- RIT professor serves on prosecution team for landmark trial against operator of Bitcoin FogSeven years of dedicated work have come to a close for Divya Ramjee, assistant professor in RIT’s College of Liberal Arts. For nearly a decade Ramjee served as a member of the prosecution team for a criminal case against the operator of Bitcoin Fog. On March 12, a jury found the defendant, Roman Sterlingov, “guilty of operating among the longest-running and most prolific bitcoin money laundering services on the darknet,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice. At RIT, Ramjee works in the Department of Public Policy and the Department of Criminal Justice, and is a researcher at the ESL Global Cybersecurity Institute. Her role on the prosecution team fell at the intersection of these different disciplines: helping to illustrate evidential data, complex technical and legal jargon, and other high-level facts in a way that can be easily understood by an average jury member. “A case like this requires not just knowledge of the law, but also technical know-how and the skill of assembling a strong case based on that technical evidence. When it comes to computer crimes, it can be very difficult to put a strong case together due to the technological factors and the covert nature of such crimes,” said Ramjee. “Added to that challenge is the task of conveying complex, technical evidence to a jury who may not have much knowledge about the subject matter.” Prior to joining the RIT community in August 2023, Ramjee honed her skills at the intersection of technology, security, and policy by working for various federal agencies in Washington, D.C. In 2016, her experience and expertise in law and policy, paired with her understanding of the fields of cybersecurity and technology, led her to work at the U.S. Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). As part of her work at CCIPS, she was assigned to work on the Bitcoin Fog case in 2017. “I worked in a number of different federal agencies in D.C., and I was slowly getting more and more interested in issues relating to cybersecurity and technology. I spent quite a bit of time working with issues relating to infectious diseases, biotechnology, and national security, but I eventually shifted to looking at issues of technology and national security more broadly. When there was an opening at CCIPS, I applied so I could work in that realm and contribute to an important mission,” she said. The prosecution team for the case included attorneys, FBI agents, blockchain- and cryptocurrency-experts, members of the IRS criminal investigative branch, computer scientists, and a variety of other experts. Ramjee explained that a diverse, interdisciplinary team of experts was a necessity for the team given all of the complex details involved with the charges against the defendant. “It took the entire team quite some time to go through and distill all of the information and evidence that had been collected to display the case to a jury in an effective way. Trying to navigate how to explain something as complicated as transaction tracing and blockchain analysis was difficult for many reasons, but particularly because most people aren’t familiar with how to use cryptocurrency. People may know that Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, but they don't necessarily know how transactions work or what records exist for these transactions,” said Ramjee. The guilty verdict was not the only important outcome of the case in terms of prosecuting cryptocurrency money laundering. The landmark case also provided an important decision regarding the admissibility of blockchain analysis via a Daubert ruling—affirming that blockchain analysis, and particularly analysis by Chainalysis Reactor software, is based on reliable principles and methods, and testimony and evidence related to the analysis may be presented for a jury’s consideration. “The Daubert standard is used to ensure that evidence presented to the jury is reliable—an important test as technology continues to advance and simultaneously creates new ways to commit crimes and new ways to investigate them,” said Ramjee. “There are various parts of the test to determine reliability, such as if the technique has been tested, been subjected to peer review or academic publication, has a known or potential error rate, and if there is acceptance of the technique in the scientific community at large. In our case, the judge ultimately determined, after many hearings and extensive expert testimony, that blockchain analysis cleared the hurdle necessary to reach the jury.” Now that verdict has been given, Ramjee’s involvement with the case has ended. As she reflects on her experience with this trial, her mind bends toward the value and necessity of interdisciplinary education in preparing her students for their future careers. “I'm here at RIT because of my expertise and research at this nexus of the social sciences, law and policy, technology, and security. This case itself shows why a place like RIT is important—a place where people are doing research in these interdisciplinary areas while simultaneously educating students in a comprehensive way for the workforce,” said Ramjee. “Having an interdisciplinary background is something that the federal government and private sectors are increasingly looking for as we have to continue to evolve and innovate to combat security threats at present and in the future.” For more information about the court case, go to the Department of Justice website.
