be capable of printing at a cellular resolution, like an extrusionbased or inkjet-based bioprinter, while simultaneously avoiding damaging the cells. The modified cells will then be mixed with bioinks containing growth factors and nutrients, and the printed into the pre-designed 3D structure. Each layer of cells is printed to build the tissue, with precision to mimic the natural structure.

Post-printing culture: After the printing process, the cells need to be maintained into the appropriate conditions, which might require differentiating the cells into the desired tissue type. A complex 3D organ will likewise require the proper maturation of the cells and vascularization.

After this process, the 3D tissue would be ready for its intended use. That might require surgery or in vitro experiments.

Figure 3 The basic process of gene editing cells before infusing the cells in a 3D printable bioink.

(Created with BioRender.com).

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Despite the newest advancements, there are numerous challenges to address before these technologies can be fully integrated and applied to general healthcare applications.

- Off-Target Effects: Even though CRISPR is precise, it can sometimes make unintended changes in other parts of the DNA, which could be a serious problem edit the wrong part of the genome when applied to a patient.

- Long-term genetic stability: The introduced genetic modification could negatively affect the cells in unexpected ways in the long term, or the desired changes could perhaps not remain stable.

- Retaining cell viability and function: Cells can be damaged by the printing process due to mechanical stress, temperature variations, or exposure to UV light. Ensuring that printed cells remain healthy and functional after printing is critical for successful tissue engineering.

- Ethical and Regulatory Issues: genetic modification and bioprinting of human tissues and organs raises ethical concerns, such as the use of stem cells, or the implications of creating tissues or organs that are genetically modified.

In conclusion, by enabling the development of personalized tissue models, diseasespecific constructs, and more functional tissues, CRISPR-enhanced 3D bioprinting could lead to significant advancements in the treatment of genetic disorders, the creation of organ models for drug testing, and the generation of personalized therapies for patients. As these technologies continue to evolve, the synergy between CRISPR and 3D bioprinting will likely play a pivotal role in shaping the future of medicine.

References [1] Fang W, Yang M, Wang L, Li W, Liu M, Jin Y, Wang Y, Yang R, Wang Y, Zhang K, Fu Q. Hydrogels for 3D bioprinting in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: Current progress and challenges. Int J Bioprint. 2023 May 23;9(5):759. doi: 10.18063/ijb.759.

PMID: 37457925; PMCID: PMC10339415.

[2] Lam EHY, Yu F, Zhu S, Wang Z. 3D Bioprinting for Next-Generation Personalized Medicine. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 28;24(7):6357. doi: 10.3390/ijms24076357. PMID: 37047328; PMCID: PMC10094501.

[3] Murphy, S., Atala, A. 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs. Nat Biotechnol 32, 773–785 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.2958 [4] Doudna, J. A., & Charpentier, E. (2014). "The new frontier of genome engineering with CRISPR-Cas9." Science, 346(6213), 1258096.

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[5] Tang, M., Xie, Q., Gimple, R.C. et al. Three-dimensional bioprinted glioblastoma microenvironments model cellular dependencies and immune interactions. Cell Res 30, 833–853 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-020-0338-1 [6] Gopal S, Rodrigues AL and Dordick JS (2020) Exploiting CRISPR Cas9 in ThreeDimensional Stem Cell Cultures to Model Disease. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 8:692. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00692 [7] Li P, Zhang W, Smith LJ, Ayares D, Cooper DKC, Ekser B. The potential role of 3Dbioprinting in xenotransplantation. Curr Opin Organ Transplant. 2019 Oct;24(5):547-554. doi: 10.1097/MOT.0000000000000684. PMID: 31385888; PMCID: PMC6861853.

[8] Li C, Du Y, Zhang T, Wang H, Hou Z, Zhang Y, Cui W, Chen W. "Genetic scissors" CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing cutting-edge biocarrier technology for bone and cartilage repair. Bioact Mater. 2022 Oct 7;22:254-273. doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.09.026.

PMID: 36263098; PMCID: PMC9554751.

