2025: The year in photos

University photographer J. Adam Fenster gives a behind-the-scenes tour of his favorite photos he made this year. Plus, the research聽that resonated.

How do you best tell the story of a research university, from campus lab to Genesee River and everything in between? For senior University photographer J. Adam Fenster, it鈥檚 about access鈥攁nd looking out for what might be just beyond the lens.

2025 at the 暗网吃瓜 was ripe with progress, passion, and possibility. And as the year draws to a close, we talk with Fenster about his favorite photos from the last 12 months, and what might be on the horizon for the future. Here鈥檚 to what鈥檚 next鈥擡ver Wonder. Ever Better.

Lauren Tagliaferro, curatorial assistant at the Memorial Art Gallery, speaks to visitors in the painting storage room during a tour.

Tour de force

Lauren Tagliaferro, a curatorial assistant at the , speaks to visitors in the painting storage room during a tour of the museum鈥檚 art storage areas. The museum鈥檚 gives visitors a chance to go behind the scenes and uncover a new perspective.

鈥淚 think I read about the tour in @Rochester,鈥� says Fenster. 鈥淗aving been here for a while now, I鈥檓 always looking for a new angle on an old thing. At the museum, for every piece of art you see, there are probably 10 you don鈥檛. And here we finally get to see where and how all the other stuff is stored. Equipment-wise, using the fish-eye lens helps to capture all the visual layers鈥攑eople, art, storage area鈥攃ontained in the scene.鈥�

David Canning inside the Grating Compressor Chamber of the OMEGA EP Laser System.

Clean machine

David Canning, facility manager for the , inside the grating compressor chamber (GCC) of the Omega EP Laser at the .

There鈥檚 a safety talk and protocols to keep a dustless space dustless鈥攊ncluding wiping down gear and wearing specific clothing鈥攂ut, shares Fenster, 鈥淎ny time you go inside the laser bays, it鈥檚 a big deal, especially the GCC. Dave was very accommodating in letting me in there鈥攐ur visit was the only time the entire year that the chamber was open for maintenance.鈥�

In a stainless steel chamber, it鈥檚 hard to control the light. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one giant reflector鈥�, he says, but bringing in a powerful light can lead to some surprising results. 鈥淚 like the iridescent colors of the grating glass contrasted with the metallic sheen everywhere. And then you have Dave reflected in the panel on the right.鈥�

l-r: Zo毛 Miles 鈥�25 (T5), Sree Chatterjee 鈥�26, Jenna Savino 鈥�26, and Maddie Bellamy 鈥�27 are pictured with RP student Marquez Smith (C) as students present their work at the end of class.

Mentorship in action

Zo毛 Miles 鈥�25 (T5), Sree Chatterjee 鈥�26, Jenna Savino 鈥�26, and Maddie Bellamy 鈥�27 are pictured with Rochester Prep student Marquez Smith (center). These 暗网吃瓜 students volunteer with Eye to Eye, a national nonprofit organization that pairs neurodivergent middle school students with learning and attention differences with college and high school students who share a similar label to help mentor the next generation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 good to show these outreach efforts. I feel like I don鈥檛 get a lot of opportunities for this kind of work, so when they do come up, it鈥檚 good to get in there. And it probably wasn鈥檛 too long ago that our students were the age of the students behind the desks.鈥�

Photoelastic materials viewed with polarized light.

A material world

Viewed with polarized light, photoelastic materials display distinct patterns of birefringence and force chain propagation after a collision. This experiment was conducted by Sarah Williams, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the DRIP (Dirt, Rivers, Ice, Particles) Lab, an interdisciplinary group of scientists in the department.

鈥淔or someone who doesn鈥檛 quite understand all the science behind it, I don鈥檛 want to say it doesn鈥檛 matter what this is, but I鈥檓 attracted to the colors and the patterns in this image,鈥� laughs Fenster. 鈥淚 see an abstract story that I haven鈥檛 seen anywhere before. And so that makes me want to look closer. And then you learn about birefringence and other earth science terms. It鈥檚 a cool photo that introduces you to the science.鈥�

A laser etches nanostructures into a highly absorbant black metal surface.

