Inspire Innovation

Step Up To The Challenge: Become a Loyal Scot Today

2012-01-05T12:48:00.007-05:00

Help your alumni chapter win the Loyal Scot Challenge.

The prize? International bragging rights and $100,000. CMU Trustees are putting up their own money to encourage all chapters to create as many fully engaged alumni — we call them Loyal Scots — as possible.

The winning chapter will designate and name a $100,000 gift to CMU students.

Don't delay. Become a Loyal Scot today.

Still Time to Give

2011-12-22T13:19:00.006-05:00

There's still time to make an impact on our students and faculty with your tax deductible gift. To ensure your gift is counted for the 2011 tax year, please complete our online giving form before midnight December 31, 2011. Every dollar makes a difference. Thanks in advance for your support!

Inspire Innovation: Asia 2011

2011-11-29T11:33:00.015-05:00

Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon and Tepper School of Business Dean Robert M. Dammon recently returned from a visit to the Asia-Pacific region that included events in Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi.

Highlights of the visit included:

Major events sponsored by the Inspire Innovation campaign in Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing—all attracting record crowds; These gatherings featured:

- University and campaign updates from President Cohon

- An engaging panel discussion in Tokyo about the Japanese and global economies, hosted by CMU trustee Yoshiaki Fujimori (TPR'81), President and CEO, JS Group Corporation

- A keynote address in Beijing from Kai-Fu Lee (SCS'88), Chairman and CEO of Innovation Works

Opportunities to meet Dean Dammon and hear updates about the Tepper School of Business in Seoul, Tokyo, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi

Hundreds of alumni, parents and friends connected with each other and the university during this inspiring trip.

Don’t miss out when CMU comes to a city near you. Keep tabs on upcoming events.

Class of 2011: Show Your Pride

2011-11-11T12:55:00.005-05:00

With today being Nov. 11, 2011 (that's a lot of elevens), what better time than now for the CMU Class of 2011 to show your pride.

We're asking you--as well as your parents--to make a gift of any size to CMU today in honor of your amazing class.

Make your gift or learn more about the impact of giving to CMU. Every gift counts.

Legacy Lives On

2011-09-30T10:08:00.009-04:00

The legacy of visionary researcher Lester B. Lave will be honored by the establishment of a professorship in economics, engineering and public policy, and a fellowship for doctorial studies on innovative areas in economics, public policy and engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.

Lave, one of the nation's leading environmental economists, died May 9, 2011, at his home after a four-month struggle with cancer.

The gift will be used to establish a fund to create and support an endowed professorship with a joint appointment between CMU's Tepper School of Business and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy in the College of Engineering. The holder of this new faculty chair will be expected to be an accomplished scholar with a strong background in engineering or the natural sciences, and a doctorate in economics with a special interest in public policy issues.

In addition to the professorship, the Lave family gift also provides for a fund that will be used to support and sustain a fellowship in doctoral studies on new and innovative research areas in engineering and public policy.

Making History

2011-09-07T10:05:00.010-04:00

Businessman, scholar, philanthropist and longtime Carnegie Mellon University trustee William S. Dietrich II has announced a plan to provide a record-breaking gift of a $265 million fund to support CMU.

It's the largest gift in CMU's history and one of the 10 largest by an individual to a private higher education institution in the United States.

The fund will be a catalyst for CMU’s global initiatives and its fusion of left-brain and right-brain thinking. It will enhance studies connecting technology and the arts, as well as future academic initiatives such as undergraduate and graduate programs, scholarship, artistic creation and research.

In recognition of the gift, CMU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences will also be named the Marianna Brown Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences after Dietrich’s mother, a homemaker who inspired and supported Dietrich throughout his life.

Read the full story.

Beyond the Classroom

2011-08-26T08:35:00.001-04:00

Shrinivas V. Dempo (TPR '95) had big shoes to fill. With a career at his family's business mapped out for him, he didn't need an MBA for job security. But Dempo knew that family connections don't ensure success.

Read Dempo’s full story to find out why he established The Vasantro Dempo Reflective Chair – a professorship that’s unlike any other at CMU.

Dijital Progress

2011-08-22T09:08:00.001-04:00

Wish you could control your entire television entertainment system with a single device?

Well, it’s possible. The free Dijit app turns your smart phone into a universal remote and much more.

“Dijit is going to solve a point of daily frustration in home entertainment – and then we’re going to add a lot more,” said Jeremy Toeman (HSS’96).

Toeman is the Chief Product Officer at Dijit Media, which was founded by fellow Carnegie Mellon alum Maksim Ioffe (CS’02).

Read the full story >>

A Lasting Legacy

2011-08-02T16:45:00.002-04:00

Jim (E’77, ’83, ’95) and Janel (E’80, ’84) Miller made their first gift to Carnegie Mellon University because it seemed like the right thing to do. A quarter of a century later, it still does.

Today, they’re lifetime members of the university’s Order of the May in recognition of their 25 consecutive years of giving. And they’re building quite the family legacy at CMU.

Read more about the Millers>>

A Special Thanks to CMU Donors

2011-07-29T14:59:00.005-04:00

Did you know? More than 19,232 alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends chose to give during our 2011 fiscal year and make a real difference.

For that, we’re so grateful!

Financial support this past fiscal year helped CMU:

Increase the university's alumni giving rate to 19.3% (from 16.8% last year), an important factor in CMU's ranking in U.S. News & World Report and other leading publications

Raise nearly $23 million for scholarships, fellowships and student programs

Provide critical financial aid to more than 50% of CMU students

Raise nearly $32 million to support our award-winning faculty and pioneering research

Our donors helped make these accomplishments – and so many others – possible.

Thank you to each and every one of our supporters who chose to give to CMU. We couldn’t do it without you!

Rothberg Awards

2011-07-14T16:41:00.004-04:00

Ever wonder how the human brain processes thoughts? Learns new things? Or even how it ages?

The answers to these questions are becoming less of a mystery thanks in part to the groundbreaking work of CMU scientists. And now, new research awards will enable scientists to take their research even further.

The Rothberg Research Awards in Human Brain Imaging are made possible by CMU alum and trustee Jonathan M. Rothberg (E’85). The founder of four genetic companies aimed at improving human health, Rothberg wanted to support CMU’s leadership in brain science with the creation of these awards.

The awards allow CMU faculty, post-docs and students to push research boundaries while investigating how the brain thinks, learns and ages.

Seven recipients have been selected to share the $100,000 presented by the inaugural Rothberg Brain Research Awards.

James Bursley (HS’12), a psychology major
Alona Fyshe (ML’11), a machine learning Ph.D. candidate
Amy Hubbard, the A.W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Modern Languages Department
Guillaume Lematire, a postdoctoral research associate in the Psychology Department
Amanda Markey (HS’11), a social and decision sciences Ph.D. candidate
Richard Randall, an assistant professor of music theory in the School of Music
Leila Wehbe (ML’11), a machine learning Ph.D. candidate

More about Rothberg and the seven Rothberg Awards recipients>>

More about CMU’s brain, mind and learning research initiative>>

The Bajaj Family Chair

2011-07-01T14:14:00.001-04:00

Alumnus Kushagra Nayan Bajaj, vice chairman of Bajaj Group - one of India’s top 10 business conglomerates – recently made a gift of $2.5 million to Carnegie Mellon University. The gift will endow a professorship in the Tepper School of Business.

This gift continues to strengthen the university’s important connections to India. Outside of the U.S., the largest concentration of CMU alumni live in India. And of the 30 percent of CMU students from outside the U.S., the majority are from India.

Find out more >>

Leading Innovation: Boston and Beyond

2011-06-21T12:10:00.001-04:00

Nearly 250 alumni and friends joined Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon and the Boston Alumni Chapter for a special event in Boston on June 9. The event featured a panel discussion on Brain, Mind and Learning —a new initiative at Carnegie Mellon.

Human vs. Artificial Intelligence: What Will the Future Bring?

Are computers like IBM’s Watson really that smart? What can they teach us about how the human brain thinks and learns?

How can a deeper understanding of the brain lead to breakthroughs in autism, Alzheimer’s and dyslexia research?

How will advances in artificial intelligence shape industries from finance to health care?

A distinguished panel of experts and event attendees discussed the answers to these questions and more.

Check out Carnegie Mellon on Flickr to see photos from the Boston Inspire Innovation campaign event.

Greenlighting Startups

2011-06-08T09:22:00.003-04:00

Did you know Carnegie Mellon University is one of the fastest growing entrepreneurial institutions in the U.S.?

In the past 15 years, CMU has helped create more than 200 new companies and added approximately 9,000 new jobs to the U.S. economy.

Now the university is Greenlighting Startups.

Greenlighting Startups is a new initiative aimed at accelerating CMU’s record of turning campus innovations into sustainable new businesses. A portfolio of five new and existing campus incubators, the initiative is uniquely designed to further speed the organic growth of company creation at CMU.

Want to know more? Visit cmu.edu/startups.

It All Adds Up

2011-05-31T15:18:00.004-04:00

More than 60 years after Al (E'49) and Mary Rita (MM'51) Mengato met at Carnegie Tech, the university remains a central part of their lives.

The Mengatos value their CMU educations and hope to help today’s students achieve great things. That’s one reason they’ve stayed involved with their alma mater – and given back financially year after year.

“It’s not always a lot, but I’ve given something to Carnegie Mellon every year since I graduated,” said Al.

“If everybody gave a little bit every year, it would all add up,” adds Mary Rita.

Read more about the Mengato's story>>

Geek Pride Day. You Own It.

2011-05-25T09:16:00.009-04:00

Help Carnegie Mellon's next generation own it too.

Mission critical:

There's no arguing Carnegie Mellon University students
are some of the brightest around. Blazing new trails.
Pioneering solutions for the world. In a word, they are EPIC.

But, consider this:

For every $1 in endowment funds that CMU has for its students, Caltech has $8.88. MIT has $10.59. And Stanford has $12.59.

Tuition covers only two-thirds the cost of a CMU education.

More than half of our undergrads receive financial aid.

Do your part to keep the legacy alive.

Celebrate Geek Pride Day with CMU by supporting our endowed scholarship fund.

Calling All Entrepreneurs

2011-05-18T10:08:00.003-04:00

Carnegie Mellon alum Jonathan Kaplan (TPR’90) revolutionized the consumer electronics industry with his Flip video camera. Now, he’s energizing the entrepreneurial spirit at his alma mater.

Through a generous gift, Kaplan and his wife, Marci Glazer, created the Open Field Entrepreneurs Fund (OFEF) at Carnegie Mellon University. The purpose is to provide early-stage business financing to alumni who have graduated from CMU within the past five years.

The fund is also being supported by fellow alum Peter Stern (E’89), founder of Datek Online and CEO of Bitly.

Kaplan anticipates this fund could reach $25 million within the first five years.

According to Kaplan, it’s not a business plan competition, in which only the best ideas receive funding. Instead, it’s open to all recent CMU grads who have the desire to become entrepreneurs. CMU will create and launch an online application for alumni to submit their proposals later this year.

"Our goal with this effort is to provide Carnegie Mellon graduates with the opportunity to realize their innovative spirit and start new businesses," said Kaplan, former CEO of Pure Digital and five-time entrepreneur. "We'd like to make Carnegie Mellon the destination of choice for young entrepreneurs."

