Sentinel (sculpture)

Transcription

[BAGPIPES AND DRUMS] >> IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO ADVISE YOU OF OUR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND TO POINT OUT THE LOCATION OF THE EXITS. YOU WILL BE INFORMED BY ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY REQUIRING EVACUATION. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, WE ASK THAT YOU LEAVE IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION THROUGH THE EXITS NEAREST YOU, IDENTIFIED >> JEREMY HAEFNER: FOR SOME, UNIVERSITIES MEAN IVY-COVERED BUILDINGS OR FOOTBALL GAMES OR MANY EXAMS, BUT TODAY, THIS UNIVERSITY IS ALL ABOUT TRANSFORMING LIVES, BUILDING CAREERS, AND MAKING A PROFOUND IMPACT. GOOD! I AM DR. JEREMY HAEFNER, PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AT RIT. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TODAY AS WE KICK OFF COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND 2014 WITH THIS UNIVERSITY CELEBRATION OF OUR GRADUATES IN THE CLASS OF 2014. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) AND NOW I INVITE ALL OF US TO PLEASE STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION, GIVEN BY ELI BASS, HILLEN PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTER OF RELIGIOUS LIFE. OH! SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING? WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING? AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE. OH! SAY, DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE? (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) >> ELI BASS: BLESSED ARE YOU, GOD, WHO ENABLED ALL OF US TO COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENT OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND TRANSITION. GOD, WE SEEK YOUR BLESSING ON THESE GRADUATES. AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR LIFE JOURNEYS, MAY THEY CONTINUE IN THEIR PROCESS OF DISCOVERY. HELP THEM TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN KNOWLEDGE, CHARACTER AND SPIRIT. THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING OF PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED AND NURTURED THESE GRADUATES TO REACH THIS MOMENT. THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING OF THOSE WHO SUPPORTED OUR GRADUATES WHO CANNOT BE PRESENT, WHO ARE HERE IN SPIRIT. THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING OF THE RIT COMMUNITY OF PEERS, STAFF, PROFESSORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO FACILITATED THIS EXPERIENCE. MAY THESE GRADUATES' LIVES BE ENRICHED BY THE LEARNING, CONNECTIONS, AND RICH EXPERIENCES THEY CREATED AT RIT. CONGRATULATIONS! >> JEREMY HAEFNER: PLEASE BE SEATED. THANK YOU, MR. BASS. THANKS ALSO TO SOLOIST DR. KEITH JENKINS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS -- (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) -- AND CLEARLY WITH A VERY LARGE FAN CLUB -- AND DEAF PERFORMERS TIMOTHY HOLMES, MALIK PARIS, LAUREN AGGEN, AND NICHOLAS SHAW FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY MR. ED SCHELL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ALSO FROM THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) I ALSO THANK THE MEMBERS OF EIGHT BEAT MEASURE WHO ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF THIS CEREMONY, AND THE MEMBERS OF RIT PIPE BAND AND GATES KEYSTONE CLUB POLICE PIPES AND DRUMS, WHO LED OUR STUDENT PROCESSION INTO THE FACILITY. (APPLAUSE) IN ADDITION TO THE REALTIME CAPTIONING OF THIS CEREMONY, WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE CEREMONY WILL BE ENRICHED BY THE PRESENCE AND EXPERTISE OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS AND REALTIME CAPTIONISTS. WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR IMPORTANT WORK. (APPLAUSE) IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MR. BRIAN HALL, CHAIR OF ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. BRIAN. (APPLAUSE) >> BRIAN HALL: GOOD MORNING! ON BEHALF OF THE RIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU - GRADUATES, FAMILIES, FRIENDS, FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION TO THE 2014 RIT ACADEMIC CONVOCATION. THIS MORNING WE KICK OFF COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND -- A WEEKEND OF HAPPINESS AND CELEBRATION; A WEEKEND WHERE THE FOCUS IS ON OUR GRADUATES AND ALL EYES ARE ON THE FUTURE; A WEEKEND THAT IS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF HARD WORK BY GRADUATES, YEARS OF SUPPORT BY FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, AND YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE BY OUR FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR GRADUATES AS THEY EMBARK ON THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR GRADUATES BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OF ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS - AT ANY UNIVERSITY - ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR GRADUATES BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, A PROFOUND IMPACT ON MANKIND. GRADUATES, LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THESE THOUGHTS. RIT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE. YOU HAVE GROWN, DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS, AND GAINED GREAT KNOWLEDGE WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN STUDENTS HERE. YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE HISTORY OF RIT, AND RIT WILL FOREVER BE PART OF YOU. REMEMBER THIS IS YOUR UNIVERSITY - YOU ARE A GRADUATE AND AN ALUM. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY CONNECTED TO RIT. RIT CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE, AND YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN RIT'S FUTURE. I SAY THIS TO YOU NOT AS A TRUSTEE, BUT AS A FELLOW RIT ALUM. ON BEHALF OF THE RIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR GRADUATES. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. (APPLAUSE) >> JEREMY HAEFNER: THANK YOU, BRIAN. THERE ARE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE. FIRST, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES - WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR UNFAILING SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS. ALONG WITH THEM, WE ARE ALSO PLEASED TO WELCOME RIT VICE PRESIDENTS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATORS HERE WITH US TODAY! WITH ME HERE ON STAGE ARE DR. HEATH BOICE PARDEE, INTERIM SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS, AND DR. KEVIN MCDONALD, ASSOCIATE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. ALSO, TODAY'S MACE BEARER, DR. MICHAEL LAVER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS, AND CHAIR OF THE RIT ACADEMIC SENATE. TRUSTEES, VICE PRESIDENTS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATORS, HEATH, KEVIN, AND MICHAEL, PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. (APPLAUSE) THANK YOU. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PLATFORM PARTY WILL BE INTRODUCED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM. FACULTY ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF ANY UNIVERSITY. THE RIT FACULTY ARE AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST, AND WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THE EXCELLENCE AND EXPERTISE EACH FACULTY MEMBER BRINGS TO HIS OR HER CLASSROOM. THE FACULTY ARE TIRELESS IN THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR STUDENTS, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND EXPECTATIONS BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. THEY ARE NOT ONLY TEACHERS; THEY ALSO ARE FRIENDS, CHEERLEADERS, ADVISERS, MENTORS AND ROLE MODELS. GRADUATES, MEMBERS OF THE PLATFORM PARTY, TRUSTEES, STAFF, FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THOSE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU, THE GRADUATES, HAVE LEARNED AND ACCOMPLISHED - THE RIT FACULTY, WHOM I NOW ASK TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, FACULTY, FOR A JOB WELL DONE! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE). THE FACULTY COULDN'T BE AS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT ONE OTHER GREAT RESOURCE HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY, AND THAT IS THE STAFF WHO WORK SO INCREDIBLY HARD TO SUPPORT US, BOTH FACULTY AND STUDENTS, IN REACHING OUR GOALS. ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT SAY IT FAR OFTEN ENOUGH, WE THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AS WELL. TO THE STAFF, THANK YOU. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) WHILE RIT ALUMNI CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ALUMS IN OUR AUDIENCE - FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, OTHER FRIENDS. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ASK ALUMNI IN THE AUDIENCE TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. ALUMNI. (APPLAUSE) EACH YEAR, RIT RECOGNIZES MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY WHO EXEMPLIFY TEACHING EXCELLENCE THROUGH A SERIES OF AWARDS; A DESCRIPTION OF EACH AWARD CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR PROGRAM. I WILL INTRODUCE THE 2013-2014 RECIPIENTS OF THESE AWARDS AND ASK THAT THEY STAND WHEN THEIR NAMES ARE READ AND REMAIN STANDING. PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL ALL THE RECIPIENTS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED. THE RECIPIENTS OF THE EISENHART AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHING, RIT'S HIGHEST TEACHING AWARD, ARE: DR. KIRSTEN CONDRY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS DR. CARL LUTZER, PROFESSOR, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE THE RECIPIENT OF THE RICHARD AND VIRGINIA EISENHART PROVOST'S EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD IS: DR. SEAN HANSEN, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) THE RECIPIENT OF THE OUTSTANDING TEACHING AWARD FOR NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY IS: MR. JONATHAN WEISSMAN, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, B. THOMAS GOLISANO COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES THE RECIPIENTS OF THE TRUSTEES SCHOLARSHIP AWARD ARE: DR. MANUELA CAMPANELLI, PROFESSOR, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE; AND DR. JENNIFER SCHNEIDER, PROFESSOR, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) FINALLY, I PRESENT R. ROGER REMINGTON, VIGNELLI DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF DESIGN, SCHOOL OF DESIGN, COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS AND SCIENCES. PROFESSOR REMINGTON HAS BEEN A RENOWNED FACULTY MEMBER HERE AT RIT FOR 50 YEARS. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE). A PIONEER IN THE FIELD OF DESIGN EDUCATION, ROGER'S LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVITY IS LEGENDARY. HE IS AN EXPERT IN DESIGN EDUCATION AND A LEADER IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN GRAPHIC DESIGN. IN RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION OF HIS COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS, THE RIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES BESTOWED UPON HIM EARLIER THIS MONTH THE FIRST EVER TRUSTEES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR SCHOLARSHIP IN THE AREA OF GRAPHICS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A WARM CONGRATULATIONS OF ALL THESE OUTSTANDING TEACHER-SCHOLARS. AN EXPLANATION OF THE REGALIA OUR GRADUATES AND FACULTY WEAR CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR PROGRAM. AT TODAY'S CEREMONY AND THE COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES LATER TODAY AND TOMORROW, YOU WILL NOTICE SOME STUDENTS WEARING YELLOW CORDS OVER THEIR GOWNS. THESE STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING CUM LAUDE, MEANING THEY HAVE EARNED AT LEAST A 3.4 GRADE POINT AVERAGE. STUDENTS GRADUATING MAGNA CUM LAUDE HAVE ACHIEVED AT LEAST A 3.6 GRADE POINT AVERAGE, AND THOSE GRADUATING SUMMA CUM LAUDE HAVE ACHIEVED A GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF AT LEAST 3.8. OUT OF A 4.0 SCALE. YOU WILL ALSO SEE STUDENTS WEARING ORANGE SASHES OVER THEIR GOWNS - THESE SASHES INDICATE MEMBERS OF THE RIT HONORS PROGRAM WHO ARE GRADUATING THIS WEEKEND. WE CONGRATULATE ALL THESE HIGH-PERFORMING -- (LAUGHTER) -- WHAT DID I SAY? GRADUATING THIS WEEK EPD. THIS WEEKEND. YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE STUDENTS WEARING OTHER SASHES, CORDS OR MEDALLIONS - THEY MAY BE ATHLETES, HAVE STUDIED ABROAD, BEEN NAMED OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS, MEMBERS OF HONORARY SOCIETIES, STUDENT GOVERNMENT, OR FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES. WE ARE PROUD OF THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY OF RIT. LOATHES GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. (APPLAUSE) FOUR YEARS AGO, RIT CREATED THE ROCHESTER CITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM WHICH WAS DESIGNED FOR HIGH ACHIEVING ROCHESTER CITY STUDENTS, WHO ARE SELECTED BASED ON THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS, LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL , AND DESIRE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE RIT AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE GOALS FOR THE PROGRAM WAS TO PROVIDE HIGHLY QUALIFIED STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN A COLLEGE EDUCATION - SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO OTHERWISE. TODAY MARKS THE GRADUATION OF THE FIRST CLASS OF ROCHESTER CITY SCHOLARS - WE ARE SO PROUD OF THEM AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GREAT THINGS FROM THEM IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THESE SCHOLARS. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MR. PAUL DARRAGH, WHO IS COMPLETING HIS TERM AS PRESIDENT OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT. "TALL PAUL," AS HE IS KNOWN, HAS BEEN AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND EFFECTIVE STUDENT LEADER AND WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT STUDENT VOICES ARE HEARD AT ALL LEVELS OF THE UNIVERSITY. WE THANK HIM FOR HIS WORK AND WISH HIM WELL IN THE FUTURE! TALL PAUL? (APPLAUSE) >> PAUL DARRAGH: WOW, CAN YOU BELIEVE WHERE YOU ARE SITTING? THINK BACK TO THE LAST TIME YOU SAT IN THE FIELD HOUSE WITH YOUR PARENTS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS! THAT WAS DURING YOUR FRESHMEN ORIENTATION. I AM NOT PLANNING ON STANDING UP HERE SAYING HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU OR WHAT GOOD YOU WILL DO OUT IN THAT PLACE THEY CALL THE REAL WORLD. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT YOU WILL ROCK IT. YOU WENT TO RIT AND MADE IT THROUGH ALL 4,5,6, OR EVEN 7 YEARS. (LAUGHTER) YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVEN THAT YOU CAN DO GREAT THINGS AND THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO AFTER GRADUATION; YOU WILL INSPIRE THE REST OF US AT RIT. TODAY I WANT TO ASK YOU TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT YOUR FIRST YEAR HERE AT RIT. NOW THINK OF HOW MUCH YOU HAVE CHANGED, THE GREAT FRIENDS YOU'VE MADE, AND WELL, LET'S BE HONEST, ALL OF THE LESSONS YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY WHILE YOU LEARNING, GROWING AND EXPLORING. THESE MIGHT ALL BE DIFFERENT FOR US, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ALL SHARE A FEW SIMILAR MEMORIES. REMEMBER THAT ONE DAY THE CAMPUS MANAGED TO SURVIVE BY HIDING UNDER THE DESK FROM AN UMBRELLA? (LAUGHTER) WELL I GOTTA HAND IT TO YOU GUYS, WE STARTED A NATIONAL MOVEMENT WITH A FEW OTHER COLLEGES FOLLOWING OUR LEAD. OR ONE OF THE MANY ACTIVITIES WE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN RANGING FROM ONE OF THE ALL-NIGHT LAN PARTIES TO CHEERING ON OUR MEN'S AND WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM . BUT ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MEMORIES WAS CREATED BY AN EMAIL SENT OUT BY DR. DESTLER: IN THE WORDS OF THE FAMOUS DR. DESTLER, "MOST STUDENTS KNOW THE WEATHER AT RIT IS CONTROLLED BY THE SENTINEL SCULPTURE LOCATED IN FRONT OF EASTMAN HALL THROUGH A CONTROL CENTER ACCESSED THROUGH THE SECRET TUNNEL LINKING THE DORMITORIES TO THE ACADEMIC BUILDINGS." NOW, I KNOW THAT WAS NOT ONLY THE MOST READ MESSAGE CENTER EMAIL EVER, BUT A PROMISE WAS MADE BY DR. DESTLER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT PROMISE WAS? >> DR. DESTLER: NO. (LAUGHTER). >> THAT ANY GRADUATING SENIOR WILL BE GIVEN A PERSONAL TOUR OF THE TUNNEL THAT WOULD HAVE KEPT THEM WARM ALL OF FRESHMEN YEAR, BY OUR ONE AND ONLY DR. DESTLER. YOU CAN FIND HIM OVER BY THE SENTINEL AFTER THIS! (LAUGHTER) RIT HAS PROVIDED US WITH SOME OF THE GREATEST MEMORIES, FRIENDS AND EXPERIENCES OF OUR LIVES. AS YOU HEAD OUT INTO THAT PLACE THEY CALL THE REAL WORLD, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT I AM WAITING TO SEE ALL OF YOU BACK HERE AT BRICK CITY HOMECOMING TO TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR NEW FRIENDS, MEMORIES AND EXPERIENCES. WITH THAT, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK, AND JUST REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT YOUR LAST HOORAH AT RIT. I WILL SEE YOU ALL SOON. (APPLAUSE) SORRY. ONE LAST INTRODUCTION. AS I AM LEAVING, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE -- SORRY. AS YOU LEAVE HERE AFTER GRADUATION, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH RIT DOES NOT END, BUT RATHER IT CHANGES AS YOU JOIN THE RANKS OF RIT ALUMNI. WITH US THIS MORNING REPRESENTING RIT ALUMNI IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE RIT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND A MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MR. RICARDO A. VENEGAS. >> RICARDO VENEGAS: GOOD MORNING, AND CONGRATULATIONS! THANK YOU, PAUL. MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2014, WELCOME TO THE RIT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. YOUR STATUS AS AN RIT GRADUATE POSITIONS YOU AS PART OF A VERY TALENTED AND RESPECTED GROUP OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. AS THE FIRST CLASS TO GRADUATE UNDER THE NEW SEMESTER SYSTEM, YOU WILL HOLD A SPECIAL DESIGNATION. NONETHELESS, WE ALL SHARE THE COMMON BOND OF BEING RIT ALUMNI. THIS DYNAMIC NETWORK OF OVER 114,000 INDIVIDUALS DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF AN RIT DEGREE DAILY. YOU CAN SEEK AND FIND RIT TIGERS IN OVER 140 COUNTRIES AND ALL 50 STATES. YOU WILL EASILY FIND THEM AT MORE THAN 600 EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THE RIT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SPONSORS EVERY YEAR. OR, LIKE ME, YOU MAY HAVE COLLEAGUES AND NEIGHBORS THAT ARE HONORED TO BE RIT ALUMNI. YOU JOIN A STRONG AND PROUD COMMUNITY THAT IS STRENGTHENED WITH THE TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE THAT EACH DEDICATES TO THAT SOCIETY. THROUGH YOUR CONNECTION TO THE RIT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH RIT WILL LAST A LIFETIME. I URGE YOU TO MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN THAT CONNECTION. IT WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO AND DRAW YOU BACK TO YOUR RIT FAMILY THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. USE YOUR RIT EDUCATION WELL, REAP THE BENEFITS OF YOUR HARD WORK, AND REMEMBER THAT YOU NOW GO INTO THE WORLD TO REPRESENT THE PHENOMENAL VALUE OF RIT TO THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, I HEREBY DECLARE THE CLASS OF 2014 TO BE LIFE MEMBERS OF THE RIT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND, AS SUCH, CHARGE YOU TO REMAIN LOYAL, DEDICATED, AND ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTERS OF THE UNIVERSITY THAT SETS YOU FORTH ON THIS 23RD DAY OF MAY 2014. WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE YOU AMONG US. CONGRATULATIONS! (APPLAUSE) (APPLAUSE) >> JEREMY HAEFNER: THANKS, RICARDO! NEXT, I AM HAPPY TO INTRODUCE RIT PRESIDENT DR. WILLIAM W. DESTLER. DR. DESTLER IS AN INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITY ON HIGH-POWER MICROWAVE SOURCES AND ADVANCED ACCELERATOR CONCEPTS; HE EARNED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND HIS PH.D. FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY - BOTH DEGREES IN THE FIELD OF APPLIED PHYSICS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING PRESIDENT DESTLER. >> DR. DESTLER: PAUL, I WILL SIGN ALL OF MY SPEECH. (LAUGHTER) SO HAPPILY FOR ALL OF YOU, THIS SPEECH WILL BE SHORT. (LAUGHTER) FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE GRADUATES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR ALL OF YOU, AND THE BEGINNING OF NEW ADVENTURES OF ALL KINDS. WHETHER YOU ARE GOING TO START A NEW JOB, ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A JOB, OR ARE GOING ON TO GRADUATE SCHOOL, A NEW LIFE AND A VERY BIG WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU. I REMEMBER WHEN REBECCA AND I FIRST CAME TO RIT YEARS AGO, WE MOVED AWAY FROM OUR MANY FRIENDS AND A COMFORTABLE LIFE TO START A NEW ADVENTURE IN ROCHESTER. WE WERE, AS I'M SURE YOU ARE, EXCITED AND NERVOUS ABOUT THE NEW LIFE WE WERE STARTING. IN TIME, OF COURSE, WE FOUND NEW FRIENDS HERE AND WE NOW THINK OF ROCHESTER AND RIT AS HOME. WE DID LEARN A FEW THINGS ON OUR OWN ADVENTURE, AND SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO YOU AS YOU BEGIN YOUR NEW LIVES. FIRST, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS YOU EMBARK UPON YOUR NEW JOURNEYS. IN FACT, THEY WILL BE YOUR GREATEST SOURCE OF SUPPORT DURING THIS PERIOD OF CHANGE. SECOND, WHAT YOU DO AND HOW MUCH YOU ENJOY IT WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE, AND IF YOU ENJOY YOUR WORK YOU WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR CAREERS. THIRD, MAKE NEW FRIENDS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT. YOU WILL NEED BOTH. FOURTH, FIND WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITIES AND GIVE BACK WHEN YOU CAN. THE WORLD IS NOT A PERFECT PLACE, BUT YOU CAN MAKE IT BETTER THROUGH YOUR GOOD WORKS. FIFTH, I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE FOUND JOBS OR HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO GRADUATE SCHOOL. MANY OF YOU, HOWEVER, ARE STILL LOOKING FOR JOBS AND TO YOU I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN THERE. WHEN I FINISHED GRADUATE SCHOOL, I SENT OUT MORE THAN 100 LETTERS TO EMPLOYERS, AND I RECEIVED NOT ONE ENCOURAGING RESPONSE. IN THE END, HOWEVER, I FOUND A JOB, AND YOU WILL, TOO, SO DON'T DESPAIR. FINALLY, STAY IN TOUCH WITH RIT AND THE FRIENDS AND MENTORS WHO HAVE HELPED YOU HERE. COME BACK AND VISIT OFTEN, AND WEAR YOUR ORANGE AND BROWN WITH PRIDE. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND OF WHAT YOU HAVE BECOME, AND WE WILL FOLLOW YOU IN YOUR NEW LIVES WITH REAL INTEREST AND PRIDE. FINALLY, GO TIGERS! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, RIT GRADUATES: WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME A SPECIAL GUEST TO OUR CELEBRATION TODAY, NOBEL LAUREATE DR. WILLIAM DANIEL PHILLIPS. DR. PHILLIPS HAS A MOST IMPRESSIVE LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS, A RECORD OF INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH THAT'S INSPIRING. A NATIVE OF WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, HE HAS BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT SCIENCE MOST OF HIS LIFE, DECIDING AS A YOUNG CHILD IT WOULD BE HIS LIFE'S WORK. BILL RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN PHYSICS FROM JUNIATA COLLEGE, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS PARENTS WHO, ALONG WITH HIS SIBLINGS, ALSO ATTENDED JUNIATA. HE EARNED A PH.D. FROM ANOTHER IT INSTITUTION WITH AN M AT THE BEGINNING WE DON'T TALK ABOUT MUCH HERE. (LAUGHTER) AFTER TWO YEARS AS A WEIZMANN POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW AT MIT -- I SAID IT; DIDN'T I -- HE JOINED THE STAFF OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY (THEN THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS) IN 1978. DR. PHILLIPS IS CURRENTLY LEADER OF THE LASER COOLING AND TRAPPING GROUP IN THE QUANTUM MEASUREMENT DIVISION OF NIST'S PHYSICAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY, AND A DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND. THE RESEARCH GROUP HE LEADS AT NIST HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING SOME OF THE MAIN TECHNIQUES NOW USED FOR LASER-COOLING AND COLD-ATOM EXPERIMENTS IN LABORATORIES AROUND THE WORLD. DR. PHILLIP'S WORK HAS BEEN WIDELY RECOGNIZED AND HONORED. A FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY AND THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, A FELLOW AND HONORARY MEMBER OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, AND A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, HE IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE GOLD MEDAL OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, THE MICHELSON MEDAL OF THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE, THE SCHAWLOW PRIZE OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY, AND THE SERVICE TO AMERICA MEDAL, CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. AND IN 1997, JUST TO TOP IT OFF, HE SHARED THE NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS TO COOL AND TRAP ATOMS WITH LASER LIGHT. AFTER HEARING THAT LONG LIST OF CREDENTIALS, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU MIGHT BE CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SIT THROUGH A STUFFY SCIENCE PRESENTATION. (LAUGHTER) BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER HEARD MY FRIEND, DR. PHILLIPS, SPEAK. BE READY. LET'S GIVE A WARM RIT WELCOME TO DR. PHILLIPS. (APPLAUSE) >> WILLIAM PHILLIPS: THANK YOU. PRESIDENT DESTLER, PLATFORM PARTY, MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY, HONORED GUESTS, AND MOST IMPORTANT, GRADUATING STUDENTS OF THE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. COULD SOMEBODY TURN THE LIGHTS ON SO I CAN SEE THOSE WONDERFUL STUDENTS? THANK YOU. YOU ARE WHY WE ARE HERE, AND I'M TALKING TO YOU. THIS IS A WONDERFUL DAY, A JOYOUS OCCASION, A TIME FOR CELEBRATION, A TIME FOR FOND MEMORIES, A TIME TO LOOK FORWARD. YOU ARE RECEIVING DEGREES FROM ONE OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY'S GREAT UNIVERSITIES. YOU DESERVE TO BE PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I AM HAPPY AND HONORED TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE EAGER TO GET ON WITH THIS HAPPY CEREMONY, TO REJOICE WITH YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS, AND TO CELEBRATE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME GIVING THIS COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS. I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES AND HEARD A LOT OF COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSES, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ALMOST UNIFORMLY FORGETTABLE. THERE WAS ONE EXCEPTION. THE RENOWNED CELLIST YO YO MA ONCE GAVE AN ADDRESS IN WHICH HE ADVISED ALL OF THE GRADUATES THAT, LIKE EVERY MUSICIAN, THEY MUST FIND THEIR VOICE. WHAT A MUSICIAN DOES IS GIVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE INTERPRETATION TO WELL-KNOWN COMPOSITIONS, AND THE STUDENTS, AS WELL AS ALL OF US, HAVE TO FIND OUR UNIQUE WAYS THROUGH FAMILIAR LIFE EXPERIENCES. REALLY GOOD ADVICE. BUT WHAT MADE IT MEMORABLE WAS THAT YO YO MA PLAYED HIS CELLO. IT WAS AWESOME. SO WHEN BILL DESTLER ASKED ME TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY, I WAS WONDERING, COULD I PULL OFF THE SAME TRICK? COULD I, AS AN EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICIST, DO EXPERIMENTS IN THE SAME SPIRIT OF YO YO MA PLAYED HIS CELLO? WE SHALL SEE. YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN? AS A PHYSICIST, WHAT I DO IS TO MAKE THINGS REALLY, REALLY COLD. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN THINGS ARE HOT, IT MEANS THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES THAT MAKE UP THE STUFF ARE MOVING AROUND REALLY FAST. THE THE MOLECULES IN THE AIR IN THIS ROOM ARE MOVING AT THE SPEED OF SOUND, ABOUT 300 METERS PER SECOND. IT'S REALLY HARD TO MEASURE THINGS THAT ARE MOVING THAT FAST. SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO TAKE A GAS AND COOL IT DOWN SO THAT THE ATOMS IN THAT GAS ARE MOVING MORE SLOWLY SO WE CAN STUDY THEM AND MEASURE THEM BETTER. (LAUGHTER) SO COURTESY OF THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY, I HAVE GOT SOME REALLY COLD STUFF. IN HERE IS LIQUID NITROGEN. NITROGEN IS THE MAIN CONSTITUENT OF THE AIR. THAT MEANS THIS IS LICK WHICHFIED AIR. UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN IN A LOW-TEMPERATURE PHYSICS LABORATORY, THIS IS THE COLDEST STUFF YOU'VE EVER SEEN. IT IS SO COLD THAT COMPARED TO IT, THE FLOOR ON WHICH I AM STANDING -- IN FACT, EVERYTHING IN THIS GREAT HALL, IS BURNING HOT. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU TOOK COLD WATER AND PUT IT ON A RED HOT STOVE? IT WOULD BOIL. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. THIS STUFF IS REALLY, REALLY COLD. AND IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT COLD, WELL, WHY NOT USE IT TO COOL DOWN A GAS? SO THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA OF WHAT I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU NOW. SO HERE I HAVE A CONTAINER OF LIQUID NITROGEN. LET ME JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN HERE TO TOP IT UP. HERE I HAVE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A VERY COMMON CONTAINER FOR HOT GAS OR, AS WE SAY IN THE WASHINGTON AREA, WHERE I COME FROM, "HOT AIR," BUT THIS IS -- (LAUGHTER) -- THIS IS NOT AT ALL A COMMON CONTAINER. THIS IS A TOOIRINGT BALLOON. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) A TIGER BALLOON. OKAY. SO WE'VE GOT THE TIGER BALLOON FILLED WITH HOT AIR. LET'S STUFF IT INTO THIS BAIT BUCKET FILLED WITH LIQUID NITROGEN TO COOL DOWN THE AIR TO MAKE THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES MOVE MORE SLOWLY. OH, YEAH, THIS IS SO MUCH FUN. (LAUGHTER) (HISSING SOUND) ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. GOOD. SO NOW, WHILE THAT'S COOLING DOWN, LET'S SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO SHOW YOU HOW COLD THIS STUFF REALLY IS. HERE I HAVE A DEWAR FLASK, JUST A FANCY NAME FOR A THERMOS BOTTLE. IT HAS BEEN SITTING OUT IN THIS ROOM ALL MORNING. IT IS, COMPARED TO LIQUID NITROGEN, BURNING HOT. IMAGINE YOU TOOK A METAL PALE, HEATED IT UP IN A FIRE UNTIL IT WAS GLOWING RED HOT, AND THEN TOOK SOME COLD WATER AND POURED IT INTO THE BUCKET. IT WOULD BOIL! AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME. SO WHILE THAT'S BOILING AWAY, COOLING DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE DEWAR, LET'S COOL DOWN SOME MORE GAS. BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO AN EXPERIMENT, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT PLENTY OF STUFF TO DO IT WITH, SO WE WANT TO COOL DOWN SOME MORE HOT GAS. OKAY. (HISSING SOUND) WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL. (LAUGHTER) OKAY. SO NOW LET'S GO OVER HERE. THE BOILING HAS SUBSIDED. LET ME JUST TOP IT UP A LITTLE BIT. SO WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF NITROGEN IN HERE. NOW, HERE WE HAVE A NICE FRESH FLOWER. NICE -- (LAUGHTER) -- IT'S BEEN SITTING OUT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. THAT MEANS COMPARED TO THE NITROGEN, IT'S RED HOT. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU TOOK A FIREPLACE POKER, HEATED IT UP IN THE FIRE UNTIL IT WAS GLOWING RED, AND THEN PLUNGED IT INTO A BUCKET OF COLD WATER? IT WOULD MAKE THE WATER BOIL. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. I LOOK IN HERE AND SEE THE NITROGEN IS BOILING AWAY, COOLING DOWN THE FLOWER. WHILE THAT'S HAPPENING, LET'S COOL DOWN SOME NOR GAS. (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE REASON WE ARE DOING THIS IS TO MAKE THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES IN THE GAS MOVE MORE SLOWLY SO THAT WE CAN MEASURE THEM BETTER. WE'VE GOT THIS INCREDIBLY COLD STUFF, SO WE'RE GOING TO COOL DOWN THE GAS TO MAKE THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES MOVE MORE SLOWLY. I'M GOING TO STUFF IT IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S GETTING A LITTLE TIGHT IN THERE. OKAY. OKAY. GOOD, GOOD, GOOD. NOW, LET'S COME BACK TO THE FLOWER. THE BOILING HAS SUBSIDED. THAT MEANS THAT THE FLOWER IS COOLED DOWN TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE LIQUID NITROGEN. THIS FLOWER IS SO COLD THAT WHEN I PULL IT OUT, IT IS FROZEN SO HARD I CAN CRUSH IT LIKE IT WAS MADE OUT OF GLASS. THIS STUFF IS REALLY, REALLY COLD! (LAUGHTER) AND IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT COLD, WELL, WHY NOT USE IT -- (LAUGHTER) -- WHAT? -- (LAUGHTER) WHY NOT USE IT TO COOL DOWN YOUR GAS TO MAKE THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES MOVE MORE SLOWLY SO THAT YOU CAN STUDY THEM BETTER? THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE IDEA IS. YEAH, THERE'S STILL A LITTLE ROOM IN HERE. OKAY. FANTASTIC. GET DOWN THERE. (LAUGHTER). OKAY. THERE WE GO. NOW, LET'S SEE. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO SHOW YOU HOW COLD THIS STUFF IS? HERE WE GO. A RUBBER BAND. NICE, STRETCHY RUBBER BAND. I AM GOING TO TAKE THE RUBBER BAND AND DUNK IT INTO THIS CONTAINER OF LIQUID NITROGEN. NOW, LIKE ANYTHING THAT GOES INTO THE LIQUID NITROGEN, IT'S MAKING THE NITROGEN BOIL. IT DOESN'T TAKE TOO LONG. THE BOILING HAS STOPPED. THE RUBBER BAND IS DOWN TO THE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE LIQUID NITROGEN. WHEN I TAKE IT OUT, IT IS SO STUFF (SNAP) I CAN BREAK IT LIKE IT WAS A DRY TWIG. BUT ALL I HAVE TO DO IS WARM IT UP IN MY HANDS, AND IT'S A NICE, STRETCHY RUBBER BAND AGAIN. THIS STUFF IS REALLY, REALLY COLD! (LAUGHTER) AND IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT COLD -- (LAUGHTER) -- WELL -- AND FORTUNATELY, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIGER BALLOONS -- THEN WHY NOT USE IT TO COOL DOWN YOUR GAS SO THAT THE THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES WILL MOVE MORE SLOWLY SO THAT YOU CAN MEASURE THEM BETTER? OKAY. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE'VE GOT. RACQUETBALL. NICE, BOUNCY RACQUETBALL. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PUT THE RACQUETBALL IN THE LIQUID NITROGEN. NOW, HOW COLD IS THIS STUFF? WHEN WE MEASURE THE TEMPERATURE OF THINGS, LIKE THE AIR OUTSIDE, WE USUALLY USE A SCALE LIKE THE FAHRENHEIT SCALE OR THE CELSIUS SCALE. ON A COLD DAY, IT MIGHT GO DOWN TO 0 CELSIUS. ON A REALLY COLD DAY, IT MIGHT GO DOWN TO BELOW ZERO FAHRENHEIT. PHYSICISTS DON'T LIKE THESE NEGATIVE TEMPERATURES, SO WE USE A DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE SCALE WHERE ZERO IS THE COLDEST POSSIBLE TEMPERATURE YOU COULD EVER HAVE. THIS IS CALLED THE ABSOLUTE OR KELVIN SCALE. ON THAT SCALE, ROOM TEMPERATURE IS ABOUT 300 DEGREES. ICE MELTS AT 273 DEGREES. DRY ICE HAS A TEMPERATURE OF 195 DEGREES ON THAT SCALE, AND THE COLDEST AIR TEMPERATURE EVER MEASURED ANYPLACE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, SOMEPLACE IN ANTARCTICA IN THE WINTER, WAS 185 DEGREES ABOVE ABSOLUTE ZERO. THIS STUFF -- THIS STUFF, WHICH IS SO COLD THAT IT BOILS WHEN YOU POUR IT OUT ON THE GROUND -- THIS STUFF IS 77 DEGREES ABOVE ABSOLUTE ZERO, INCREDIBLY COLD. FOR MOST OF YOU, THE COLDEST STUFF YOU'VE EVER SEEN. SO IT SEEMS PERFECTLY REASONABLE IF YOU WANT TO COOL DOWN A GAS TO I CAN MA THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES MOVE MORE SLOWLY, WHY NOT USE IT, THE COLDEST STUFF YOU'VE EVER SEEN? BUT SOME OF YOU, I PERCEIVE, HAVE NOTICED THERE WAS SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON HERE, THAT THE VOLUME OF THE BALLOONS THAT WENT INTO THIS BUCKET WAS GREATER THAN THE VOLUME OF THE BUCKET. THE REASON IS THAT THESE BALLOONS ARE AS FLAT AS PANCAKES. THESE THINGS ARE FRISBEES. THESE THINGS ARE -- (LAUGHTER) -- (POP) -- OH. (LAUGHTER). (POP) NOW, HOW MANY BALLOONS DID I PUT IN? FIVE. HOW MANY BALLOONS DID I TAKE OUT? FIVE. AND THEY WERE ALL TIGER BALLOONS; RIGHT? HOW MANY YELLOW BALLOONS DID I PUT IN? (LAUGHTER) HMM? HOW MANY BLUE BALLOONS DID I PUT IN? (LAUGHTER) HOW MANY RED BALLOONS DID I PUT IN? (POP) (LAUGHTER) I COULD HAVE PUT IN BALLOONS INTO THIS BUCKET UNTIL THE COWS CAME HOME BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE AIR DIDN'T GO OUT OF THESE BALLOONS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'VE REINFLATEED. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE AIR CONDENSED. IT TURNED INTO A LIQUID OR A SOLID OR STUCK TO THE INSIDE OF THE BALLOON, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A GAS ANYMORE. THAT JUST WON'T DO BECAUSE WE WANT TO STUDY OUR ATOMS IN A PRISTINE WAY, NOT STUCK ONTO OTHER ATOMS, NOT STUCK ONTO A CONTAINER. SO WE HAD TO DEVELOP ANOTHER WAY OF DOING IT. I WISH I HAD THE TELL YOU THAT STORY BECAUSE IT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY. HOW WE USE LIGHT TO SHINE ON THE ATOMS AND PUSH ON THEM IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE THEM SLOW DOWN, AND NOT ONLY DID IT WORK, IT WORKED BETTER THAN ANYBODY THOUGHT IT WOULD, AND WE EVENTUALLY GOT THE TEMPERATURE OF A GAS DOWN BELOW 1 MILLIONTH -- 1 MILLIONTH OF A DEGREE ABOVE ABSOLUTE ZERO. THAT IS 100 MILLION TIMES COLDER THAN THE TEMPERATURE OF LIQUID NITROGEN, WHICH IS -- OH, DEAR, IT'S OUT. (LAUGHTER). FORTUNATELY, I'VE GOT MORE. (LAUGHTER). WHICH IS -- WHICH IS THE COLDEST STUFF THAT MOST OF YOU HAVE EVER SEEN. IT BOILS WHEN YOU POUR IT OUT ON THE GROUND. OH, I ALMOST FORGOT. THE RACQUETBALL. THE RACQUETBALL. LET'S -- YOU REMEMBER HOW NICE AND BOUNCY THE RACQUETBALL WAS? (SHATTERING) BROKE LIKE IT WAS MADE OUT OF CHINA. INCREDIBLY COLD STUFF. BUT WE GOT GASES 100 TIMES MILLION COLDER THAN THAT, AND USING THAT IDEA, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE CLOCKS THAT ONLY WOULD GAIN OR LOSE A FEW SECONDS IN THE AGE OF THE UNIVERSE. SO THIS TURNED OUT TO BE GOOD FOR SOMETHING. BUT NOW I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELF -- (LAUGHTER) -- YEAH, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS JUST FUN. AND IT IS! BUT IT WAS GOOD FOR SOMETHING TOO. BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS. YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF THIS. WHERE DO YOU KEEP THE COLDEST STUFF IN THE UNIVERSE? YOU CAN'T KEEP IT IN A COLD BOTTLE BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU TRY TO PUT A GAS IN A COLD BOTTLE. IT JUST CONDENSES. YOU CAN'T KEEP IT IN A HOT BOTTLE BECAUSE THE BOTTLE WOULD HEAT IT UP. SO YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP IT IN A BOTTLE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS NO MATERIAL IN IT TO HOLD YOUR ATOMS. WE USE A MAGNETIC BOTTLE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE KIDS AND YOU PLAYED WITH MAGNETS? DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU HELD TWO MAGNETS IN YOUR HAND AND FELT THAT THEY WERE PUSHING EACH OTHER APART WITHOUT TOUCHING? ISN'T THAT AMAZING? I AM STILL AMAZED BY THAT! WE ARE GOING TO USE THAT, THE FACT THAT WE CAN PUSH ON THINGS WITHOUT TOUCHING THEM, TO HOLD OUR ATOMS BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT OUR ATOMS ARE LITTLE TINY MAGNETS. HERE I HAVE A BIG MAGNET, AND HERE I HAVE A LITTLE MAGNET REPRESENTING MY ATOM, AND I CAN FEEL THAT THE BIG MAGNET IS PUSHING UP ON THE LITTLE MAGNET. IF I LET GO OF IT, IT SHOULD FLOAT RIGHT HERE. WHEN I LET GO OF IT, IT DOESN'T FLOAT BECAUSE IT FLIPS OFF AND GETS ATTRACTED TO THE BIG MAGNET. IF YOU EVER TRIED THIS WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND HAD A BUNCH OF MAGNETS, THAT'S WHAT ALWAYS HAPPENS. IT NEVER WORKS. BUT YOU LEARN SOMETHING ELSE WHEN YOU WERE PLAYING WITH TOYS AS A KID. YOU LEARNED THAT IF YOU SPIN A TOP, IT WON'T FALL OVER, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT ATOMS ARE SPINNING MAGNETS, SO I'VE SPUN THIS THING, AND NOW I AM GOING TO LIFT IT TO THE PLACE WHERE THE THE MAGNETIC FIELD WILL HOLD IT UP, AND IT'S NOT QUITE WORKING. AND THE REASON IT'S NOT WORKING IS YOUR FAULT. (LAUGHTER) AND THE REASON IT'S YOUR FAULT IS BECAUSE EACH ONE OF YOU IS PUTTING OUT ABOUT 100 WATTS OF HEAT, AND THAT'S ENOUGH TO WARM THIS MAGNET UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND THAT MAKES IT JUST A LITTLE BIT WEAKER, IS IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT, I'VE TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT OFF, AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY IT AGAIN. AND SEE IF THIS WORKS. (APPLAUSE) THANK YOU. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) THAT WAS FUN. (LAUGHTER) AND IT TURNS OUT THAT IT'S USEFUL TOO. BUT WHY DID I DO IT? I MEAN, WHAT POINT DO ALL THESE WONDERFUL, FUN TRICKS HAVE IN THIS COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY, WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO SEND YOU OFF TO THE REST OF YOUR LIVES WITH SOME MESSAGE, SOME PROFOUND WORDS OF WISDOM. IN THAT LONG-AGO GRADUATION WHERE YO YO MA PLAYED THE CELLO, HIS MESSAGE WAS "FIND YOUR VOICE." A GREAT MESSAGE. BUT WHAT IS MY MESSAGE? SIMPLY THIS: I AM HAVING A LOT OF FUN, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TOO. (LAUGHTER). PERHAPS YOU WERE EXPECTING SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND. SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF HOW YOUR STATUS AS RIT GRADUATES GIVES YOU A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE A RESPONSIBILITY -- AS BILL DESTLER SAID -- TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES NEAR AND FAR, AND IN THE LIVES OF THOSE YOU TOUCH. OF COURSE THAT IS TRUE. BUT I THINK YOU ARE BOTH SMART ENOUGH AND GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE FIGURED THAT OUT ALREADY. WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN IS THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THAT WHILE HAVING FUN. DOING SCIENCE, AS I DO, IS A LOT OF FUN. IN FACT DOING ANYTHING THAT YOU LOVE TO DO IS A LOT OF FUN. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED IN YOUR TIME AT RIT IS HOW TO HAVE FUN BY EXERCISING YOUR MIND. YOU HAVE LEARNED HOW TO LEARN. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO USE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED HERE AT RIT TO MAKE THE WORLD A LITTLE BETTER. AND TO DO THAT, YOU WILL NEED TO KEEP ON LEARNING. ONE OF MY FAVORITE SAYINGS IS THAT A GOOD DAY IS DAY WHEN I LEARN SOMETHING NEW AND INTERESTING. AND WITH WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AT RIT, YOU CAN MAKE NEARLY EVERY DAY A GOOD DAY. AS GRADUATES OF RIT, YOU HAVE THAT WONDERFUL, INEXPRESSIBLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN THE LIFE OF THE MIND. NO MATTER WHAT YOU STUDIED IN YOUR YEARS HERE, NO MATTER WHETHER YOUR CAREER TAKES YOU IN THE PATH OF THOSE STUDIES OR NOT, YOU HAVE OPENED THE DOOR TO LEARNING, AND THAT DOOR CAN NEVER BE CLOSED. SO MY MESSAGE TO YOU TODAY IS: HAVE FUN. HAVE FUN WITH YOUR MIND. READ, LEARN, DO. YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES. YOUR EDUCATION MAY NOT BE THE TICKET TO A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CAREER CONNECTED TO YOUR FIELD OF STUDY. THAT WILL DEPEND ON CHANCE, CIRCUMSTANCE, AS WELL AS ON YOUR OWN DESIRES AND YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR ABILITY, BUT YOUR EDUCATION IS SURELY THE TICKET TO A LIFE OF FUN, OF LEARNING, AND OF USING THAT LEARNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TODAY IS A DAY FOR CELEBRATION. I AM SURE THAT TODAY YOU WILL HAPPILY FOLLOW MY ADVICE TO HAVE FUN, AND YOU SHOULD. BUT WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW AND THE REST OF YOUR LIVES? THE DAYS TO COME MAY BE FILLED WITH UNCERTAINTY. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THAT UNCERTAINTY IS A PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION, AND YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY. IT'S ALSO A POSITION OF TREMENDOUS ADVENTURE. BUT AS GRADUATES OF RIT, YOU ARE IN EVEN BETTER COMPANY. YOU ARE IN THE COMPANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE LEARNED HOW TO LEARN, WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF THE MIND. YOU WILL CELEBRATE AND HAVE FUN TODAY, BUT THE REAL FUN WILL BE IN WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO LEARN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES. GOOD LUCK! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) >> JEREMY HAEFNER: ONLY AT RIT -- ONLY AT RIT DO WE CRAM EVERY POSSIBLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY TO THE VERY LAST MINUTE. (LAUGHTER) NOW, IF ONLY WE HAD BEEN ORGANIZED ENOUGH TO GIVE A QUIZ AFTER. THANK YOU, AGAIN, DR. PHILLIPS, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. IT HAS TRULY BEEN A PLEASURE TO YOU SHARE THIS IMPORTANT DAY WITH OUR GRADUATES AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT IS NOW TIME TO TURN TO THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON FOR ALL OUR BEING HERE TODAY, THE CELEBRATION OF OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS AND THE OFFICIAL CONFERRAL OF DEGREES. WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE HOODING OUR PH.D. CANDIDATES FROM THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES, MICROSYSTEMS ENGINEERING, IMAGING SCIENCE, COLOR SCIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY, AND ASTROPHYSICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY. I CALL FORWARD DR. HECTOR FLORES, DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES, TO PRESENT THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE. HECTOR. (APPLAUSE) >> HECTOR FLORES: GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU, DR. HAEFNER. I JUST GOT SOME WONDERFUL IDEAS FOR NEXT YEAR'S HOODING CEREMONY, WHICH I HOPE WE CAN DISCUSS LATER. (LAUGHTER) BUT FOR TODAY, THIS IS THE SCRIPT. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THE CANDIDATES FOR DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN MICROSYSTEMS ENGINEERING. I WILL INTRODUCE EACH CANDIDATE AND HIS OR HER ADVISOR AND READ THE TITLE OF EACH CANDIDATE'S DISSERTATION. RUPAK BANERJEE DISSERTATION: LIQUID WATER TRANSPORT IN THE REACTANT CHANNELS OF A PEM FUEL CELL DR. SATISH KANDLIKAR, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) BURAK BAYLAY INVESTIGATION: INVESTIGATION OF WATER DROPLET DYNAMICS IN BEM PROTOEXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELL CHANNELS, DR. SATISH KANDLIKAR, AID ADVISOR. BURAK BAYLAY DISSERTATION: REDUCTION OF LINE EDGE ROUGHNESS (LER) IN INTERFERENCE-LIKE LARGE FIELD LITHOGRAPHY DR. BRUCE SMITH, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) JIRACHAI GETPREECHARSAWAS DISSERTATION: LOW-POWER, LOW-VOLTAGE ELECTRO0OSMOTIC ACTUATOR FOR AN IMPLANTABLE MICRO-PUMPING SYSTEM INTENDED FOR DRUG DELIVERY APPLICATIONS DR. DAVID BORKHOLDER, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) MENG ZHAO DISSERTATION: THERMAL ANALYSIS AND DIELECTRIC SPECTRAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POLY(IONIC LIQUIDS): TOWARDS EXPLORATION OF THEIR UTILITY IN CAPACITIVE ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES DR. THOMAS SMITH, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) I NOW CALL FORWARD THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE FROM COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES. YAMIN AL-MOUSA DISSERTATION: THE IMPACT OF ADAPTATION DELAYS ON ROUTING PROTOCOLS FOR MOBILE AD-HOC NETWORKS (MANETS) DR. ANDRES KWASINSKI, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) SUHAIR ALSHEHRI DISSERTATION: TOWARD EFFECTIVE ACCESS CONTROL USING ATTRIBUTES AND PSEUDOROLES DR. RAJENDRA RAJ, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) SHERIF AZARY DISSERTATION: GRASSMANN LEARNING FOR RECOGNITION AND CLASSIFICATION DR. ANDRES SAVAKIS, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) HAITAO DU DISSERTATION: PROBABILISTIC MODELING AND INFERENCE FOR OBFUSCATED NETWORK ATTACK SEQUENCES DR. SANCHIEH JAY YANG, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) I NOW CALL FORWARD THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN SUSTAINABILITY. ERINNRYEN. DISSERTATION: AN ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS SUSTAINABILITY IMPACTS FOR EVOLVING CONSUMER ELECTRONIC PRODUCT SYSTEMS. DR. CALLIE BABBITT, ADVISER. CHELSEA BAILEY DISSERTATION: SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS OF LITHIUM-ION BATTERY DISPOSAL PATHWAYS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS DR. CALLIE BABBITT AND DR. GABRIELLE GAUSTAD, ADVISERS (APPLAUSE) MICHELE GOE DISSERTATION: SUSTAINABILITY INFORMED MANAGEMENT OF END OF LIFE PHOTOVOLTAICS: ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC TRADEOFFS OF COLLECTION AND RECYCLING DR. GABRIELLE GAUSTAD, ADVISER XUE WANG DISSERTATION: MANAGING END-OF-LIFE LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES: AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT DR. GABRIELLE GAUSTAD, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) I NOW CALL FORWARD THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN ASTROPHYSICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY, COLOR SCIENCE, AND IMAGING SCIENCE. DAVID PRINCIPE DISSERTATION: MULTIWAVELENGTH STUDIES OF YOUNG STARS AND THEIR CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS DR. JOEL KASTNER, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) SUSAN FARNAND DISSERTATION: DESIGNING PICTORIAL STIMULI FOR PERCEPTUAL IMAGE DIFFERENCE DR. MARK FAIRCHILD, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) JAMES