Spark of interest

A composite of multiple images, here a laser etches nanostructures into a highly absorbent black metal surface in the lab of Chunlei Guo, a professor of optics and of physics, and a senior scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This technique, developed by Guo, enhances solar absorption but minimizes infrared emissions to create highly efficient solar thermoelectric generators.

Notes Fenster, 鈥淚鈥檝e been documenting Chunlei鈥檚 research almost as long as I鈥檝e been at the University. But I had never photographed the process that he uses to create this material. And I鈥檝e always wanted to do that. This surface is moving and creating these sparks that are flying everywhere. It would be cool enough to have one exposure, but I thought, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 I combine several of them and get even more stuff flying?鈥� It鈥檚 kind of like photographing fireworks, but on a much smaller scale.鈥�

Construction workers gather for a morning stretch .

Flex messages

Workers gather for a morning stretch and flex session at the Strong Emergency Department expansion project construction site. Through this project, the Emergency Department will nearly quadruple in size and include space for psychiatric emergency care.

In the course of documenting this milestone construction, Fenster heard about the stretch and flex session that precedes work every morning and thought it might make for an interesting, offbeat image. 鈥淛ust not something you typically see at a construction site. They bring out a little PA system, they blast upbeat rock tunes, and they go through their stretches. This photo also helps show just how many people are involved in a project of this size.鈥�

Anshul Yadav uses a self-made device to track the movement of RFID-tagged rocks in a stream.

Among several rocks and a hard place

Anshul Yadav, a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Rachel Glade, an assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences and of mechanical engineering, uses a self-made device to track the movement of RFID-tagged rocks in a stream in nearby Webster, New York.

鈥淗ere was an opportunity to show field research taking place at 暗网吃瓜,鈥� says Fenster. 鈥淎nd,鈥� he added, 鈥渁n opportunity to explain why that research is important. That 鈥榳hy鈥� is essential in answering the bigger question: Why do universities exist?鈥�

When asked how he captured this shot, Fenster gave a surprising answer: it鈥檚 a drone photo. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot trickier flying in a space like this, over a stream bed deep in the woods, than up over the Genesee River, which I鈥檝e also done. This is basically flying in a tunnel, with lots of overhanging branches and stuff sticking out. But it鈥檚 worth it for the unique angle it provides.鈥�

Intraocular lens photographed on a finger tip to show scale.

Let鈥檚 focus

An intraocular lens is photographed on a fingertip to show its scale. Earlier this year, Susana Marcos, the Nicholas George Endowed Professor in Optics and the David R. Williams Director of the Center for Visual Science, served as the lead guest editor of a special issue of the journals of Biomedical Optics Express and Optics Express exploring the state of the technology.

Before you ask: Yes, that is Fenster鈥檚 finger supporting the lens. And while he did also photograph an intraocular lens insertion surgery, 鈥淚 thought it would be helpful for the story to make photos of the lens itself, showing its odd galaxy-esque shape and including a finger for scale. And while it was challenging to photograph, it makes you appreciate just how much more challenging it must be for the surgeons to insert these precisely.鈥�

A bassist and trumpet player perform during Jazz Fest.

It was the fest of times

Jeff Campbell (bass) and Clay Jenkins (trumpet), both professors of jazz studies and contemporary media at the Eastman School of Music, perform with Eastman鈥檚 Jazz Honors Unit 2 during the . Eastman鈥檚 faculty, alumni, and students performed throughout the week at various locations.

鈥淭his is a good example of a locator photo,鈥� notes Fenster. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to read the caption to know where this is. It鈥檚 peak musical action.鈥�

Operating room during a living donor liver transplant.

Bloom where you鈥檙e transplanted

Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro, center, chief of the Transplant Institute at the Medical Center, and fellow surgeon Koji Tomiyama, left, perform a living donor liver transplant surgery in July 2025. 暗网吃瓜鈥檚 pioneering living donor liver transplant program was profiled in the most recent issue of Rochester Review.