Carnegie Mellon alumni, faculty and students are already creating innovations with impact.

CMU faculty and students have helped to create 200 companies and 9,000 jobs in the last 15 years. And CMU spin-offs represent 34 percent of the total companies created in Pennsylvania based on university technologies in the past five years.

Read the release to find out more>>

Congrats Class of 2011!

2011-05-17T11:39:00.002-04:00

“May your boulders be your blessings,” Aron Ralston (E’97) told the 2011 graduates at Carnegie Mellon University’s 114th commencement ceremony.

In addition to Ralston’s keynote address, the graduates and their families also heard remarks from student speaker Alia Poonawala and Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon.

During the ceremony, President Cohon announced that Jonathan Kaplan (TPR’90) — who revolutionized online video-sharing with his creation of the Flip video camera — established, along with his wife, Marci Glazer, the Open Field Entrepreneurs Fund at CMU.

Read more about the Open Field Entrepreneurs Fund at CMU and the 2011 commencement ceremony.

What makes algorithms exciting?

2011-05-12T15:39:00.000-04:00

The answer isn’t so much a what as it is a who.

Carnegie Mellon Professor Avrim Blum. That’s who. According to his students, Blum makes the often abstract and difficult subject matter “exciting.”

And now Blum is being recognized for his teaching methods. He recently won the Herbert A. Simon Award for Teaching Excellence in Computer Science.

Read more about Blum on cmu.edu>>

Save the Date: Carnegie Mellon in Boston

2011-04-29T08:43:00.006-04:00

Live in Boston or planning to be in the area on June 9? Join Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon and the Boston Alumni Chapter at a special event.

Date: Thursday, June 9, 2011
Time: 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Location: The State Room, 60 State Street, 33rd Floor, Boston, MA 02109

Panel Discussion:
Human vs. Artificial Intelligence: What Will the Future Bring? Ask a distinguished panel of experts spearheading CMU’s new brain, mind and learning initiative. Are computers like IBM’s Watson really that smart? What can they teach us about how the human brain thinks and learns? How can a deeper understanding of the brain lead to breakthroughs in autism, Alzheimer’s and dyslexia research? How will advances in artificial intelligence shape industries from finance to health care? Be there to take part in the conversation.

Cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served prior to a panel discussion. Dessert and coffee will follow the program.

Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your network of contacts in the Boston area, as well as reconnect with alumni, parents, friends and students.

Space is limited, so RSVP by June 1. Visit the Inspire Innovation site for more information.

SURG

2011-04-20T08:50:00.003-04:00

They may be “small,” but small undergraduate research grants (SURG) can make a big impact.

As early as their first year, students can apply for SURG grants up to $500 to fund individual research projects. Group projects can receive up to $1,000.

For some students, the extra support makes the difference. Find out how a SURG grant led to a spinoff company and a patent for one Carnegie Mellon student.

Read Rebecca Potash’s story>>

Spring Carnival is Here!

2011-04-14T12:20:00.002-04:00

Don’t miss out. Visit the alumni site for the weekend schedule, parking & shuttle information, and 2011 reunion details.

John Wells

2011-04-05T11:03:00.004-04:00

Hollywood producer – and Carnegie Mellon alum – John Wells (A’79) recently paid a visit to his alma mater.

While on campus, Wells had the opportunity to connect with students in the School of Drama and share what he’s learned over the years.

Thanks to a transformational gift from Wells, Carnegie Mellon students in the directing program will now have even greater learning opportunities. The university has established the John Wells Directing Program in honor of his accomplishments and in recognition of his support.

Wells’ gift establishes The John Wells Visiting Professorship in Directing, which will draw leading practitioners from theater, film and television to direct master classes, give lectures and work with students on productions.

It will also support student fellowships in directing, called “Wells Fellows.” The fellowships are intended to help the school attract and retain the brightest and most talented students.

Finally, the School of Drama will also be able to subsidize the cost of visits from guest artists, cross-disciplinary symposia and other activities to enrich the school’s theater training.

Wells is best known for his roles as executive producer of “ER,” “Third Watch,” and “The West Wing.” Shows produced by Wells have received more than 200 Emmy Award nominations and have won more than 50 Emmy Awards. They’ve also received more than 50 Golden Globe nominations and won four Golden Globes. Not to mention Wells is also a five-time winner of the prestigious Peabody Award.

“My education at Carnegie Mellon has been a central component of my success,” Wells said.

“The quality of the education, the interaction with the extraordinary faculty and the classical foundation I received I’m still using every day of my professional life. I’m honored to have been a graduate of Carnegie Mellon.”

Speaking of Japan

2011-03-23T15:36:00.002-04:00

In the aftermath of the Japan earthquake and resulting tsunamis, many are doing whatever they can to help.

For the creators of Jibbigo Voice Translation, that means making the speech-to-speech translation application available to relief organizations deployed in Japan. For free.

Developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon, the Jibbigo app is a powerful offline voice translation application that functions without Internet or phone connections. Perfect for situations – such as the relief efforts in Japan – where network access is limited or non-existent.

The Jibbigo app was designed as a general translator, though it is particularly attuned to the needs of international travelers and medical doctors. It’s compatible with iPhone and Android devices, as well as tablets such as the iPad. Users simply speak a sentence or two at a time into their device and it will respond with an audible translation.

In addition to translating full sentences, the Jibbigo app includes a robust medical vocabulary in both Japanese and English, ideal for assisting the foreign aid worker.

Jibbigo LLC is a startup company launched by Alex Waibel, professor of computer science and language technologies at Carnegie Mellon University. A professor at both CMU and the University of Karlsruhe in Germany, Waibel also directs the International Center for Advanced Communication Technologies.

The specially designed version of the English-Japanese voice translation app will remain free to relief workers in Japan until March 31, 2011. For more information, email info@jibbigo.com.

Image from Jibbigo's Facebook page.

Thanks to DSF Charitable Foundation…

2011-03-21T12:58:00.003-04:00

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST) are advancing their work aimed at better understanding and treating disease.

The DSF Charitable Foundation gave a $3.9 million grant to further the development of novel biomedical tools targeted at monitoring and manipulating gene expression.

Simply put, DNA contains instructions for making proteins. RNA then uses those instructions to make functional proteins. That process is known as gene expression.

But if something goes awry during the gene expression process, too much or too little protein can be made. At times, this can have devastating results – even increasing the risk of certain types of cancer for some.

“At CNAST we are creating tools that will help us to answer fundamental scientific questions and lead to the development of practical applications for treating genetic and infectious diseases,” said John Woolford, professor of biological sciences.

Bruce Armitage, professor of chemistry, is also co-director of CNAST. CNAST is comprised of an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon’s chemistry and biological sciences departments.

Find out more >>

Pothole Patrol

2011-03-11T11:07:00.005-05:00

Potholes go hand-in-hand with springtime in Pittsburgh. But thanks to a new project at Carnegie Mellon, you can do something about it. And we’re not suggesting you fill it yourself.

Simply snap a photo of a pothole and upload it to Facebook.

Thanks to the Road Damage Assessment System (RODAS) Project, the photos are linked to their location on a map. It’s a way for community members to monitor potholes and alert government agencies of their existence.

The RODAS Project is headed by Robert Strauss, professor of economics and public policy in CMU's Heinz College and Takeo Kanade, professor of robotics and computer science.

Read more on cmu.edu.

Tweeting Appreciation

2011-03-04T09:31:00.002-05:00

“Thanks @CarnegieMellon for my science scholarship honoring alum/astronaut Judith Resnik…” Dinah Winnick posted to her Twitter account on the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster.

The Carnegie Mellon Judith Resnik Challenger Scholarship for Women in Science is named in honor of Judith Resnik (E’70) who was an engineering major at Carnegie Mellon before becoming only the second woman in space.

For Winnick (SHS’05), the scholarship was an instrumental part of her Carnegie Mellon experience – and top of mind that day.

Read more about how Winnick’s scholarship made her Carnegie Mellon experience possible.

Love a Donor

2011-02-23T09:50:00.008-05:00

Each year, donors have helped support the $55 million that Carnegie Mellon provides for undergraduate financial aid. While tuition dollars cover about two-thirds of education costs, thousands of donors help bridge the gap.

As part of Carnegie Mellon’s recent “Love a Donor” week, more than 1,500 students turned out to thank alumni, faculty, staff, parents and friends who support CMU with their giving.

Why are our students so grateful? They know donors make the difference. Without the generous support of thousands of donors around the world, their CMU experience would not be possible.

Hear from our students about the impact of past contributions.

Thank you so much for last year's annual fund contribution. It helps undergrad students like me achieve academically, expand personally, and think outside of the box like a true Tartan. Thank you!
~ Cynthia

Thank you so much for making your donation and making my education possible. I'm truly pursuing my dreams here as an economics, mathematics, and professional writing major (I know I'm a bit crazy). Nonetheless, my dreams are coming true because of you. Thank you.
~ Zach

Thank you for your continued support of CMU. Everyone talks about our academics, but I feel even more blessed to have made the relationships I've made here. From coaches, to professors, to students, this university exemplifies the spirit of collaboration needed in this world. Thank you for your help in making this all possible.
~ Chris

Visit Carnegie Mellon on Flickr to view more photos from the week.

This is Jeopardy!

2011-02-16T09:41:00.007-05:00

Answer: This IBM computer system is the first non-human contestant on Jeopardy!

Question: What is Watson?

That is correct!

The first Jeopardy! game ever to feature a non-human contestant is underway this week.

Watson — a Question Answering (QA) system developed by IBM and Carnegie Mellon University — is competing against former champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.

With one day of game play remaining, Watson has taken the lead.

"The Jeopardy! problem is an important challenge for the field, because systems have to respond much more quickly than they ever have in the past," said CMU's Eric Nyberg.

Nyberg is a professor at CMU's Language Technologies Institute (LTI) at the School of Computer Science.

Just imagine what this computer can do.

Not only does it have to quickly recall knowledge from an array of topics. It also has to evaluate its own confidence level — to determine whether or not to answer immediately or pass on a particular question.

Then there’s the Jeopardy! lingo. The show uses metaphors, rhyming, puns and puzzles – which is another challenge for Watson.

Read more about Watson on cmu.edu or tune in to Jeopardy! tonight at 7 pm est on NBC to watch Watson in action.

Driving the Future

2011-02-11T10:01:00.002-05:00

For more than a decade, the General Motors Foundation and Carnegie Mellon have collaborated on the next generation of automotive information technology. They conduct their research at CMU’s Collaborative Lab, tapping into the university’s collaborative, problem-solving environment.

The partnership supplements auto industry initiatives to provide passengers safe and easy access to information and entertainment. It also provides CMU students with unprecedented opportunities.

In Feb., students from Carnegie Mellon’s Collaborative Lab met the engineers who designed the Chevrolet Volt electric car with extended range capabilities. They also had the opportunity to test drive the Volt, experiencing its revolutionary technology firsthand.

But that’s not all.

Ed Schlesinger, head of CMU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, was awarded a $70,000 scholarship grant from the GM Foundation. This scholarship will support outstanding student research and studies at the university’s College of Engineering.

And while we're on the topic, check out the OnStar App Challenge. GM has invited Carnegie Mellon students to take a crack at designing the company's next vehicle voice-enabled app.

