Experience with documentary filmmaking leads alum to Festival de Cannes

New findings about intermediate-mass black holes could shed light on some of the universe’s more mysterious components. In a recently published paper, a group of scientists have found new evidence of intermediate-mass black holes, or black holes with masses between 100 and 100,000 times the mass of the sun. While stellar-mass black holes and supermassive black holes are well studied, little is known about intermediate-mass black holes. “These black holes are potentially clues to the fundamental understanding of how everything we see in the universe was ever made,” said Richard O’Shaughnessy, associate professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics and co-author of the paper. “This could be a piece of a puzzle that helps us unlock multiple cosmic mysteries.” By reanalyzing data from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors and the Virgo detector, the team was able to discover the heaviest gravitational-wave events recorded in astronomy and report on properties of the previously elusive mid-sized black holes. The paper was led by a team of scientists at Vanderbilt University, including RIT alumni Anjali Yelikar ’24 Ph.D. (astrophysical sciences and technology) and Jacob Lange ’20 Ph.D.(astrophysical sciences and technology), both who worked with O’Shaughnessy in the Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation. “Not only was this co-led by former RIT graduate students, but it was based on tools that we developed here at RIT,” said O’Shaughnessy. This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and has provided more understanding of how intermediate-mass black holes form and what their properties are, pushing frontiers forward in astronomy. “This is only possible because of the NSF’s decades of investment in providing unique resources and insight,” said O’Shaughnessy. “We are very pleased to take part in this exciting era of discovery.”

RIT-GIS research engineers develop automated system to dismantle used clothing for high-quality textile recycling. AI and laser technology identify and remove non-recyclable elements like zippers, logos, and mixed materials. The prototype, inspired by collaborations with Nike, Goodwill, and Ambercycle, aims to reduce landfill waste and support a circular economy for the fashion industry. A research team at RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) is developing a fully automated system to identify, sort, and disassemble garments at high speed and in high volume, for textile recycling in efforts to address a critical global waste problem. In the United States alone, more than 11 million tons of textiles end up in landfills each year. Much of that waste includes garments that are too complex to recycle efficiently due to mixed materials, embedded components like zippers and buttons, screen-printed designs, and other label inconsistencies in garment composition. Led by program manager Mark Walluk, the team, consisting of staff engineers Ryan Parsons ’17 (mechanical engineering), Nick Spears ’24 (robotics and manufacturing engineering technology), Sri Priya Das, Ronald Holding. and Christopher Piggot ’91 (computer engineering and technology), as well as associate research professor Abu Islam, is using an automated system to detect and remove these non-recyclable elements to enable higher-value material recovery. ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT Staff engineer Sri Priya Das, right, reviews AI-generated data showing what secondhand clothing is made of. Das helped lead the AI algorithm development for RIT’s automated textile disassembly system, shown here with colleague and engineer Nick Spears who implemented the algorithms in the system software. The process begins with a conveyor-fed imaging station where three specialized cameras generate a high-resolution, multi-dimensional map of the garment which allows for fiber composition analysis down to the millimeter level. The system then leverages artificial intelligence and machine vision to identify and remove non-recyclable elements from clothing, which proved to be a unique challenge for the team. “In traditional manufacturing, these automations have been used for decades and it’s predictable,” said Islam, who collaborated with Das on the AI integration. “You know what part is coming next and exactly where it goes. In used clothing, every item is different. That unpredictability means the system must make on-the-spot decisions.” To meet that challenge, Islam and Das developed vision-guided algorithms that identify features like logos, collars, and cuffs, and interpret infrared reflections for definition of fiber type. That data is then passed to a robotic laser-cutting system that cuts those features with precision and speed, without damaging reusable material. Once cut, the garment advances to a robotic sorting gantry, which places the clean material into separate bins for recycling. The prototype can process a new garment roughly every 10 seconds. Walluk noted that the system was built with scalability and real-world complexity in mind, so it is both economical and ready to replicate. “It’s not going to solve the world’s textile waste problem, but it’s a step toward a more circular economy,” Walluk said. “Today, recyclers prefer post-industrial fabrics because of their predictable material properties. We’re working to advance beyond that step by transforming post-consumer clothing into high-quality, reliable feedstock also. This makes these materials not only viable, but preferable, helping divert them from landfills.” ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT The RIT team behind the new textile recycling system includes, from left, engineers Nick Spears and Sri Priya Das, project lead Mark Walluk, associate professor Abu Islam, and senior staff engineer Ryan Parsons. Their technology, supported by Nike, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, and Ambercycle, uses AI and robotics to disassemble and sort used clothing. Key collaborators include Ambercycle, a Los Angeles-based company pioneering polyester recycling, and Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, which provided garments for testing and insights into the resale and reuse market. Nike contributed industry guidance in the project’s early stages. The work, which begun in 2023, was funded through a grant of nearly $1.3 million from the REMADE Institute, a public-private partnership focused on developing circular manufacturing solutions. The team presented its work at a global REMADE conference this past April in Washington, D.C. “Textile recycling is a critical global challenge, and we’re proud to collaborate with industry leaders to drive meaningful solutions,” said Nabil Nasr, Director of GIS and CEO of the REMADE Institute. “This effort not only creates significant environmental impact but also represents a major area of growth and innovation for us at GIS.” Though still in the pilot phase, the technology is already attracting interest globally from recyclers in the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and Latin America. The team anticipates transitioning the system to its partners for continued testing and potential deployment later this year.

