The Rensselaer Astrophysical Society invites the public to explore the wonders of the cosmos. After a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public viewings at the Hirsch Observatory will resume on Saturday, March 11.

The first doctoral degree in computer science ever earned at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was in 1969. The sixth was presented to Margaret Kahles Guyder in 1972, and it was also the first ever earned by a woman.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have joined the Joint University Microelectronics Program 2.0 (JUMP 2.0) led by the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) and U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The public-private partnership will create a massive national research network aimed at advancing new microelectronic discoveries and technologies. The total investment exceeds $250 million and involves dozens of collaborating universities.

Students in the School of Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) are working with the Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus Inc. (RISSE) to develop plans to reimagine a multi-building complex that includes a 16,000-square-foot historic church listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC) headquarters selected Cadet Spencer Davidson ’23, of Rensselaer’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 550, to attend the National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS) at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Rensselaer’s Information Technology and Web Science program will host Know Your Value: Empowering Women in a Predominantly Male Industry at 4:30 p.m. on February 7, 2023 in Lally 102. It is the second of a series of three events geared toward women in the technology industry. Register online for this free event.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Deborah McGuinness has been elected a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) “for significant contributions to the semantic web, knowledge representation and reasoning environments, and deployed artificial intelligence applications.” AAAI is a nonprofit scientific society that promotes research in artificial intelligence and its responsible use. The AAAI fellows program recognizes people who have “made significant, sustained contributions to the field of artificial intelligence.”

In November, over 100 members of the Rensselaer community gathered for the Life Sciences Business Symposium presented by the Lally School of Management in collaboration with the Center for Career and Professional Development. The event included a panel discussion with representatives from Regeneron, Curia, and AngioDynamics, followed by a networking opportunity with 15 participating life science companies with internship, co-op, and full-time openings.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s James Hendler is the founding director of the Future of Computing Institute (FOCI), director of the Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA), and the Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web and Cognitive Sciences.

Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFROTC) cadets had a busy fall semester.