Brain, Mind & Learning

2011-02-07T11:43:00.003-05:00

World-renowned researchers and scientists at Carnegie Mellon are dedicated to excellence in brain and behavior research. And they’re already making important discoveries.

With the launch of the university's new Brain, Mind and Learning initiative, CMU now plans to become an even bigger player in these fields.

CMU recently presented a panel discussion on the topic, featuring:

Justine Cassell, director of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute, School of Computer Science;
Marcel Just, D.O. Hebb Professor of Psychology and director of the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging and the Scientific Imaging and Brain Research Center;
Michael J. Tarr, George A. and Helen Dunham Cowan Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and co-director of the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition;
Nathan Urban, Dr. Frederick A. Schwertz Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences and head of the Department of Biological Sciences.

CMU Provost and Executive Vice President Mark Kamlet moderated the discussion.

Learn more about the panelists, the projects they’re working on, and the dozens of centers and departments that are playing leading roles in the university’s the brain, mind and learning initiative.

Gaming for the Cure

2011-01-28T09:56:00.003-05:00

It was only a matter of time. As the line between the virtual world and the real word continues to blur, Carnegie Mellon and Stanford University developed the first online game that connects the two.

The game’s called EteRNA. The goal is to uncover principles for designing molecules of RNA.

Biologists believe RNA may be the key regulator of everything that happens in living cells, so understanding its design is critical. It may even prove useful for treating or controlling such diseases as HIV.

Want to help? Play the game.

Players with the best virtual RNA designs – i.e. designs that can be rendered as real, physical molecules – get the most points. Then each week’s top designs are actually synthesized in a biochemistry laboratory.

It’s in the lab where researchers see if the resulting molecules fold themselves into the 3D shapes predicted by computer models. Since EteRNA enlists the help of non-experts to uncover mysterious RNA design principles, it leaves the final scoring up to nature.

“And nature is one tough umpire,” notes CMU’s Adrien Treuille.

Treuille is an assistant professor of computer science at CMU. He leads the EteRNA project with Rhiju Das, assistant professor of biochemistry at Stanford.

Read more at cmu.edu and The New York Times. Or check out videos on the topic – What Have We Learned from EteRNA? and How Was EteRNA Created?

Imagine That

2011-01-24T11:00:00.004-05:00

Anybody still clinging to their weight loss New Year’s resolution?

If you’re trying not to think about food in order to keep from eating it, give it up. In fact, whatever your weakness – be it salty or sweet – go ahead and visualize yourself polishing off every last bite. You’re probably better off.

Here’s why.

A study by Carnegie Mellon researchers – published in Science – shows that when you imagine eating a certain food, it reduces your actual consumption of that food.

The researchers ran a series of experiments, asking three groups of people to imagine different repetitive actions.

A control group imagined inserting 33 quarters into a laundry machine (an action similar to eating M&M’S).
A second group imagined inserting 30 quarters into a laundry machine and then imagined eating 3 M&M’S.
A third group imagined inserting three quarters into a laundry machine and then imagined eating 30 M&M’S.

Next, all participants ate freely from a bowl filled with M&M’S.

It turns out, participants who imagined eating 30 M&Ms actually ate significantly fewer than the other two groups.

To ensure other factors weren’t influencing the results, the researchers conducted additional tests. Each time, the participants who imagined eating the most, ended up eating the least.

Additionally, the study showed it wasn’t enough to merely think about the food – or to think of another food. It was important to imagine the act of eating the very food in question.

CMU’s research team included Young Eun Huh, Tepper School of Business Ph.D. candidate, and Joachim Vosgerau, assistant professor of marketing.

To find out more about the study, read the press release or visit cmu.edu.

Watch ‘Can Imagining Food Help You Lose Wight’ on ABC News
Listen to ‘Just Thinking Harder May Help You Lose Weight’ on NPR
Read ‘To Prevent Overeating, Think About Overeating’ on CBS

Keeping CMU Talent in Pittsburgh

2011-01-07T16:29:00.003-05:00

That’s what the Peter C. Dozzi Family Foundation is working to do with their Pittsburgh Internship Initiative.

The initiative began with a generous gift from Peter C. Dozzi, founder of Jendoco Construction Corporation. The scholarship money is available to all students who stay in the Pittsburgh Region to complete a summer internship.

It’s an incentive to keep CMU talent in and around the Pittsburgh Region. The Dozzi family hopes the scholarship will encourage students to consider calling Pittsburgh home, developing and contributing their ideas and expertise to the city.

And students are happy to oblige.

For some, the Peter C. Dozzi Pittsburgh Internship Initiative has helped them reach success.

Sam Tsai (CMU’07) received the financial support he needed to spend a summer in Pittsburgh interning at Collaborative Fusion, Inc. – a small startup firm that specializes in emergency response in the event of major disasters. The experience was unprecedented – and it led to a job as a web developer for American Eagle Outfitters.

For Andrew Seay (A’06, HNZ’08), it was an internship with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) that kick-started his career. Upon completing his master’s degree at Heinz College, he was hired full-time by PSO. Now, Seay is a patron services representative.

Seay's internship with the PSO not only launched his career, but it also gave him a chance to explore Pittsburgh. After eight years here, Seay calls the city home.

The Peter C. Dozzi Foundation was honored as “Outstanding Foundation 2010” on National Philanthropy Day in November by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Western Pennsylvania Chapter.

Goldman Sachs Gives

2010-12-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Goldman Sachs Gives recently donated $2 million to assist Carnegie Mellon students whose families have been disproportionately affected by America’s economic recession.

This gift came at the recommendation of Paul Russo (S’86), managing director of Goldman Sachs. It will be used for scholarships based on financial need and academic performance beginning this semester.

“It doesn’t take much to figure out there are a lot of families in pain around the country,” said Russo.

He and his wife, Allison (TPR’88), have a special fondness for the university and believe Carnegie Mellon students are high academic achievers across the board.

“You have a tremendous opportunity. Take advantage of it while you’re here,” Paul Russo urged this year’s scholarship awardees during a recent visit to campus where the Russos met the students. “You’re investing in yourself and there’s no better investment.”

Goldman Sachs Gives is a donor-advised fund through which participating managing directors of the firm recommend grants to qualified charitable organizations.

Student-Faculty Ties

2010-12-15T11:30:00.005-05:00

A decade after graduation, Matt Bomer (A'00) – star of the USA Network's hit series White Collar – can still rely on his former Carnegie Mellon professor, Don Wadsworth.

When a White Collar episode required Bomer to disguise his character by speaking with French and Italian accents, he called Wadsworth for a refresher.

“The great thing about Don is I got a lifetime teacher with my four years of training,” said Bomer. “I know when I call on him for something I'm going to have that history of trust. And I know I'm going to have fun."

Wadsworth – a professor of voice and speech at CMU – has coached the voice work for actors on and off Broadway, in feature films, TV, regional theater and video games. He’s coached Oscar-nominated stars and even appears in a few films himself. Now with southwestern Pennsylvania’s burgeoning reputation as a great location for movie and television productions, he’s been getting even more requests for both coaching and acting.

Still, with all of that going on, Wadsworth makes time for his students – current and former.
“I remember Don taking time with me even before class and after class,” recalled Bomer. “He always brings 100 percent commitment to everything he does.”

Read more about Don Wadsworth and Matt Bomer on cmu.edu.

Honoring Prof. Joel Tarr

2010-12-03T13:47:00.008-05:00

One of Carnegie Mellon’s greatest assets is its world-renowned faculty. With a student-faculty ratio of 10:1, faculty members are extremely accessible and take a genuine interest in their students’ work.

So it’s no surprise when some alumni choose to give back to the university in honor of the professors who have inspired them.

For Rachel Maines (HS’83), attending Carnegie Mellon was a life-changing opportunity. But if it weren’t for the support from Joel Tarr, Carnegie Mellon’s Richard S. Caliguiri University Professor of History & Policy, it may not have been possible.

Prof. Tarr helped Maines secure a fellowship that made it possible for her to attend graduate school at CMU. And she’s still grateful today. To show her appreciation, she gave $50,000 to endow a fellowship for Carnegie Mellon students – and she named it in honor of Prof. Tarr.

Terry F. Yosie (HS’75, ’81) is also thankful he had the opportunity to study at a top-tier university. While attending graduate school at CMU, Yosie was able to build relationships that have been sustained for over 30 years.

One particularly meaningful relationship was with his advisor, Prof. Tarr. In fact, it’s is one of the reasons Yosie pledged a gift of $25,000 to the fellowship Maines established and named in honor of Pro. Tarr.

“I have a very personal motivation and that’s my respect and admiration for Joel Tarr, who has probably been the single most influential person in my intellectual development,” Yosie explained.

Learn more about supporting faculty >>

Lighting Our Library

2010-11-23T15:09:00.006-05:00

Made out of almost all aluminum and glass – Hunt Library certainly stands out on the Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh campus.

When Roy and Rachel Hunt made a generous gift in 1961 to open Hunt Library, Roy Hunt was a prominent figure in the aluminum industry. Over the past 50 years, Hunt Library has continued to evolve and remains a centerpiece of learning and student interaction at Carnegie Mellon.

Now as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hunt Library’s opening, the Hunt Foundation made another gift to campus – a permanent exterior lighting system.

Remember the Pausch Bridge? Cindy Limauro, a professor of lighting design at CMU, Christopher Popowich of C&C Lighting, LCC, and CMU students designed lighting for the bridge in 2009. Now they’ve designed the library lighting to complement it.

The color-changing capability of the lights showcases the energy of campus activity throughout the night and allows different looks to be created for holidays or special campus events, such as Commencement, Homecoming and Carnival.

Since opening in 1961, Hunt Library has continued to evolve, remaining a centerpiece of learning and student interaction at CMU today.

On Nov. 20 Carnegie Mellon recognized the Hunt family’s contributions to the university with a celebration event. The event also honored and acknowledged the importance of Hunt Library in today’s Carnegie Mellon experience, as well as debuted the new exterior lighting of the library.

d’Arte Magazine

2010-11-18T10:46:00.005-05:00

Fashion. Design. Culture. d’Arte Magazine covers it all and more.

d’Arte was founded by a group of Carnegie Mellon students in 2009. Since then, their mission has been to foster appreciation for various forms of art at Carnegie Mellon University and in the greater Pittsburgh community.

In order to instill appreciation in others, the students themselves express just how much they value their Carnegie Mellon education, drawing attention to a new ranking.

It wasn’t long ago Unigo.com named Carnegie Mellon the number 1 on their list of “New Ivies.” In the most recent issue, Anh Bui and Efi Turkson – both third year English majors in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences – wrote an article on the Ivy League.

The article explains how Carnegie Mellon students, faculty and alumni are on same playing field as any Ivy League university. And we do it with billions less in our endowment.

“Our past and current accomplishments prove that we don’t need an Ivy League title to know we are here to do great things,” wrote Bui and Turkson.

Read the full article online on pages 38 – 40.

The Nightmare Story: A Dream Come True.

2010-11-12T15:28:00.002-05:00

“The Nightmare Story” stood out among the 1200 other performances at the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival. In fact, it won the coveted honor of Best Overall Production.
It’s the fifth original show by PigPen – a theatre company formed by seven Carnegie Mellon seniors in the School of Drama.

The story centers on the only son of a woman tormented by nightmares – and he’s the key to her salvation.

