Building Bridges to the Future:
Pont De Rennes Bridge Rehabilitation and Browns Race Street Rehabilitation Project
Thisedition
Scientists developing microchips with brain and lung tissue to study viral neuroinflammation
Pg. 15-17
Darren Lipomi: A catalyst for change in chemical engineering
Pg. 18-20
The RES will become the lead organization for improving the image and influence of the engineering community in the greater Rochester area by: Demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the region’s engineering and technical capabilities; Providing the best clerical support and public relations assistance to our affiliates; Continually communicating the engineering and technical accomplishments to both the engineering and technical community and the public; Providing regular forums and networking opportunities for the exchange of ideas and discussion of issues; and, Providing programs that identify career opportunities to the region’s youth and develop the skills of the practicing engineer.
The deadline is the 10th day of the month prior to the issue. Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed in this publication are those of contributors, not of the Rochester Society, Inc.
Advertising information may be obtained by contacting the office of the Rochester Engineering Society or going to the website at www.roceng.org.
Published every month but July. You can purchase individual copies directly from ISSUU. 2,500+ Monthly Circulation (11 issues electronically) ISSN 0035-7405
Go to www.roceng.org to join the Rochester Engineering Society. Click on the individual membership and you can submit your application on-line.
News items and articles are invited. Materials should be submitted to e-mail: therochesterengineer@gmail.com www.roceng.org.
Stay up to date with the Rochester Engineering Society & their affiliates events by going to: https://roceng.org/Calendar
Member
Campus
James M. Baker, P.E.
President
DENNIS ROOTE, PE
CDE Engineering & Environment, PLLC
dennis.roote@cde-pllc.com
Treasurer / Imm. Past President
MICHELLE SOMMERMAN, PE
Colliers Engineering
Michelle.Sommerman@collierseng.com
HOWARD RESSEL, PE
Popli Design Group (retired NYSATE) ressel@frontiernet.net
RICHARD E. RICE
Erdman Anthony rricesquash@gmail.com
BRETT ELIASZ, PE Colliers Engineering
Brett.Eliasz@collierseng.com
KENTON G. HINES
Merrill Lynch Kenton.Hines@ml.com
KELLY ROBINSON, PE, PHD
Founder, Electrostatic Answers kelly.robinson@electrostaticanswers.com
JESSIE COCQUYT
Administrative Director
Rochester
First Vice President
DAWN LaPIETRA
L3Harris Corporation
dawnlapietra@gmail.com
Second Vice President
MIKE KURDZIEL, PhD
L3Harris Corporation
mike.kurdziel@L3harris.com
STEVEN W. DAY, PhD Rochester Institute of Technology swdeme@rit.edu
NOAH KELLY
NAM Products Services Manager, Alstom noah.kelly@alstomgroup.com
JESSICA SHANG, PHD
Associate Professor, University of Rochester j.k.shang@rochester.edu
YVETTE LaBOMBARD, PE
Director Gas Engineering, RG&E
yvette labombard@rge.com
SHEILA RANSBOTTOM, PE
Senior Transportation Engineer, Wendel anumrich@wendelcompanies.com
res@frontiernet.net
In our profession, that answer, at least on the surface, is easy. It is typically thought of as the party who purchases our products (manufacturing engineers), retains our services, (consulting engineers), or pays through taxes and fees (government/utility and institutional engineers). However, our responsibility extends well beyond our customers. I recently took an ethics course on risk management to satisfy the ethics requirements for my New York State license renewal. We, as engineers, impose risk on everyone who interacts with the products we design, the structures/infrastructure we build, the reports and plans we write, the permits we write (if we are in the regulatory sector). The instructor postulated that the general public evaluates risk differently than engineers do, and that risk imposed by others is generally less acceptable. The work around, he stated, is the employ of 2 basic principles: 1) informed consent –the public is more likely to find risk acceptable if they know and understand it; and 2) justice – The risk should not be higher for one group than another. How do we implement these principles? Informed consent is achieved through a surrogate system that we know as engineering standards and codes. Justice is achieved by a uniform application of these codes. However, not all engineering design situations are governed by engineering standards and codes – it then falls upon the engineer to evaluate the risk and make appropriate design/construction/manufacturing decisions. What do you think? Do you agree that design standards/codes provide sufficient risk management? How do you manage risk in those situations that are not covered by engineering standards, codes or regulations? How far do you think your design responsibility extends? The customer/client? The general public? Or a combination of both? As stated last month, send us a letter/email and we will include it in next month’s magazine
Before we highlight this month’s content, I need to inform you of a few changes going forward:
Beginning in January 2025, the Rochester Engineer will be published Quarterly, on the first month of the calendar quarter The content will remain the same, however, some of the time sensitive content will shift to other mediums.
Beginning in January 2025, RES will publish a newsletter, a smaller publication that will include time sensitive information. We hope to publish this newsletter at least monthly, if not bi-monthly. We hope to have the content evolve so that one newsletter may have technical content, and another will focus on events, advertisements, and educational opportunities, etc.
We are working with our advertisers and other groups to develop a new set of advertising formats and rates, so that those who rely on RES for business opportunities and job announcements continue to get those services at rates that are commensurate with their value.
As I have stated earlier this year, I have tapped our First Vice President, Dawn LaPietra, to oversee a review of how RES communicates with its members, advertisers, and the engineering community. She has worked closely with administrative partner and various RES committees to develop a new communication strategy that best fits the engineering community going forward.
Now, a few highlights in this month’s magazine:
The Pont De Rennes Bridge and Browns Race rehabilitation is our cover article. For those who may be new to Rochester, the bridge was originally the Platt Street Bridge and was renamed to honor our Sister City in France. The article begins on page 23.
Our member profiles this month are two Civil Engineers, William Anterline and James Baker. William specializes in renewable energy projects and has been an RES member since 2023. James is a geotechnical engineer and President at Foundation Design P C , is actively involved in ASCE and has been an integral member of the Engineering Symposium of Rochester Planning Committee for many years. We are honored to have both of them as members of RES.