- RIT men’s hockey fans excited for NCAA playoff actionIt’s been eight years since RIT’s men’s hockey advanced to the NCAA tournament, so current students have never experienced the excitement surrounding the team as they’ve seen on campus this week. “Every student across campus is beyond excited for the men's hockey team since they made it to the NCAA Championship,” said RIT Student Government President Darcie Jones. “Being a former athlete myself, I know the joys that come with competing for your university for the entire nation to see. It’s disappointing that Sioux Falls is a 17 1/2 hour-car trip, but you can be sure our campus spirit will be off the charts in the Gene Polisseni Center.” A watch party is scheduled at 5 p.m. today. Julia Spaziani, a graduate student in materials science and engineering from Cortland, N.Y., was one of dozens of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and even community members, who showed up Tuesday to cheer the team on as they boarded a bus to the airport for their flight to Sioux Falls, S.D. She wore a white Corner Crew jersey with many team member autographs on the back. “Not only is the team electrifying and entertaining, the guys on the team are really nice guys,” she said. “And I’ve made a lot of friends with others in the Corner Crew.” Michelle Snow, a film production major from Stafford, Va., likes the team so much, she seriously planned to drive to South Dakota to watch the game, but couldn’t find enough friends to go with her. Snow said she really wasn’t a hockey fan until her junior year, when she attended games with her friends as a way to bond together and celebrate RIT. “Their win last weekend (for the Atlantic Hockey Association Championship) was a nice cherry on top,” she said. As a final capstone project this year, Snow produced a 15-minute, mixed-media documentary about the hockey team, mostly focusing on three players. “It shows how the culture surrounding hockey at RIT has affected the student and player experience,” Snow said. “They have a really unique fan base.” Several players from RIT’s women’s hockey team also came to cheer the men as they left campus on Tuesday. “We have some of the same goals as the men, so to see them in the NCAA playoffs, it’s exciting,” said Jordyn Bear, a forward on the women’s hockey team. Jay Earley, a fifth-year civil engineering technology major from Atlanta, also attended the unadvertised send-off, and wore a Frozen Four sweatshirt from 2010, when RIT went to the finals. “I’ve only missed a couple of games, and they were played when it was Thanksgiving break and I was home,” Earley said. He’s even followed the team to away games, as far away as Dartmouth in New Hampshire. “I love college hockey. I grew up in a hockey family,” Earley said. “RIT’s hockey program was a huge reason I came here.” Elizabeth Roberts, a first-year marketing major from Ravena, N.Y., also said the hockey program was one reason she enrolled at RIT. “I just love watching hockey,” she said. “There’s so much anticipation. It’s non-stop excitement.” Her message for the team: “Good luck. We’ll be watching from campus!”
