From Our Readers

Controlling COVID

Rensselaer magazine winter issue

I just finished reading the winter 2021 edition and thought it was fantastic! I loved reading about how the school has responded to the pandemic, both in terms of research and in terms of controlling the spread of COVID-19 on the campus. The magazine is great and I read each issue cover to cover. Thank you for bringing us a great magazine.

— David Connor ’16 | Troy, New York

Go, IT Program!

I cofounded Jeeves — a company that brings together global finance and technology for businesses — and recently, we raised $131 million for the business from Y Combinator, Andreessen Horowitz, and other prestigious investors. At RPI, I studied IT and finance, and got my career started at J.P. Morgan right after graduation. At Jeeves, we’re building the future of finance, and both the Lally School (finance) and the information technology (IT) program helped shape my early experiences in fintech entrepreneurship. I hope this helps students at RPI become inspired by the possibilities!

— Sherwin Gandhi ’04 | Austin, Texas

Class Notes Input

Kudos to the Alumni Relations office for another excellent emailed news report and, especially, for the inclusion of a link to the truly outstanding winter 2021 edition of the Rensselaer alumni magazine. I had no idea that the Class Notes section was active and open for input from alumni. I am glad to see that it is alive and well.

— Richard Felak ’66, M.S. ’67 | Schenectady, New York

A Glorious Finish

I am a recipient of Rensselaer alumni magazine, and have been for decades. I find the stories to be fascinating, relevant, and often inspirational. My time at Rensselaer ended memorably as well. I recall my graduation day quite clearly. A lovely May day in 1985 in the old hockey rink. We were all quite excited because we were graduating, but nervous as well for what the future would hold. We architects, always trying to be different, wore “pencil hats” on our heads, making us quite noticeable to our fellow graduates. This day was momentous as well because we had just won the national hockey championship a day or two earlier. And then, amazingly, just two or three days after graduation, I was sitting back home at my parents’ place on Long Island — watching hockey, of all things — and there was Adam Oates ’85 starting for the Detroit Red Wings. In fact, if memory serves, he scored a hat trick in his very first game. I then learned that George Servinas ’85 had also not only signed up for, but was already playing in the NHL. These were guys who I sat next to in Psych 101 with Professor Douglas! Oates went on to have a major career and became one of the greatest players of all time, and Servinas had a pretty memorable career as well. A glorious finish to my years in Troy. (Read about a recent project by Adam Kushner.)

— Adam Kushner ’85 | Manhattan, New York

Cyber Protection

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The current COVID-19 crisis has created a series of “new normals.” One resultant effect of the crisis is more working from home ... a trend that will likely continue for much of the rest of the year. With that trend comes more reliance on technology and more time online, for individuals, small businesses, and large corporations. With that comes an increase in hacking and cyberattacks. Three Rensselaer graduates are working together on the frontlines of that cyber battlefront. Josh O’Sullivan and Ray Mendenilla both graduated in 2001. Jessica Lawrence graduated in 2002.

Josh cofounded the Annapolis-based cybersecurity and digital transformation company Ardalyst. Ray is the senior vice president for sales and marketing. Jessica is the lead analyst. As a report from the World Economic Forum says, “It is imperative that leaders strategically manage information risks, work toward a culture of shared cyber-risk ownership across organizations, and take a strategic approach to cyber resilience.”

The three Rensselaer graduates are taking the friendship they formed in school while in the Navy ROTC program — utilizing the experience they received while serving their country in the Navy — and educating people about cyber risk, and helping companies locally and nationally to withstand the current cyber threats in the world.

JOHN SCHOFIELD, Washington, D.C.

Fascinating Games Research

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This cognitive research using games is fascinating (“Level Up for Health,” spring 2020). I’ve been working with elementary school-age kids who appear to be gifted in math. 

The teacher training always says there are different ways to learn, but they often don’t suggest to teachers how to do that, especially when there are several different styles needed in the same class. I hope to see some research regarding that issue.

JEREMY SCHRAUF ’61West Wardsboro, Vermont

Rensselaer Pride

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I received the spring 2020 issue of Rensselaer magazine and was absolutely astounded at the depth and clarity of the various essays regarding research and science applied to the pandemic that has engulfed the world. The extensive efforts of the technology leaders at Rensselaer are without precedence in our world of recent calamity. I plan to keep this issue for reference and to share with family and neighbors with pride and joy in the efforts being extended at the Institute.