鈥淭his photo took a lot of planning and was made possible by the great access I was provided by Medical Center staff, the donor and recipients who gave their permission, and the time I was permitted to work inside the OR. With a narrower window, I would not have been able to capture this brief moment when all the room lights were turned off, which creates a nice contrasting scene that highlights the team and the action at the center.鈥�

Do we want to know one more thing, asks Fenster. 鈥淵ou hear about doctors playing music in their ORs. Dr. Hernandez-Alejandro is a big fan of 80s pop music. So while this very serious operation is taking place, he鈥檚 blasting A-ha and Duran Duran. There was something kind of surreal about that.鈥�

Scientists on kayaks gather samples from the Genesee River.

(Gene)see you out on the water

Earth and environmental sciences professor John Kessler and PhD candidate Katherine 鈥淜atie鈥� Gregory ride specially equipped kayaks down the Genesee River to gather continuous measurements of methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. These 鈥渇loating laboratories鈥� are collecting real-time data.

鈥淚 love the concept of using tricked-out kayaks to study greenhouse gases鈥攖hey are basically miniaturized versions of the much larger boats he and the Atlantic to make similar measurements. They let me join them for the day in my canoe, which I was standing in for this photo鈥攏ever a good idea. But I needed to get that angle.鈥�

Daniel Santos 鈥�26 (L) and Lucas Villanueva 鈥�26 undergo an EEG (Electroencephalogram).

Preventative measures

暗网吃瓜 football players Daniel Santos 鈥�26 and Lucas Villanueva 鈥�26 undergo an EEG (electroencephalogram) in the Goergen Athletic Center. They鈥檙e part of a study looking at repetitive head hits led by Jeff Bazarian, a professor of emergency medicine and of neurology.

鈥淎nytime you鈥檝e got electrodes attached to people鈥檚 heads, you鈥檝e got to get photos. And I鈥檝e been wanting to photograph Bazarian鈥檚 work for years. While not every concussion is sports-related, the research they get from this will help anyone with a concussion. Again, it comes back to: Why do research universities matter? Why do they need funding? This is why.鈥�

Toxicology Ph.D. Candidate聽Alma Avila Oropeza etrieves a sample jar from the water.

Pier to pier research

Toxicology PhD candidate Alma Avila Oropeza retrieves a sample jar from Lake Ontario from Charlotte Pier. The research is part of the efforts of the , jointly hosted by 暗网吃瓜 and the Rochester Institute of Technology. The center is a hub for research, translation, and community engagement around how different types of plastics enter and move through the Great Lakes ecosystems and how microplastics may affect human health under different environmental conditions.

鈥淭his one took a lot of planning, but it was a great opportunity to learn just how they get their data. The sampling itself is one thing, and then they have to go back to the lab and analyze it. It鈥檚 important to show just how much work goes into the process.鈥�

And the dog? 鈥淚t adds a bit of comic relief, and helps situate the viewer: You can tell where this is taking place.鈥�

Assistant Professor Marisol Herrera Perez and biomedical engineering PhD student Maria Camila Ferrucho use a fluorescent microscope to activate an optigenetic tool.

Scoping it all out

Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Marisol Herrera-Perez and PhD student Maria Camila Ferrucho are using a fluorescent microscope to activate an optogenetic tool to observe how manipulating proteins affects the condensation of the ventral nerve cord of flies. Herrera-Perez received a National Institutes of Health MIRA grant to investigate the mechanical signals that guide how a single cell becomes a complex organism.

鈥淭his is sort of a standard lab photo, but the key is proper lighting,鈥� shares Fenster. 鈥淭his is not how the lighting looked when I went in there. And as a photographer, you want to highlight the essence of what鈥檚 going on, what they鈥檙e doing. And that鈥檚 the microscopes and what the microscopes are pulling up on the computer screens.鈥�

Portrait of fencer Jacqueline Hsiao 鈥�27.

Catching the good light en garde

Jacqueline Hsiao 鈥�27, UR fencing club president and 2024 Fencing Junior Olympics competitor, is photographed outside during a practice.

