June 22, 2026
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Dear members of the Hajim School community,
The World Cup is bringing people from across the globe together for a fun sporting experience, but it has also driven some remarkable technological innovation. Over the past several tournaments, FIFA has increasingly leaned on advanced computer vision technology to help referees make faster, more accurate calls.
Associate Professor from the is an expert in computer vision and explained how FIFA uses to support video assistant referees (VAR), goal-line technology, advanced semi-automated offside technology, and a “last touch” feature for corner and goal kicks.
Read about how the technology is driving shorter waits for close calls at the News Center.
LUNABOTICS TEAM COMPETES IN NATIONAL CHALLENGE
The Թ fielded one of 47 teams from across the country that competed in the Lunabotics Challenge at the Kennedy Space Center in May. The event invites college students to apply NASA’s systems engineering principles to design and prototype off-world construction robots. Inspired by the Artemis missions, students were tasked with creating autonomous robots that can build a berm, or a raised mound of soil used to provide structure, support, or protection.
The team ranked 26th for autonomy and 38th for berm construction. The students who attended the competition include Samuel Scheinbach ’27 (mechanical engineering), Gurami Mgebrishvili ’28 (electrical and computer engineering), Joshua Chou ’27 (mechanical engineering), Ezra Potter ’29 (optical engineering), and Sarah Jeong ’27 (computer science and philosophy), and they were joined by their faculty advisor Professor from the Departments of and Computer Science. Sounds like a blast!
MARLENA BERGER ’27 NAMED ASTRONAUT SCHOLAR
Congratulations to Marlena Berger ’27 (optical engineering), who is one of 79 scholars chosen from 54 colleges across the US for an . Astronaut Scholarships are awarded to students in their junior and senior year of college studying STEM programs with the intent to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their final degree. Astronaut Scholars are among the best and brightest minds in STEM who show initiative, creativity, and excellence in their chosen field.
In the spring of 2025, the Rochester native joined the lab of Tanya Kosc, a scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, and Marlena spent summer 2025 conducting optical metrology research in Germany through the DAAD-RISE Scholars Program. Her active life outside the classroom includes serving as president of Թ’s Optica student chapter, vice president of Celtic, Թ’s Irish dance club, a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies, and a teaching assistant and workshop leader for several optics courses. This summer, Marlena is gaining industry experience through an internship in Connecticut at ASML, an innovation leader in the semiconductor industry.
Read more about the program and past recipients at the Student Fellowship Office website.
SUXING HU PUBLISHES NEW BOOK ON HIGH ENERGY DENSITY PHYSICS
Congratulations to , a distinguished scientist at the and professor in the , on the forthcoming publication of his new book from Oxford University Press. Titled , the book is a testament to LLE leadership in the field and the lab’s commitment to education. The book also serves as the textbook for the graduate course (ME 488/PHY 488) Hu teaches.
The book provides a detailed introduction to quantum-mechanical methods essential for the computational study of high-energy-density (HED) science. It outlines practical procedures for calculating key material properties of quantum HED matter, including equation of state, transport coefficients, and radiative properties.
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IN THE NEWS: BARRY SILVERSTEIN DISCUSSES THE FUTURE OF AUGMENTED REALITY
Barry Silverstein ’84, the director of Թ’s Center for Extended Reality (CXR), recently had an in-depth conversation with WROC-TV evening anchor Adam Chodak. Barry discusses the societal implications of AR and how CXR will help lead the future of the technology. .
NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Congratulations to Assistant Professor from the , who received a $110,000 Doctoral New Investigator Grant from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund for a project titled “Elucidating the Role of Solvent and M1-M2Ox Active Site in Driving Alcohol Electrooxidation.”
Have a great week!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