I was particularly interested in the applied science of lighting technology by Vital Vio with Delta Air Lines to develop a capability to deal with the need for bacterial cleanliness in the air transportation sector. It would be a significant tool to aid in the effort to return to the previous aura of safety and ease which we were accustomed to. Perhaps the use of multi-element emitters to project the wavelength of the spectrum utilized might be worth being investigated.

Several years ago when I established the Marilyn Goldshine Memorial Cancer Research Fund, it was with the hope that the science and engineering capability at Rensselaer, coupled with the ever-increasing evolution of research in the biomedical field, would make a significant impact on the development of tools to combat events such as that in which we are engaged. It is with pride that I see the Institute is taking a major position in this endeavor.

G.D. GOLDSHINE ’52, Crossville, Tennessee

Perfect Timing

I enjoyed the article on Dr. Jackson. The second sentence in the article, which starts, “Among the candidates, including a college president...,” was of particular interest to me, and I’d like to share a related anecdote.

The college president in question had a great interest in, and had published extensively on, the topic of optimal methodologies for engineering education. In 2013, my wife and I had the opportunity to spend time with him. At that time, Dr. Jackson had been the president of RPI for 14 years.

Surprisingly, the former college president was completely familiar with every one of the many improvements to the Institute that she had spearheaded during her leadership, including the new buildings, the innovative student-life programs, the focus on market- and research-favorable disciplines such as nanotechnology and bioengineering, the improvements in student quality and accepted-student yield, as well as her success in raising funds for the university.

His exact words were, “Shirley Jackson was the perfect person, at the perfect time, for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.”Congratulations on 20 great years!

STEVE LEVY ’74, Rowlett, Texas

Spreading the Knowledge

Karyn RogersEnjoyed reading the One Last Thing article on the NASA award by Karyn Rogers. I’d abandon retirement to take part in that program.

My experience at RPI’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, in pursuit of an M.S. in Scientific and Technical Communication, enabled me to teach English composition, technical communication, and, later, history of American science and technology, for 21 years, at a technical college here in Vermont.

I’m a big supporter of science in general, but an even bigger supporter of science education, in our schools and in the public media. It’s one matter to learn the science, but a matching challenge to spread that knowledge to those who need it for the survival of humanity and our planet.

JOSEPH WHELAN ’71, Montpelier, Vermont

A Brilliant Engineer

I was delighted to see the latest news about Nancy Fitzroy in the fall issue. It barely scratched the surface. She is, of course, a brilliant engineer and long-standing advocate for women in engineering. She also has a wry sense of humor and has always shone light on the absurd. She was almost matched by her late husband, Roland, who proudly wore his “wife” badge at American Chemical Society meetings. In those days, ACS could not imagine that the wife would be the primary attendee.

The Fitzroys led an amazing life — piloting their Cessna 310, both making a huge difference with technical skill and sharp challenges to silly societal norms. My late first wife, also named Nancy, was a Sage grad and eventually earned her business doctorate. Our three daughters have benefited from their pioneering work.

STEVEN ROSS ’68, Revere, Massachusetts

Red Rover, Red Rover...

Mars Roving Vehicle built by RPI students

The Snapshot feature in the fall 2019 issue highlighted the development of the unmanned Martian Roving Vehicle developed at RPI. My parents were in Troy for my graduation in 1962. We visited the top-floor lookout of the newly constructed physics building, and were treated to a peek at a prototype of that rover, with a description by a faculty member. Work on that model proceeded for many years, and one version was featured on episode five of Carl Sagan’s TV documentary COSMOS. The rover was shown as essentially identical to the picture on page 1 of the “Space Legacy” article, with the RPI logo prominently displayed.

JEROME ZOELLER ’62, San Antonio, Texas

 

The picture of the RPI Mars Rover prototype reminds me of the 25 years I spent on the planetarium staff of the Schenectady Museum, 10 years of which were as planetarium director. The RPI Mars Rover was on display outside of the planetarium for decades but occasionally we would have to move it to a different location for special events. We didn’t use white gloves back then so, no doubt, you’ll find my fingerprints on it!

