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CEIS: Center for Emerging & Innovative Sciences
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Events

New York State Innovation Summit

Oct. 27 & 28, 2026

CEIS will participate in the annual New York State Innovation Summit being held at the Buffalo Convention Center Oct. 27 and 28, 2026.

The two day-event celebrates New York State leadership in technology-led economic growth with experts in biotechnology, new materials, energy innovation, and artificial intelligence that will explore current technology convergence opportunities, ways to accelerate commercialization, and issues of manufacturing sustainability.

A featured event will be the annual meeting of Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology, and Innovation (NYSTAR). CEIS is a NYSTAR-designated Center for Advanced Technology.

Click for more information and to see news about the New York State Innovation Summit.
AI Transformations of Optics, Photonics, Imaging & Semiconductors
Industry-University Networking Event
 

December 3, 2026
1:00–5:00 p.m.

The Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences (CEIS) and the Center of Excellence for Data Science and AI at the University of Rochester cordially invite you to an Industry-University Networking Event on Thursday, December 3, 2026.

This networking event brings faculty experts from the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology together with regional NY State companies working in the optics, photonics, imaging (including medical imaging), and semiconductor industries, with a particular emphasis on how advances in artificial intelligence are transforming all these fields. Our goal is to provide an informal informational and networking environment that supports future collaborations between local industry & faculty for advancing these critical technologies.

The event will provide an opportunity to:

  • Learn about research, technologies, capabilities, and needs across participating companies and universities.
  • Explore how advances in AI are being applied to optics, photonics, imaging, semiconductors, and related technologies.
  • Meet faculty and industry representatives with complementary interests and identify opportunities for industry-university and multidisciplinary collaborations.

The program will include a limited number of 5-minute presentations by faculty and companies, followed by ample time for informal discussion and networking. If you would like to give a presentation, please indicate so on the registration page.

Sponsored by
The Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences and The Center of Excellence In Data Science at the University of Rochester
2027 Finger Lakes Science and Technology Showcase

April 2027 (date to be announced)

 The Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences and the Center of Excellence in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Rochester will host the 2027 Finger Lakes Science and Technology Showcase in April 2027 (date to be announced) at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, N.Y.

The annual showcase brings together researchers from the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and surrounding universities to present their cutting-edge work to industry partners, with the goal of promoting collaboration, innovation, and regional economic growth.

The event features a Speed Networking Pitch Session, where faculty members, companies, and organizations share brief three-minute pitches about their research, projects, and collaboration interests, creating new opportunities for partnership and innovation.

The showcase also features the Technology Woman of the Year Awards

Soundtrax Film Music Festival

October 2027

The OPIL, film, and cultural strengths of our region were showcased and celebrated by the University of Rochester with the inaugural Soundtrax Film Music Festival in October 2025. CEIS Director Mark Bocko is co-founder and co-director of the festival, which is the first film-music festival in North America.

The biennial film festival, slated to return in fall 2027, was a unique collaboration of music and science via the university’s Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences and Eastman School of Music.

Rochester, N.Y. is the birthplace of motion-picture film as well as Eastman School of Music, which builds upon George Eastman’s legacy as a leader in film-music education and performance. Soundtrax also underscores URochester’s transdisciplinary strengths in music and composition, acoustics, optics, and engineering.

The debut Soundtrax Music Film Festival featured presentations and performances within the Eastman School of Music, including Kilbourn Hall, Hatch Hall, and the historic Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, plus technical sessions.

“Soundtrax entertains and engages audiences who love film and music and are intrigued by the magic of music in movies and media,” Bocko said. “Through concerts, conversations, and special events, Soundtrax explores how the artistry, science, and technology of music and sound elevate storytelling, the audience journey, and our visual experiences.”