- Hockey 101: How to become a superfanOK, Tiger fans. It’s time to sharpen your knowledge of the RIT hockey program now that the men’s team has advanced to the NCAA Hockey Tournament. Afterall, you want to appear to be the smartest person at Thursday's viewing party being hosted at the Gene Polisseni Center. So, let’s load up on some history and fun facts about the program:The women’s hockey team won the NCAA Division III crown in 2012 and elevated to Division I that same year.While hockey was unofficially played by RIT students in the 1950s (even at one time being named the Techmen with blue and gray uniforms), it wasn’t until the 1961-1962 season that a team was officially sanctioned by the university. The team’s goal (pun 100 percent intended) this year is to win an unprecedented triple crown in hockey by winning the Division I national title. The Tigers already captured the Division II crown in 1983 followed by a Division III title in 1985. The men’s team moved to Division I in 2005. The women’s hockey team won the NCAA Division III crown in 2012 and elevated to Division I that year. All three of these NCAA championship trophies are displayed in the Gene Polisseni Center. RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson and Associate Head Coach Brian Hills already have a national championship ring. The duo were the captains of the 1984 championship team at Bowling Green. RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson is in his 25th season at the helm of the Tigers. He was just named Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year and is the ranked 34th all time in NCAA wins. With 30,000 plus in attendance, the Tigers have played in one of the largest indoor hockey competitions in history when they squared off against the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2010 Frozen Four. The Frozen Four was hosted that year at Ford Field in Detroit. That year, the Tigers regularly played in sold-out Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena. Capacity: 2,100. David vs. Goliath? RIT’s opponent, Boston University, currently has 17 players in the National Hockey League. RIT has one, Chris Tanev of the Dallas Stars, who played on the 2010 Frozen Four team. The Terriers currently have 13 NHL draft picks on their roster. RIT has none. Macklin Celebrini, Boston’s freshman center and youngest player in the NCAA at 17, is the consensus top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft. This is the first time RIT and Boston University have faced each other. After the amazing 2010 Frozen Four run, university officials decided it was time to build a larger arena then Frank Ritter. The “Power Plan” campaign was on to build a new arena. RIT alumni Stephen Schultz ’89 (computer science) and his wife, Vicki Schultz ’94 (business administration), ’99 (MBA), presented the campaign’s opening gift of $1 million. A founding member of RIT’s colorful Corner Crew cheering section, Schultz considers this donation an extension of his ongoing loyalty to the Tigers. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Polisseni Center. There is one lone orange seat at Polisseni. That seat is in honor of Green B. Williams ’78 (business administration), a former RIT goaltender. After graduating, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served with distinction. Tragically, he was killed in a pilot-training accident on March 21, 1984 So, are you ready to cheer on the Tigers with your superfan knowledge? If you want to learn more, there is even a book published by RIT Press, Frozen in Time: The History of RIT Hockey. Get your game on and Go Tigers!
- Alumni know anything can happen in NCAA tournamentAlumni know RIT may seem like an underdog among the hockey powerhouses in the 2024 NCAA tournament, but several alumni have seen exciting upsets by the Tigers over the years—Steve Schultz among them.provided Steve Schultz, town of Henrietta supervisor and RIT alumnus. “Hockey is full of stories where teams get hot at the right time, ride a hot goalie, or have offensive lines that just click and take it up a notch,” said Schultz ’89 (computer science). “When you look at how we’re playing right now, outscoring opponents 26-6 during the Atlantic Hockey tournament, we’ve got the hot goalie, we’ve got the strong defense as evidenced by our penalty kill, and we have the clicking offensive lines with production from multiple lines. Hopefully, that spells upset.” Schultz has a lot of history with the team. The men’s team made it to the Frozen Four tournament semifinals in 2010 and it seems natural to compare that experience to the possibilities of this year’s team making as big an impression at the 2024 tournament. Different teams, but school spirit unchanged. In 2010, the Corner Crew was voted the Third Star of the Tournament by the press. “I would be curious if that has ever happened before, a cheering section taking home a star of the tournament either before or since 2010,” said Schultz, the town of Henrietta supervisor and one of the original Corner Crew members, who remains a familiar face at games today. Returning to the NCAA tournament brings back memories not only for alumni who watched the Tigers in the 2010 Frozen Four, but for players like Dan Ringwald, who was captain and part of the first Division I competition team. He remembers the amazing fan support, great team camaraderie, as well as better pre-game meals at the tournament, he joked. “Our team had come a long way in the years leading up to that, “ said Ringwald ’09 (management), ’10 (MBA). “It was great to represent RIT on the national stage and it turned into great memories that I’m thankful for today.” Ringwald, a major accounts district manager for ADP, a human resources, payroll, and tax services company, was named in 2023 to the AHA’s inaugural Hall of Honor class to commemorate his successes as a player. He had this advice for the Tigers: “These opportunities don’t come up often, so seize the moment and enjoy it in the process. Continue to put the team first. Focus on the ‘controllables’ and what’s made you successful throughout the year.”