[9] Xu T, Li L, Liu YC, Cao W, Chen JS, Hu S, Liu Y, Li LY, Zhou H, Meng XM, Huang C, Zhang L, Li J, Zhou H. CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies in liver diseases: from feasibility to future diversity. Int J Biol Sci. 2020 Jun 1;16(13):2283-2295. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.33481.

PMID: 32760197; PMCID: PMC7378651.

[10] Hendriks, D., Brouwers, J.F., Hamer, K. et al. Engineered human hepatocyte organoids enable CRISPR-based target discovery and drug screening for steatosis. Nat Biotechnol 41, 1567–1581 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01680-4 [11] Ong CS, Yesantharao P, Huang CY, Mattson G, Boktor J, Fukunishi T, Zhang H, Hibino N. 3D bioprinting using stem cells. Pediatr Res. 2018 Jan;83(1-2):223-231. doi: 10.1038/pr.2017.252. Epub 2017 Nov 1. PMID: 28985202.

[12] Takahashi K, Tanabe K, Ohnuki M, Narita M, Ichisaka T, Tomoda K, Yamanaka S. Induction of pluripotent stem cells from adult human fibroblasts by defined factors. Cell.

2007 Nov 30;131(5):861-72. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.11.019. PMID: 18035408.

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It Might Feel Wild & Wooly (particularly on Bill’s game days), But the Thruway Has Been Getting Safer for Decades Advances in Car Technology and Transportation Engineering Lead the Way Written by: Barry J. Dumbauld, PE, and Mark Pawloski, PE, Hunt E|A|S

Introduction With thousands and thousands of New York State Thruway miles under our belts -- including now weekly cross-state trips to either Buffalo or Burlington, VT, HUNT-EAS’ co-authors have enormous “street cred” when describing the scenario that originally set our research question in motion.

“How is it possible”, we regularly wondered, “that there aren’t countless multiple-car accidents along the Thruway daily?”.

They travel in packs of seven…eight…nine…You’ve all seen them, experienced them, or maybe even gotten caught up in their riptide.

Eighty-plus miles-per-hour and at most five yards apart, a tightly bound group of SUV’s and cars roar up, impatiently flashing their headlights Autobahn-style as you attempt to pass an 18-wheeler or a 1972 Pinto. On otherwise lonely stretches, they look like a snake wiggling away in the distance. But throw in a dawdling RV, a horse trailer, and a modest family station wagon, and we’ve all had the same thought, “One false move and cars are going to start bouncing”!

But somehow it doesn’t seem to happen. In fact, NYSTA officials can proudly boast that their 570-mile responsibility is “statistically safer than many other roadways” with a “lower fatality rate…significantly lower…when compared to the national averages reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation”.

Still, how is this possible?

Like expecting to see the Porsche that blew by at 90MPH pulled over by a Trooper, for years we worried that whatever cosmic magic keeping these high-speed cars separated by inches was tenuous at best and around the corner a pile-up awaited us. However, more recently we’ve settled on a different theory – the successes of modern car technology and transportation engineering.

The Thruway as an Example According to the NYSTA, Thruway customers regularly travel over 7 billion vehicle-miles annually on the highway, averaging more than 21.2 million vehicle-miles per day. At 570 miles in length, the NYS Thruway is one of the largest tolled highway systems in the United States and is a critical component of the national interstate network. Since 1960, the Thruway has seen an improvement in the reduction of fatal car crashes of 78%, dropping from 5.2 per 100 Million miles traveled to 1.1 in 2019!

It Might Feel Wild & Wooly (particularly on Bill’s game days), But the Thruway Has Been Getting Safer for Decades Advances in Car Technology and Transportation Engineering Lead the Way Written by: Barry J. Dumbauld, PE, and Mark Pawloski, PE, Hunt E|A|S There are few alternatives to the Thruway as it connects the principal cities of the State from New York City to Albany, and on to Utica, Syracuse and Rochester through to Buffalo and the Pennsylvania state line.

The Thruway corridor serves 37 of the State’s 62 counties and the majority of the State’s population. According to Thruway authorities, approximately 400 million toll transactions occur annually, generating over $800 million in toll revenues.