These are just a few highlights about the happenings in the Rochester Engineering community. For more information, please check out the RES website (https://www.roceng.org/) As always, if you see anything the magazine that interests you, or have any suggestions, please feel free to contact RES at res@frontiernet.net.
Thanks again!
Dennis R. Roote, P.E. President, Rochester Engineering Society
ByLeeM.Loomis
Continuing with the historical sampling of the earlier writings on behalf of the Rochester Engineering Society, the years following "The Great War", into and through the “Great Depression”, continued to be a time of reaching out for the maturing Society, both locally and nationally The meeting minutes describe a series of technical discussions and presentations intended to broaden the technical horizons of the membership (especially the CE's, ME's and EE's). The RES affiliated itself with a number of National technical societies, adopted local Affiliated Societies, frequently held joint meetings with them and continued taking action on a growing list of public matters Certain issues of standardization, some crucial to public safety, became the responsibility of the RES and its affiliates. In the pervasive economic downturn of the “Great Depression”, the magazine offered classified advertising for unemployed engineers, technicians and draftsmen and took other steps to try to deal with the crisis Still, it continued its effort to shape the function, focus and infrastructure of the City of Rochester, and beyond World War, again affected the Society, taking away many of its leaders while providing opportunities for others to step forward to fill these vacancies. In an effort to provide even greater perspective on the happenings and concerns of the day, a synopsis, featuring selected items from "The Rochester Engineer" has become an integral part of this series The Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War are now history. These experiences have changed the face of and will, no doubt, influence the future of the community. The Rochester municipal leadership and the industrial community have become immersed in the coldwar, growth economy
“The Rochester Engineer” (November 1978) This issue Announces the election of Dr. Brian Thompson, Dean of the U of R’s College of Engineering, to the RES Board of Directors. Dr. Thompson replaced James Row who recently relocated to another region. Announcement was made that the November RES Luncheon Speaker would be Wallace Baker, Esq., of Harter, Secrest & Emery, on the topic of informed use of tax shelters by engineers. The RES Board announced it approval of two Amendments to the Society’s Constitution; Adding the office of Third Vice President, moving the RES Annual Meeting from June to May of each year, in hope of improving attendance by Members, and adding the membership category of “Retired” at the new, reduced annual membership fee of $5. The American Institute of Industrial Engineers (AIIE) announced that its November meeting would feature Industrial Engineer, Hugh A Carter, Jr., Special Assistant to President Carter, speaking on ”An Industrial Engineer in the White House”. Past RES Director and Past President, Mark H. Sluis, PE, presented an article, “Professionalism vs Unionism for Engineers” in which he voiced the strong opinion, contrary to that of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE), that engineers should NOT choose to embrace unionization His reasoning was that the process and protocols of professional licensing, in NY State is quite sufficient for elevating and maintaining the status of engineers, without joining together in a bargaining unit, with its inherent bureaucracies “Technology Transfer Enters its Third Year”, is the title of a detailed article by Andrew C. Hirsch, RES’ Program Manager for the Program in Rochester and Monroe County In addition to providing a comprehensive history of the Program’s conception and development, Andy provided a list of nearly a dozen impactful projects that had been conducted in its first two years.
He then went on to describe the crucial contributions of the RES Skills Bank, and how essential that would become to the next set of projects under consideration for improving the introduction of new technologies for energy efficiency in the City and in the County He concluded his report by saying, “Both the planned institutionalization of the Technology Transfer Program and the development of a New York Innovation Group would become the most significant and challenging activities of the Program, going forward.” The RES, in partnership with the Rochester ASME Chapter, announced that Roger E Billings, President and founder of Billings Energy Corp , would be speaking at a local, daylong conference on, “Hydrogen Energy in Transportation – A New Alternative made Possible by Advanced Technology”. Mr. Billings’ hydrogen-powered vehicles (a Model A Ford pickup truck and a new Cadillac Seville) were featured in President Carter’s inaugural parade Since then, this developing fuel technology has been used in home heating, public transit buses, and US Postal Service vehicles An article describing a recent exchange of letters between RES Member, Malcolm Drummond and Congressman Barber B. Conable, provided an opportunity for the Congressman to elaborate on H.R. 12561, a recent bill he had introduced, proposing the allowance of tax-exemptions for employee contributions to employer-sponsored retirement accounts Editor’s Note: This would seem to have been the forerunner of the very popular 401k retirement savings accounts that came into existence in late 1978. The U of R’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) hosted the dedication of its new ZETA, six-beam laser system This system features Deuterium and tritium, isotopes of Hydrogen, combined to become a fuel for laser fusion Supported by the US Dept of Energy, General Electric Corp , Exxon, Empire State Electric Energy Research Corp (ESEERCO), the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). This is but one of several of USDoE’s research facilities, also including Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, and others LLE Director, Moshe J Lubin head of the U of R’s Laser Fusion Feasibility Project, described this milestone as, “a model for management of long-term research that distributes the risk over both public and private sectors of the economy.”
Subsequent articles in this series will describe the RES' continuing outreach to other technical societies as it considered its role in this and the larger community It will feature more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its membership, as the Society adopted a greater role in shaping the future of the City and its environs. Noted also, will be the contributions made by RES members in the struggle to meet the challenges coming out of World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War, as well as a hoped-for period of post-war growth and prosperity. These articles will also feature an impressive array of RES activities in support of post-war re-emergence of Rochester area industry, and the continuing prosperity of the second-half of the 20th Century. We welcome your questions and comments on this series
Teach undergrad and grad levels and conduct externally funded research in food packaging and food science in areas like: sustainable packaging, active and intelligent packaging, packaging materials, food safety, and food quality related to packaging.