鈥淚t was all about timing,鈥� Fenster says. 鈥淚 got nervous watching the nice golden hour light melt away while making action photos inside the gym, knowing I wanted to leave enough time for an outdoor portrait with what promised to be a beautiful sunset. By the time I dragged all my gear out there, the sun had already set. Fortunately, there was enough glow left in the sky for a dramatic portrait using a single light off to the side.鈥�

Bathed in blue light, staff scientist Preeti Maurya changes media, and spins down and vacuums cells in the tissue culture room.

A closer look

Staff scientist Preeti Maurya spins down and vacuums cells in the tissue culture room in the lab of Craig Morrell, Dean鈥檚 professor of medicine and codirector of the Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Medical Center.

Here comes the blue science gel. 鈥淚f this photo looks staged, that鈥檚 because it is! Do you think the lab is always blue? No,鈥� jokes Fenster. 鈥淒o you think there鈥檚 a tiny spotlight on Maurya鈥檚 face all the time when she鈥檚 at that microscope? No. Everything is lit and staged by me. What鈥檚 not staged is the research that a photo like this helps to illustrate. It鈥檚 worth putting in the time when possible to make a space look extra special if it leads people to take a closer look.鈥�

Dora Biro, Beverly Petterson Bishop and Charles W. Bishop Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, launches a homing pigeon.

Homeward bound

Dora Biro, the Beverly Petterson Bishop and Charles W. Bishop Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, works with homing pigeons at their coop near the Larry and Cindy Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center. Biro and fellow Brain and Cognitive Sciences Associate Professor Takao Sasaki鈥檚 Collective Cognition Lab explores how the perceptual and cognitive capacities of different species鈥攁s adapted to their varying ecological needs鈥攕hape the challenges and opportunities that come with living in groups, including conflict resolution, behavioral coordination, knowledge accumulation, and collective decision-making.

Like Bazarian, Biro is someone that Fenster has wanted to photograph for a while. It took a bit of direction and more than a few takes, but the result was worth it. 鈥淭his is one of hundreds of photos that I made that day, both inside and outside of the coop. We probably made five or so attempts at this. The overcast sky was actually advantageous because I had nice uniform light everywhere.聽

鈥淚 also like that you can see the coop in the background, which is on the Advancement campus,鈥� reflects Fenster. 鈥淚t鈥檚 offbeat, it鈥檚 eclectic, and it again demonstrates the range of research we do here. And thanks to Biro for recognizing the value of capturing an image like this.鈥�

Roger Sayer performs on the organ at Third Presbyterian Church.

Stellar performance

Roger Sayer, the original organist for the film Interstellar, plays his arrangement of the music from the original soundtrack by composer Hans Zimmer at Third Presbyterian Church during . The festival, which took place in the fall, was the first of its kind in North America.

How can you really illustrate sound? 鈥淲e鈥檝e got the guy who performed on the original score for Interstellar? And he鈥檚 going to come here, and play it live on a gigantic organ, in this cool old church? That鈥檚 it. That鈥檚 the photo.鈥� Again, access was everything. 鈥淚鈥檓 up in the balcony, trying not to make any noise, trying to be discreet because all around you, people are trying to enjoy the show.鈥�

Amanda Lee 鈥�27 uses a plasma cutter on a sculpture.

On the cutting edge

Biology and psychology major Amanda Lee 鈥�27 uses a plasma cutter to fabricate an archive-themed sculpture project for 鈥淲hat We Chronicle鈥� in a hybrid drawing sculpture class led by Allen Topolski, chair of the Department of Art and Art History.

鈥淢uch like in the photo from Chunlei Guo鈥檚 lab, we have sparks flying. Only this time, they鈥檙e much larger. And you have the cool reflections in the visor, with a lot of colors.

鈥淚 only got hit a couple of times with those hot shards,鈥� he adds. 鈥淭hey did have me wear safety glasses.鈥�

Amel Rouabhia reacts as her team鈥檚 balsa wood structure comes apart.

Weight for it, weight for it

As part of the curriculum in Professor of Mechanical Engineering Chris Muir鈥檚 ME 204 class, students test the efficiency of balsa wood structures. The structure with the highest strength-to-weight ratio receives an A for the class. Here, senior Amel Rouabhia reacts as her team鈥檚 structure comes apart. Beloved by students for years, Muir鈥檚 class might make you want to head back to school.

