Campus Connect brings programming to students on their home turf

Two RIT students are using artificial intelligence (AI) to better support refugees and reshape how humanitarian organizations make data-driven decisions. Natalie Crowell and Olivia Croteau—who are both third-year humanities, computing, and design majors—are developing an AI tool that analyzes publicly available social media data, specifically from chat groups where refugees discuss needs related to housing, food, and other resources. For humanitarian organizations, this synthesized data can provide invaluable insights, at a low cost. ‌   A prototype of the AI dashboard being created by RIT students. The tool can translate, categorize, and map data from the social media posts of Ukrainian refugees in Poland. The students were hired to work on the project as a co-op. The tool that they create could help the United Nations Migration Agency, International Organization for Migration (IOM), improve its response to the ongoing refugee crisis in Poland. According to the United Nations, about 1 million Ukrainian refugees are now in neighboring Poland. “The goal is to make AI tools as accessible as possible to the people running humanitarian aid,” said Croteau, who is a double major studying new media interactive development. “We think that having a cheap way to collect and interact with data could be foundational to organizations like this,” added Crowell. “Especially at a time when so much funding is being cut.” How it started Crowell and Croteau met in a first-year Python coding class at RIT. They’ve been friends ever since. While Crowell was taking a course last fall for her geographic information systems immersion, she learned about new research from her professor, Brian Tomaszewski. ‌ Carlos Ortiz Brian Tomaszewski Tomaszewski, a professor in RIT’s School of Interactive Games and Media, spent time researching and teaching in Poland as part of a 2023 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. He used large-language models to study the situation of forced displacement of Ukrainian refugees and sought feedback from IOM staff to publish a paper. The professor was looking for students to continue work based on his research. When Crowell told Croteau about this, they brainstormed an idea, wrote the entire proposal for their tool in one morning, and presented it to Tomaszewski. “Natalie and Olivia are just another example of the amazing students we have here, “said Tomaszewski. “They are directly on the front line of recent upheavals with the foreign assistance given by the United States, which in some sense is frustrating, but also a good learning experience at the beginning of their careers considering humanitarian work.” How it works The current prototype extracts discussions by Ukrainian refugees on the popular open-source messaging app Telegram. Each day, thousands of people will contribute to group discussions about aid. While humanitarian workers do comb through Telegram messages, it can be difficult to read them all. Crowell and Croteau are designing a tool that uses AI to assign discussions into categories that IOM has already identified. The students are taking a natural language processing (NLP) vector approach to transform sentences into a series of numbers, which then get categorized based on similarity. Some of these categories include mobility, access to education, accommodations to housing, and protection. The tool includes a fine-tuned NLP model that the students are training to detect locational references. These references are then geocoded with the latitude and longitude. The developers are also implementing AI to analyze photos and videos and translate messages into other languages. “Humanitarian aid workers typically have to deliver reports, with graphs and visual data,” said Croteau, who is from Ballston Lake, N.Y. “Having interactive data is a great way to get the message across.” The tool will include a dashboard with AI-created visualizations. Using geocoding, the tool can map data to show where resources are most needed. Additionally, the students will add confidence scores to the dashboard. It can also generate an AI synopsis of the biggest trends and most common questions of the day. “What’s great is that this data is coming directly from the people and what the people need,” said Crowell, who is from Pasadena, Calif. “As humanitarian researchers, listing the source of data is essential.” How it helps The RIT student researchers are working with Harley Emery, data and research officer with IOM Poland, to fine-tune their tool. Emery shared her personal thoughts on the project, which do not reflect the views of the organization. Emery explained that humanitarian organizations rely heavily on data to identify the locations and needs of vulnerable migrants and refugees. Without timely, accurate data, it can be difficult to identify target populations for humanitarian interventions, she said. “While IOM has many of its own methods for gathering and analyzing data on displaced people, I have yet to see a ready-to-use tool that can analyze public social media data on the fly, as this project aims to,” said Emery. “I see a tool like Natalie and Olivia’s being used as a way to rapidly analyze and summarize public discourse online—at low-cost and requiring very little time—to gain initial insights which could then be explored and verified further as needed.” While the political environment and recent funding cuts pose challenges, the students remain passionate about their work. They see a scalability factor with their project. This low-cost, high-impact tool could be applied to other global crises. Croteau and Crowell plan to write a paper about their project for the IEEE Global Humanitarian Conference. “It’s invigorating to use AI to make meaningful impact,” said Croteau. “This is about more than just tech—it’s about being part of the solution.”