Assistant or Associate Professor in Mechanical, Robotics & Manufacturing and Mechatronics 9206BR
Teach, publish, and conduct externally funded research in areas related to Mechatronic Systems, with a strong emphasis on Automated Manufacturing Systems, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) related to the manufacturing enterprise
Assistant or Associate Professor in Mechanical, Robotics & Manufacturing and Mechatronics 9207BR
Teach, publish and conduct externally funded research in areas related to Mechanical Systems, such as: Mechanical Engineering Principles, Solid Mechanics, Control Systems, Senors and Actuators, Mechanical Design, Finite Element Analysis, Prototyping and Testing, Engineering Mathematics, Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer, Material Selection, and AI/ML
Assistant or Associate Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology 9219BR
Teach undergrad and grad levels, publish and conduct externally funded research in areas such as: the application of AI & ML in electrical and computer engineering, microelectronics/ semiconductors/hardware security; power engineering, power electronics and smart-grids, quantum computing, robotics, controls and autonomous systems, applied acoustics and audio, embedded systems, and next-generation communication networks
Assistant or Associate Professor in Civil Engineering Technology 9235BR
Teach undergrad and grad levels, publish and conduct externally funded research in areas related to the Civil Engineering field. Background in geotechnical, structure, transportation, construction, or water resources engineering is desired. Special interest in those whose research intersects with AI, as you will apply AI in areas like: smart city data collection and analysis, structural health monitoring, infrastructure sustainability analysis, optimization in structural design, construction safety monitoring, and disaster response.
Be a catalyst for innovation and progress. We are seeking tenure-track faculty for various disciplines, including Packaging Science, Mechanical, Robotics & Manufacturing, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology, and Civil Engineering Technology.
In these roles, you will lead groundbreaking research, inspire students, and advance areas like sustainable packaging, AI & ML in engineering, and smart city infrastructure. If you are ready to make a lasting impact, we invite you to join our dynamic and inclusive academic community
Visit careers.rit.edu/faculty and search the 6-digit reference code
Rachel Mathews
Assistant Dean of Academic Operations rkfsss@rit edu
rit.edu/cet
Teach in areas broadly related to the Civil Engineering field with special interest in experiential teaching. Background in geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, water resources engineering or construction management is desired Professional engineer license is preferred. This position does not require research responsibilities, allowing the focus to be entirely on educational excellence and student engagement
Civil Engineering/Construction Management Professor of Practice 9237BR
Teach in areas broadly related to the Civil Engineering and/or Construction Management field. Background in construction engineering/management, smart city infrastructure, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering is desired. Professional engineer license is required This position does not require research responsibilities, allowing the focus to be entirely on educational excellence with special interest in experiential learning and student engagement.
9215BR
Teach courses, both classroom and online formats, in one or more of the following areas; circuit design, digital signal processing, embedded system design, C++, Python, Matlab and hardware description language Responsibilities will include lecture and laboratory content development and delivery. Engage in curriculum development to ensure the programs stay current with industry trends and technological advancements
9208BR
Teach as a Professor of Practice to support the Mechanical, Robotics & Manufacturing, and Mechatronics Engineering Technology programs. Teach and contribute to course and laboratory development in one or more of the following: mechanical engineering, materials engineering, manufacturing engineering, robotics engineering, and mechatronics engineering.
We are seeking dynamic non-tenuretrack faculty members who are passionate about teaching, mentoring, and contributing to an inclusive and collaborative academic community. If you’re ready to inspire the next generation of engineers through handson learning and real-world applications, join our team Your role will be pivotal in preparing students for impactful careers, fostering their growth, and driving technological advancement Be part of a community that values practical expertise and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our students
Visit careers rit edu/faculty and search the 6-digit reference code.
Rachel Mathews
Assistant Dean of Academic Operations rkfsss@rit edu
rit.edu/cet
Experience
13+ years in the civil engineering/site design industry. Licensed and registered Professional Engineer in NY & PA.
Civil design and permitting of Renewable Energy projects including solar, wind & battery Civil design and permitting of diverse private developments in the industrial, commercial, educational, and institutional markets.
Joined RES May 2023
Education
BS, Civil Engineering, Clarkson University, 2011
Organizations & Groups
Rochester Engineering Societymember
Professional Highlight
Working on the development of Renewable Energy projects to help meet the NYS 2050 CarbonNeutral Goal.
Playing with my children Watching football Cooking
Dungeons & Dragons
30+ years in the field of Geotechnical Engineering and associated construction consulting here in the greater Rochester Area
President at Foundation Design since 2003
BS, Civil Engineering, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, 1990
MS, Civil Engineering (Geotechnical focus)
SUNY Buffalo, 1994
ASCE Rochester Section Engineering Symposium of Rochester, Volunteer since 2005 and occasional
Presenter
ASCE Rochester Engineer of the Year, 2012, recognition was for designing and managing projects in collaboration with Owners, the Design Teams, and Contractors to solve soils problems I enjoy both the large, technically challenging projects and the chance to work directly w/ the owners of small projects who don’t know what a Geotechnical Engineer is, let alone how we do what we do.
Enjoying the Outdoors in particular hiking, ice/rock climbing, trail running, and biking I am an ADK 46’er, have completed a half dozen marathons/50 K trail runs, and have biked around each of the Finger Lakes
STEP1
STEP2
BEGINbygoingtotheRESWebsite ScholarshipPagetocheckthe eligibilityrequirements!
REQUESTaninterviewappointment bygoingtotheScholarship ApplicationPageandfillout eligibilityform.