Changes to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education introduce new criteria for categorizing colleges and universities and link student access and return on investment to institutional excellence. Developed 50 years ago to organize the higher-education sector, the Carnegie Classifications have become associated with prestigious research tiers, student selectivity, and degrees awarded. The redesigned framework shifts the focus to student outcomes and accountability in the higher education sector and prioritizes social and economic mobility factors. The Carnegie analysts announced the new approach in 2022. “If colleges and universities are to remain relevant in the 21st century, we need a renewed social contract between institutions of higher education and the American people, focused on student success,” wrote Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation, and Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education (ACE), in “Renewing the Social Contract for Higher Education,” posted on the Higher Education Today website. The new “Institutional Classification” groups colleges and universities into peer campuses based on multiple characteristics, including types of degrees awarded and primary fields of study. Previously, the Carnegie Classifications organized colleges and universities by academic programs and highest degrees awarded. The overhauled classifications represent the biggest changes since the national framework was standardized in 1973. The revisions lend clarity and give policymakers, researchers, and students more accessible and relevant data for comparing institutions and winning research funding, according to the Carnegie analysts. Colleges and universities also use the data to inform institutional priorities. “I like to think about the Carnegie Classification as a tool that captures the big picture in higher education,” said RIT provost Prabu David. “The new methodologies allow us to adjust the view and zoom in to see finer details about how groups and individual institutions contribute to this sector. These findings affirm that we are on the right track and in the right group of universities.” The Institutional Classification include 31 different categories for assessing an institution. RIT is described as a medium-sized university with the following characteristics:Institutional Classification: Mixed, undergraduate/graduate-doctorate; Student Access and Earnings: Lower access, higher earnings; Special Focus: Technology, engineering, sciences; and Research Activity Designation: Research 2, high research spending and doctorate production. RIT retains its R2 designation, which is now described as “Research 2, high research spending and doctorate production.” (In 2016, the Carnegie Classifications changed RIT’s designation from “Masters–Comprehensive” to “Doctoral University - Moderate Research Activity.” In 2019, RIT was reclassified again as an R2 university with “high research activity”.) The Carnegie Foundation and ACE simplified the metrics and made it easier for institutions to qualify for Research-1 status .By separating research activity from the Institutional Classification, Carnegie analysts hope to reduce competition for R1 status. Nevertheless, the designation appeals to universities because it helps obtain research money and attract students. Two new requirements clarify the path for a Research-2 university like RIT to reach and maintain Research-1 eligibility. The classifications stipulate that an R1 university must spend a minimum of $50 million on research funding and award, at least, 70 research doctorates each year. The Carnegie update also introduces a new category, Student Access and Earnings Classification. This rubric evaluates how well an institution fosters educational opportunities for students and their income level eight years after graduating, while accounting for geographical context. Institutions earning “higher access with higher earnings” received “Opportunity Colleges and Universities” designations. The Carnegie Classifications identified nearly 480 institutions as models for fostering student opportunities. Based on comparison with other colleges and universities, RIT is classified as a “lower access with higher earnings” institution. RIT is one of 261 colleges and universities that fall under this category, which includes, Boston College, Tufts University, Drexel University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Syracuse University, and Georgetown University. At the same time, RIT welcomes students from an array of economic backgrounds, he said, noting that about 30 percent of RIT students receive Pell grants. “We are in good company in terms of reputation, science and technology, as well as commitment to access and social mobility,” David said. “We realize different schools have different missions. We remain committed to student access.”

