Biomedical Photographic Communications program records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: RITArc-0412

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Biomedical Photography program records consists of correspondence regarding the planning and formation of the curriculum for the Biomedical Photography program in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) at Rochester Institute of Technology. Much of the correspondence is between William Shoemaker, Director of SPAS, and John Trauger, Chair of the committee for establishing the program.

Also included are curriculum information, course descriptions, staffing information, information on student involvement, information on alumni and faculty, academic reports, publicity and program publications. There is a brief history of the program covering the years 1968 to 1974, written by Professor Emeritus Nile Root. The bulk of the records cover the years between 1968 and 1984.

The collection also contains newspaper clippings, magazine articles highlighting the program as well as the students and faculty. There are communications, articles and invitations regarding the student senior show. Also included are listings of alumni, communications asking alumni for feedback on the program, lists of alumni employers, and invitations to the annual biomed picnic. An ophthalmic workshop was attended by RIT faculty member William DuBois in 1987; there are communications and materials from the workshop attendance. Nile Root also prepared a report detailing RIT’s involvement in the annual meeting of the Biological Photographic Association.

Dates

Creation: 1968-2004

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Historical Information: Biomedical Photography

Biomedical Photographic Communications is a unique photography program within the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) at Rochester Institute of Technology. At its inception, the program was offered as an associate’s degree and the original curriculum was written in conjunction with members of the Biological Photographic Association. The program was expanded to a bachelor’s of science degree in 1974. This program is the only one of its kind in the United States, preparing students for imaging careers in ophthalmology and forensic laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, health care and medical research centers to name a few.

"The Biomedical Photographic Communications program is a unique communications media program, one of seven taught in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. It blends together applied imaging approaches, using various media, technologies and studies in the life sciences. While obtaining a strong foundation in the sciences, students design and produce instructional media projects using a variety of media technologies that address the communications needs that would be found in medicine, science and industry, including new digital imaging systems and web publishing.

Importantly, this program is the only one of its type in the United States. It prepares students for photographic and imaging careers that are found in various science-related institutions including: ophthalmology and forensic laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, health care and medical research centers, as well as military bases and medical imaging companies. Additionally, because of curriculum's flexibility, recent graduates have been successful finding positions in the electronic imaging field as technical service representatives for instructional media production, and visual information specialists in multimedia and web publishing, or manufacturers of medical instruments such as microscopes.

The curriculum includes topics such as: biomedical photography, close-up and high magnification photography, artificial lighting for small objects, image ethics, ophthalmic diagnostic imaging, desktop and web publishing, computer graphics, biology, mathematics, and the fundamentals of video. Students will also be introduced to a wide variety of career options through the program's interactive lecture series with professional biomedical and new media experts, which will assist them in identifying and securing a summer co-op internship to gain real world experience in the biomedical photographic communications field."

Program Information, Biomedical Photographic Communications, RIT, n.d. /biomed.rit.edu/programinformation.html>. 14 August 2015.

Extent

2 Linear Feet (4 document boxes)

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

The Biomedical Photographic Communications program records documents the origin of this program at RIT. Also included are planning materials containing a history of the program, curriculum information, information on students, alumni and faculty, academic reports, publicity and program publications. Originally called Biomedical Photography, the Biomedical Photographic Communications program is a unique media program taught in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Arrangement

Records are in chronological order and subject order.

Other Finding Aids

In addition to this finding aid, an inventory is available below. For more information, please contact the RIT Archive Collections.

RIT Biomedical Photographic Communications records

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Records deposited in the RIT Archives by College of Imaging Arts & Sciences staff member in December 1975, July 2012, and July 2015. Accession number(s):