2024SusanL CostaMemorial Scholarship,GustavoRiveraSoto, UniversityofRochester, MechanicalEngineering
STEP3
GATHERtherequireddataand supportingmaterials.(detailson website)
OfficialTranscript Resume
Applicant’sLetter
ReferenceLetter#1and#2
InterviewReport
2024AdamW.LawasMemorial Scholarship,LaurenStoll, RochesterInstituteofTechnology, MechanicalEngineering
Luke Auburn, October 16, 2024
LUNG-TO-BRAIN CHIP: University of Rochester researchers will use microphysiological systems—small chips with ultrathin membranes supporting 3D networks of human cells, also known as "tissue chips"—to model respiratory disease effects on the brain and test therapeutic drugs to prevent and treat symptoms. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Researchers will use tissue-on-chip technology as a new way to explore the relationship between the lungs and brain.
Scientistsaredevelopingadvancedtoolstounderstandand treatneurologicalsymptomssuchasbrainfogassociated withrespiratorydiseaseslikeinfluenza.TheBiomedical AdvancedResearchandDevelopmentAuthority(BARDA), partoftheAdministrationforStrategicPreparednessand Response(ASPR)withintheUSDepartmentofHealthand HumanServices(HHS),awardedathree-yearcontractto researchersattheUniversityofRochestertodevelopa technologytomodelrespiratorydiseaseeffectsonthe brainandtesttherapeuticdrugstopreventandtreat symptoms.Thebase-yearisfundedat$2.4millionwith twooptionyearswhich,iffullyfunded,wouldtotal$7.1 million
Theprojectwillusemicrophysiologicalsystems(MPS) smallchipswithultrathinmembranessupporting3D networksofhumancells,alsoknownas“tissuechips” to simulateinfectionandtreatmentinvitro.Thistissuechips willincorporatehumanlungandbraintissuemodels.
Luke Auburn, October 16, 2024
“Thisisanothersteptowardmakingdisease modelinganddrugdiscoveryfocusedfromthevery beginningonmorecomplex,human-relevant systems,”saysprincipalinvestigatorBenjamin Miller,aDean’sProfessorofDermatologyat Rochesterwithjointappointmentsinbiomedical engineering,biochemistryandbiophysics,optics, andmaterialsscience.“Thesechipscanhelpmake thewholedrugdiscoveryprocessfaster.”
TheprojectbuildsonworkatRochester’srecently establishedTranslationalCenterforBarrier MicrophysiologicalSystems(TraCe-bMPS)tobuild FDA-qualifieddrugdevelopmenttoolsforstudying thebody’sbarrierfunctionsincombatingdisease. Thecenterwascreatedearlierthisyearwitha$7.5 milliongrantfromtheNationalInstitutesof Health.
Co-investigatorJamesMcGrath,theWilliamR.KenanJr.ProfessorofBiomedicalEngineeringanddirectorofTraCe-bMPS,has beenusingmicrophysiologicalsystemstostudythemechanismbywhichinflammatoryfactorscanenterthebrainthroughthe circulationandcauseinjury ThenewBARDA-fundedprojectwilllinktwoofMcGrath’smodular,mass-produciblechipsspecialized tomimicdifferentorgans.
“Thisprojectwillconnectthis‘brain’chipupstreamofasecondchipthatmodelsacommonsourceofthoseinjuriousfactors:the infectedlung,”saysMcGrath.“I’mthrilledtobeworkingwithahighlyinterdisciplinaryRochesterteamandwithBARDAtodevelop whatwillbeascientificallyimportantnewtool.”
AswithlongCOVID,commonvirusessuchasinfluenzacanproducechronicsymptomssuchasbrainfog,fatigue,andenduring pain.Theprojectoffersanewwaytoexploretherelationshipbetweenthelungsandbrain.
“Therespiratorytract,withitscellular,humoral,andhard-wiredconduitstothebrain,standsasthefirstlineofdefenseagainst emerginginfectiousthreatsfromzoonoticspillovers,”saysco-investigatorHarris(Handy)Gelbard,directoroftheCenterfor NeurotherapeuticsDiscoveryattheUniversityofRochesterMedicalCenter.“Weandourcollaborators,withthesupportofthe NationalInstituteonAging,haveworkedforthepastseveralyearstoinvestigatethesemechanismsinthehopesofapplying therapeuticagentstoameliorateneurologicdisease,especiallyintheelderlythatarevulnerabletotheseinfections Now,witha world-classteamofin-houseexpertsatdevelopinglabs-on-a-chip,wehavetheuniqueopportunitytofast-trackourresearchina newlung-to-brainchip.”
Luke Auburn, October 16, 2024
DavidDean,aprofessorofpediatrics,biomedical engineering,andpharmacologyandphysiology,has studiedthediseaseprocessesthatleadtoacute respiratorydistresssyndrome(ARDS)inthehopes ofdevelopingnewtreatmentsforthisdevastating disease.
“Studyingthisrequiredustouseculturedcellsfrom thelung,butalmostalways,thesearegrownand studiedbythemselves,whichisnotanywhereclose tothesituationinthelungwhereover40different celltypesco-existandinteracttoallowustolive. Thus,thisiswaytoosimplisticofamodel,”says Dean,co-investigatoroftheproject.“Ontheother extreme,wehaveusedanimalmodelstotest hypothesesanddrugsindevelopment,butthese modelsaresohardtocontrolandmakesenseof becausesomanydifferentthingsaregoingon,and itisdifficulttoattributearesponsetoasingle pathway,leadingtoasystemthatisalmosttoo complicated.”
Hesaysthenewapproachisawin-winsolutionthatwillallowtheresearcherstomimiccomplexinteractionsbetweenkeycell typesinthelungbutinacontrolledmanner.
DavidTopham,theMarieCurranWilsonandJosephChamberlainWilsonProfessorofmicrobiologyandimmunologyand directoroftheTranslationalImmunologyandInfectiousDiseasesInstitute,willalsoserveasaco-investigator;HaniAwad,the DonaldandMaryClarkDistinguishedProfessorinOrthopaedicsandaprofessorofbiomedicalengineering,willactasa consultant.TheteamwillbeworkingwithUniversityofRochesterspinoutcompaniesPhlotonicstodomedium-throughput instrumentationandSIMPoretodevelopthechips.