- RIT Esports unites students with a competitive spirit and a passion for gamingRIT’s Esports Counter-Strike 2 team won the Varsity Premier division of the National Association of Collegiate Esports last semester, and its Hearthstone team has had players enter the top eight, two semesters in a row. These are just a few of the achievements of the team, which strives to earn many more accolades as the spring esports season gets underway. The team, which brings together nearly 300 students in each of RIT’s nine colleges, competes in 19 games across various genres. Some of the games they compete in are Overwatch, Rocket League, and even Chess. Students compete in different levels, including JV and varsity, and play against other colleges and universities around the nation, hoping for a chance to compete in, and ultimately win, nationals to become the best collegiate esports team in the country. Dan Squire, RIT Esports competitive director and a fifth-year game design and development major from Medina, N.Y., shared what draws him to this community.RIT Esports The RIT Esports ‘Halo’ team is preparing for its spring gaming season. I've always had a very deep love for competition and gaming,” he explained. “I knew when I got to RIT that I wanted to continue to pursue that passion in some way, so I tried out for the Hearthstone team and the Magic: The Gathering Arena team in my first semester. Since then, I’ve been growing my skills and helping others develop their own, and I am deeply grateful for the experience I’ve had thus far.” Esports practices are conducted similarly to physical sports practices. Both require countless hours of time commitment to hone one’s skills, and practice time is spent reviewing footage from past games, studying opponents’ strategies, scrimmaging other teams, or perfecting strategies through repeated attempts. Dylan Pegg, a third-year game design and development major, is student manager of the Halo team and competes at the highest level. “It is such an exhilarating feeling,” Pegg said. “The people are playing out of passion and out of love for the game. In the college scene, there’s a community outside of the individual teams. A lot of people are friends from different schools.” One of the benefits of esports, according to fifth-year computer science major Gerrit Krot, is the level of accessibility afforded to players due to the absence of requiring very specialized equipment or training fields. “Everyone that has access to a computer and the internet can compete. The beauty of esports is that the barrier to entry is really low, so we see all kinds of people playing and competing,” Krot said. Viewers can watch RIT Esports team practices and competitions on its Twitch livestreams.
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- Haiku ContestMar 29, 2024 12:00 AM | It's time for the Department of Criminal Justice's Annual Haiku Contest!
- RIT/NTID Spring Open HouseMar 29, 2024 8:30 AM | What does amazing look like? Join us on-campus for RIT/NTID's Spring Open House, and we'll show you. You’ll meet with our gifted faculty, take a closer look at our curriculum, learn about how our experiential learning launches careers, find out about the admissions process, and more. This Open House will highlight the college's associate-level programs, associate+bachelor's degree programs, and pre-baccalaureate programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. We also will have a program for students interested in the ASL-English interpretation and community development and inclusive leadership bachelor's degree programs.
- Breaking GroundMar 29, 2024 9:00 AM | Breaking Ground examines campus design at RIT, our buildings, infrastructure, campus loop, paths, ponds, and pavilions that contribute to the campus genius loci or the spirit of place. Long known as Brick City, our campus reflects a sustained preoccupation with brick construction with interludes of newer architecture featuring glass, steel, and stone.
- LIT - Mycelium IlluminatedMar 29, 2024 9:00 AM | Elizabeth Stegner Patton, College of Art and Design alumna (Industrial Design, MFA) utilizes mushroom mycelium to explore the material and form light shades that maintain their structure and stability during use, but will decompose in a home garden if left outside. The shades are built on fixtures designed to be disassembled for repair or reuse with repurposed or recycled parts. These lamps are an exploration of material and function, and supports the collective challenge of making meaningful objects that leave a small footprint.
- Presentation & Award Ceremony - 2024 Business Analytics CompetitionMar 29, 2024 10:00 AM | Save the date! The 2024 Business Analytics Competition Presentation and Awards Ceremony.
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