And the story-telling has people talking. The unique blend of shadow-puppets, dark humor and strong acting is both haunting and engaging.

PigPen members include: Arya Shahi, Ben Ferguson, Dan Weschler, Ryan Melia, Curtis Gillen, Alex Falberg and Matt Nuernberger.

The group created their ensemble in 2008 for a performance in the School of Drama’s “Playground: A Festival of Independent Student Work.” Since then, they’ve performed regionally at playhouses in New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Martha’s Vineyard.

Homecoming 2010

2010-11-01T14:54:00.004-04:00

It’s that time of year again – and there’s a lot going on at CMU’s Pittsburgh campus. Don’t miss out!

Scotch ‘n’ Soda Production: The Rocky Horror Show
Homecoming Kick-Off BBQ
Alumni Awards Ceremony & Reception
President’s Address & Student Life Panel
Carnegie Clan’s Annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off

And that’s just the beginning. Check out the complete Homecoming schedule online for a full listing of events, plus the dates, times and locations.

Visit the Homecoming site for more on hotels, travel to campus and parking. Online registration is closed, but you’re still welcome to attend. Just check in at the Registration & Welcome Area in Wean Commons at the University Center.

Wondering about reunions? All reunions are now celebrated during Spring Carnival & Reunion Weekend. Learn more >>

Hope to see you this weekend!

Hong Kong, Taipei, & Shanghai

2010-10-21T16:01:00.000-04:00

A special thanks to all of our alumni and friends for joining us in Hong Kong, Taipei and Shanghai to celebrate the Inspire Innovation campaign. Your participation made these events a great success.

Learn more and view photos from each event:
• Hong Kong
• Taipei
• Shanghai

We’re currently planning events for the Los Angeles and Boston areas in 2011. Stay tuned for more on future Inspire Innovation events.

A Nobel Winner

2010-10-15T08:58:00.002-04:00

Eighteen. That’s the number of Carnegie Mellon University Nobel Prize winners, after the recent addition of Dale Mortensen.

Mortensen (TPR’67) was awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, along with two of his fellow economists. The trio created labor models that explain the effects of regulation and economic policy upon unemployment, job vacancies and wages.

Listen to a telephone interview with Dale Mortensen >>

Learn more about Carnegie Mellon’s Nobel Laureates >>

Sci-Fi Saves Lives

2010-09-23T11:29:00.003-04:00

When disaster strikes, lives are at stake. And it’s not just those of the victims; it’s the lives of the search and rescue team, too.

But what if you could eliminate that risk?

That’s exactly what Pei Zhang – a researcher at Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley – is working on with the creation of SensorFly “swarmbots.” Part of a mobile-controlled flying sensor network, these little robots have life-saving applications. They can:

Monitor change in dangerous environments (i.e. earthquakes and fires)
Communicate with each other through onboard radios to avoid being damaged
Help keep rescuers safe and victims alive until they can be reached

SensorFly is less expensive to place and deploy than traditional static sensor networks. Plus, they are resilient in a dynamic environment such as disaster scenario or even outer space.

To add a Sci-Fi twist, these ‘bots could potentially even help humans find a habitable planet in the far reaches of the galaxy. Zhang’s work was even featured on Discovery’s Sci Fi Science to show how that vision could become reality.

Watch a clip from Sci Fi Science>>
Read more about SensorFly >>

Rationalizing Bribes

2010-09-20T13:24:00.002-04:00

You wouldn’t accept a bribe…. Or would you?

A new Carnegie Mellon study uncovers how some doctors rationalize the acceptance of gifts from pharmaceutical companies.

It’s not blatant bribery. In fact, most physicians rationalize the acceptance of gifts subconsciously.

According to Sunita Sah, the study’s lead author (and physician herself) who is completing her Ph.D. at the Tepper School, “This finding suggests that even justifications that people don’t accept at a conscious level can nonetheless help them to rationalize behavior that they otherwise might find unacceptable.”

The study divided physicians into three groups.

Group one was first asked about the sacrifices they had to make in order to get their medical education, followed by a series of questions regarding the acceptability of receiving gifts from pharmaceutical companies.
Group two was also asked about their sacrifices, and then asked to consider whether such sacrifices and hardships could justify taking gifts.
Group three – the control group – was simply asked about the acceptability of receiving gifts without questions related to the sacrifices they made while getting their medical education.

How did it turn out?

Reminding physicians of their medical training and the hardships they endured more than doubled their willingness to accept gifts from 21.7 percent to 47.5 percent. Furthermore, prompting them with a possible rationalization for accepting gifts increased their willingness to 60.3 percent.

The results were surprising, because when asked if their educational burdens justified accepting gifts, most physicians said it did not.

Bottom line:

“Given how easy it is for doctors to rationalize accepting gifts, which from other research, we know influences their prescribing behavior, the inescapable conclusion is that gifts should simply be prohibited,” explained George Loewenstein, the Herbert A. Simon Professor of Economics and Psychology, and co-author of the study.

This study was funded by CMU’s internal departmental research funds and was published in the Journal of American Medical Association.

Read additional coverage in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Pittsburgh Business Times.

The “New Ivies”

2010-09-10T16:03:00.003-04:00

Unigo.com recently compiled a list of the top 10 “New Ivies.” And Carnegie Mellon’s at the top.

It’s not about endowment size or alumni dollars. Unigo.com ranks colleges and universities based on what student have to say about their experiences. The goal is to find out what students consider to be the best educations in America.

As one student sums it up: “Carnegie Mellon … it’s a place where you walk in smart, you walk out smarter.”

Campaign Event Testimonials

2010-09-01T13:25:00.018-04:00

Since October 2008, we've connected with thousands of alumni, parents, students and friends around the world at our Inspire Innovation campaign events.

To date, events have been held throughout the U.S., Singapore and India. Three more are scheduled for the Asia-Pacific region this fall.

See the reactions of past event attendees >>

Save the Date: Carnegie Mellon in the Asia-Pacific Region

2010-08-26T14:48:00.009-04:00

Join Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon, fellow alumni, parents and friends for a series of special events coming to the Asia-Pacific region this fall.

Connect with the global Carnegie Mellon community and hear the latest university news and updates about breakthrough initiatives that our students and faculty are leading around the world.

Please mark your calendar today.

Hong Kong: Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Taipei: Thursday, October 7, 2010

Shanghai: Saturday, October 9, 2010

More on the Inspire Innovation campaign >>

An Animated Dream

2010-08-19T08:59:00.002-04:00

Molly Walter (CS’12) loves problem-solving and programming, but she also has a passion for design. When Walter reached a crossroads between technology and the arts, she didn’t want to sacrifice either. And at Carnegie Mellon, she didn’t have to. Walter is following her passions with intensity, creating her own path along the way.

Read more about Walter’s story and learn how you can help support students like her.

Graduation in Silicon Valley

2010-08-11T09:54:00.002-04:00

Carnegie Mellon University’s Silicon Valley campus held its eighth annual graduation ceremony on Sunday, August 8. Eighty-one students gathered at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California to receive their master’s degree in software engineering and software management.

Scott Dietzen (S’84, ’88, CS’92) – a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and veteran of WebLogic and Zimbra – was there to address the graduates.

“As a Carnegie Mellon alum myself, I can say that my education and network have served me well,” Dietzen said. He encouraged the new grads to take advantage of the unique benefits available to CMU alumni as they strive to become leaders in their industry. Dietzen also shared his top 10 list, counting down industry trends where the graduates are now positioned to excel.

Pradeep K. Khosla, dean of the College of Engineering, and Martin Griss, director of the Silicon Valley campus also addressed the graduates, family and friends.

This year’s ceremony marked a milestone for the Silicon Valley campus. They graduated their 500th student and now have more than 5,000 Carnegie Mellon alums in the San Francisco Bay Area.

What do hip-hop and engineering have in common?

2010-08-02T11:44:00.003-04:00

Kai Roberts.

It was his passion for hip-hop music that led Roberts to Carnegie Mellon. This fall, he’ll be a freshman engineering student.

Hip-hop to engineering – it’s a bit of a leap. For Roberts, the journey began in high school.

As a high school student, Roberts participated in the Arts Greenhouse (AG) – a hip-hop education outreach program that serves Pittsburgh teens. The AG is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon’s Center for the Arts in Society.

The AG offers students music technology classes at CMU and the opportunity to record at the School of Music. It was his involvement with the AG that opened Roberts’ eyes to all that Carnegie Mellon University has to offer.

Feeling a connection to the university, Roberts applied to CMU. He was thrilled when he received an acceptance letter, accompanied by a full-tuition grant.

Roberts is thankful for his experience with the AG. Not only did he learn about Carnegie Mellon through the program, he also learned about himself and discovered his passion for music. Read more about Roberts’ story on cmu.edu. >>

Smart Grid

2010-07-21T11:17:00.002-04:00

With the demand for smart alternative energy sources on the rise, Carnegie Mellon is doing its part. In addition to using green alternatives wherever possible, a new program will equip students with the technical skills required to address the world’s energy needs.

Teaming up with the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), Carnegie Mellon will host a new Smart Grid Research Center. The new partnership – called the Energy Research Initiative (ERI) – matches energy-related companies with university researchers.

The goal? To efficiently generate and distribute renewable energy resources.

CMU researchers will focus on systems engineering and technologies to enable and optimize smart grids. According to the College of Engineering’s dean, Pradeep Khosla, the new initiative is designed to develop reliable, affordable, secure, clean and efficient energy systems. It will also help provide students with the expertise and skills needed to move this technology to the marketplace.

Wondering how this might affect you? Marija Ilic, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and engineering and public policy explains:

“Smart Grids are needed to enhance sustainability, which is a careful tradeoff between reliability (lights staying on), short-and-long term efficiency (cost of electricity), greenhouse gas emissions reduction (a cleaner world), and financially sound innovation and deployment of unconventional technologies that will help create employment opportunities,” Ilic said.

“For these objectives to co-exist, it is critical to engage in multidisciplinary engineering systems of smart grids.”

Inspiring Innovation

2010-07-09T10:01:00.004-04:00

Destiny

Although they were born in the same hospital in Multan, Pakistan, Sarah Bhutta (S’89) and Afzaal Akhtar (E’84, ’86) didn’t meet until they were both students at Carnegie Mellon. They’re now married – and look back fondly on their Carnegie Mellon days.

When the couple recently returned to campus, they were impressed to see how the atmosphere has evolved to create a more integrated, eclectic feeling inside and outside the classroom.

Read more about Bhutta and Akhtar’s story and find out why the decided to fund a fellowship and support the SURG program.

Chemical Equation

Russell Crockett (E’87) was an average high school student, with aptitude for math and science. One summer he took classes in the Carnegie Mellon Action Project (CMAP) and discovered that with determination and a little hard work, he was capable of great things.

Crockett went on to graduate from Carnegie Mellon and is now senior vice president for TPC Group in Texas.

He hasn’t forgotten his CMAP days.

Read more about Crockett’s story and find out how he continues to support his alma mater.

Check out the Inspire Innovation section in the Carnegie Mellon Today magazine or at carnegiemellontoday.com each month for more stories like these.

Prof. Ganger goes to Washington

2010-07-06T15:58:00.002-04:00

From the classroom to Congress, Professor Gregory Ganger is sharing his cloud computing expertise. He recently testified about the pros and cons in Washington.