Theprojectwilllastthreeyears,andbytheendofthefirstyear,theteamaimstolinkthetissuechipsystemswithimmunecells, demonstratethattheycaninfectthelungchipwithinfluenza,andobserveaninflammatoryresponseinthebrainchip.Thisproject hasbeensupportedinwholeorinpartwithfederalfundsfromtheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices;Administrationfor StrategicPreparednessandResponse;BiomedicalAdvancedResearchandDevelopmentAuthority(BARDA),undercontract number75A50124C00040.
Luke Auburn, October 9, 2024
DarrenLipomithinkschemicalengineeringisa misunderstoodfield.
“Chemicalengineeringgetsabadrapbecausepeople associateitwithdevelopingtheforeverchemicalsthatare invadingtheenvironment,themicroplasticscatastrophe, globalwarming,andenvironmentaldegradation,”hesays. “Butyoucan’thavemodernlifewithoutchemical engineering.Thegoalshouldbetomakeitbetterandpartof thesolution.”
AccordingtoLipomi,chemicalengineersarecriticalto environmentalprotectioneffortssuchasimprovinggreen energyproductionmethodslikesolarandwind,developing lithium-ionbatteries,andmakingheatexchangein computationmoreefficient.“Ibelievechemicalengineering isatthecenterofthebullseyeinsociety’seffortstosolveour loomingenvironmentalthreats,”headds.
AsthenewchairoftheDepartmentofChemicalEngineering attheUniversityofRochester,Lipomihasmadeithismission toeducatethepublicaboutthefield’spromisewhilehelping aspiringacademicsunderstandtheintricaciesofhigher education.Aprolificpodcaster,hereachesthousandsof peopleeachmonthwhoareinterestedinchemical engineeringandacademiathroughhisXaccountand YouTubechannel.
Lipomihaspostedmorethan200videostohisYouTubechannelsincehebeganitin2017andhopestoacceleratehispacenowthat heisinanewroleandsetting.Sharingcandidexperiencesfromhiscareer,theepisodes’topicsrangefromlessonsfromhis IntroductiontoNanoengineeringtextbooktohowgraduatestudentscannavigatedifficultsituationssuchaschangingtheiradvisor.
“IfeelstronglythateducationshouldbeapublicgoodandthisisanoutletformetosharewhatI’velearnedwiththeworldatlarge,” saysLipomi
LipomicametotheUniversityofRochesterfromtheUniversityofCalifornia SanDiego,whereheservedasaprofessorinthe nanoengineeringandchemicalengineeringdepartmentsandasthedeanforstudentsatJacobsSchoolofEngineering Joiningthe facultyatRochesterwasahomecomingandthefulfillmentofalong-termdream.
Luke Auburn, October 9, 2024
“TheUniversityofRochesterhasaspecialplaceinmyheart,”saysLipomi,anativeofnearbyHilton,NewYork.“WhenIwasajunior inhighschool,Iwentonafieldtriptoachemistrylabherethatwasdoingorganicelectronics.Theyweredistillingtetrahydrofuranin aflaskandtherewerefluorescentmaterials,andIwaslike‘Sold.That’swhatIwanttodo.’”
Hesaidhealwaysaspiredtoreturntohisrootsiftherightopportunityarose andinhisnewrole,hejoinsaprogramwitharich historyatanexcitinginflectionpoint.
TheUniversityofRochester’schemicalengineeringprogramoriginatedin1915andwasamongthefirstinthecountry,closelytied tothecity’sindustryexpertiseinphotographyandxerography.Lipomipointsoutthedepartmenthasbeenhometoabevyof influentialresearchersovertheyears,includingChingWanTang,aprofessoremerituswhodevelopedthefirstpracticalorganic lightemittingdiode(OLED)whileatKodak.
Althoughtheprogram’sclosehistorictieswithKodakandXeroxwanedwiththecompanies’declinesneartheturnofthe21st century,Lipomisaysarecentinfluxofearly-careerfacultywithcutting-edgeexpertisehaspositionedthedepartmenttobeatthe forefrontofresearchinsomeofchemicalengineering’smostexcitingfronts.Sixofthedepartment’s14staffjoinedinthepasttwo yearsalone,establishingnewresearchprogramsinareasincludingcatalysisandbiochemicalengineering.
Forchemicalengineeringstudents,heseesRochesterasanattractivedestinationduetothedepartment’s8-to-1ratioofstudents tofaculty,guaranteedresearchexperiencesforallundergraduates,acombinedbachelor’sandmaster’sprogram,andclose proximitytocollaboratorsattheUniversity’sInstituteofOpticsandtheUniversityofRochesterMedicalCenter.
Amongthefaculty,Lipomihasalsofoundkindredspiritswhoareequallypassionateaboutsciencecommunicationanddiscussing theirexperienceswiththeworld.AssociateProfessorMarcPorosoff,forexample,hostsPodCAT,amonthlypodcastabout heterogeneouscatalysis.
“Rochesterfacultyhosttwoofthethreemainchemicalengineeringpodcasts,sowe’vekindofgotacorneronthemarket,”Lipomi jokes.
On a recent “crossover” episode of the PodCAT podcast, Darren Lipomi joined with Rochester colleage Marc Porosoff, Tom Senftle from Rice University, and Ezra Clark from Penn State University to discuss chemistry versus chemical engineering, art in STEM, and other topics. Watch the episode
Luke Auburn, October 9, 2024
ThemovetoRochesteralsoallowedLipomitoreprioritizehisresearch,doublingdownonareashe’shadsuccessinwhilepursuing newquestions Oneoftheresearchprojectsheismostexcitedtopursueishapticholography,ortheabilitytofeellight
“Maybethecoolestscience/technologydiscoveryI’veeverplayedaroleinisthatyoucanfeelmechanicalsensationsarisingfroma desktopslideprojectoronyourskinviathephotoacousticeffect,”saysLipomi,describingfindingsfromastudyrecentlypublished inAdvancedScience.