This year’s poster for the annual Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation Festival is a literal example of what RIT takes pride in—being the intersection of technology, the arts, and design. Third-year illustration major Ava Guarino, from Limerick, Pa., started working on her submission for the poster contest not long after last year’s festival ended. About Imagine RIT The festival is RIT’s largest annual event. Tens of thousands of people from the community are welcomed to campus that day to enjoy more than 400 exhibits of technology, art, design, robotics, performing arts, engineering, research, clubs, and more. The event is campuswide and is free and open to the public, with free parking on campus and at Monroe Community College, with free shuttle buses to and from RIT.   “I partake in Imagine every year on the Electric Vehicle Team, and I saw the ad about the poster contest, and said, ‘I can definitely do this.’ It was a great challenge for me to show how we can represent creativity and technology together,” she said. Guarino won $500 in Tiger Bucks for her winning design, one of nearly 40 entered in the contest this year. Some 7,800 votes were cast, and Guarino’s poster was one of the top vote-getters to make the finals. RIT President David Munson selected the winner. Visitors can receive a free copy of the poster during the festival on April 26, while supplies last. Guarino never entered the poster contest before. Her work on it began with a concept. “I wanted to focus on technology and our campus. I was inspired by all the engineers on campus and realized engineering has never been predominantly highlighted on our winning posters.” She created a printed circuit board with components representing various buildings arranged in proper position on campus. Ribbon cables attached to the circuit board spell out RIT. “I’m not an electrical engineer by any means, but I did get help from my engineering boyfriend, Daniel Zeznick (a fifth-year electrical engineering major from Pittsford, N.Y.), because I didn’t know any of the things on a circuit board. He definitely helped me compile all the research.” She started sketching the poster in a notebook and fully illustrated it in Adobe Illustrator. She estimates she spent about 100 hours from start to finish working on it. “The biggest challenge making the RIT word itself was making the ribbon cables readable,” she said. She tweaked it a few times after conducting her own market research, asking people what they saw first when they looked at the design. “I also wanted the letters to be orange because I was trying to be true to the RIT colors as well.” Guarino will once again be at the festival this year with the Electric Vehicle Team. She’s the team’s design lead this year. “There’s always so many things going on at RIT,” she said. “Imagine RIT puts everything out to show what everybody has been working on. It’s a beautiful culmination of everything we’ve worked on while showing visitors what goes on here. It’s very rewarding.” Guarino carries a 3.94 GPA and has been on the dean’s list every semester. She works as a classroom assistant for 2D design, helping first-year students with foundation courses. She also works as an assistant in the Office of Career Services. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and working out. “I’m very active. I love doing things.” When considering colleges, Guarino applied to art schools and large universities. “I didn’t want to go to just an art school. RIT was the perfect blend of creativity and technology. The arts aren’t forgotten about and taken along with technology. Both are valued. It’s interesting how technology and the arts merge on campus.” An hour after she was told she won this year’s poster contest, she received an offer for a 10-week summer internship at Fisher-Price. “It was a great day,” she said.