As RIT President Dave Munson and his wife, Nancy, prepare to say goodbye to the community, one unique campus building will bear their names as part of their legacies. The naming of the Dave and Nancy Munson Amphitheater, part of the new Music Performance Theater, was revealed at a celebration June 12 in the SHED, surprising the couple before a crowd of students, alumni, dignitaries, board members, and family members. Munson will retire from RIT on June 30 after serving in higher education for a span of nearly 50 years, including for eight years as RIT president. Board of Trustees Chair Susan Puglia made the announcement, emphasizing that the amphitheater will face into the heart of the campus. “Dave and Nancy, I am delighted to share with you that a number of your friends and RIT supporters have come together to collectively make a gift to RIT that when the theater opens, it will include the Dave and Nancy Munson Amphitheater,” she said. “For generations of RIT students to come, they will see performances, hear speakers, or just meet up with their friends at the Munson Amphitheater.” The 50,000-plus-square-foot, 750-seat music performance venue is scheduled to open in January. ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT A mosaic artwork made from images of RIT students formed a composite picture of the SHED, which symbolizes the Munson’s focus on community, creativity, and student opportunity. Here, Nancy and Dave Munson take a closer look at the gift. Frank Sklarsky ’78 (business administration accounting), Board of Trustees vice chair, emceed the evening and noted the couple’s deep influence on the RIT community. “The RIT community is here to celebrate the Munsons and express their gratitude for everything they have accomplished over the last eight years. Their impact has extended far beyond our Henrietta campus and can be seen in all of our Tigers worldwide.” Under Munson’s tenure, RIT saw the completion of major capital projects, including the SHED, the ESL Global Cybersecurity Institute, and expansions to the Saunders College of Business and research facilities. The university also surpassed the $1 billion mark in its Transforming RIT fundraising campaign. In addition, Munson is credited with enhancing interdisciplinary offerings as well as entrepreneurship and hands-on learning. To commemorate these contributions, RIT Trustee and alumna Hope Drummond ’91 (business administration-marketing) and Todd Jokl, dean of the College of Art and Design, unveiled a mosaic artwork made from images of RIT students. The mosaic forms an image of the SHED, symbolizing the Munson’s focus on community, creativity, and student opportunity. “As you bring this with you into retirement, we hope it will serve as a reminder of the community you have cultivated and the lives you have changed,” said Jokl. ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT RIT President Dave Munson, center, poses with students at his farewell celebration on June 12 at the SHED. Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized not only Munson’s institutional achievements, including positioning RIT as an example of where technology meets the arts and design, but also the personal warmth and partnership he and Nancy brought to the role. Puglia praised the couple’s “bold vision, innovation, and the genuine spirit of collaboration,” describing Nancy as a “steady beacon of support” whose volunteer work and presence touched the entire community. “While we celebrate these impressive milestones, tonight is also about the human heart behind these achievements,” Puglia said. June 12 was also “David Munson Day” in the region, as proclaimed by Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, who presented a certificate and key to the city. The evening also featured a tribute video highlighting memorable moments—including Munson’s welcome videos to incoming students to kick off each academic year with humor and inspiration.

RIT’s physician assistant program celebrated its 30th graduating class this year, and now its biggest champion, former director and founder Heidi Miller, is preparing to retire at the end of June after nearly 32 years. Miller developed the PA program and introduced a unique major focused on direct patient care. In the late 1980s, Miller worked at Rochester General Hospital as a physician assistant specializing in emergency medicine. Her reputation for mentoring younger PAs led to an invitation to join an RIT task force considering a new major for the College of Science. In 1993, Miller wrote the PA curriculum, prepared the program for approval, and became the program’s first director. The following year, Nancy Valentage joined the program to help navigate clinical partnerships, and together they graduated the first class in 1995. Recognition of the profession in the late 1980s and early 1990s as an accessible and affordable healthcare option gave the field, established in the mid-1960s, a boost as the next medical profession. “RIT jumped on that,” Miller said. “We were the 54th program in the country, and right now there are over 300. We were right on the cusp of a significant growth and expansion of the profession.” As the medical program gained momentum, prospective students vied for a limited number of seats. (Enrollment is tied to available training opportunities at clinical partnerships.) In 2011, the PA program helped anchor RIT’s new College of Health Sciences and Technology. The college grew from a strategic partnership between RIT and Rochester Regional Health. The RIT-Rochester Regional Health Alliance, which includes Rochester General Hospital, strengthened collaborative opportunities with Miller’s former employer. “It was a full-circle moment for me,” she said. Below, Miller shares reflections from her time at RIT and looks forward to the future. What are you most proud of when looking back at your time at RIT? We have always had a team approach, even from the first years of training students, to recognize that they were entering the field of medicine as part of a team. Everybody has to work closely together for the best care of the patient, which was the core philosophy that we tried to impart onto the students. What are some of your fondest memories? Certainly, graduating the first class, moving the undergraduate program to a five-year BS/MS in 2016, and creating the Annual Awards and White Coat ceremony. I think, for many students, getting their long white professional coat is probably more meaningful than graduation. I also have fond memories of the many dedicated colleagues who have advocated, supported, and helped create and grow this program. We couldn’t have prepared our students without the support of the medical community—RIT-RRH Alliance and the University of Rochester—in training, recruiting, and employing a lot of our alumni. It ‘takes a village’ to train competent, compassionate, and hard-working patient care providers. Many of our alums have stayed in the area and work in the two big health systems, as we know it now, so I think our program has contributed to the workforce. What are your retirement plans? I’m a member of the Rochester Academy of Medicine Board of Trustees, and I hope to increase my volunteer time. I also do a fair amount consulting with New York State Department of Health in professional practice areas. I am an avid reader, and I also hope to do more writing. I’m involved with the PA History Society, based out of Atlanta, and I am currently finishing a historical dissertation on the profession. In a different area, I have a soft spot for animals, and so volunteering at animal sanctuaries is high on my list. My family and I are planning a trip to Italy in August, and we’re looking forward to it. Both of our daughters recently graduated from graduate programs, and so this is kind of a big celebratory trip for all.

In the early 20th century, American painter Rockwell Kent made several trips to Greenland to document what he called an “earthly paradise.” Nearly a century later, Denis Defibaugh felt inspired by Kent and made his own pilgrimage to the island in 2016. Like Kent, Defibaugh fell in love with the culture and landscape of Greenland. His passion and the photos he captured helped earn him a 2025 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship. According to the foundation, this year marks the 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows, which includes 198 individuals working across 53 disciplines. Fellows were chosen from a pool of nearly 3,500 applicants. Defibaugh, professor emeritus in RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, explained that he has been interested in Greenland and Kent’s work for as long as he can remember. During a chance meeting with the director of the Rockwell Kent Gallery and Collection, located at the SUNY Plattsburgh State Art Museum, Defibaugh came across a collection of photographs on lantern slides that Kent took during one of his visits to Greenland. Before then, Defibaugh had no idea Kent documented his visits in this way. “When I pulled the first one out, I said ‘wow, this is like a diamond.’ I was so blown away by them,” said Defibaugh. “Kent used the slides when he came back from Greenland to do lecture tours. Almost every lecture sold out, so he lectured until he made enough money to go back to Greenland for another year. It was a constant cycle.” ‌ Denis Defibaugh Katrina Zeeb in a traditional Greenlandic outfit worn for special occasions. When Kent lived in Illorsuit, this was the normal attire for women. After this discovery, Defibaugh planned his first trip to Greenland. He received a National Science Foundation grant to support his travel after several application attempts, and the photographs and observations he made during his 16-month stay were documented in his book North By Nuuk: Greenland After Rockwell Kent. The Guggenheim Fellowship will enable Defibaugh to return to Greenland, continue his study of native culture, and build upon his current body of work. Defibaugh said he will return to some of the villages he saw in 2016, including Uummannaq, Nuuk, and Sisimiut, but not Illorsuit. Unfortunately, the waterside village was abandoned in 2017 after a landslide caused a megatsunami on the Karrat Fjord just two months after Defibaugh returned to the United States. “Illorsuit was this little settlement on a beautiful, horseshoe-shaped black sand beach. On one side of the town was the fjord, and on the other was this giant black mountain. When the tsunami hit, the villagers had to evacuate and they were told they couldn’t go back,” said Defibaugh. “I thought a good reason for me to return to Greenland would be to see how people’s lives have changed since then.” ‌ Denis Defibaugh Nuka-Sofie Fleishcher Lovstrom reclining in front of her son’s painting. Defibaugh will travel to Greenland for roughly one month, from mid-July to mid-August this year. He said the knowledge and connections he gained during his first trip will give him an advantage when planning what he wants to capture during his upcoming visit. “I want to try to be a little more experimental with this trip,” he said. “I’d like to do something that evolves the whole North by Nuuk project. I just have to figure out what that looks like.” Later this year, photographs from North by Nuuk will be exhibited in the Rose Lehrman Art Gallery at Harrisburg Area Community College. The exhibition will be open to the public Oct. 6 through Nov. 7, and Defibaugh will give a lecture about his work on Oct. 16. More information about Defibaugh’s first visit to Greenland can be found on his portfolio website. Go to the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation website for more details about the fellowship.