HeandhisteamatUCSanDiegowereabletodemonstratethathumanscanfeelchangesinpulsedlightandthatcertaindyescan augmenttheeffect AtRochester,heplanstofurtherexplorewhatcreatesthissensorystimulationandbelievesitcanhave applicationsinlaboratories,clinics,defensetechnologies,andconsumerelectronics.
Hisotherresearchfocuseswillincludeexploringhowmacrophagescanbeusedtometabolizeandbreakdown“spacejunk,”as wellasneuromorphiccomputing,orenablingcomputinginwaysthatmirrorhowthebrainworks.
Althoughrebuildingaresearchprogramatanewuniversitytakestimeandpresentschallenges,theshiftrepresentedtheright moveattherighttime
“Itwasanexcitingopportunitybothprofessionallyandformyfamily,”hesays.“PeoplejokinglyaskifI’mcrazymovingfromSan DiegotoRochester,butIknowexactlywhatI’mgettingintoandIthinkmyskillsarematchedwelltothischallenge.”
As part of the ROC the Riverway initiative, the Pont de Rennes Bridge and Browns Race are receiving some much needed upgrades.
Pont de Rennes was constructed in 1891 and consist of a wrought iron bridge spanning the Genesee River Gorge The bridge originally carried vehicles as the Platt Street Bridge, but was converted pedestrian bridge in 1982 and was named for Rochester’s Sister City, Rennes, France. It is recognized as one of the best places in the city to view the falls and river gorge, standing 100 feet over the Genesee River Significant structural repairs are needed to ensure the safety of this historic infrastructure. In addition to structural repairs, funds will be used to create a more dynamic public space along the bridge.
Browns Raceis a National Register Historic District and a city Preservation District Browns Race was originally constructed in 1815 and used as a small power canal. Water was diverted from High Falls and used to power water wheels for various mills that were built in and around the cliffs north of the falls. The street Browns Race was later constructed alongside the canal, where it now accommodates various businesses The race is still visible, running under a metal grate, alongside and below the street. The street rehabilitation project includes Brown Race (From Furnace St to Platt St), Platt Street (From Mill St to Browns Race) and Furnace Street (From Mill St to Browns Race).
Pont de Rennes:
Perform In-depth bridge inspection
Perform structural steel replacement/repair of deteriorated steel members
Perform additional enhancements which may include: creative lighting elements for safety and aesthetics, showcasing public art, installation of plantings and updating existing trail connections
Pont de Rennes is a major pedestrian connection between High Falls and the east side of the river providing connectivity between important community institutions such as MCC’s Downtown Campus, Kodak headquarters, and the Genesee Brewery. The bridge is also an important connection between neighborhoods on both sides of the river immediately north of downtown.
Thank you to The Dolomite Group, the concrete supplier on this job, for the submission of progress and cover photos!
Replace and improve failed underdrain system
Evaluation and improvements to existing pavement section
Street improvements may include: spot sidewalk
replacement, upgrades to curb ramps, replace damaged and missing bollards, bike racks, and light fixtures
The design consultant team ofLaBella Associates, withTrowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects,Lu Engineers,Baptiste Engineering, andRavi Engineeringwas selected through the City’s Request for Proposal (RFP) process to provide engineering, landscape architecture, public outreach, planning and design services for the project.
Public engagement and feedback for understanding the needs and visions of the community as they relate to the project will be implemented through stakeholder meetings, public meetings, and project updates on the City’s website
Lu Engineers is a full service transportation, civil and environmental engineering firm, headquartered in Rochester, NY with additional offices in Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton, Albany & NYC.
The selected candidate will predominantly work on projects for NYSDOT, City of Rochester and Monroe County.
We are seeking a Design Engineer/Project Engineer to join our team to assist the Transportation Group in ou Rochester Office. Lu Engineers provides all employees an excellent benefits package. This position will be provided a very competitive compensation ($90k-$120k) package including a hiring bonus.
Requirements:
• • • B. S. Civil Engineering Degree
4 – 12 years of Transportation Engineering experience designing highways, streets, culverts and bridge capital improvement projects for municipalities or government transportation agencies
NYS P E preferable
Desired Technical Skills Include:
• •
• • •
•
•
•
•
Design of highway, street, bridge and culvert projects (all aspects of preliminary and final design to produce bid ready documents)
Design Approval Document Preparation
Document preparation including technical studies not limited to (Drainage Reports, Traffic Studies, PETSR, etc )
Detailed Design of Construction Plans
Construction Cost Estimating
Desired Software Experience Includes: Jonathan Ottman
CAD Software (Microstation, AutoCAD, InRoads)
Roadway Modeling, Traffic Analysis & Modeling (HCS, Vissim, Synchro, Simtraffic, etc)
Drainage Design (HEC-HMS,\ HEC-RAS, etc.)
Microsoft Office
Interested candidates are invited to send a cover letter and resume (include Design Engineer in the subject line) to:
jottman@luengineers.com
Lu Engineers is an equal opportunity employer.
Last month’s chapter meeting was held on Monday, October 7th at Strathallan We had great attendance for the presentation which was entitled “Inflation Reduction Act and 40% Tax Credits for Thermal Storage.” The topic is very relevant in today’s ever-changing environment and was well received by our members.
We’ll be continuing our program series with our next meeting on Monday November 4th at Strathallan. Mr. Kris Geyson will be presenting on “Operating Room Design – Going Beyond ASHRAE 170 ” Please consider joining us and feel free to share the event details with colleagues who would be interested in attending this presentation We look forward to hosting a great event!