A new book explores the work of American graphic designer Saul Bass, whose commercial work was part of the landscape of 20th-century America. Thinking Made Visible: Movement, Narrative, and the Work of Saul Bass, by Jacob Dickerson and published by RIT Press, focuses on work from the artist’s nearly 60-year career. Bass’ work ranges from the iconic movie poster and title sequences of the 1955 film noir, The Man with the Golden Arm, to familiar corporate logos for the Girl Scouts, United Way, Special Olympics, Exxon, AT&T, and more. Dickerson also explores Bass’ documentary films on innovation and solar power. The publication focuses on Bass’ consistent use of hand and sun motifs and his ability to create a sense of motion within a single still image. Thinking Made Visible is the latest in the Graphic Design Archives Chapbook Series published by RIT Press. Bass’ archive is part of the Graphic Design Archives in Cary Graphic Arts Collection at RIT. The special collection holds the work of 45 designers whose pioneering work transformed American design.

Rochester Institute of Technology is launching its first esports scholarships. The scholarships recognize students for their competitive video gaming skills and dedication to representing the university at the highest level. Since forming in 2016, RIT Esports has become one of the largest and best collegiate esports programs in the world. Starting in fall 2025, RIT will offer 20 scholarships for new students—providing $2,000 each year. The university will also offer performance-based scholarships for select current students. To learn more Apply for the esports 2025-2026 scholarship by March 21 on the RIT website. As the esports industry has grown—with millions of viewers and billions of dollars in revenue—more than 200 colleges have formed esports teams. Several have begun offering scholarships. RIT is not only offering scholarships for competitive student-athletes. RIT scholarships are also available to students with the skills to run esports operations teams. RIT’s seven student-led support teams help run everything from designing the jerseys to running events to broadcasting live-streamed matches. “We want to attract and support these high-caliber esports students, who are hyper-intelligent and driven to succeed in all aspects of life,” said Chad Weeden, director of esports and cybersecurity range at RIT. “Frankly, it’s also fun to win national championships.” RIT Esports has brought home 18 national championships, and students have won more than $100,000 in prizes. RIT Esports currently competes in 23 games, including Rocket League, Hearthstone, League of Legends, and Overwatch.  With more than 200 competitive players and around 2,600 community members, RIT Esports is bigger than many college athletics programs. RIT community supports scholarships RIT Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Prabu David has been a big supporter of RIT Esports. He helped to make the new scholarships happen. “These esports scholarships recognize our talented student-athletes who use their technical expertise to perform at the highest level,” said David. David also noted that RIT is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 game design schools, according to international rankings from The Princeton Review. “Esports at RIT is also a community builder, bringing together students from different majors and backgrounds, including our students who are deaf and hard of hearing,” said David. “We realize that esports is male-dominated and one of the goals of this scholarship opportunity is for RIT to be a leader in showcasing the talents of women in esports.” ‌ Ben Feldstein, far right, is part of the winning tradition of RIT Esports. Together with RIT’s Counter-Strike 2 team, Feldstein won the 2023 National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Grand Finals Ben Feldstein, a fourth-year management information systems major and vice president of RIT Esports, worked with the provost to develop the new esports scholarships. Feldstein has also won two national championships as part of RIT’s Counter-Strike 2 team. “It’s like any other profession or skill, like traditional sports or playing musical instruments,” said Feldstein, who is from Manhattan, N.Y. “There are so many young people who put their blood, sweat, tears, and love into honing their skills to play these titles.” Feldstein continued. “I think these scholarships are going to help set up students for success after school—whether they make it to the pros or not. We’re proving to everyone that we have great students here and they dream big.”