Where Do Most Crash Deaths Occur in NY? The upstate region’s highest fatality totals were in Erie County (59 in 2022), Monroe County (45) and Orange County (39). Downstate counties saw fewer fatal accidents — including Westchester (36), Dutchess (26) and Rockland (20).

Click on photo to watch video

Most fatalities took place on New York’s urban roadways, an increase of nearly 70% since 2017. While Long Island’s two-county total of 245 fatalities led the state, the North Country region had the highest per capita rate at nearly 13 deaths for every 100,000 people.

The Main Causes In 2023, 5,111 police-reported crashes in New York State involved “fatigue/drowsy driving” and/or “driver fell asleep” as contributing factors, according to preliminary statistics from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR) at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College.

In 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 693 fatalities from drowsy-driving-related crashes in the United States. NHTSA also estimates that 100,000 crashes each year are caused primarily by drowsy driving, resulting in more than 71,000 injuries. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety also cites drowsy driving as the cause of thousands of car crashes each year, killing an estimated 6,400 people nationally.

Analyzing car safety trends in New York State over the last decade reveals a complex picture, with the State witnessing a surge in motor vehicle fatalities post-2019, reversing previous safety gains. This spike, mirroring a national trend, is particularly pronounced in New York and is attributed to pandemic-induced changes in driver behavior, notably increased speeding and reckless driving. Fatalities reached a decade high in 2022.

Distracted driving, particularly from cell phones and in-vehicle systems, remains a primary cause of crash.

Contributing factors to fatalities also include driving under the influence, failure to obey traffic laws, and pedestrian/bicyclist errors. Furthermore, fatality rates exhibit demographic variations, with higher rates among males and older age groups.

The recent rise in fatalities highlights the urgent need for sustained efforts to promote safe driving practices, rigorously enforce traffic laws, and enhance road safety infrastructure to mitigate these alarming trends.

It Might Feel Wild & Wooly (particularly on Bill’s game days), But the Thruway Has Been Getting Safer for Decades Advances in Car Technology and Transportation Engineering Lead the Way Written by: Barry J. Dumbauld, PE, and Mark Pawloski, PE, Hunt E|A|S

Law Enforcement Law enforcement plays a pivotal role in maintaining safety on the New York State Thruway. Increased patrols and stringent enforcement of traffic laws, including speeding, DUI, and distracted driving, are essential deterrents.

Specifically, the "Move Over Law" requires strict enforcement to protect emergency responders and maintenance workers. Technological advancements, such as traffic monitoring systems and driver alert technologies, bolster these efforts. Public awareness campaigns are also critical, educating drivers about safe practices and the dangers of risky behaviors. The Thruway's unique high-speed environment necessitates a focused approach, with particular attention to the normalization of increasingly high average speeds and their impact on the number and severity of accident rates, as well as the persistent problem of impaired and distracted driving.

Law enforcement utilizes advanced technologies like radar, lidar, and impaired driving detection systems, while commercial vehicle enforcement employs over-height detection systems to prevent bridge strikes.

The post-COVID surge in risky driving behaviors, including increased speeding and reduced seatbelt use, has further complicated safety efforts, necessitating continued rigorous law enforcement and public awareness campaigns to address these ongoing concerns.

Despite these efforts, accidents still occur, often exacerbated by factors unique to the Thruway. Distracted driving, including cell phone usage and in-vehicle distractions, remains a persistent challenge, particularly on long stretches of highway. Impaired driving continues to be a serious issue, with regular DUI arrests.

Furthermore, New York's diverse weather conditions, including snow, ice, rain, and fog, pose significant safety hazards.

Car Technology & Transportation Engineering Propel Significant Safety Advances For a lot of our HUNT colleagues, it’s hard to imagine a time before seatbelts, airbags, and highly engineered tires, let alone cruise control. Describing highways littered with cars pulled over…steaming radiators and flat tires, elicits disbelieving “yeh…yehs”. Pick-up trucks with kids rolling around in the back bed and families of seven crammed into a VW bug were not uncommon (ask my wife!).

It was with that premise in mind that our HUNT colleague Mark Pawlowski, PE began the following litany of automotive technological advances: “Automotive technology is revolutionizing road safety through the integration of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS). Features like blind-spot detection, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control use sensors, cameras, and radar to provide real-time information and assistance, significantly reducing collisions and improving traffic flow.”