If you’re not familiar with the term, cloud computing is a way for computer users to share software, databases and other services that are provided or managed by other parties over the Web. It revolves around the Internet, as opposed to personal computing, where all data storage and processing occurs within the user’s computer and uses software loaded onto that computer.
Like most technology, there are both benefits and risks to cloud computing.

On the plus side, it has the potential to provide large efficiency improvements for federal information technology (IT) functions.

Among the challenges: moving federal IT “to the cloud” will require significant technical training for IT staff and explicit information sharing across a broad swath of federal agencies.

To find out more about what Granger had to say, watch the webcast or read his written testimony.

Ganger is head of Carnegie Mellon’s Parallel Data Lab and a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

RoboCup

2010-06-22T14:22:00.006-04:00

While the world watches to see who will take home the world cup, Carnegie Mellon robots are in the midst of their own championship – RoboCub 2010.

This year, two Carnegie Mellon teams joined more than 500 other teams – and about 3,000 participants – at the the RoboCub world championship in Singapore June 19-25. Using a new algorithm that helps predict a ball’s behavior based on physics, Carnegie Mellon’s robot soccer teams are hoping to out-dribble their opponents.

The CMDragons are small-sized robots focused on out maneuvering their opponents and finding creative solutions to game situations. These robots move on wheels and are less than six inches high.

Carnegie Mellon also has a standard platform team that consists of 22-inch-tall humanoid robots. These robots move on two legs and are able to kick the ball, mimicking human motions.
Carnegie Mellon is always competitive in this tournament. After winning in 2006 and 2007, and finishing second in 2008, the team experienced a computer glitch that cost them the quarterfinals win last year.

So what’s the point of soccer playing robots?

According to the RoboCup website, the ultimate goal of the competition is to develop a team of autonomous humanoid robots that can win against the human world champion team in soccer.

Read more at cmu.edu >>

Volunteer Forum

2010-06-17T16:04:00.011-04:00

Seventy volunteers recently gathered on the Pittsburgh campus for a weekend of idea sharing and unique programming. And they definitely got the inside scoop.

Volunteers were treated to a “behind the scenes” tour of Purnell Center for the Arts, Kresge Recital Hall, Stever House, and Gates & Hillman Centers. Then President Cohon gave them the lowdown on the latest developments and happenings at Carnegie Mellon, including:

All new appointments and senior management hires

The latest and largest grants to the university

A recap of how we stack up in terms of the number of start-up companies generated per research dollar (AUTM ranked us 2 out of 154 universities in the 2008 fiscal year)

Another highlight was the special presentation of “Community Collage” by 10 current students, who danced, sang and shared their personal campus experiences, revealing a whole new aspect of diversity at Carnegie Mellon.

The weekend also included workshops, which provided volunteers with new tools, ideas and resources. Additionally, our faculty shared their latest research on the mechanical changes in cells with advanced aging, as well as how they simulate the universe on a supercomputer.

The activities didn’t end there. Volunteers also saw a special lighting of the Pausch Bridge and still had time to network with other volunteers, current students, the Alumni Association Board, faculty and staff.

A special thanks to everybody who was able to attend this year’s Volunteer Forum. For those who couldn’t make it, we hope to see you June 3-5, 2011 at next year’s forum.

President Obama Pays CMU a Visit

2010-06-04T09:32:00.006-04:00

President Barack Obama made it back to Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh campus this week.

This time he addressed the economy, health care, education and clean energy. Watch the video to hear what he had to say. A full transcript of his speech is also available.

It’s no coincidence Obama chose to deliver this speech Carnegie Mellon. President Jared Cohon weighed in on the significance of the location.

"Another aspect of the significance of his speech for us is the fact that it's here in Pittsburgh and at Carnegie Mellon," Cohon said.

"Why Pittsburgh? I think it's the same reason why he chose Pittsburgh to host the G-20. We are, as you heard him say, one of the leading models of an older industrial city, which has transformed its economy. Why Carnegie Mellon? I think it's because we're a major actor, and he knows that, in that transformation and in continuing that transformation."

Relive Obama’s 2008 visit. Watch his address and the panel discussion.

Research Cafe

2010-05-28T14:25:00.002-04:00

When you walk into a café and place your order, do you ever stop and wonder what led you to that decision?

Many factors can influence the decisions you make while standing at the counter. And researchers in Carnegie Mellon’s Social and Decision Sciences Department want to know what they are. So they set out to learn more about how people live and make decisions. Enter the Research Café.

So what exactly is a research café?

It’s part coffee shop, part research lab. Visitors can earn money or gift cards by participating in a study while they sip their coffee or enjoy their lunch. It’s quick, easy and – according to some – it’s fun.

Studies range from consumer spending and saving, to health behaviors (i.e. dieting & smoking), to the cause of happiness.

Learn more about the Social and Decision Sciences Department’s Center for Behavioral Decision Research, the Research Café and other projects.

Iron Man 2

2010-05-18T16:01:00.003-04:00

If you’re among the millions who’ve seen Iron Man 2, you probably noticed the Grand Prix race car and Expo scenes (both featured in the trailer), along with Tony Stark’s ‘Hall of Armor.’

Those scenes and more were the work of Carnegie Mellon alum and talented set designer, Andrew Birdzell (CFA’06).

So how does one land a gig like that?

Birdzell believes in the saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

In this case, when the rare opportunity to design elaborate, one-of-a-kind sets came a-knocking, Birdzell was ready for it. And he credits Carnegie Mellon for preparing him for the opportunity.

After working 12-hour days on the big budget Marvel Entertainment film for five months, Birdzell got to enjoy the movie – plot twists and all – along with the rest of the public. With fans eager for information, security was tight on set. Birdzell and his colleagues were only privy to the tiniest bits of the script that were absolutely necessary for their set creations.

Other alumni who had a hand in the making the Iron Man 2 movie a success:

Kenneth West (TPR’80), executive vice president and CFO of Marvel Entertainment

William Law (CFA’06), a fellow set-designer

Tricia Yoo (CFA’01), a set-costumer

Watch video on the School of Drama’s design program >>

Power On

2010-05-10T10:25:00.002-04:00

What do Ph.D. students Billy Epting, Steve Rose and Eric Hittinger all have in common?

They’re all stars – EPA STAR fellowship awardees, that is.

This prestigious award given by the Environmental Protection Agency supports graduate-level candidates in environmental studies.

Epting is concerned about the unsustainable way humanity is meeting energy demands. So he’s working on advancements in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, as well as advanced batteries, which could someday mean a transportation sector with zero tailpipe emissions and a low lifecycle impact.

Rose is focused on wind power. He’s researching possible ways to smooth out the short-term variations in wind power without using energy storage.

Hittinger is working on integrating renewable energy. Simply put, he’s trying to figure out what technologies and policies are needed to increase the amount of renewable energy in our electric grid.

Speaking of Carnegie Mellon’s EPA fame, the university was recently named Conference Champion in EPA’s College & University Green Power Challenge.

And, earlier this year, Carnegie Mellon also made the list of the EPA’s top 50 purchasers of green power.

Pictured above: Billy Epting, a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon.

Commencement

2010-04-30T14:45:00.004-04:00

It’s that time of year again – Carnegie Mellon’s 113th Commencement ceremony is just around the corner.

So what’s in store for the graduates and their families on Sunday, May 16 in Gesling Stadium?

This year more than 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students will parade onto the field, eagerly awaiting their degrees to be conferred.

Keynote:
Ian G. Rawson, managing director of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschapelles, Haiti, will address more than 3,700 students as their keynote speaker. A longtime member of the Carnegie Mellon community, Rawson and his staff have worked literally non-stop since the earthquake to care for thousands of survivors. Rawson’s story will hopefully instill one final lesson of dedication and leadership for this year’s graduates as they head out to make their impact on the world.

Find out more about Ian Rawson >>

Honorary Degrees:
This year, Carnegie Mellon will award honorary degrees to:

Gordon Bell, Doctor of Science and Technology.
Robert H. Dennard, Doctor of Science and Technology.
Barbara Luderowski, Doctor of Fine Arts.
James H. Simons, Doctor of Business Practice.

Find out more about our 2010 Honorary Degree recipients >>

And don’t forget to Tweet it up! Whether you’ll be on campus for the occasion or not, join the conversation on Twitter. Use #cmugrad to report on the day’s happenings and reminisce about all the good times.

Keep track of your health

2010-04-21T14:15:00.003-04:00

Keeping track of your personal health records (PHRs) can be painstaking task. But soon that could all change.

Researchers in Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College -- along with UPMC, Google Health and dbMotion -- are developing technology that will give patients the ability to access their PHRs and add critical health information to the electronic records maintained by hospitals and physicians.

This would keep all records in one place, granting both patients and health care providers access to the most up-to-date information. Another bonus is the ability to share information bi-directionally. Simply put – health care providers will be able to share information securely with patients through the PHR and vice versa.

In the past, researchers have had difficulty aggregating data from a wide range of systems and making it coherent for users. Leave it to Carnegie Mellon and its partners have overcome this obstacle. The team has created a flexible, service-oriented architecture (SOA) platform that shares and organizes patient information in a meaningful way, regardless of what system or format the data came from.

Six graduate students studying information systems began work on this project last fall under the guidance of Prof. Rema Padman. Now it’s expected to launch for patients as early as this spring.

Read more about this project on the home page >>

Spring Carnival with a Twist

2010-04-12T18:03:00.001-04:00

Starting this year, we’re doing Spring Carnival just a little bit different. We heard feedback from alumni about their reunion weekend experiences and as a result, April 15-17 marks the first Spring Carnival and Reunion Weekend.

We’ll be celebrating all reunions, 1st through the Platinum classes, during Carnival weekend when Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh campus is the place to be.

Also new to Carnival this year, the launch of the Loyal Scot program. Visit the University Center or stop by the alumni association tents at Buggy or Midway to learn more.

Alumni and students are also welcome to attend the first Spring Carnival Alumni Golf Outing on Sunday, April 18. In addition to 18 holes of golf, this outing includes a shuttle from campus, breakfast, a snack at the turn, a cart and a closing banquet.

And let’s not forget about our regularly scheduled programming. There’s Booth, Buggy and so much more. Check the schedule of events and follow all of the action on Twitter using hashtag #cmucarnival.

Wondering if any of your friends are planning to return? Be sure to check out the “I’m Attending Spring Carnival 2010” list and add your own name.

Can’t wait until April 15? Watch Scotty’s First Carnival and experience Carnegie Mellon’s 2009 Spring Carnival through the eyes of Scotty, the university’s official mascot.

Philharmonic

2010-04-02T11:59:00.004-04:00

The Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will grace New York City’s Carnegie Hall with their presence on Thursday, April 8 at 8 pm.

Led by Maestro Ronald Zollman and featuring alum & rising opera star, Liam Bonner (A’03), this event serves as the capstone of a College of Fine Arts weekend in NYC.

Bonner will perform in Mahler's "Lieder eines Farhrende Gesellen." The concert will also include a New York premiere performance of Jacob Druckman’s “Demos” and Stravinsky’s vibrant and fanciful “Petrouchka.”

Can’t make it to New York? Catch a preview concert in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, April 6 at 8 pm. The concert will be held in Oakland’s Carnegie Music Hall.

Need tickets?