Registration is now open for the ASHRAE 2025 Winter Conference, which will be held from February 8 -12 in Orlando, FL, with the 2025 AHR Expo also hosted in Orlando from February 10-12. This conference is highly anticipated and offers the latest industry technology and offers many opportunities for networking Registration is now open for in-person and virtual attendance to this event; Early bird pricing is available through October 31st! Event schedule and registration details can be found at this website:
https://www.ashrae.org/conferences/2025-winter-conference-orlando
Visit our website at www.rochesterashrae.org to register for our events, to see a list of our current Officers and Committee members, to read our current Chapter newsletter, and more! If you haven’t already, take a moment to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn by searching for ASHRAE Rochester. As always, please reach out to me or one of our Board members with any questions regarding ASHRAE.
CHAIR
Kelly Robinson
VICE-CHAIR
Emmett Ientilucci
TREASURER
Lyle Tague
SECRETARY
Eric Zeise
AES & COMSOC
Cristiano Tapparello
CS & CIS
Bo Yuan
EDS & CSS
Sean Rommel EMBS
Cristian Linte
GRSS
Emmett Ientilucci
LIFE
Jean Kendrick APS & MTTS
Danielle Walters PHOTONICS
Parsian K Mohseni
PES & IAS
Kelly Robinson
Jean Kendrick
SPS
Eric Zeise
TEMS
Paul Lee
YOUNG PROF.
Eric Brown
STUDENT CHAP.
Univ. of Rochester
Ming-Lun Lee
RIT
Jamison Heard
AWARDS
Jean Kendrick COMMUNICATION
Christine Frayda
Howard Bussey NEWSLETTER
Mark Schrader
PACE
Bruce Rubin
HISTORIAN
Ram Dhurjaty
CS/CIS
RES LIASON
Greg Gdowski
Dear Colleagues,
Our IEEE Rochester Section Women In Engineering (WIE) Affinity Group (https://wie.ieee.org/about/) hosted two significant events in October to promote talent retention within our community with a key focus on diversity and inclusion. While these vast issues may seem impossible to solve, I think of Nkosi Johnson, who fought for children with HIV/AIDS to be able to attend school. When facing this daunting challenge, this 12-year-old boy advised us to “Do all you can do with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are.”
Let us work together to make our little corner of the world the best possible Attend an IEEE event, learn new things, meet interesting people, support our vibrant Rochester technical community, elevate the practice of engineering, and enrich your colleagues' experiences
NOTE: The IEEE Rochester Section Awards and Volunteer Recognition Dinner will be held on Monday, December 9, 2024, 6:00pm – 9:00 pm at Glendoveers 2328 Old Browncroft Blvd Rochester, NY 14625
We welcome you to help us plan an interesting and exciting event. Our IEEE Rochester Section Executive Committee meets monthly to organize events. Our next meeting will be over lunch on Tuesday, December 3rd, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 pm. Please feel free to register for in-person or virtual (Zoom) attendance using this link: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/438307. I look forward to working with you!
Regards, Kelly Robinson, PE, PhD Chair, IEEE Rochester Section
Ram (Sreeram) Dhurjaty, PhD, LSMIEEE, R1R2 Historian, presented the keynote address at the MIT Undergraduate Research Conference on October 12 in Cambridge, MA; the title of his talk was “Past Innovations Have Influenced the Present and How Today’s Innovations Will Influence the Future.” Earlier in October, Ram presented “Radio Frequency Alternators of the 1900s” at the Antique Wireless Association (AWA) Annual Conference in Rochester, NY.
2024 Western New York Image and Signal Processing Workshop (WNYISPW) Friday, November 8 at RIT
WNYISPW is a premiere venue for promoting research involving AI, image, and signal processing applications in the Western New York region and facilitating interaction between academic researchers, industry professionals, and students.
Registration information: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/426283
For further information, including the detailed program agenda, please go to the 2024 IEEE WNYISPW website: https://ewh.ieee.org/r1/rochester/sp/WNYISPW2024.html
Officers & Societies
CHAIR
Kelly Robinson
VICE-CHAIR
Emmett Ientilucci
TREASURER
Lyle Tague
SECRETARY
Eric Zeise
AES & COMSOC
Cristiano Tapparello
CS & CIS
Bo Yuan
EDS & CSS
Sean Rommel EMBS
Cristian Linte GRSS
Emmett Ientilucci LIFE
Jean Kendrick
APS & MTTS
Danielle Walters PHOTONICS
Parsian K Mohseni
PES & IAS
Kelly Robinson
Jean Kendrick
SPS
Eric Zeise
TEMS
Paul Lee
YOUNG PROF.
Eric Brown
STUDENT CHAP.
Univ. of Rochester
Ming-Lun Lee
RIT
Jamison Heard
AWARDS
Jean Kendrick
COMMUNICATION
Christine Frayda
Howard Bussey
NEWSLETTER
Mark Schrader
PACE
Bruce Rubin
HISTORIAN
Ram Dhurjaty
CS/CIS
RES LIASON
Greg Gdowski
- Women In Engineering October 1 and October 8 Events Report
This is a report from Deyasini Majumdar, Ph.D., SMIEEE, Chair, Women In Engineering, IEEE Rochester Section, 2023-2024, and Co-Chair, Program Committee, IEEE WIE International Leadership Conference 2025.
WIE Rochester held a two-event series titled 'Industry-Academia Interfaces: A Next-Gen View' on October 1 and October 8 at RIT and U of Rochester, respectively Each event had 45+ attendees The programs included a welcome by the engineering schools’ deans, technical talks, panel discussions, and industry exhibits. The discussions were engaging, and the feedback highlighted the local community's need to engage industry and academia.