The list continues with forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking (AEB) which can prevent or mitigate crashes, particularly rear-end collisions. Adaptive headlights enhance visibility, and rearview cameras eliminate blind spots during reversing. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) has proven effective in reducing singlevehicle crashes.

It Might Feel Wild & Wooly (particularly on Bill’s game days), But the Thruway Has Been Getting Safer for Decades Advances in Car Technology and Transportation Engineering Lead the Way Written by: Barry J. Dumbauld, PE, and Mark Pawloski, PE, Hunt E|A|S Furthermore, mobile applications and virtual driving simulators are enhancing road safety awareness and education, while AI-powered models analyze data to identify high-risk areas and proactively warn drivers.

While these technological advances promise a safer future, HUNT’s Director of Transportation, Barry Dumbauld, PE agreed that it is crucial to address potential challenges. Overreliance on technology and distractions from “infotainment” systems and cell phones can undermine safety. Drivers must be thoroughly trained on the effective use and limitations of these technologies to maintain situational awareness.

Transportation Engineering: Fresh from the design of a curb-cut, road-dieting effort in the Village of Honeoye Falls, Barry was glad to engage in our research on other transportation engineering advances, asserting that his team and others were “significantly enhancing road safety through smart infrastructure and improved road design.”

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) utilize sensors, cameras, and data analytics to optimize traffic flow, featuring smart traffic signals, variable message signs, and roadway sensors for real-time monitoring and incident response. Simultaneously, transportation engineers are implementing safer highway designs, including roundabouts to reduce intersection crash severity, cable guide-rail barriers and box-beam rails to prevent headon collisions, and enhanced lighting and signage for improved visibility. Data analytics further bolster these efforts by identifying high-risk areas and enabling predictive analytics and efficient incident management, ultimately contributing to safer roadways.

The NYSTA is at the forefront of integrating technological advancements into its infrastructure. Sophisticated traffic management systems provide real-time monitoring of traffic flow, weather conditions, and incidents, while variable message signs offer drivers crucial, up-to-the-minute information. Infrastructure improvements include enhanced pavement markings, advanced lighting, and technologies aiding winter maintenance. The integration of vehicle technologies, such as ADAS, and the increasing use of data and monitoring systems, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), further contribute to a safer Thruway environment. The implementation of electronic tolling has also helped to reduce congestion, improving overall safety.

Drive Safe, and Go Bills!

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Analyzing car safety trends in the Rochester, NY region reveals a situation with some unique local characteristics, while also reflecting broader state and national trends. Here's a summary courtesy of Rochester PD and the Rochester Beacon: Key Trends and Concerns: Increased Pedestrian and Cyclist Vulnerability: A significant concern in Rochester is the high rate of pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities. This has led to increased focus on improving street safety for non-vehicle users.

Senator Schumer has highlighted that Rochester has among the highest rates of fatalities per crash of any midsize city in New York State, particularly concerning pedestrian and cyclist safety.

This has resulted in efforts to obtain funding for infrastructure improvements like dedicated bike lanes, improved crosswalks, and better lighting.

Motor Vehicle Thefts: Rochester has experienced a notable surge in motor vehicle thefts, particularly in recent years. This trend has placed added emphasis on vehicle security and crime prevention.

General Traffic Safety: Like other areas, Rochester faces ongoing challenges related to: Distracted driving Speeding Impaired driving Infrastructure Impact: The condition of roads in the Rochester region plays a role in safety. Deteriorated roads and congestion contribute to increased vehicle operating costs and crash risks.

In summary: The Rochester region is addressing a combination of general traffic safety concerns and specific local challenges, such as the high vulnerability of pedestrians and cyclists and rising motor vehicle thefts. There is a strong push for infrastructure improvements and increased safety measures to mitigate these risks.

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How do roundabouts affect safety?

Several features of roundabouts promote safety. At traditional intersections with stop signs or traffic signals, some of the most common types of crashes are right-angle, left-turn, and head-on collisions. These types of collisions can be severe because vehicles may be traveling through the intersection at high speeds. With roundabouts, these types of potentially serious crashes essentially are eliminated because vehicles travel in the same direction.