Carnegie Hall in New York City
$15 and $25 tickets are available
http://www.carnegiehall.org or 212-247-7800

Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh
$5 tickets are available
http://music.cmu.edu

Inspire Innovation: India and Singapore

2010-03-26T12:37:00.004-04:00

A special thanks to all of our alumni and friends for joining us in India and Singapore to celebrate the Inspire Innovation campaign.

Your participation made these events a great success. Learn more and relive the good times using the following links.

Find Singapore event details (a photo gallery is included) and watch the presentation
Find Mumbai event details (a photo gallery is included) and watch the presentation
Find Bangalore event details and watch the presentation
Find New Delhi event details (a photo gallery is included) and watch the presentation

Stay tuned for more on future Inspire Innovation events.

Save the Date: Carnegie Mellon in Washington D.C.

2010-03-25T10:15:00.003-04:00

We’ve been traveling the globe and just wrapped up a series of Inspire Innovation events in India and Singapore. Now it’s back to the U.S. to celebrate the next campaign event with a reception and panel discussion in Washington, D.C.

Date: Tuesday, April 27
Time: 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Location: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Hear how today’s innovations are impacting business, technology and society as we know it from Carnegie Mellon alumni and faculty, including:

Phil Bronner (SCS'92), General Partner, Novak Biddle Venture Partners

Eric Giler (TPR'77), President and CEO, WiTricity Corporation

Priya Narasimham, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Director of CyLab Mobility Research Center in

Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your network of contacts in the D.C. area, as well as reconnect with alumni, parents, friends and students.

Space is limited, so please register by April 20. Visit the Inspire Innovation site for more information.

On Tap: Skinput

2010-03-19T10:22:00.002-04:00

The line between science and science fiction continues to blur at Carnegie Mellon.

This time it’s with the creation of Skinput – a new system that enables you to use your own body as a touchpad.

Developed by Chris Harrison, a third-year Ph.D. student in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute, in conjunction with Microsoft’s Dan Morris and Desney Tan, the possibilities are plentiful.

A pico projector attached to an armband is used to display the screen on your arm or palm. You can then navigate the system by taping on the projected screen. Biosensors make it possible for the location of these “skin taps” to be recognized based on bone and soft tissue variations.
For Harrison, the current version of Skinput is just the beginning.

In a world of smeared screens, cracked glass and miniature buttons, enter a device the size of a small stack of coins, worn on your wrist or bicep with the same capabilities of an iPhone.

That’s just what Harrison has in mind for the future.

Flip for Our Students

2010-03-08T12:03:00.004-05:00

In the age of reality television, anybody can become a star. Now, with innovations like the Flip video camcorder, anybody can be a videographer, too.

The Flip video camera is a portable device that makes shooting high quality footage easy for anybody. And, as are many of today’s great innovations, it was created by Carnegie Mellon alum Jonathan Kaplan (TPR ’90).

But there’s more to the Flip cam than just the opportunity to capture your favorite people or events on video. The university is part of the Flip for Good program. That means for each Carnegie Mellon Flip video camcorder sold, $10 will support student initiatives at the university.

Now you can show your Tartan pride and Flip for Good when you sport any of the five Carnegie Mellon camera designs. Visit www.cmu.edu/multiamedia/flip for more info.

What’s just around the corner?

2010-02-25T16:24:00.002-05:00

You never know – until now, that is.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon are working on a camera network that gives people the illusion of seeing through buildings.

Aside from making people feel like superheroes, what’s the purpose?

This technology could help prevent auto accidents. Drivers can use a windshield display to see pedestrians, cyclists and oncoming traffic around corners.

The research team would also like to use this technology to help with search and rescue efforts disasters. Robots with cameras could be sent into the disaster site and send footage back to search and rescue teams to help them locate victims.

The “see-through” views are possible with the consolidation of several video angles into one perceptually coherent view. The trick, say the researchers, is making the footage seem perceptually plausible without being too realistic.

Professor Yaswer Sheikh clarified, "We couldn't have people running into walls."

Sheikh is collaborating with Professor Takeo Kande, and grad students Ankur Datta and Peter Barnum on this project. Read more on the homepage and watch videos.

Google’s Broadband Network

2010-02-18T16:30:00.001-05:00

Google is planning to construct an ultra-high speed broadband network in one or more locations across the country. The City of Pittsburgh hopes to be one of those target areas.

So who better to assist Pittsburgh in their effort to gain Google’s recognition than Carnegie Mellon.

The university will employ its expertise in technology and innovative research to demonstrate the benefits of selecting Pittsburgh to Google.

Google plans to deploy and test fiber optic networks that will deliver Internet services at a speed of 1 gigabit per second.

Translation: Internet service that’s more than 100 times faster than what’s currently available to most Americans.

Google will select “testbed” communities and pay for the construction and operation of the networks, so consumers will be charged competitive rates for the service.

For more on this project, read the release.

Sister Act

2010-02-16T13:41:00.003-05:00

And the stars keep on shining.

Nominated in the ‘Best Actress in a Musical or Entertainment’ category, Patina Miller (A’06) is up for a 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for her part in “Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy" at the London Palladium. Miller plays the role of Deloris Van Cartier – made famous by Whoopi Goldberg in the “Sister Act” movies.

Read about Miller’s Carnegie Mellon experience, watch a video of her first meeting with Goldberg, and find out more about the Olivier Awards.

Save the Date: Singapore & India

2010-02-12T16:23:00.005-05:00

It’s time to save the date again. And this time for an international adventure.

Don’t miss your chance to network and interact with fellow members of the Carnegie Mellon community, and celebrate the “Inspire Innovation” campaign in Singapore and India.

When: March 3, 2010
Where: Singapore

When: March 6, 2010
Where: Mumbai

When: March 10, 2010
Where: Bangalore

When: March 13, 2010
Where: New Delhi

Mark your calendars and visit the campaign website for the most up-to-date information.

Can’t make it to one of these cities? The next campaign event will be in Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2010.

Start Spreadin’ the News

2010-02-04T16:31:00.003-05:00

They want to be a part of it — New York, New York — and they are. Alums from the School of Music perform on stage in major opera companies, musical theater productions and with world-class ensembles around the globe.

Coming soon:

Liam Bonner (A’03) makes his Metropolitan Opera debut in the February production of "Carmen."

Jeffrey Behrens (A’03) makes his debut with the Met in its March 2010 production of Shostakovich's The Nose (Die Nase).

Already stealing the show:

Graham Fenton (A'05) is singing the Frankie Valli role in "Jersey Boys."

Patricia Phillips (A'85) is starring as Carlotta in "The Phantom of the Opera."

Christiane Noll (A'90) has received accolades for her performance in the revival of "Ragtime," which opened in November 2009 and closed with a final performance on January 10, 2010.

Catherine Walker (A'01) is a member of the Ragtime cast.

And it’s not just School of Music alumni making their mark on stage. Many School of Drama alums are also performing on Broadway. One dramat — Kyle Beltran (A'09) — is in Pittsburgh this week as star of the Broadway musical "In the Heights," which is touring nationally.

Green Power

2010-01-29T11:21:00.001-05:00

Carnegie Mellon ranks No. 41 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Top 50 List of green power purchasers. The list includes an array of organizations from Fortune 500 companies, to local, state and federal governments, to colleges and universities.

As for how we stack up against our own kind, Carnegie Mellon ranks second on the EPA’s top 20 college and university list.

Each year, the university purchases nearly 87 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power. That’s comparable to the amount of electricity needed to power more than 8,000 average American homes per year. Or the equivalent of avoiding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 12,000 passenger vehicles per year. It’s also enough green power to meet 75 certificates (RECs) from Community Energy.

This increased purchase also qualifies Carnegie Mellon for the EPA’s Green Power Leadership Club, a distinction given to organizations that have significantly exceeded the EPA’s minimum purchase requirements.

Find out more about Carnegie Mellon’s commitment to protecting our environment, and learn about some of our accomplishments in wind power, green buildings, and clean water.

Crossing Academic Boundaries

2010-01-25T14:05:00.006-05:00

Once again, Carnegie Mellon proves to be a truly interdisciplinary place.

Usually given to economists and social policy experts, Jessie B. Ramey (HS ’91, ’03, ’09) won the National Academy of Social Insurance’s (NASI) John Heinz Dissertation Award for her work as a historian.

Ramey’s dissertation -- “A Childcare Crisis: Poor Black and White Families and Orphanages in Pittsburgh, 1878-1929” -- examines the role of orphanages as vehicles of child care. She looked at how orphanages affect everything from the family and social welfare to gender and religion.

Honored for her unique perspective, Ramey thinks it speaks volumes of Carnegie Mellon’s excellence in interdisciplinary education.

For more read the release or visit the Department of History’s website.

Wire Less

2010-01-14T14:11:00.003-05:00

We live in a wireless world. Yet we’re not completely wire-free. Eventually batteries run low and we’re forced to plug in for power.

But what if we didn’t have to reach for the wires to recharge?

According to College of Engineering alum Eric Giler (E’77), the reality of wirelessly charging technology is just around the corner.

Giler – who’s the CEO of WiTricity Corp – is developing safe, efficient, wireless electric power. In layman’s terms that’s the ability to transfer power over a distanced without relying on wires.

Using magnetic resonance, WiTricity’s technology can transfer energy a full room’s distance. So conceivably your cell phone could be charging in your pocket as you relax in your den. The applications are endless.

Giler and his wife, Kim (HS’78) have been generously committed to Carnegie Mellon, supporting students through the Giler Family Scholarship as part of the Holleran Scholarship Challenge, as well establishing the Giler Humanities Lecture Series.

A New Approach to Resolutions

2010-01-07T13:53:00.004-05:00

It’s a new year and for many that means new resolutions. Making the list of self improvements is easy – the hard part is sticking to them.

In a recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article three social and decision science professors at Carnegie Mellon explain why most people go wrong when they rely on their “willpower” – the strength and determination to keep impulses and actions in check.

Professors George Loewenstein, Carey Morewedge and Golnaz Tabibnia found that the most common New Year’s resolutions involve more than willpower – they tap the “habit system” part of the brain. The habit system encompasses any learned skill.

It’s slow to develop, but once it does, it’s even more difficult to overcome. For most of our resolutions – say, losing 10 pounds – it’s as much about breaking a bad habit (poor food choices) as it is sticking to a new plan.

Three psychological tendencies make it even harder – read more about them in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

The good news?

New Year’s resolutions aren’t a lost cause once you understand how your brain handles the changes. According to Loewenstein, Morewedge and Tabibnia, there are several tactics you can use.

Instead of quitting a bad habit cold turkey or starting a new one full-force, try setting small, achievable goals for yourself. Also, your social group is influential, so consider surrounding yourself with a supportive network. Finally, altering your environment can both alleviate temptation and supply motivation.

Happy New Year!

Smart Parking

2009-12-15T14:58:00.002-05:00

How great is it when a parking space opens up at the exact moment you arrive?

Most call it luck. But soon that lucky break could become a regular occurrence.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon are developing “smart parking” technology. Sensors will be used to detect whether a space is occupied or open and then relay that information to circling drivers hunting for a spot.

This technology will be tested this in San Francisco, starting with about 6,000 metered parking spaces in March. The research team already has the website and iPhone application finished, so drivers will be able to use these tools to find out where parking spaces are available.

