Nihar Mohanty works with Near Eye Display Technology at Meta, where he is an Optical Integration Scientist. He leads a team of world-class research scientists and engineers toward the development of an all-day wearable augmented reality display.  Nihar’s specialties are in Augmented Reality, Display, Waveguides, Diffractive Optics, Patterning Integration, Materials Development, Plasma Etch, Project Management, Graphene Devices, Graphene Sensors.

Steve is a visionary leader and technology enthusiast, who is revolutionizing the way people interact with science through immersive technology. As the Founder and CEO of Nanome, a San Diego-based company, he is at the forefront of this cutting-edge field, leading a dynamic team of scientists, software developers, and business development professionals to take the company to new heights.

TL;DR

Interdisciplinary collaboration was the name of the game this year with Aurum, the collaborative VR experience between the Robbins Library and Studio X. Having made solid progress on gameplay, with two recipes and a full alchemy lab in-game, we turned to a new question: who exactly is this alchemist we play as? 

Professor Yukang Yan and students Tianyu Zhang ’29 and Sunniva Liu ’24 in his lab were frequent visitors to Studio X over the summer to work on a research project aimed at enhancing accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students during in-person lectures. Using AR technology and feedback from DHH students, Dr. Yan’s team developed a system that integrates real-time captions, highlighted slides, and keyword explanations, reducing cognitive load and improving the lecture experience.

Each October, as the leaves turn and the campus buzzes with Halloween excitement, the River Campus Libraries (RCL) hosts its much-anticipated Scare Fair, an annual celebration that brings students, staff, and spooky fun together under one roof. This year’s theme, Haunted Pirate Ship, transformed Rush Rhees Library into an eerie maritime adventure, complete with cobwebbed treasure chests, ghostly crew members, and a touch of library magic.

Saying that Liv Ritz ’25 has found a home at the River Campus Libraries during her time at the University of Rochester would be an understatement. Over the past four years, she has held two distinct roles within the libraries, where her creative talents and business acumen have left a lasting impact on several library social media profiles.