Installing roundabouts in place of traffic signals can also reduce the likelihood of rear-end crashes and their severity by removing the incentive for drivers to speed up as they approach green lights and by reducing abrupt stops at red lights. The vehicle-to-vehicle conflicts that occur at roundabouts generally involve a vehicle merging into the circular roadway, with both vehicles traveling at low speeds — generally less than 20 mph in urban areas and less than 30-35 mph in rural areas.

A 2001 Institute study of 23 intersections in the United States reported that converting intersections from traffic signals or stop signs to roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 80 percent and all crashes by 40 percent. Similar results were reported by Eisenman et al.: a 75 percent decrease in injury crashes and a 37 percent decrease in total crashes at 35 intersections that were converted from traffic signals to roundabouts.

Two studies of intersections in Europe and Australia that were converted to roundabouts have reported 41-61 percent reductions in injury crashes and 45-75 percent reductions in severe injury crashes.

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About the Authors

Barry J. Dumbauld, PE, and Mark Pawloski, PE have more than 50 years of combined Transportation Design and Department of Transportation (DOT) engineering experience. Sean M. Phelan, Associate AIA, has worked on Main Street and urban economic development projects for more than 25 years. HUNT-EAS provides a broad range of transportation engineering services, including roadway and bridge design, highway and interchange design, construction administration, construction inspection, and project management.

HUNT’s Transportation Services include: site-specific work on State & Interstate Highways, Interchanges, County & Town/City Roads, Urban Streets & Streetscapes, and Bridges. Those efforts are led by Traffic Studies, Horizontal Curve Studies, Survey & Mapping, Hydrologic & Hydraulic Studies, Construction Inspection, Construction Administration, and Stormwater Management . Our Safety-First emphasis sees our team assisting with Pedestrian & Bicycle Paths, Traffic Signals, Traffic Calming, ADA Pedestrian Accommodations, Complete Streets, and Safe-to School programs for our K-12 clients.

To get the most up to date and detailed information, we recommend checking these resources: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) New York State Department of Health National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New York State Comptroller's office.

NYSDOT & NYSTA

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ASHRAE Family & Friends, As we dig our way out of winter, I reflect on our chapter's program and the wonderful support we have received this year. We sincerely thank all our members for attending and participating in our chapter programs. Your presence and engagement are what make these events successful and enriching for everyone involved, which helps foster a vibrant and collaborative community. We look forward to seeing you at future events and continuing to share valuable experiences together. Thank you for being an integral part of our chapter!

Last month, our March Chapter meeting featured an insightful presentation on Ventilation, Filtration, and Clean Airflow by Daryl DeAngelis from EBTRON. His engaging talk highlighted the significant impact these topics have on our built environment. The event was themed as our "Past Presidents Luncheon," and we were fortunate to have thirteen of our Chapter's past presidents in attendance. As we celebrate our Chapter's 70th Anniversary in 2025, this provided a wonderful opportunity to recognize our past leadership for their invaluable contributions to both ASHRAE and our Chapter's success over the years.

Thanks to our Past Presidents for paving the way!

Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 14th. We will explore local large-scale refrigeration systems currently in operation at the Wegmans Distribution Center. The event will feature a dinner presentation on these systems, followed by a site tour of the facility. While the dinner and presentation are open to all, please note that there are limited spots available for the tour, so early registration is encouraged. A big thank you to Wegmans Food Markets and Meier Supply Co. for making this event possible!

Our Sustainability Committee will be hosting a community event on Friday, April 18th where our group will participate in an Energy Treasure Hunt at the Browncroft Community Church in Penfield. During this event, participants will team up to search for energy-saving opportunities while touring the facility. This will be a fantastic opportunity for networking with industry colleagues and learning more about energy-saving strategies.