RICHARD MONDA ’89G, Schenectady, New York

Keeping Current

I am so proud to receive the alumni magazine as a graduate of RPI. It is important for us to keep current with the institution’s strategic initiatives and remain involved with its faculty and students. The publication is expertly designed, and its content is always inspiring! It is the high quality I suggest to my alumni relationships with UCONN and CCSU as a model. Be proud of your teamwork and achievements.
Barbara Vallera ’82
Ellington, Connecticut

Forward Momentum

RPI is a far cry from the Institute that my father, Frederick W. Schwartz, Class of 1905 (later professor of chemistry, 1913-1948), graduated from in 1905; or where I earned my two degrees in 1944 and 1948. I am very happy to have my grandson-in-law, Matthew Romanowicz, attending with a double major in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering and doing extremely well.  Keep up the forward momentum.
Richard Schwartz ’44
Peru, New York

Funding the Future

I appreciate the ideals raised in this article by the President (“Preparing for Our Third Century,” Spring 2018). I agree that more funding can help bring in deserving students and faculty. And, of course, AI is the future and needs encouragement. I will do my part in contributing to the Transformative Campaign.
Dr. Rakesh Saini, Class of 2020 parent
Arlington, Texas

Class Notes Connections

Four couples gather at the Crooked Lake Hotel on RPI Graduation Night, June 1949

George Johns ’49, whose class note in the Spring 2018 issue prompted the following response (see below) from Robert Alexander ’49, is shown with classmates Jack Buckley, Ed MacDuff, Bob Jaros, and their dates celebrating graduation night at the Crooked Lake House.

In my senior year in the Greene Building I realized, as an architectural student, I was a complete flop. But what could I do? If I switched to civil engineering, the list of makeup courses would be so long my G.I. Bill time could run out. Then I might have no degree of any kind. So I soldiered on through to my B. of Arch. degree. It took over 20 years after leaving RPI that included domestic and overseas engineering experience and two advanced degrees before I became a professor in civil engineering at California State University at Long Beach. I want George Johns (Class of ’49 Notes, Spring 2018, see photo above) to know that I still have a soft spot in my heart for architecture!
Robert Alexander ’49
Seal Beach, California

Applauding Art_X at Rensselaer

Students working at a large lightbox

I applaud the introduction of the new Art_X program at Rensselaer (“Crossroads of Creativity,” Spring 2018). It has been known for a long time that music and science had an affinity for each other, as witnessed by the fine musical productions at RPI in the past.

I hope that the program will at some point include pipe organ design as part of the curriculum. The pipe organ is essentially a mechanical instrument of considerable complexity, some components of which have remained unchanged for centuries. Maybe it’s time for fresh eyes to look at the way pipe organs are built—and played.

Susan LaGrande ’68,
Wappingers Falls, New York

Water Bottle Project Gathers Attention

Students finish building a shelter made from water bottles

Regarding the plastic water bottles project for disaster relief (“Recycling Plastic Bottles for Disaster Relief”): We at Friendship Bottles are getting quite a bit of wind in our sails after the Maker Faire in NYC last fall. CBS is wanting to discuss doing a story in spring, we’re talking to Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York about having a permanent exhibit on the bottle project next year, we heard from a STEM teacher who wants to do a project in his classroom, and a parent volunteer wants to include an exhibit at a science fair that their school is doing.

And it was so fun to watch the kids build with the bottles; the experience center that RPI came up with was fantastic and a huge hit! And it wasn’t just young kids; parents were building with their kids; kids in their early teens were building things. I overheard a couple different parents trying unsuccessfully to coax their kids into leaving the play area to go on to other exhibits.

We so appreciate the tremendous collaboration with RPI; it’s fueling tremendous opportunities for environmental and humanitarian impact.

Tim Carlson, Creator of the Interlocking Water Bottles,
Arlington, Virginia

Running for Autism Awareness

Young boy leaning against a wall

I was delighted to see the article about predicting autism from blood samples in the recent issue of the alumni magazine (“Success of Blood Test for Autism Affirmed,” Fall 2018). It is a great step forward in early detection of this disability. The recent article about Juergen Hahn’s research is encouraging.

I am the father of a 29-year-old with autism. I feel it is imperative we find the cause of autism before it becomes the disability of, not only a couple decades, but the century.

To this end I am in the process of running 3,000 miles to raise awareness and help fund research to find the cause of autism. I was in the Rensselaer Class of ’74 of the Hartford Graduate Center and am now 73 years old.

I am proud and delighted my alma mater is active in researching this disability. I hope Rensselaer continues significant research on early detection and eventually helping find the cause(s) of autism.

Please visit 3000MilesForAutism.org or my Facebook page for more information and to help achieve the goal of an autism-free world.