Other cities are also expressing interest in “smart parking” technology. Port Authority of Allegheny County already has partnered with Carnegie Mellon and is hoping to launch a similar project in Pittsburgh soon.

Read more in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Brain Change

2009-12-11T15:19:00.001-05:00

Carnegie Mellon researchers Timothy Keller and Marcel Just have uncovered the first evidence that the brain can rewire itself.

The researchers witnessed that through intensive instruction to improve reading skills in young children, the brain can physically rewire itself, creating new white matter that improves communication within the brain.

Translation: Reading instruction for children can actually trigger brain development that bumps poor readers up to good reader status.

Keller and Just used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) – a new brain imaging technique – to scan the brain of 72 children, ages 8-10, before and after a six-month remedial reading instruction program.

Previous DTI studies revealed compromised white matter in the brains of both children and adults who have difficulty with reading. But Keller and Just’s recent research found that 100 hours of intensive reading training increased the quality of the compromised white matter to normal levels, which directly correlated with improved reading skills.

The researchers also monitored a control group to prove the changes in white matter could not be attributed to naturally occurring maturation, as the brain development was only evident in the children who received the reading instruction.

For more, watch a video, check out an article about it in the Los Angeles Times, or visit Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging online.

Meeting of the Minds

2009-12-02T11:20:00.002-05:00

Don’t miss “Meeting of the Minds: Rebuilding America” on CNBC tonight at 8 p.m. EST. The hour-long special, hosted by CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo, was taped on campus, giving Carnegie Mellon students the opportunity to intern for the show.

So what does a CNBC intern get to do?

Student interns assisted in the control room, escorted VIPs and ushered audience members, many of whom were Pittsburgh manufacturing and business leaders, as well as Carnegie Mellon students, faculty and staff. The experience provided students with a better understanding of the media – especially how the broadcasting industry works.

Photo: President Jared L. Cohon and Maria Bartiromo

Google Wave

2009-11-23T15:52:00.003-05:00

Technology is changing so rapidly, it’s hard to keep up. But that doesn’t stop our students, professors and alumni from being at the forefront of the latest online trends and creations.

Heard of the new Google Wave?

Alum Seth Covitz (CS’96) is a developer at Google working on this new online tool that combines live conversation with documentation. It's one of the most talked about tech developments in years — with some speculating Wave will eventually replace email.

Wave users can add richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps and more to their conversations. It's as simple as copying-and-pasting a link or dragging-and-dropping a file. It's also possible to edit any part of a wave at any time, bring new participants into an existing wave, and playback the wave to see what's already been said.

And that’s not all. Users can also add extensions into their conversation, such as Complety Robot who runs a Google search API and replaces every "???" in your text with a suggested word.

Right now people can sign up for a Google Wave invitation or get one from a friend who was among the first to wave. Covitz promises more invites will be coming soon.

The Pausch Bridge Dedication

2009-11-18T13:19:00.003-05:00

As part of the 2009 homecoming festivities, the Carnegie Mellon community celebrated the dedication of the Randy Pausch Bridge. Featuring comments from President Cohon and Randy’s family, the ceremony was a moving tribute to the life and legacy of the late Carnegie Mellon professor.

Randy’s work was about bridging the gap between technology and the arts, so it’s only fitting that the bridge would literally join together a fine arts building and the new Gates & Hillman Centers of Computer Science.

The bridge features more than 7,000 programmable (and environmentally friendly) LED lights. The lighting sequences are designed to represent six different visual metaphors from Randy’s book, including:
• Fun with Crayons
• Outer Space
• Make the Most of Each Day
• Be the First Penguin
• The Elevator in Randy’s Room
• Disney and the Circus

The show runs for about 15 minutes and repeats on a loop during the evening. Check out Carnegie Mellon on Flickr to see photos from the event or visit the university’s YouTube channel to watch the video.

Credits: Mack Scogin, Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects; C & C Lighting LLC: Cindy Limauro and Christopher Popovich; Color Kinetics, now part of Philips

Leading Innovation: New York and Beyond

2009-11-13T08:39:00.003-05:00

More than 400 alumni and friends gathered on November 5 for an inside look at how the Carnegie Mellon community is making an impact on key areas of importance to New York and the world, including energy, information systems, arts and entertainment, and the financial/investment industry.

The event featured a panel discussion about drivers of the new economy, and how New York and Carnegie Mellon are poised to lead the way in energy, information systems, arts and entertainment, and the financial/investment industry.

Check out Carnegie Mellon on Flickr to see photos from the New York Inspire Innovation campaign event and more.

Aspiring Design

2009-11-06T13:37:00.002-05:00

Every day many students are pursuing a one-of-a-kind education at Carnegie Mellon thanks to the help of generous scholarships.

Take Nicholas Abele (A’12).

After one visit to the Pittsburgh campus, Abele was so impressed with the School of Design’s facilities and community atmosphere, he bumped Carnegie Mellon up to the top of his college list.

Abele knew attending Carnegie Mellon wouldn’t be possible without some financial help. And in these tough economic times, he wasn’t alone. For Abele, being awarded a Shapira scholarship to attend Carnegie Mellon made the difference. Now he is enthusiastically pursuing a degree in communication design.

Keenly aware of his good fortune, Abele would like to pay it forward in any way possible. He’s grateful the Shapiras took a chance on him and hopes to someday sponsor a scholarship for another deserving student.

Come On Back

2009-10-29T13:19:00.003-04:00

It’s homecoming at Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh campus this weekend. The festivities will begin on Thursday, October 29 and continue through Sunday, November 1.

What don’t you want to miss?

The Alumni Awards
Friday, October 30
University Center, Rangos Hall
5:30 p.m.

Among this year’s alumni award honorees is robotics pioneer William “Red” L. Whittaker (E’75,’79). Whittaker has developed unmanned robots to work in dangerous sites, rugged terrains, both on- and off-road. And now he has plans to land and operate a robot on the moon.

The Pausch Bridge Dedication
Friday, October 30
Purnell Center for the Arts, Main Entrance
7:30 p.m.

President Jared L. Cohon will preside over the dedication of the Randy Pausch Memorial Bridge – a 230-foot-long pedestrian bridge connects the Purnell Center for the Arts with the new Gates Center for Computer Science. A great reminder to the campus community of the impact alumnus and professor Randy Pausch had on Carnegie Mellon and the world.

Scotch ‘n’ Soda Presents “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”
Saturday, October 31
University Center, McConomy Auditorium
7 p.m.

A wildly warm-hearted theatrical experience complete with a love story, a play-within-a-play, and an unfinished Dickens mystery. Get tickets and view other show times on the Scotch ‘n’ Soda website.

For more homecoming events, find the complete schedule and a campus map online.

It’s not too late to come and explore changes to the campus landscape, reconnect with classmates and friends, enjoy familiar traditions -- and perhaps even start a few new ones.

If you haven’t already registered, registration is available on-site.

Hope to see you here!

Pres. Cohon Leads Energy Study

2009-10-21T16:09:00.004-04:00

Carnegie Mellon President Jared Cohon led a study that found energy pollution is responsible for at least 18,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.

If that’s not enough, the study also revealed about $120 billion per year is spent on health costs as a result of burning fossil fuels.

So what’s the down and dirty?

The study – which was ordered by Congress in 2005 – measured the cost of a kilowatt-hour (or gallon) of gas or diesel fuel that isn’t included in the price.

They found that coal plants cost an average 3.2 cents per kilowatt-hour in damages (with the worst plants reaching up to 12 cents), while gas averages 0.16 cents per kilowatt-hour. Simply put: oil and coal caused equal damage, but coal burning resulted in the highest external costs.

Additionally, air pollutants emitted by power plants and vehicles – such as small soot particles, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide – are responsible for thousands of premature deaths each year.

The study was conducted by the National Academy of Sciences and titled “Hidden Costs of Energy.” Read more about it in the New York Times or the USA Today.

Nobel Notes

2009-10-16T14:27:00.003-04:00

While many of the bronze replica Nobel Prizes are on display, only a few universities have the honor of displaying a gold Nobel Prize Medal. Carnegie Mellon is one of them.

Through a generous bequest from the late Professor John A. Pople, the medal he received for winning the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was presented to the university by Pople’s children.

A former professor, Pople was affiliated with Carnegie Mellon and the Mellon Institute for more than 30 years. Pople developed the computational methods that made the theoretical study of molecules possible at a time when people were just beginning to use computers to solve complex scientific problems.

The program Pople developed – called GAUSSIAN – was first published in 1970 and is still used today to study molecules.

And the Nobel Prize accolades don’t end there.

Oliver Eaton Williamson (TPR’63) shares this year’s Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. While earning his Ph.D. in economics at Carnegie Mellon, Williamson conducted research under the instruction of several academic pioneers, who were revolutionizing the principles of accepted economic theory in the 1960s.

Ada Yonath, a post-doctoral fellow at the Mellon Institute in 1969, was named one of three winners of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Yonath was able to generate X-ray crystallographic images of the ribosome structure as early as the 1970s – a task the Nobel committee had then considered “impossible.”

Williamson and Yonath join 16 other Nobel Prize winners with ties to Carnegie Mellon. Check out “Commentary: Nobel award recognizes U.S. dominance” by Carnegie Mellon Professor Kiron Skinner on CNN.

A Good Excuse for Sleeping In

2009-10-09T13:47:00.002-04:00

Bringing you a somewhat oldie-but-goodie today as we gear up for cold and flu season.

You could stock up on vitamin C or get in line for a flu shot -- but the answer to staying healthy this season may be right at home.

A Carnegie Mellon study found a correlation between hours slept at night and likeliness of getting sick.

Simply put: Those who get 7 or fewer hours of sleep at night are nearly 3 times more likely than those who slept 8 or more hours.

Sheldon Cohen is a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon and the lead author of this study - which was published in the Jan. 12, 2009 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Read more about the study or listen to an interview with Cohen on iTunes U.

Our Top 10 Memories of Last Week

2009-09-28T08:36:00.009-04:00

10. Watching BOSS and spin-off Plextronics on CBS Evening News segment answering the question “G-20: Why Pittsburgh?” with “Carnegie Mellon” (Watch video)

9. Bill Gates dropping in for a visit to dedicate the new Gates & Hillman Centers (Watch video)

8. Australian Prime Minister Rudd also dropping in for a visit just before President Obama kicked off the G-20 Summit (Watch video)

7. President Cohon’s commentary on CNN.com offering a lesson to world leaders about transformation (Read story)

6. The Carnegie Mellon and Atlantic Council conference welcoming U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Daniel Rooney and top minds to talk about the future of the G-20 and reading the report that was released in conjunction (Read story)

5. President Cohon joining Newsweek's Howard Fineman, University of Pittsburgh's Mark Nordenberg and UPMC's Jeffrey Romoff to discuss the role universities and medicine have played in transforming Pittsburgh (Watch video)

4. Reading Fineman’s piece on Professor Priya Narasimhan and her wireless football and Yinz Cam projects – the personification of Pittsburgh’s innovative nature (Read story)

3. Non-stop listening of the iTunes U podcasts featuring CMU’s many experts on a range of issues explored at the G-20 Summit (Listen to podcasts)

2. Professor Gregory Lehane directing a concert for First Lady Obama and G-20 spouses at Pittsburgh’s CAPA school – featuring Yo-Yo Ma, Sara Bareilles and Trisha Yearwood, as well as some very excited CAPA students (Read story)

1. Throughout it all – continuing to work alongside the incredible students, alumni, faculty and staff advancing everything from the arts to science to technology, shaping a better future for the world

For more details on the week of Sept. 21-25 at Carnegie Mellon, visit www.cmu.edu.