Back by popular demand, ASHRAE Rochester's Annual Golf Outing and Picnic will be held on Tuesday, May 20th at Ravenwood in Victor. Mark your calendars! Keep an eye out for details on tickets and sponsorship opportunities to support this popular event, which tends to sell out quickly!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who donates to ASHRAE Research Promotion (RP). Your contributions help fund a wide range of programs supported by ASHRAE, including scholarships, numerous research projects, and the development of essential technical guidelines, standards, and handbooks. If you are interested in becoming a donor and supporting these initiatives, please reach out to our RP committee chairperson, Dan Diaz (Dan.Diaz@tranetechnologies.com) for more information on how you can contribute to this great cause.

Bret Fryover, PE ASHRAE Rochester Chapter President, 2024-2025

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ROCHESTER PLANT ENGINEERS

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Friday, May 2, 2025 from 6-10PM The Strathallan

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$70/TICKET

Receive $500 in Betting Chips to Play Craps, Texas Hold’ Blackjack, Three Card Poker, Intersect Poker & Let It Ride Hors D’Oeuvres, Food Stations & Dessert ~ cash bar

RAFFLES ~ SILENT AUCTION ~ LIVE MUSIC

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April 2025 Newsletter Officers & Societies CHAIR Kelly Robinson VICE-CHAIR Emmett Ientilucci TREASURER Lyle Tague SECRETARY Eric Zeise AES & COMSOC Cristiano Tapparello CS & CIS Bo Yuan EDS & CSS Sean Rommel EMBS Cristian Linte GRSS Emmett Ientilucci LIFE Jean Kendrick APS & MTTS Danielle Walters PHOTONICS Parsian K. Mohseni PES & IAS Kelly Robinson Jean Kendrick SPS Eric Zeise TEMS Paul Lee YOUNG PROF. Eric Brown STUDENT CHAP. Univ. of Rochester Ming-Lun Lee RIT Jamison Heard AWARDS Jean Kendrick COMMUNICATION Christine Frayda Howard Bussey NEWSLETTER Mark Schrader PACE Bruce Rubin HISTORIAN Ram Dhurjaty CS/CIS RES LIASON Greg Gdowski

Satellite Remote Sensing for National Security was presented by Dr. S. Didi Kuo, the Chief Geospatial Intelligence Systems Acquisition Directorate Architect at the National Reconnaissance Office. He discussed the various roles that satellite remote sensing plays in national security and how his degree from the Center for Imaging Science at RIT has prepared him for his career and work.

Bio:

Dr. S. Didi Kuo, a member of the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service, is the Principal Deputy Director, Geospatial Intelligence Systems Acquisition (GEOINT) Directorate for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Dr. Kuo leads a joint team responsible for the planning, cross-coordination, and acquisition of systems that provide critical space-based GEOINT data to national decision makers and warfighters worldwide. He has experience in research and development, program management, and architectural analysis with both the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.

Dr. Kuo is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in physics. Over his 26 years in the U.S. Air Force he served with the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Maui Optical Station, the Space and Missile Center, and the Air Staff at the Pentagon. His last assignment was as a Senior Materiel Leader at the NRO, retiring from the Air Force at the rank of Colonel. Dr. Kuo then joined the NRO Cadre and served as the GEOINT Chief Architect prior to becoming the Principal Deputy Director.

Dr. Kuo has a Ph.D. in Imaging Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces _____________________________________________________ Reported by Dr. Emmett J. Ientilucci (Emmett@cis.rit.edu) Gerald W. Harris Endowed Professor, Graduate Admissions Chair IEEE Region 1 Western Area Chair, IEEE Rochester Section Vice Chair Geoscience & Remote Sensing Society Western NY Chair, Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science

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Affiliated Societies of the Rochester Engineering Society

American Consulting Engineering, Companies of New York

Electrical Association

Monroe Professional Engineers Society

American Public Works Association Monroe County/Genesee Valley Branch

Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association

New York State Association of Transportation Engineers, Section 4

American Society of Civil Engineers, Rochester Section

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Inc., Rochester Section

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

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Rochester Section

American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Rochester NY Chapter

Imaging Science & Technology, Rochester Chapter

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Rochester Section

Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Rochester Chapter

Rochester Plant Engineers

Association for Bridge Construction and Design

Society of Plastics Engineers, Rochester Section

Terra Rochester Finger Lakes Science & Engineering Fair

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January 2025 edition

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