Rosalie Clemens, formerly vice president of Workforce Development and Community Engagement for AmeriCOM, has been named executive director of RIT Certified. Clemens brings extensive leadership background in technology, business, and workforce development to lead the organization’s efforts to strengthen professional education and help close critical skills gaps in the job market. Clemens began her new role on Feb. 25. At AmeriCOM, Clemens led national programs to address workforce education in the optics industry.  Prior to that, she served as senior director of Strategic Initiatives at GS1, an international business standards organization, and director of Global Business Development at Rochester Precision Optics. A member of the Rochester community for more than a decade, Clemens has been actively involved in the optics sector—one of several global optics technology hubs where she has worked, including in Germany and Arizona. She has held positions in academia, industry, and research, as well as with small and large companies, from startups to the Fortune 500. As executive director of RIT Certified, Clemens will work with the team to deliver on its mission to develop professional training programs; to support individuals seeking new skills to enter, advance or transition within the workforce; to create clear pathways to employment; and to coordinate with employers to help meet industry workforce needs. “RIT has a reputation for its leadership in experiential education, and innovation in technology, the arts, and design. RIT Certified leverages those strengths and reflects a deep commitment to regional employers and jobseekers,” said Clemens. “I am very excited to join the exceptional team at RIT Certified, and I look forward to partnering with colleagues across the university to build upon a critical, shared vision.” Clemens earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in engineering physics from Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Lübeck University of Applied Sciences (Germany), respectively. She additionally pursued postgraduate studies and research at the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, and the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. “I am delighted to welcome Rosalie Clemens to RIT,” said Prabu David, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “Her extensive expertise and leadership experience will guide RIT Certified as it continues to develop exceptional educational training opportunities that are aligned to meet the needs of employers and the job economy. I am excited to work with Rosalie on this exciting opportunity for RIT.”

Internationally renowned metalworker and educator Albert Paley has given his personal papers to Rochester Institute of Technology. ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT The Albert Paley Archive Collection in the RIT Archives preserves the legacy of the artist, entrepreneur, and educator. Project archivist Ella von Holtum catalogs the collection. The Albert Paley Collection in the RIT Archives preserves the legacy of a celebrated working artist, entrepreneur, and educator. He is known around the world for his large-scale architectural works, sculptures, gates, architectural pieces, furniture design, and decorative arts. Paley’s approach to art, technology, design, and business will provide student-learning experiences across the university and attract visiting scholars to RIT, said Elizabeth Call, RIT university archivist. “The Paley collection serves as a cornerstone of the RIT Archives’ Entrepreneurship and Innovation collections,” Call said. “The materials in Paley’s archive promote hands-on teaching and learning and amplify the university’s legacy and contributions from RIT’s broader community.” ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT Eminent artist Albert Paley kept meticulous records of his art projects, such as this blueprint. RIT students can learn from his business practices. The artist’s activities from 1950 to the 2000s follow his transition from jewelry designer to sculptor of decorative objects, such as fireplace grates and lamps, and his signature large-scale metal sculptures. His first architectural commission began in 1972 with the Smithsonian Institute’s Renwick Gallery gates, installed in 1974. In 1984, he incorporated his studio in Rochester, N.Y., Paley Studios Ltd. More than half of the collection contains business records from the Paley Studios, according to Ella von Holtum, project archivist. Paley meticulously documented each job proposal, public and private commissions, budget negotiations, and executed projects. “His detailed record keeping shows the practices Paley used to create his business of making art. His approach and work ethic can serve as a model for young artists,” von Holtum said. ‌ Elizabeth Lamark/RIT Sculptor Albert Paley constructed the 73-foot-high Sentinel in 2003 on the RIT campus. The 240 boxes of materials also includes dozens of the artist’s sketchbooks that track the evolution of familiar shapes in his work, von Holtum said. Paley intends for students to use his materials. While access to the collection is limited during processing, classes will have early access before the first exhibit planned for 2026. “I think the collection tells this very interesting story about how an artist’s creative process takes shape and evolves over time and how a person with a vision runs a business and keeps that business running for decades in a successful way,” von Holtum said. Paley has a long association with RIT as a distinguished professor and artist-in-residence in the School for American Crafts. Three of his works can be found on the campus, including the “Sentinel,” one of his largest architectural commissions. Paley’s distinctive work can be found in public spaces, such as at the St. Louis Zoo and the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and in permanent collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, N.Y, among many other examples. Paley, in April, will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Architects. He is the first metal sculptor to receive the award.