鈥淭his photo鈥攖his experience鈥攊s all about faces and reactions. I鈥檝e been photographing this event with Muir for years. And while there is real science behind it, he makes it visual, approachable, and exciting for all his students. This always seems to be the best angle, too, compressing the structure, the team, and the onlookers all into one tight frame. They know what鈥檚 going to happen to the structure, but they don鈥檛 know when, so they鈥檙e still surprised. They鈥檙e never really ready for it, and that鈥檚 what gives you these great reactions.鈥�

鈥淎J [Pow, senior video producer] had the genius idea to light it this year by strapping video lights to the railings overhead, which helped immensely with having more light on the subjects, and the blue evening sky filtering in from outside helps it feel more dramatic.鈥�

(暗网吃瓜 photo)

Plus: The research stories readers couldn鈥檛 get enough of

At the University of Rochester, we ask big questions that start in the lab, clinic, or classroom鈥攂ut don鈥檛 stay there. Our researchers probe how companies really work, why teenagers push back, what makes whales live for 200 years, and how quantum computers might change everything.

This year, the stories below rose to the top based on pageviews. Taken together, they show where our work most resonated with people far beyond campus: in their jobs, families, health, relationships, and hopes (and worries) about the future.

1. Why would a top firm fire a good employee?

In a world where many of us worry about job security, this Simon Business School study hits a nerve. Finance professor Ron Kaniel and his coauthor show how elite firms sometimes intentionally 鈥渃hurn鈥� even high performers as a way to signal toughness and attract more business鈥攖urnover as a branding strategy rather than a bug. It鈥檚 a counterintuitive look at power, profit, and reputation in fields like law, consulting, and finance, which helped explain why the story took off online.

2. The teen who rolls their eyes鈥� and the parent who still gets through

Every parent of a defiant teenager wants the magic script. 暗网吃瓜 psychologist Judith Smetana and her colleagues found that what matters most isn鈥檛 the words of a warning but whether teens see their parents actually living the values they preach. Teens were less defiant when parents modeled those values and showed understanding鈥攖urning 鈥淏ecause I said so鈥� into 鈥淏ecause you鈥檝e seen me do so.鈥� The piece took struck a chord, especially with parents on Reddit looking for something more hopeful than another doomscroll about Gen Z.

3. A cancer center steps onto the national stage

Jonathan Friedberg addresses a large crowd at Wilmot Cancer Institute, with a banner reading 'An NCI Designated Cancer Center' in the background. — **CERTIFIED ELITE:** National Cancer Institute designation certifies that Wilmot Cancer Institute is at the forefront of research, community engagement, education, training, and life-saving clinical care. (暗网吃瓜 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

News that University鈥檚 Wilmot Cancer Institute earned National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation wasn鈥檛 just an institutional milestone鈥攊t was personal for thousands of families. The designation places Wilmot among the top 4 percent of US cancer centers and brings $10 million in federal support over five years, expanding access to cutting-edge clinical trials for a 27-county region with high cancer rates. Readers clicked and shared because the story answered a simple, urgent question: Will this help someone I love?

4. The 200-year-old whale that might help you live longer

Bowhead whales can live up to two centuries with remarkably low rates of cancer鈥攂asically superhero status in the animal kingdom. A 暗网吃瓜-led team traced part of that secret to CIRBP, a DNA-repair protein found at far higher levels in bowheads than other mammals, which helps fix dangerous double-strand breaks in DNA. The idea that a protein from an Arctic giant could someday inform human longevity made this story irresistible clickbait in the best sense. Cold plunge, anyone?

5. Heavy metal, lighter carbon footprint

Chunlei Guo using a source of simulated sunlight to test the absorption of a solar thermoelectric generator. — **SCI GUY:** Guo uses femtosecond lasers to etch nanostructures onto metal surfaces (暗网吃瓜 photo / J. Adam Fenster)

In a year of climate anxiety, this optics and physics story offered something rare: a concrete leap in clean-energy tech. Using ultrafast lasers to etch nanostructures into metal, Chunlei Guo鈥檚 team engineered a solar thermoelectric generator that鈥檚 15 times more efficient than state-of-the-art devices鈥攚ithout changing the semiconductor itself. Readers were drawn to the promise of 鈥渂lack metal鈥� that can soak up sunlight and turn waste heat into power, a reminder that small materials changes can have outsized climate impact.