ALBANO DISSERTATION: SPECTRAL TARGET DETECTION USING PHYSICS-BASED MODELING AND A MANIFOLD LEARNING TECHNIQUE DR. DAVID MESSINGER, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) MAY VICTORIA CASTERLINE DISSERTATION: PHYSICS-BASED SURFACE ENERGY MODEL OPTIMIZATION FOR WATER BODIES IN COLD CLIMATES USING VISIBLE AND CALIBRATED THERMAL INFRARED IMAGERY DR. CARL SALVAGGIO, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) DAVID NILOSEK DISSERTATION: ANALYSIS AND EXPLOITATION OF AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED SCENE STRUCTURE FROM AERIAL IMAGERY DR. CARL SALVAGGIO, ADVISER (APPLAUSE) YUJIE QIU DISSERTATION: A DYNAMIC YUJIE QIU. DISSERTATION: A DYNAMIC MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) PHANTOM BASED ON ELECTRIC FIELD INDUCED RESIDUAL DIPOLAR KUMINGTS. DR. JOSEPH HORNAK, ADVISOR. ALVARO ROJAS ARCINIEGAS. DISSERTATION: TOWARDS THE CONTROL OF ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC-BASED 3-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING: IMAGE-BASED SENSING AND MODELING OF SURFACE DEFECTS. DR. MARCOS ESTERMAN, ADVISER. (APPLAUSE) SANTOS SURESH. DISSERTATION: A FRAMEWORK FOR NEAR REAL TIME FEATURE EXTRACTION FROM THE SPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY IMAGES OF SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY DR. ROGER DUBE, ADVISOR. KUNAL VAIDYA. THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES FOR DOCK FOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU. >> JEREMY HAEFNER: THANK YOU, HECTOR, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR PhD GRADUATES. IT IS NOW MY DISTIJT HONOR TO INTRODUCE THE 2013-2014 COLLEGE DELEGATES REPRESENTING EACH OF OUR NINE COLLEGES, THE GOLISANO INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE THE CENTER FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES HERE AT RIT, AS WELL AS TO OF OUR GLOBAL CAMPUSES, THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AT KOSOVO AND RIT CROATIA. STUDENTS AT AUK WILL CELEBRATE THEIR COMMENCEMENT WEDNESDAY IN KOSOVO; STUDENTS AT RIT CROATIA WILL CELEBRATE THEIR COMMENCEMENT NEXT SATURDAY. WE HAVE ONE OTHER GLOBAL CAMPUS: RIT DUBAI; STUDENTS WILL CELEBRATE THEIR GRADUATION ON JUNE 2. WE HAVE SOME RIT DUBAI STUDENTS HERE WITH US TODAY - WOULD YOU ALL FROM RIT DUBAI PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN APPLAUSE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS? RIT DUBAI STUDENTS. (APPLAUSE) IN YOUR PROGRAM, YOU WILL FIND A LIST OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE COLLEGE DELEGATES. THEY WERE SELECTED TO REPRESENT THEIR FELLOW GRADUATES DURING THE OFFICIAL CONFERRAL OF DEGREES A BIT LATER IN THE PROGRAM. WE - DR. DESTLER, DR. BOICE PARDEE, DR. FLORES, AND I - HAD A WONDERFUL LUNCHEON WITH ALL THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE DELEGATES IN LATE FEBRUARY WITH THE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE GOAL OF SELECTING ONE UNDERGRADUATE DELEGATE AND ONE GRADUATE DELEGATE TO GIVE A STUDENT ADDRESS. WHILE EACH WILL ADDRESS THE GRADUATES AT THEIR INDIVIDUAL COLLEGE CEREMONIES, WE SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE DELEGATE KIMBRIA BLAKE FROM THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TO DELIVER TODAY'S -- (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) -- TO DELIVER TODAY'S UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ADDRESS. SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY GRADUATE DELEGATE IHAB MARDINI FROM THE COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS AND SCIENCES. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING KIMBRIA BLAKE TO THE PODIUM. KIMBRIA. (APPLAUSE) >> KIMBRIA BLAKE: IT TAKES ONE TRIP TO THE GROCERY STORE OR EVEN JUST FIVE MINUTES OF WATCHING TV TO OBSERVE WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE "EPIDEMIC OF SAMENESS." WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THE OPPRESSIVE ATTITUDE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO ACT THE SAME, LOOK A CERTAIN WAY, AND HAVE IDENTICAL INTERESTS TO BE ACCEPTED BY SOCIETY OR EVEN IRONICALLY TO HAVE AN "IDENTITY." ALL THIS ABSURDITY BRINGS TO MIND THE ANALOGY OF TRYING TO FIT A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE. THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS "FIT" IS TO CHANGE THE VERY ESSENCE OF THE SQUARE PEG; SHAVE DOWN ITS CORNERS AND SMOOTH OUT ITS ANGLES UNTIL IT BECOMES SOMETHING IT WAS NOT MADE TO BE, A ROUND PEG. THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CHANGE FOR SOCIETY, RATHER THAN SHOWING SOCIETY, UNABASHEDLY, WHAT OUR TRUE ESSENCE IS. WHEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT COMMENCEMENT I WAS TOLD TO CHOOSE A TOPIC THAT WOULD RESONATE WITH THE RIT COMMUNITY. I BEGAN ASKING MYSELF WHAT MADE ME A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT AT RIT, OR EVEN WHY I CHOSE TO ATTEND RIT IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHILE THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS, THE ONE THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST WAS I COULD FINALLY BE EXACTLY WHO I WAS. I WAS NO LONGER AFRAID TO HIDE MY "GEEKINESS" OR MY WEIRD INTERESTS TO AVOID TEASING REMARKS. WITHOUT THE WEIGHT TO CONFORM, I BECAME A MORE CONFIDENT, SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUAL. I BELIEVE THIS HOLDS TRUE FOR MOST OF OUR GRADUATING CLASS. WHETHER YOU LIKE TO SPEND A WEEK SHOOTING ZOMBIES WITH NERF GUNS, TALKING IN PUNS FOR HOURS WITH YOUR FRIENDS, HAVING EPIC GAMING PARTIES, ATTENDING TORA-CON, BUILDING ROBOTS, CREATING AMAZING WORKS OF ART, SINGING, SPENDING TIME "GEEKING OUT" ABOUT YOUR TRUEST PASSIONS (MINE WAS BACTERIA; MY LICENSE PLATE, S. AUREUS, DISPLAYS THIS FACT), OR EVEN JUST BEING A COLLEGE-AGED KID, THE RIT COMMUNITY, OF WHICH WE ARE A VITAL PART, EMBRACED IT. AS WE ARE ABOUT TO LEAVE THE SAFENESS OF RIT, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO REMAIN TRUE TO YOURSELVES. EVERY SINGLE WONDERFULLY UNIQUE PERSON HAS SOMETHING VALUABLE TO OFFER. ELLEN BRYSON WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS THESE SENTIMENTS MUCH BETTER THAN I: "OUR UNIQUENESS ALONE IS ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY OUR SPECIAL PLACE IN THE WORLD. BUT EVEN MORE, OUR DESTINY INSISTS WE USE OUR GIFTS TO SHOW OTHERS WHO THEY REALLY ARE OR SHOW THEM WHAT, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, THEY COULD BECOME. IT MAY SHOCK THEM AT FIRST, BUT DEEP DOWN, WE OPEN THEIR EYES TO GREATER POSSIBILITIES." PERHAPS OUR UNIQUENESS IS THE VERY KEY TO SUCCESS EVERYONE IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR. I HOPE OUR CLASS WILL BE THE SEEDS OF CHANGE TO THIS "EPIDEMIC OF SAMENESS." I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK THE PARENTS WHO EMBRACED AND FOSTERED OUR IDIOSYNCRASIES, THE PROFESSORS WHO SAW OUR POTENTIAL, FRIENDS WHO WERE THERE FOR SUPPORT, AND THE ADMINISTRATION WHO PROVIDED THE ESSENTIAL BACKBONE FOR RIT STUDENTS TO THRIVE. THEY ARE THE CHIEF REASON THAT WE ARE SITTING HERE TODAY, ABOUT TO GRADUATE AND PREPARED TO EMBARK INTO THE WORLD, READY TO DO AMAZING THINGS. (APPLAUSE) >> IHAB MARDINI: GOOD MORNING. YOU VISIT RIT FOR THE NEW TIME, AND THE FIRST THINGS YOU SEE IS THAT NICE, DREAMY SLOGAN, "DREAM BIG." THEN YOU THINK: "IT'S ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT EITHER USES A CATCHY SLOGAN TO ATTRACT EVERY STUDENT, OR IT'S ONE OF THOSE UNIQUE AND REALLY GOOD UNIVERSITIES WHO HAVE COMPLETE CREDIBILITY OF THEIR HIGH STANDARDS." I CAME FROM SYRIA TO THE STATES UNDER THE DESCRIPTION "ALIEN." UNFORTUNATELY, THE TREATMENT IN THE AIRPORT DIDN'T HELP ME TAKING THAT IMAGE OUT OF MY HEAD. BUT EVER SINCE I ARRIVED AT RIT, AFTER BEING GENEROUSLY FULLY AND VERY KINDLY SPONSORED BY THE AMAZING FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP, I NEVER HAD A SINGLE DAY FEELING THAT I'M TREATED AS AN ALIEN! I GAINED FRIENDS, CLOSE FRIENDS, AND SOME OF THE FACULTY MEMBERS ARE NOW LIKE A FAMILY TO ME. AND THE FACT THAT I'VE BEEN STUDYING 3D ANIMATION HERE, I EVENTUALLY FOUND SOME REALLY GOOD JOY IN BEING CALLED "ALIEN," BECAUSE THE WAY I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I HAVE BIG EYES, MAYBE, PROBABLY MORE HAIR. (LAUGHTER) SO EVER SINCE I STARTED IN RIT, I THOUGHT STUDY WELL, WORK HARD, KEEP LEARNING FROM EVERYONE, AND HOPEFULLY LATER ON FIND A JOB, HOPEFULLY END UP TEACHING BECAUSE I LIKE TEACHING. I ENDED UP WORKING FOR TWO YEARS AS A TEACHER ASSISTANT. I HAD AN INTERNSHIP, THEN I HAD A CO-OP. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE ANIMATOR OF AN AMAZING FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM CALLED "THE INTREPID," WHICH WAS AIRED ON WXXI. I WORKED AS AN ADJUNCT TEACHER IN RIT FOR TWO SEMESTERS, AND WHILE GRADUATING SOON, I AM EXPECTING SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS FROM A GOOD COMPANY. ALL OF THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS TOOK PLACE IN MY LIFE EVER SINCE I CAME TO RIT, BUT I DIDN'T ACCOMPLISH WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE I WORKED HARD. IT HAPPENED ONLY BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE OF THE HIGHLY DEDICATED TEAM OF AMAZING FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL OF FILM AND ANIMATION AND THE GREAT DEDICATION FROM THE STAFF OF CIAS. I OWE IT ALL TO THEM. I AM NOT EXCEPTIONAL; THEY ARE. MALCOLM SPAULL, STEPHANIE MAXWELL, THOMAS GASEK.MEGAN, I MADE ME A SUCCESS. I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. SO FOR MY FACULTY, INSPIRING PEERS, MY GRAD AND UNDERGRAD FRIENDS, YOU WERE ALL THE SHINING STARS THAT LIT MY PATH. AND MARK REISCH, ON BEHALF OF ME AND THE 3D STUDENTS, I WANT TO SAY THAT YOU ARE AN AWESOME TEACHER, A GREAT FRIEND, AND A TRUE BROTHER. AND ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE CUTE KIDS. (LAUGHTER) I WANT TO THANK THE FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP FOR GIVING ME THIS LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY OF EXPERIENCING RIT. I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR RESPECTING MY HOBBIES AND UNDERSTANDING MY CRAZY ARTISTIC AMBITIONS. I WANT TO THANK MY VERY PATIENT WIFE FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH TIME I HAD TO SPEND AWAY FROM HER TO WORK ON MY PROJECTS. DR. DESTLER, DR. HAEFNER, AND DR. HECTOR, MEETING YOU WAS AN HONOR, AND KNOWING YOU WAS A GREAT PLEASURE. IF YOU ARE IN RIT TODAY, SUCCESS IS YOURS, BUT REMEMBER TO WORK HARD AND DREAM BIG. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (APPLAUSE) >> JEREMY HAEFNER: THANK YOU, KIMBRIA AND IHAB! GREAT COMMENTS AND A GREAT KICK-OFF TO THE WEEKEND'S CELEBRATION! NOW WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW DR. PHILLIPS' ADVICE AND HAVE A LITTLE FUN. IN FACT, SO MUCH FUN THAT IT'S EVERYONE'S FAVORITE PART OF THE PROGRAM. YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SITTING AWHILE AND DOING A LOT OF LISTENING. TIME TO MOVE AROUND A BIT AND GENERATE SOME MORE HEAT IN THIS BUILDING. I WILL INTRODUCE THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE COLLEGE DELEGATES AND THE DEAN FOR EACH COLLEGE, THE GOLISANO INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE CENTER FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES. AS I DO THAT, I ASK THAT THE FACULTY, STAFF, AND ALL CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES FROM THAT COLLEGE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES AND OTHER GUESTS, TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. THE DELEGATES WILL ACCEPT A SYMBOLIC DIPLOMA PRESENTED BY THEIR DEAN ON BEHALF OF ALL THE GRADUATES OF THAT COLLEGE. NOW, WE WANT YOU TO WILDLY CHEER THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE GRADUATES FOR EACH COLLEGE. WE ACTUALLY VIEW THIS AS A KIND OF COMPETITION AS TO WHICH COLLEGE CAN GENERATE THE BIGGEST DISPLAY OF CELEBRATION! NOW, THERE'S NO AWARDS OR ANYTHING. IT'S JUST TO HAVE FUN. SO HERE WE GO. GREG NOYES, HADJARA MOUSSA, AND DEAN H. FRED WALKER, COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) OKAY. NOT BAD. WE CAN DO BETTER. FRED, DON'T GO AWAY. ANNA RATKOVIA AND DEAN WALKER, RIT CROATIA! LET'S ALL HELP ANNA CELEBRATE! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) ANDRE JOLY, ERIC IRISH, AND DEAN DT OGILVIE, SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) NOT BAD, NOT BAD. BENJAMIN KELLEY, AVINAH KRISHNAN, AND DEAN ANDREW SEARS, B. THOMAS GOLISANO COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) NICHOLAS HENSEL, JOSHUA LOCKE, AND DEAN HARVEY PALMER, KATE GLEASON COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) GUERIN GAGLIASTRI, TIMOTHY FITZGERALD, AND DEAN DANIEL ORNT, COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) JACLYN PYTLARZ, IHAB MARDINI, AND DEAN LORRAINE JUSTICE, COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS AND SCIENCES! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) KAYLA EMERSON, PEDRO VAZQUEZ, AND DEAN JAMES WINEBRAKE, COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) CHENAE LALDEE, LOU ANN OWENS, AND PROFESSOR MARY BOYD, CENTER FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) ARIK HOTI AND PROFESSOR BOYD, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN KOSOVO! LET'S ALL HELP ARIK CELEBRATE! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) NOW A WISE PROVOST BEFORE ME GAVE ME THESE WORDS OF ADVICE. JEREMY, HE SAID, NEVER FORGET A COLLEGE. (LAUGHTER) AND ESPECIALLY -- ESPECIALLY -- NEVER FORGET THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF! DEREK LANDIS, MATTHEW ANNIS, AND DEAN GERARD BUCKLEY, FROM NTID! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) KIMBRIA BLAKE, DAVID PRINCIPE, AND DEAN SOPHIA MAGGELAKIS, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST - ERINN RYEN AND DR. NABIL NASR, GOLISANO INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY! LET'S GIVE IT UP. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) THANK YOU - THAT WAS JUST GREAT. YOU ARE ALL OBVIOUSLY VERY HAPPY TO BE GRADUATING! WILL ALL THE 2014 CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES IN THE AUDIENCE AND ON STAGE PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING? (APPLAUSE) MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND PRESIDENT DESTLER, I PROUDLY PRESENT RIT'S CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES FOR THE YEAR 2014. >> DR. DESTLER: THANK YOU, PROVOST HAEFNER, AND BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK - AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, I NOW CONFER UPON YOU THE DEGREE TO WHICH YOU ARE ENTITLED AS CERTIFIED BY THE FACULTY AND AS SIGNIFIED IN THE COMMENCEMENT BULLETIN WITH ALL THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES PERTAINING THERETO. CONGRATULATIONS! TO ALL OF THE GRADUATES. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) >> JEREMY HAEFNER: CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO THE CLASS OF 2014! WE APPLAUD YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR FUTURE VENTURES. WE COME TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE 2014 ACADEMIC CONVOCATION. WE ASK THAT THE AUDIENCE REMAIN SEATED UNTIL THE PLATFORM PARTY, FACULTY AND GRADUATES HAVE LEFT THE ROOM. YES. JUST MAKING SURE. (LAUGHTER). HAVE LEFT THE ROOM. THE PLATFORM PARTY WILL EXIT DOWN THE MAIN AISLES. THE GRADUATES WILL EXIT THROUGH THE DOORS THEY ENTERED. FAMILIES, YOU MAY MEET YOUR STUDENT JUST OUTSIDE THIS BUILDING TO THE NORTH, AT THE BOTTOM OF HILL WITH OUR PROUD RIT AND TIGER PAWS EMBLAZONED. USHERS ARE ON HAND TO DIRECT YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN AT THE COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES! TO CLOSE THIS CONVOCATION, PLEASE STAND FOR THE SINGING OF RIT'S ALMA MATER BY PROFESSOR JENKINS, TIMOTHY HOLMES, MALIK PARIS, LAUREN AGGEN, AND NICHOLAS SHAW, ACCOMPANIED BY PROF. SCHELL. YOU WILL FIND THE WORDS ON THE LAST PAGE OF YOUR PROGRAM. THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS CELEBRATION! ENJOY THE WEEKEND! HAIL, RIT! TOGETHER STAND; CREATING GOOD WITH MIND AND HAND; INSPIRED TO LEARN 'TILL LIFE IS DONE, AS TEACHERS, LEARNERS, ALL ARE ONE! WITH PRIDE IN OUR DIVERSITY, A SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, WE ARE THE MEN, THE WOMEN OF THE FUTURE HERE, AT RIT! FROM RIT, OUR COURSE IS SET; WE CELEBRATE A PROMISE KEPT: A LIFE, A LIVING YOU HAVE TAUGHT; LET NEW HORIZONS NOW BE SOUGHT! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) [BAGPIPES AND DRUMS]