RIT College of Science

06/01/2026

RIT and the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have formed a new collaborative academic pathway providing qualified RIT students the opportunity to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree or a Master of Science in pharmaceutical sciences.

RIT and University at Buffalo announce an academic pathway for students pursuing degrees in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences.

05/26/2026

Congratulations to Anthony Vodacek, RIT professor in the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science on being named a 2026 Fulbright U.S. Scholar for the Africa Regional Research Program.

Dr. Vodacek will lead research focused on developing sensor networks to support regional lake monitoring across the African Great Lakes. Building on prior research and existing datasets, the project will identify opportunities to strengthen long-term environmental monitoring capacity, helping inform sustainable lake management and responsible regional development.

This work reflects the College of Science’s commitment to global collaboration, impactful research, and advancing scientific solutions to complex environmental challenges.

05/25/2026

Spectrum News speaks to Ke Xu, assistant professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, about the growing demand for data centers as artificial intelligence use expands and the debate over their economic and environmental impact in New York state.

In today's artificial intelligence driven world, stakeholders weigh in on New York's data center controversy.

05/22/2026

AI is transforming nearly every industry, and RIT’s Frederick and Anna B. Wiedman II Professor Dimah Dera is working to develop adaptable and trustworthy models that support different intelligent sensing technologies. She recently earned a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award to support her research and education efforts.

RIT imaging science endowed assistant professor Dimah Dera has received an NSF CAREER Award to engage students to develop trustworthy AI.

05/21/2026

RIT alumnus Erich Hernandez-Baquero, Ph.D. (imaging science ’00), was selected to serve as assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition, a leadership role helping shape the future of national security and space technology.

We’re proud to celebrate his leadership and the impact RIT alumni continue to make across industry and government.

RIT Alumni Association

Erich Hernandez-Baquero has been selected to serve as the Space Force’s next acquisition czar, while Roger Mason has been nominated as the next director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

05/19/2026

RIT Assistant Professor Ke Xu received a prestigious NSF CAREER Award to research edge computing for AI, helping smart devices process information locally instead of relying on the cloud.

The research could support applications like wearable health devices, robotics, and autonomous sensors while reducing energy use and reliance on large data centers. Xu will also work closely with RIT students on this interdisciplinary research project.

Read more: https://brnw.ch/21x2DfX

05/18/2026

The COMOS-Web research team, co-lead by RIT professor Jeyhan Kartaltepe, has released the most detailed map ever of the cosmic web.

05/15/2026

Exciting research is bringing quantum imaging into the X-ray world!

Researchers have demonstrated the first quantum imaging with X-rays, a technique that extends beyond what traditional imaging allows. Instead of relying on a single beam of light, this method uses “twin” X-ray photons that are correlated at the quantum level.

This work opens the door to potentially lower radiation dose, an especially important application for sensitive biological materials.

The experiment was conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and RIT Assistant Professor Raphael Abrahao co-authored the paper. Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21x2wOh

05/13/2026

In an article for The Conversation, André Hudson, dean of RIT’s College of Science, examines the evolution of synthetic biology and the lasting impact of J. Craig Venter’s work sequencing the human genome and creating the first synthetic bacterial cell.

The piece explores how synthetic biology has reshaped scientific thinking, along with the field’s potential, limitations, and ethical implications as researchers continue learning how to engineer life itself.

Advances in genetic engineering have enabled researchers to seek ways to program new life. But has synthetic biology actually changed medicine and the environment, nearly two decades on?

05/11/2026

RIT College of Science alumna Katherine Hayles ’66 (chemistry) received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree during RIT’s Academic Convocation ceremony.

A Distinguished Research Professor at UCLA and James B. Duke Professor Emerita from Duke University, her work explores how digital media, computation, and scientific thinking shape culture and creativity in the 21st century.

Congratulations, Katherine! 🎓