6. Hiding an atom鈥檚 heart from the universe

鈥淒ark state鈥� sounds like science fiction, but 暗网吃瓜 physicist John Nichol and collaborators made it experimentally real. By using quantum dots鈥攖iny semiconductor islands that trap single electrons鈥攖hey directly proved the existence of a nuclear-spin dark state, where atomic nuclei line up so perfectly that they stop jostling the electron鈥檚 spin. That stability is exactly what tomorrow鈥檚 quantum devices need, which is why this story caught the imagination of everyone from hardcore physicists to quantum-curious readers.

7. Why we fall for conspiracy theories (and who doesn鈥檛)

A dog wearing a tin foil hat stares at an open laptop screen. Behind him is a "ripped from the headlines" collage of conspiracy theories a dog might believe. — **THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE?** Conspiracy theories are not a new phenomenon, but online algorithms and social media outlets have fueled the rise of digital echo chambers. (暗网吃瓜 photo illustration / Michael Osadciw and Adam Fenster)

This explainer hit at the intersection of politics, psychology, and our collective 鈥淗ow did we get here?鈥� fatigue. Political scientist Scott Tyson walks readers through the conspiracy 鈥渆cosystem鈥濃€攖he content, the entrepreneurs who package it, and the audiences primed to believe it鈥攚hile also asking who manages to resist the pull. In an era of deepfakes and algorithmic rabbit holes, the piece offered language and frameworks people could share with friends and family who were asking the same anxious questions.

8. Your laptop is fine鈥攆or now. Here鈥檚 why quantum is coming.

From phones to supercomputers, classical machines are hitting physical and practical limits. In this widely read primer, physicist John Nichol explains in plain language how quantum bits, entanglement, and superposition could tackle problems鈥攆rom new materials to drug discovery鈥攖hat stump today鈥檚 chips. It鈥檚 part explainer, part reality check: Quantum computers won鈥檛 replace laptops, but they鈥檒l change what鈥檚 possible, and readers clearly wanted a trusted guide through the hype.

9. That plastic spatula in your kitchen drawer? About that鈥�

Collected samples of microplastics. — **MICROPLASTICS, MICROPLASTICS EVERYWHERE:** Over time, large plastics break down into microscopic fragments that move easily through the food chain and persist in the environment. (暗网吃瓜 photo / J. Adam Fenster)

Microplastics went from obscure to everywhere in 2025鈥攅specially once people learned they鈥檙e in our blood, organs, and even the air we breathe. Environmental health experts Katrina Korfmacher and Jane van Dis walk readers through how plastics in everyday kitchen items (from black spatulas and cutting boards to takeout containers) break down, leach chemicals, and end up in our bodies, and what practical swaps can reduce exposure. The story took off because it translated a big, abstract environmental problem into specific, do-this-not-that choices at home.

10. The question every couple secretly worries about

鈥淒oes this outfit look good on me?鈥� is really code for something deeper: Can I trust you to be honest with me? 暗网吃瓜 psychologists found that, even when the truth stings in the moment, both partners and their relationships fare better when people are more honest about the changes they鈥檇 like to see. Expressed and perceived honesty boosted well-being and motivation to change, rather than blowing up the relationship. The finding鈥攖hat honesty helps more than it hurts鈥攐ffered readers a hopeful script for some of life鈥檚 hardest conversations.

Hands holding a phone searching on the UR Medicine website.

UR Medicine鈥�s most-searched topics in 2025

Every year, countless people across our region look to UR Medicine experts for trusted health information. In 2025, popular searches revealed a mix of curiosity, concern, and a desire for clear science鈥攅specially on topics fueled by news headlines, viral trends, and seasonal illnesses.

Discover the , along with the evidence-backed answers from our experts.

暗网吃瓜