President/: DAVE JERECKOS
IBC Engineering, PC 3445 Winton Place Suite 219 Rochester, NY 14623 585-292-1590
Vice President Technical:
LUKE LAWATSCH Labella Associates 300 State Street Suite 201 Rochester, NY 14614 585-454-6110
Vice President Legislative: TREVOR SAX IBC Engineering, PC 3445 Winton Place Suite 219 Rochester, NY 14623 585292-1590
Vice President Membership: REBECCA KOLSTAD
Kolstad Associates 40 Harrison Street Rochester, NY 14605
Treasurer / Education Chair: JENNIFER WENGENDER, P.E., CPD CPL 255 Woodcliff Drive, Suite 200 Fairport, NY 14450 585-454-7600
Administrative Secretary: ADAM KRAMER M/E Engineering
300 Trolley Boulevard Rochester, NY 14606 585-288-5590
Newsletter Editor: NADIA THOMPSON
Turner Engineering 359 West Commercial St, Ste 2190 East Rochester NY 14445 (585) 381-3360
Affiliate Liaison: EMILY MILLER
WMS Sales 9580 County Rd Clarence Center, NY 14032 (716) 741-9575
Rochester Chapter Website: www.aspe.org/rochester
Happy Fall everyone!
Well Thanksgiving well wishes to everyone! As we continue into the season of ASPE we will be working very hard to continue with our giveaway program As mentioned in previous meetings this year we are looking into providing our members that attend 4 meetings this season (non-consecutive) we will provide them with a ASPE Rochester backpack So make sure if you are a member that you are in good standing with ASPE and most importantly that you sign in at every meeting you attend so we can keep track
We have 85 Members with consisting of 50 Full, 20 Associate and 15 Affiliate members In that group of 85 members we have 19 PE’s and 9 CPDs Of the those that attend meetings, about half are Members If you attend meetings but are not a member, we are always glad to see you but please consider joining the Rochester Chapter of ASPE
We will be for our monthly meetings at Three Heads for the new season and will continue through May of 2025 for another exciting year! I hope everyone is having a good fall. I am looking forward to seeing folks at the November meeting!
Dave Jereckos, Chapter President (Chapters are not authorized to speak for the Society)
Topic:
Trench Drains: From Specification to Post Installation.
Sponsor: Location: Zurn – Nick Heschke
Three Heads Brewery: 186 Atlantic Ave, Rochester, NY 14607
Date:
RSVP:
Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 12:00 PM llawatsch@labellapc com
180 Linden Oaks, Suite 100, Rochester, NY 14625
Dedicated to Professionalism in Engineering in the Interest of Public Safety and Welfare
2024-2025 Officers: President Kenneth Rea, PE, President-elect David C. Roberts, PE, Vice-President Robert K. Winans, PE, Secretary Martin E Gordon, PE, Treasurer Christopher R Devries, PE, Membership Chair Robert K Winans, PE Past Presidents: Bill Grove, PE, Michael O Ritchie, PE, Directors: Christopher V Kambar, PE, Barry J Dumbauld, PE, Neal Illenberg, PE, Donald Nims, PE, Douglas R Strang,, PE, Cade Krueger, PE
NSPE, Continuing Education, and Workability
One of the privileges and responsibilities of holding the tile “Professional Engineer” is staying informed on current issues relating to the practice, ethics, and rules of engineering To assist registered members with this, the National Society of Professional Engineers offers a series of live and on-demand webinars to NSPE members
Throughout the year, these “Workability Wednesdays” are offered to cover a variety of subjects, and can be accessed through the NSPE PE Institute.
The most recent topics to become available on-demand include:
•
NSPE’s Board of Ethic Review Presents: The Duty to Act
Second Best Protection Against Risk
Enhancing Building Safety: Mitigating Risks of Slips, Trips, and Falls Access
Lidar Illuminated: Revolutionizing Engineering Design and Building Analysis
Designing Fire Protection Systems - The Role of the Engineer and Engineering Technician DEI or ‘die’ A Noteworthy Discussion
Rob Zerillo of Liberty Electric Products will be presenting on Electric Snow Melting Systems at APD Engineering & Architecture in Victor. MPES will charge $10 for virtual attendance and $25 for in-person attendance; proceeds go to the MPES Scholarship fund Please contact David C Roberts for further information at dcrobertspe@gmail com
As of July 1, 2024, new officers and board members have joined the MPES Board of Directors. MPES would like to thank our outgoing President, Bill Grove, P E for his service and leadership for the 2023-2024 year Bill has moved into the role of Immediate Past-President We will welcome Neal J Illenburg, P E , Cade Krueger, P E , and Christopher V. Kambar, P.E., to the roles of Director, and Robert K. Winans, P.E., will be our Vice President. David C. Roberts, P.E. returns to the position of President-Elect, a role he previously held eight years ago.
President: Kenneth Rea, P.E.
PresidentElect: David C. Roberts, P.E.
Vice President: Robert K Winans, P E
Secretary: Professor Martin E Gordon, P E
Treasurer: Christopher R. Devries, P.E.
Immediate PastPresident: Bill Grove, P.E.
PastPresident: Michael O Ritchie, P E
Directors: Christopher V Kambar, P E
Barry J. Dumbauld, P.E.
Neal Illenberg, P.E.
Donald Nims, P E
Douglas Strang, P E
Cade Krueger, P.E
https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/why-get-licensed
As always, we encourage active membership in the Monroe Professional Engineers Society. We are constantly striving to improve your membership but we always need more help. If you are interested in becoming an active member or have any questions, please email me at krea@apd com or contact MPES through our website at www monroepes org/contactus/ Kenneth Rea, P.E., President, MPES
American Consulting Engineering, Companies of New York
American Public Works Association Monroe County/Genesee Valley Branch
American Society of Civil Engineers, Rochester Section
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Rochester Chapter
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Rochester Section
American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Rochester NY Chapter
Electrical Association
Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association
Monroe Professional Engineers Society
New York State Association of Transportation Engineers, Section 4
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Inc., Rochester Section Rochester Plant Engineers
Imaging Science & Technology, Rochester Chapter
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Rochester Section
Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Rochester Chapter
Association for Bridge Construction and Design
Society of Plastics Engineers, Rochester Section
Terra Rochester Finger Lakes Science & Engineering Fair