Only at Carnegie Mellon: Sept. 21-25

2009-09-18T17:05:00.010-04:00

The story of Pittsburgh's transformation from an industrial town to an international center of knowledge is mirrored in Carnegie Mellon University's own story — from our founding as a school for Pittsburgh's workers to our position today as a top-tier, global university pioneering innovations in both the arts and technology.

The week of Sept. 21-25 exemplifies the role Carnegie Mellon is playing in shaping the future — spanning the disciplines.

The week begins with the dedication of a new home for one of the world's best schools of computer science: the Gates and Hillman Centers. The university will be welcoming back to campus Bill Gates — co-chair and trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and chairman of Microsoft Corp. — as he presents the ceremony's keynote address on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney will kick-off a day-long conference organized by Carnegie Mellon and the Atlantic Council — where top minds from policy, business and academic sectors will be exploring the economic and social forces at work in the post-economic crisis world.

A one-of-a-kind experience, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will present a special keynote address to the Carnegie Mellon community on Thursday, followed by an interactive panel of policy experts. The events builds on Carnegie Mellon's identity as a global university — our Heinz College program in Australia is one of a dozen degree programs offered outside the United States.

The week will conclude with Carnegie Mellon Professor Gregory Lehane directing First Lady Michelle Obama's concert for the spouses of G-20 leaders — a responsibility undertaken at the special request of the White House. The honor brings Lehane together with Yo-Yo Ma, students at the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and other internationally celebrated musicians.

Whether it's opening the door to the next-generation of technologies, joining world leaders in examining the future of the world economy or shaping an exceptional musical experience, Carnegie Mellon students, faculty, alumni and friends are the ones paving the way.

Green Chemistry

2009-09-18T08:56:00.004-04:00

Inevitably, hazardous chemicals make their way into our air and water supply. And the health effects on humans are troublesome.

So what can we do about it?

Carnegie Mellon Professor Terry Collins – a pioneer in the field of green chemistry – has a solution. Collins invented TAML® catalysts that combine with hydrogen peroxide to destroy many of the hazardous chemicals that would otherwise contaminate water supplies for years.

These catalysts can decontaminate water infected by specific drugs, pesticides and other pollutants. They can also be used to clean industrial wastewaters, remove sulfur from fuels, or destroy dangerous pollutants like chemical warfare agents.

Not only do these TAML® (that’s short for tetra-amido macrocyclic ligand) catalysts combat chemicals in our water supply, they also have great potential to provide cleaner, safer industrial practices.

Collins, who is now the director of Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Green Science, developed the first university course for green chemistry in 1992. Since then he’s become internationally recognized for his work in creating these environmentally friendly and less toxic chemicals.

Visit Carnegie Mellon’s Brag Book to share Collins’ innovations in green chemistry with your friends.

Little Brags, Big Ideas

2009-09-09T16:43:00.004-04:00

At Carnegie Mellon, we don’t just imagine the future, we create it.

From environmental sustainability to autonomous vehicles and interactive art, Carnegie Mellon is shaping the world – one innovation at a time.

Check out a sampling of these big ideas at www.cmu.edu/brag. You can even submit your own by using #cmubrag in your Twitter updates.

Like what you see?

Share these sparks of genius with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or email, follow more innovations on our homepage, or learn more about our areas of excellence.

Save the Date: Carnegie Mellon in NYC

2009-09-01T14:23:00.002-04:00

Carnegie Mellon is making an impact on key areas important to New York and the world, such as the arts, finance, green technologies and computing.

What to find out how?

Join us in New York City for a reception followed by panel discussion on the drivers of the new economy and how New York and Carnegie Mellon are poised to lead the way.

When: Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Where: Espace – 635 West 42nd Street (between 11th-12th Avenue), New York, NY 10036
Who: All alumni are invited

Not able to attend? The next campaign event will be held in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area on April 27, 2010.

BowGo

2009-08-21T16:09:00.005-04:00

The pogo stick – once simply a child’s toy – has evolved into high-performance equipment with an array of possibilities. Arguably the most extreme of these new sticks is the “BowGo” developed at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute by project scientist Ben Brown.

Pogo athletes from around the world are in Pittsburgh this week for the annual Pogopalooza. But it’s not all fun and games. The technology being advanced through BowGo could be used to build running – and hopping – robots that cover long distances and rough terrain, accomplishing sometimes life-saving tasks.

Want to know more? Watch a video or listen to an iTunes Podcast.

Crying Wolf?

2009-08-07T12:08:00.003-04:00

You’re sitting in front of your computer browsing the Internet when a security warning pops up. What to do?

You could take the time to read the message and make sure you fully understand the warning before proceeding.

It’s more likely you barely the notice the warning as your reflexes hastily click until the box disappears.

According to computer science researchers at Carnegie Mellon, pop-up warnings aren’t as effective as they could – or should – be.

Carnegie Mellon professor Lorrie Cranor, along with a team of graduate students, observed the Internet habits of more than 400 people. What they found is people simply encounter too many security warnings in harmless situations. As a result, they automatically ignore all warnings, leaving them vulnerable to a cyberattack.

What to do?

Cantor, who is the director of the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS), thinks using different colored security warnings for different threat levels could help. But the best solution may actually be to limit – or even completely do away with – pop-up security warnings.

It would cost more money and take more work for those who develop web browsers, but ultimately a more intelligent browser that automatically protects Internet users, instead of simply warning them, might just be the best solution yet.

The team authored the paper “Crying Wolf: An Empirical Study of SSL Warning Effectiveness” and Josh Sunshine (CS’10) will present it next week at the USENIX 2009 Security Symposium.

A Wi-Fi World

2009-07-29T16:51:00.001-04:00

It’s everywhere. From reading email in coffee shops to watching YouTube on the couch, there’s no doubt WiFi has permeated our lives. At 35,000 feet, it's even starting to convert airline seats to remote offices.

This technological innovation saw its early days here at Carnegie Mellon. Fifteen years ago, Wireless Andrew was started as a research network to support Carnegie Mellon’s wireless research initiative.

Originally used only by wireless research team, Wireless Andrew provided coverage in seven campus buildings in 1994. But as the demand for anytime, anywhere high speed Internet grew, so did Wireless Andrew’s reach.

By 1999, the network was expanded to serve all 65 residential, academic and administrative buildings on the Pittsburgh campus – reaching a total floor area of approximately 3-million-square-feet plus outside areas.

It was Alex Hills, a distinguished professor and founding director of Carnegie Mellon's Information Networking Institute, who began the wireless research initiative that ultimately helped lay the foundation for today's Wi-Fi computing environment — a wireless network that connects laptops and PDAs to the Internet.

Over the coming decades, the Wireless Andrew infrastructure created at Carnegie Mellon will continue to be the research seedling that helped pave the way for wireless networking for everything.

Real-World Experience. In Tanzania.

2009-07-24T13:39:00.006-04:00

Each year, hundreds of Carnegie Mellon students participate in summer internships around the globe. One striking example includes six Carnegie Mellon students and recent alumni from the university’s Pittsburgh and Doha campuses who are taking part in the innovative iSTEP internship program.

iSTEP – innovative Student Technology ExPerience – is a unique internship program launched this summer by Carnegie Mellon’s TechBridgeWorld Research Group.

So what makes this program different from a traditional 9-5 office job?

For starters, the location puts true meaning in the phrase “real-world experience.” Five interns are based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania while one intern is supporting the project from Pittsburgh. All are applying the knowledge and skills they acquired in the classroom in order to do some creative problem-solving in an unfamiliar setting.

The team is working closely with local partners in developing communities and contributed technical expertise by inventing new tools and customizing existing technology. Their three projects include literacy tools for primary school students, a mobile phone application for social workers and Braille tutor for visually-impaired students.

To learn more about the interns’ day-to-day experiences, follow them on Twitter, visit their Facebook page or read their blog.

Keepon Assists Autism Research

2009-07-16T14:28:00.004-04:00

Keepon is only five inches tall and has no arms or legs. Yet his simple figure doesn’t keep him from dancing – with the help of Marek Michalowski, that is.

Michalowski, a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute working at a robotics lab in Japan, was told to “do something” with the little yellow robot. So he turned on the music and put the little guy to a good cause.

Keepon’s dance-oriented play is helping children with autism and other development disorders.

How?

Michalowski studies how children interact socially through Keepon’s “eyes” (a camera) and “ears” (a microphone). When a child approaches Keepon and interacts with him, Keepon is able to respond to the child with lifelike movements. His range of motion includes turning side to side, rocking side to side, nodding front to back, and bobbing up and down. All while researchers and parents are watching and listening to the child behind the scenes.

Since 2003, Keepon has been used to study behaviors such as eye contact, joint attention, touching, emotion and imitation in children of different ages and levels of social development.

Michalowski is the co-founder of BeatBots LLC, a company dedicated to the development of “robotic characters that defy entrenched notions of robots as impersonal mechanical tools.”

For more of Keepon’s moves, check out “Keepon Auditioning” or “Keepon: Friend or Foe” on YouTube or watch Keepon and Michalowski on the Today Show.

Solutions for an Energy Dependent Society

2009-07-01T14:32:00.003-04:00

You’ve probably heard of light emitting diodes (LEDs) – but have you ever considered using them?

Solid-state lighting provides an environmentally friendly option with an added bonus: it’s cheaper in the long run.

A study conducted by Engineering and Public Policy researchers at Carnegie Mellon found that LED technology efficiently converts electricity to visible light, which reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. In addition, solid-state lighting is mercury free, unlike traditional fluorescent tubes. Every year, more than 500 million fluorescent tubes are discarded in the U.S., releasing about four tons of mercury into the environment.

Carnegie Mellon Professor M. Granger Morgan, Ines Margarida Lima De Azevedo (E’09) and Fritz Morgan (MS’96) recognize that despite the benefits of LEDs, consumers are likely to stick with what they know. Therefore, smart policy systems will be needed to help people transition to more sustainable illumination systems. The team also recommends the development of nationwide illumination standards for new residential and commercial construction projects.

The study was published in the March 2009 edition of IEEE Spectrum Magazine. Read the press release for more information.

Impact, Innovation & Imagination

2009-06-29T16:23:00.005-04:00

More than 400 alumni, students, faculty and friends gathered in the Silicon Valley June 20 for a day of impact, innovation and imagination.

The day began an innovation showcase presented by Silicon Valley faculty members. Attendees were able to participate in four presentations that explored new technologies, new thinking and new ways to collaborate. The result? Seeing tomorrow’s breakthroughs today.

Next it was on to a panel discussion regarding the dramatic impact arts and technology has on virtually every aspect of our lives. As the gap between art and technology narrows, it’s apparent that the hybrid combination will continue to be a part in the evolution of our culture.

The evening concluded with Lydia Ayers’ “Graffiti: Lucky Calligraphy” performed by Elizabeth Osorio (A’10).

Check out pictures of the event on our Inspire Innovation website. Watch the panel on YouTube or download the audio or video version on iTunes U.