Robert “Nick” Nickerson ’74,
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Co-Terminal Program Valued

I enjoyed the article in the latest Rensselaer magazine about the co-terminal program (“Fast-Track to a Master’s Degree,” Fall 2017). I particularly found it interesting that it stated the program’s inception was in 2008 seeing as I graduated with both a B.S. and M.S. in computer science on the same day in 2000 after only eight semesters. Mind you, I had 17 semester hours of AP credit when I arrived at RPI and I took a class over one summer, but my senior year was tough balancing my remaining undergrad courses with my master’s project on top of my Air Force ROTC commitments. I recall the program I was accepted to that allowed me to earn both degrees simultaneously being called the “professional student” plan, or something like that.

Also note that I was required to take the GRE but was told that it was just a formality because of my undergrad GPA. Needless to say, I didn’t study very hard for it. I challenge every student to consider the co-terminal program. The experience I gained has helped me tremendously during my career. More specifically it was instrumental in landing an assignment as a professor of computer science at the Air Force Academy just four years after I graduated.

Gordon MacMillan ’00
Stuttgart, Germany

Remembering RAMP

I was reading the fall issue and the article “Fast-Track to a Master’s Degree” by Pam Allen (Fall 2017). When the article said, “The accelerated master’s program has grown every year since its inception in 2008,” I figured I would write in. Back in 1972 I signed up for a program at RPI called the RAMP — Rensselaer Accelerated Master Program. The RAMP program back then allowed you to take up to 21 credit hours a semester. By doing this I was able to get both my B.S. and master’s in mechanical engineering in just four years. I don’t know if/when the program was terminated. At the Hartford campus they had an accelerated night school MBA where you went every semester including summers and got the MBA in just two years. I think this program was changed. Thanks for the nice articles. I also liked the “Don’t Fly in 10 Years” commentary. It reminded me how technology has changed since I was in school. Started with a slide rule, graduated with a calculator. The computer came in 1984. When I started they had just dropped drafting at RPI and now we have CAD. Go figure?

Rob Kolp ’76
Ivoryton, Connecticut

Man-Made Fatigue

Lawrence Stoker wrote a very good article on metal fatigue but he didn’t include man-made fatigue (“Don’t Fly in 10 Years,” Fall 2017). In about 1978, the vice president of maintenance for American Airlines developed a new process of removing the engines from the wing. The normal process was lifting the engine by chains attached to the ceiling. He developed a quicker way by tuning a fork lift. The problem was, every time he used it, it weakened the attachment. The results: In 1979 an American DC-10 taking off from Chicago had an engine fall off and it killed 275 persons on board. 

Larry Green ’46
Brooksville, Florida

Making Connections

If you’ve ever wondered whether the alums reading the magazine ever reach out to other alums, I have firsthand proof that they do. The Fall 2017 issue of the Rensselaer alumni magazine featured a photo of my ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. About a week after it arrived in the mail, I received a note from an executive at a larger investment firm whose wife noticed the photo and asked if we knew each other. There are not a lot of us whose careers have taken us into the investment world and a previous search on LinkedIn failed to identify this person. So, kudos to the magazine for this very important connection.

Scott Sacknoff ’89
Bethesda, Maryland

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?

Map

I graduated from RPI in 1955 and wintered at Byrd Station in Antarctica as an aurora observer in 1960. Your item about Leonard LeSchack ’56 in the Spring 2019 issue’s Class Notes prompts me to mention the sheer coincidence that two adjacent topographic features in Antarctica — Mt. Brecher and Mt. LeSchack — are named for two RPI alumni who graduated a year apart in the mid-1950s and later wintered separately a couple of years apart at the same Antarctic station in the late 1950s, without ever meeting or knowing each other.

HENRY H. BRECHER ’55
Columbus, Ohio

THANKS FOR THE AI ARTICLE!

I wanted to send you a note to say how much I enjoyed the Spring 2019 issue of Rensselaer magazine. In particular, the article on artificial intelligence did an excellent job weaving together various strengths of the Institute and offered a really nice explanation of blockchain that I shared with my staff here at Cornell Tech. I also had fun reading the article about Dining Services — I could almost see the Commons Dining Hall as I was reading. Great work!

RAY LUTZKY ’02
New York, New York

OUTSTANDING!

Cover art from Rensselaer Pup, Dec. 1939

Congratulations on the Spring 2019 issue of the Rensselaer magazine. Every issue is interesting, but this one had outstanding articles throughout. Although it has a much more intellectual level than another RPI publication (the RPI Pup, Google that!), it was just as entertaining. Keep up the good work. Hail olde Rensselaer.

GEORGE WILLER ’50
Marco Island, Florida

Note: Opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute.