Community in the Face of Hurricane and Earthquake Devastation

There will be a gathering of support for anyone in the CMU community impacted by the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean and U.S. and the earthquakes in Mexico.
 
When: 4 p.m., Friday, September 22
Where: Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, Cohon University Center: Lower Level across from University Bookstore
 
Please join members of the CMU community in a gathering facilitated by Dr. Kurt Kumler, Executive Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) joined by staff from the Office of International Education and The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.  We hope to connect and explore ways to support one another, and find resources for assistance and action. Please share this invitation broadly and we hope to see you there. 
 
Questions?  Contact The Center at csdi@andrew.cmu.edu or call 412-268-2150.

Dining Presents Taste of the Tartans, Sept. 26

Dining Services invites all members of the campus community to this tasty, annual tradition from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26 in the Cohon Center's Rangos Ballroom. Take your taste buds on an international tour of free samples from dining vendors across campus. Pick up a ballot at the door and cast your vote for your favorite bite for the Andy Eats "Best of Taste of the Tartans!"

Celebrating Machine Learning for Social Good

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto will sit down with Brad Keywell, Uptake CEO, for a fireside chat about cities as centers of innovation and other issues as CMU celebrates the launch of the Machine Learning for Social Good fund. A reception follows the discussion. Interim Provost Laurie Weingart, Machine Learning Department Head Manuela Veloso and Professor Roni Rosenfeld of the Machine Learning Department and Language Technologies Institute also will make remarks.

Uptake, a Chicago-based predictive analytics software company, donated $1 million to start the Machine Learning for Social Good fund, which Rosenfeld oversees. The fund will provide opportunities for faculty and students to apply their expertise in data science and machine learning to initiatives that benefit the public sector. The event is open to faculty and graduate students only. Please register.

Alumni Win Emmys for Production Design

CMU alumni Andrew Leitch and Eugene Lee earned television's top prize in production design at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Sept. 10.

Lee, a production designer and 1975 alumnus, won his second Emmy for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Series for NBC's "Saturday Night Live."

Leitch, a 2012 graduate, won his first Emmy as part of a team for designing sets for the sixth season of HBO's political satire "Veep." The team won in the Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour of Less) category.

In all, 14 CMU alumni garnered 17 nominations for eight Emmy Awards. Find out more about CMU and the Emmy Awards.

Apply for "A Day in the Life" Job Shadowing Program

Staff members across the campus community dedicate themselves each day to supporting Carnegie Mellon’s mission and goals. A shadowing program, called “A Day in the Life,” is launching this October to provide an opportunity for staff to learn about how others are contributing to CMU and for staff to introduce others to their position and department contributions.

Sponsored by Staff Council and Professional Development Services, A Day in the Life is designed to provide staff with an opportunity to experience the university through a different lens and to engage in sharing ideas and forming relationships with colleagues throughout CMU. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the many ways in which all staff support and advance the mission of the university.

As a participant—either as a host or shadower—you will meet with a match for a suggested six hours over the course of six weeks, starting October 12th when the A Day in the Life Kick Off occurs.  To be considered as a host or shadower, or for more information, please visit the program's website or email ADayintheLife@andrew.cmu.edu. Apply now, as space is limited.

CMU's Flu Forecasts Prove Most Accurate

For the third year in a row, Carnegie Mellon University's forecasts of national influenza activity have proven to be the most accurate among all forecasting systems evaluated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CMU's Delphi research group fielded two forecasting systems during the flu season that ended in May. The systems ranked 1 and 2 among the 28 systems submitted to the CDC's forecasting research initiative by university and governmental research groups.

In contrast to the CDC's longstanding flu surveillance network, which measures flu activity after it occurs, the forecasting effort attempts to look into the future, much like a weather forecast, so health officials can plan ahead.

Find out more about CMU's forecasts.

CMLH Seeks Research Proposals

The Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH) is seeking proposals for research projects this fall. The CMLH seeks innovative, transformative research and development projects in all aspects of health care, including analytics, reasoning and prediction. Project goals should include generating systems and tools for improving the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of health care.

This call for proposals is for one-year early stage research projects. Proposals are due Oct. 30. See the CMLH website for more details. 

Subscribe To Receive Parking News

To receive important and up-to-date parking announcements, members of the CMU community can subscribe to Parking & Transportation Services’ email news at http://eepurl.com/c3lhur.

Also new in Parking & Transportation Services is a pilot wheelchair scooter program for permit holders in the East Campus Garage. If you have a temporary disability (broken leg, foot, etc.) you can use one of Parking’s electric scooters on a daily basis. The scooters are in the East Campus Garage office.

Questions? Contact Michelle Porter at mporter@andrew.cmu.edu.

Alumni Award Nominations Due Oct. 2

The CMU Alumni Association is accepting nominations for its 2018 Alumni Awards. Alumni may be nominated in the following categories: Achievement, Service, Outstanding Recent Alumni and the new Founders Medal for Outstanding Service and Exceptional Achievement. Faculty and staff may be nominated for the Faculty & Staff Impact Award. The nomination deadline is Oct. 2.

Find out more and submit a nomination.

Nominees Sought for Review, Disciplinary Boards

The Office of Community Standards & Integrity in the Division of Student Affairs is seeking nominees to serve on the Academic Review Board and the University Disciplinary Committee.

Nominations should be staff and faculty members who have shown a commitment to honesty and integrity, evidence of sound judgment, critical thinking and analysis, a commitment to consistency in their work and interactions with others, listening skills and compassion. Board members are convened to review student violations of community standards (theft, vandalism, alcohol violations, etc.) that cannot be resolved through an administrative resolution meeting or an academic integrity violation pattern (cheating, plagiarism, etc.). This is an appointed volunteer opportunity and a way to contribute to upholding the standards and integrity of the Carnegie Mellon community.

If you are interested or know someone who may be a good fit, please fill out the nomination form by September 22. Nominated individuals will be invited to attend a board member training session — the first opportunity will be on September 30. Once nominated and trained, names will be passed to Faculty Senate and Staff Council respectively, for appointment.

Flu Vaccine Clinics Set for October, November

Once again, the university is offering flu vaccines at no cost to faculty and staff members. New this year, the flu vaccine clinics will be hosted by Human Resources and administered by Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Upcoming clinics are:

• Oct. 4, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room
• Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, SEI Bakery Square A105
• Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, NREC Lawrenceville, 1st floor auditorium
• Oct. 23, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room
• Nov. 1, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wrigh Room, (Benefits, Fitness Fair)
• Nov. 7, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, Mellon Institute Social Room 328
• Nov. 13, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room

Visit the Flu Vaccine Clinic Website for the clinic schedule and more information. To obtain your flu vaccine, you will need to present your Carnegie Mellon ID card. While walk-ins are welcome, for faster service it is recommended that you schedule an appointment.

Denise Rousseau, professor of organizational behavior and public policy at Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and the Tepper School of Business, will be a keynote speaker at “Leaders Lunch: Trust at Work,” Sept. 27 in Brussels. Rousseau's work centers upon evidence-based management and workers' impact, HR strategies, changing the psychological contract and the effects of organizational culture on performance. The program will discuss why trust matters at work, how to build high-trust organizations and how to integrate trust into HR practices. The lunch program is sponsored by wiskeys: keys to the future of work, CEBMa and Balance Human Resources.

Donald K. Carter, director of the Remaking Cities Institute, is on a speaking tour of Scotland and England. He will be talking about his new book, "Remaking Post-Industrial Cities: Lessons from North America and Europe" (Routledge, 2016). The book examines the transformation of 10 post-industrial cities after the precipitous collapse of big industry in the 1980s on both sides of the Atlantic. It features in-depth case studies of five cities in North America (Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee, New Orleans and Pittsburgh) and five cities in Europe (Bilbao, Liverpool, Rotterdam, Ruhr Region and Turin). The book documents their recovery in the 30 years from 1985 to 2015, and concludes with "lessons learned."

Kathy M. Newman will be featured in a panel discussion, “BANNED: Art, Censorship and the First Amendment,” at 4:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 22 at the Casey Droege Cultural Productions, 937 Liberty Ave. This discussion is presented by the Arts and the Law Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association, ACLU of Pennsylvania and City of Asylum. Newman is an associate professor of English. Joining Newman on the panel will be Tuhin Das, writer for City of Asylum, and Sara Rose, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania.

Anupam Datta, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is leading a $3 million National Science Foundation-funded project to improve automated decision-making systems, which affect everything from online advertising and health care industries to criminal justice. "A key innovation of the project is to automatically account for why an automated system with artificial intelligence components exhibits behavior that is problematic for privacy or fairness," said Datta, who is based at CMU's Silicon Valley Campus and is a part of CyLab, CMU's Security and Privacy Institute. "These explanations then inform fixes to the system to avoid future violations." Find out more.

After more than 12 years at 6555 Penn Ave. near Bakery Square, Campus Printing and Mailing Services has joined University Copy Centers to form Tartan Ink, a new storefront on the lower level of the Cohon University Center.

Tartan Ink, which is in the space previously occupied by FedEx/Kinkos, offers students, faculty and staff many printing and copying services. Customers can order business cards, flyers, large format posters, university letterhead and envelopes, passport photos and postcards. Tartan Ink also offers copying and lamination services, and is a drop-off location for shipping packages via UPS.

Printing and large copying jobs are produced at the Penn Avenue location, but orders are taken at the storefront.

“It’s nice to be back on campus because I see people I haven’t seen for a while, and that generates business,” said Dan Tyson, manager of Campus Printing and Mailing.

Campus Printing and Mailing moved to Penn Avenue due to campus construction in 2005. The Gates Center for Computer Science now occupies the space where campus printing resided.

“Despite being off campus, we actually grew the business. We kept our customers, and customer loyalty brought us new business,” said Tyson, who is optimistic that business will continue to increase.

“Tartan Ink is going to take off. It’s already been successful and it has only been open for a couple months,” he said. “We missed the student traffic before, and now we’re getting that with the storefront. Being in the Cohon Center is a very convenient location for people.”

Andrea James, associate sports information director for the Department of Athletics, likes the personal touch Tartan Ink provides.

“If I have a question about a printing project I can walk to the store and get answers easier than trying to explain what I want in an email,” she said. “In the past we’ve had campus printing do standard jobs like business cards, postcards and small booklets, but now we’re planning to add large posters thanks to the location of Tartan Ink.”

Patricia Herbster manages the copy center side of Tartan Ink. She and Tyson bring 70 years of experience to the operation.

“Many people didn’t realize the copy centers — one at Penn Avenue and one in the Tepper School of Business — still existed,” she said. “We have more of a visual presence at Tartan Ink, and there’s more walk-up business. We’re working with a lot of student groups that we had not worked with before. Business is looking good.”

Jon Beck, director of marketing for CulinArt, likes the customer service he received at the store.
“James (Ward), Jerry (Siegel) and the Tartan Ink staff accommodated all of my unique and demanding needs, and produced everything from menu boards, to brochures and stickers,” Beck said. “They also are very personable and remembered all of my preferences, suggested great options and even caught my mistakes.”

Like Tyson, Herbster said she is grateful for the opportunity to return to campus.

“Special thanks should be given to our Vice President of Operations Rodney McClendon. He believed we could open the center and maintain the quality of service to our students, faculty and staff,” she said.

Tartan Ink is open from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Peter Stumpf, a piano technician, takes care of more than 80 pianos in Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music.
 
Stumpf first entered the workforce as a printing press operator, but when the advent of computers sent the printing industry into a decline, he decided to try something different.
 
“I’ve always had a mechanical aptitude. Maybe it was my German upbringing,” he said. “I decided to follow my heart.”
 
As a boy, he took piano lessons and fell in love with the sound of the instrument, intrigued by how that sound was produced. Those feelings never faded. Years later, he enrolled in Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia where he earned a degree in piano technology.
 
“I knew I couldn’t make a living from this kind of work if I stayed way out in the country. So, after I graduated, I moved back to Pittsburgh where I started a business and worked hard,” he said. “Overnight success takes about 15 years, they say. That’s about how long I was on my own before CMU hired me.”
 
With so many pianos to check and tune, it takes Stumpf nearly three days to make his full rounds. He relies on texts and emails from piano students and faculty to alert him to pianos that require his attention.
 
“About half a dozen of the pianos get tuned every few weeks. Performance instruments are tuned more often. Practice instruments get attention about twice per semester,” he said.  

Stumpf listens to students honing their craft as he makes his way through the hallways.
 
“The students here at CMU are so smart. Some of them double major. They’re engineers, they’re computer scientists, and they still love music. It gives me hope for the world that there are people out there who still love the arts," he said. "Everybody at the end of the day gets in the car and turns on the radio. They go home, they watch movies. They go to Broadway. The arts are what make it worthwhile. They are what we run to.”

Stumpf enjoys mentoring those who want to follow in his footsteps. He teaches piano maintenance at CMU and occasionally fields questions from his former students who are now working as fulltime piano technicians.
 
He loves music and still tickles the ivories himself.
 
“It is such a valuable skill and such a wholesome activity,” he said. “My son is an engineering student. Sometimes I hear his math book slam shut when he gets frustrated, and he will take out his frustrations on the piano, and the piano doesn’t mind that. When my mother passed away, I would play pieces of her favorite music. It helped me to grieve.”
 
Stumpf said playing a piano is a lot like driving a car.
 
“At first you’re thinking all the time about all the things you have to remember. After a while you’re able to put all those things out of your mind and just drive, just play. And that’s where the joy of the instrument is,” he said.

Have a suggestion for the Staff Spotlight? Send it to piperweekly@andrew.cmu.edu.

Heather Keeton has your number.

As one of only two information service operators at Carnegie Mellon University, Keeton answers and directs calls made to the main university telephone line.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Keeton and her colleague field an average of about 500 calls per day.

“Most calls come in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. That’s our peak time and that’s when it might take a little time for us to get to the phone,” she said.

Keeton said the majority of calls are for the Hub, the Admission and Accounting offices, the bookstore, the Computer Science Department, and the schools of Drama and Music. She also receives many calls from people trying to contact specific faculty and staff members.

Keeton’s office receives an updated list of all CMU faculty and staff telephone numbers from the office of Human Resources each week.

“We upload the new list to our system every Monday,” she said. “When a call comes in we can search our database by first or last name, department or title.”

Keeton has been working the phone at CMU for more than 17 years. She also sets up conference calls for faculty and staff.

“I love it. I like to help people and, generally, you get nice people calling,” she said. “I’m very comfortable here. It’s a small department, and we know each other like family.”

A member of a large military family, Keeton is the youngest of eight siblings. Her father served in the Army and several of her brothers and sisters were in the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard.

“I’ve been to all the East Coast states, from Maine to Florida, visiting my family at their bases or vacationing with them. I like to travel,” she said.

After work, Keeton likes to relax.

“I like to go out to eat and go to the movies. I like ‘me time,’” she said.

Have a suggestion for the Staff Spotlight? Send it to piperweekly@andrew.cmu.edu.

Melanie Lucht, assistant vice president for Enterprise Risk Management, has won the Business Continuity Institute’s (BCI) Continuity and Resiliency Professional of the Year Award for the private sector in the Americas. The award makes her eligible for the BCI Global Awards, which will be held in November in London. The Global Awards include other regional winners from Europe, Africa, Australia, India, Asia and the Middle East. The BCI, established in 1994, is the world’s leading institute for business continuity professionals. Learn more about Lucht.

Jessica Hodgins, professor of computer science and robotics, has been elected president of SIGGRAPH, the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. SIGGRAPH convenes the premier annual conference on computer graphics, which is attended by tens of thousands of computer professionals. The SIGGRAPH president serves a three-year term. This summer, SIGGRAPH named Hodgins the 2017 recipient of its Steven Anson Coons Award for Outstanding Creative Contributions to Computer Graphics. The group’s highest honor for computer graphics, the award recognized Hodgins for her foundational work in character animation, her support and cultivation of emerging researchers, and her extensive volunteer service to the computer graphics community.

R. Ravi was named an INFORMS fellow for the Class of 2017 “for contributions to the understanding of algorithms in combinatorial optimization, their application in business and technology, and for educational innovation in operations research.” The Fellow Award is reserved for distinguished individuals who have demonstrated outstanding and exceptional accomplishments in operations research and the management sciences. Ravi is a professor of business, operations research and computer science in the Tepper School of Business. He won the Tepper School’s George Leland Bach Award for Excellence in the MBA Classroom in 2013.

Enrollment Services Launches Updated Websites

Enrollment Services has launched updated HUB, ID Card and Student Financial Services websites. Realizing that many departments across campus link to these sites, they invite you to check them out and ask that you update any related links contained within your own sites, as some of their URLs have changed.
 
If you have any questions, contact Becky Choltco at 412-268-1906.

#AskAnArchivistDay is October 4

Join the university's archivists for #AskAnArchivistDay to view select items from the Carnegie Mellon University archives, pick up buttons using vintage CMU imagery, and test your Tartan trivia knowledge. Also celebrate the launch of the new University Archives blog, "Scotty Tales," with Scottie dog cookies!

The university’s archivists document, preserve and provide access to records documenting life at CMU and the contributions of its students and faculty. As the university prepares to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the merger of Carnegie Tech and the Mellon Institute, they have played an essential role in unearthing the images, faculty papers, and publications to bring the university’s history to life. If you can’t join us in person, tweet a question for one of our archivists to @CMULibraries.

Find out more.

Sample the Best Vegetarian Dish on Campus

October is National Vegetarian Month! Join Dining Services from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5, in Rangos 2 and 3 for a tasting of the most delicious plant-based dishes on campus. Vote for your favorite dish for a chance to win a FitBit and learn more about campus resources for health, wellness and healthy eating, including ways you can share your voice and help us shape the future of food on campus.

Be An Engineer, Oct. 8

The College of Engineering invites your high school student to “Be An Engineer” from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8 in the Cohon Center’s Rangos Ballroom.

The outreach event for 9th – 12th graders features a series of TED-style talks/demonstrations, lab tours and an admissions panel. Your student will get a first-hand look at a variety of engineering disciplines the College of Engineering offers and learn more about the admission process.

Register your student and find out more.

Apply for "A Day in the Life" Job Shadowing Program

Staff members across the campus community dedicate themselves each day to supporting Carnegie Mellon’s mission and goals. A shadowing program, called “A Day in the Life,” is launching this October to provide an opportunity for staff to learn about how others are contributing to CMU and for staff to introduce others to their position and department contributions.

Sponsored by Staff Council and Professional Development Services, A Day in the Life is designed to provide staff with an opportunity to experience the university through a different lens and to engage in sharing ideas and forming relationships with colleagues throughout CMU. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the many ways in which all staff support and advance the mission of the university.

As a participant — either as a host or shadower — you will meet with a match for a suggested six hours over the course of six weeks, starting October 12 when A Day in the Life kicks off. To be considered as a host or shadower, or for more information, please visit the program website or email ADayintheLife@andrew.cmu.edu. Apply now, as space is limited.

CMLH Seeks Research Proposals

The Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH) is seeking proposals for research projects this fall. The CMLH seeks innovative, transformative research and development projects in all aspects of health care, including analytics, reasoning and prediction. Project goals should include generating systems and tools for improving the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of health care.

This call for proposals is for one-year early stage research projects. Proposals are due Oct. 30. See the CMLH website for more details. 

Subscribe To Receive Parking News

To receive important and up-to-date parking announcements, members of the CMU community can subscribe to Parking & Transportation Services’ email news at http://eepurl.com/c3lhur.

Also new in Parking & Transportation Services is a pilot wheelchair scooter program for permit holders in the East Campus Garage. If you have a temporary disability (broken leg, foot, etc.) you can use one of Parking’s electric scooters on a daily basis. The scooters are in the East Campus Garage office.

Questions? Contact Michelle Porter at mporter@andrew.cmu.edu.

Last Call: Alumni Award Nominations Due Oct. 2

The CMU Alumni Association is accepting nominations for its 2018 Alumni Awards. Alumni may be nominated in the following categories: Achievement, Service, Outstanding Recent Alumni and the new Founders Medal for Outstanding Service and Exceptional Achievement. Faculty and staff may be nominated for the Faculty & Staff Impact Award. The nomination deadline is Oct. 2.

Find out more and submit a nomination.

Flu Vaccine Clinics Set for October, November

Once again, the university is offering flu vaccines at no cost to faculty and staff members. New this year, the flu vaccine clinics will be hosted by Human Resources and administered by Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Upcoming clinics are:

• Oct. 4, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room
• Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, SEI Bakery Square A105
• Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, NREC Lawrenceville, 1st floor auditorium
• Oct. 23, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room
• Nov. 1, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wrigh Room, (Benefits, Fitness Fair)
• Nov. 7, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, Mellon Institute Social Room 328
• Nov. 13, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room

Visit the Flu Vaccine Clinic Website for the clinic schedule and more information. To obtain your flu vaccine, you will need to present your Carnegie Mellon ID card. While walk-ins are welcome, for faster service it is recommended that you schedule an appointment.

Chemistry Ph.D. candidate Tom Ribelli received the Best Poster Award at the 8th Controlled Radical Polymerization Symposium during the 2017 American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition. Selected by a panel of judges for his poster “Development of Highly Active Copper Catalyst for Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization,” the honor includes a $150 cash award. Ribelli works in the research group of Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, the J.C. Warner Professor of Natural Sciences at Carnegie Mellon. His research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of highly active copper catalysts for use in atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), with the aim of moving towards more “green” systems. Learn more.

Courtney Ehrlichman, deputy executive director for the Traffic21 Institute and Mobility21, is producing a monthly podcast series on women working in the smart transportation field. The series is called “Amplify.” Her initial podcast aired last week with PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards. The discussion with Richards ranges from Pennsylvania’s leadership in the future of transportation to her re-entry into the workforce after being a stay-at-home mother. Upcoming interviews will feature Jill Ingrassia, managing director of AAA’s Government Relations and Traffic Safety Advocacy departments, Suzanne Murtha, senior program manager with Atkins in North America, and Martha Morecock Eddy, practice leader for transportation technology for KCI Technologies, Inc. Listen to “Amplify.”

Chemist Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, with collaborators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Akron, has come up with a methodology that fine tunes the characteristics of brush polymers to allow them to more closely mimic the characteristics of biological materials. Their technique is published as a letter in the Sept. 28 issue of Nature. In Nature, the group reports that they used controlled radical polymerization (CRP) methods to create a library of brush polymers. CRP techniques, such as atom transfer radical polymerization, which was developed by Matyjaszewski more than 20 years ago, allowed them to systematically vary the three variables for each polymer and create a well-defined reference set that researchers can use to reverse engineer a polymer architecture that will closely mimic a given biological tissue. Find out more.

Lenore Blum, Distinguished Career Professor of Computer Science, is one of 25 people named to the inaugural class of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) Fellows. The inaugural class includes past AWM presidents, AWM Lifetime Service Award winners, and AWM Humphreys Award winners. Each fellow also is at least 25 years beyond her/his terminal degree and has been a member of AWM for at least 10 years. Blum, who joined the Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science in 1999, is a founder of AWM and a past president.

Gary Aldrich, head coach of the Carnegie Mellon track and field teams, was the throws instructor at the Brazilian Olympic Committee Coaches Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sept. 18-22. Aldrich was asked by the academy to serve in this position following his stint as the U.S.A. Men's Throws Coach at the 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships that were held in London in August. The academy was an intensive learning environment in which Aldrich lectured for four hours a day as well as an additional four hours of "Learn by Doing" at the throwing area. Find out more.

Sample the Best Vegetarian Dish on Campus

October is National Vegetarian Month! Join Dining Services from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5, in Rangos 2 and 3 for a tasting of the most delicious plant-based dishes on campus. Vote for your favorite dish for a chance to win a FitBit and learn more about campus resources for health, wellness and healthy eating, including ways you can share your voice and help us shape the future of food on campus.

Celebrating Tartan Racing's Urban Challenge Victory

Carnegie Mellon will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Tartan Racing's victory in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, Oct. 12-14. The event will honor the accomplishments of a talented team and the passion that built a heritage of innovation thath ultimately led to the dawn of vehicle autonomy.



Highlights of the weekend include a Friday dinner at Phipps Conservatory, featuring keynote speaker Red Whittaker, world-renowned roboticist and leader of Carnegie Mellon’s Tartan Racing team. On Saturday, noteworthy pioneers in vehicle autonomy from CMU and industry will share their thoughts on autonomy, the underlying technologies, impact on society and what the future may yet have in store.

Register and fine out more.

Be An Engineer, Oct. 8

The College of Engineering invites your high school student to “Be An Engineer” from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8 in the Cohon Center’s Rangos Ballroom.

The outreach event for 9th – 12th graders features a series of TED-style talks/demonstrations, lab tours and an admissions panel. Your student will get a first-hand look at a variety of engineering disciplines the College of Engineering offers and learn more about the admission process.

Register your student and find out more.

Apply for "A Day in the Life" Job Shadowing Program

Staff members across the campus community dedicate themselves each day to supporting Carnegie Mellon’s mission and goals. A shadowing program, called “A Day in the Life,” is launching this October to provide an opportunity for staff to learn about how others are contributing to CMU and for staff to introduce others to their position and department contributions.

Sponsored by Staff Council and Professional Development Services, A Day in the Life is designed to provide staff with an opportunity to experience the university through a different lens and to engage in sharing ideas and forming relationships with colleagues throughout CMU. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the many ways in which all staff support and advance the mission of the university.

As a participant — either as a host or shadower — you will meet with a match for a suggested six hours over the course of six weeks, starting October 12 when A Day in the Life kicks off. To be considered as a host or shadower, or for more information, please visit the program website or email ADayintheLife@andrew.cmu.edu. Apply now, as space is limited.

CMLH Seeks Research Proposals

The Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH) is seeking proposals for research projects this fall. The CMLH seeks innovative, transformative research and development projects in all aspects of health care, including analytics, reasoning and prediction. Project goals should include generating systems and tools for improving the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of health care.

This call for proposals is for one-year early stage research projects. Proposals are due Oct. 30. See the CMLH website for more details.

Flu Vaccine Clinics Set for October, November

Once again, the university is offering flu vaccines at no cost to faculty and staff members. New this year, the flu vaccine clinics will be hosted by Human Resources and administered by Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Upcoming clinics are:

• Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, SEI Bakery Square A105
• Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, NREC Lawrenceville, 1st floor auditorium
• Oct. 23, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room
• Nov. 1, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wrigh Room, (Benefits, Fitness Fair)
• Nov. 7, 8:30 a.m. - Noon, Mellon Institute Social Room 328
• Nov. 13, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cohon Center's McKenna/Peter/Wright Room

Visit the Flu Vaccine Clinic Website for the clinic schedule and more information. To obtain your flu vaccine, you will need to present your Carnegie Mellon ID card. While walk-ins are welcome, for faster service it is recommended that you schedule an appointment.

Tom Nuhfer, the founding director of the Materials Characterization Facility in CMU’s Materials Science and Engineering Department, was recognized for 50 years of service to the university during this year’s Andy Awards ceremony.

Nuhfer, who is counted among the inventors, makers, artists and builders that CMU is celebrating during its 50th anniversary this year, helped build the facility into a world-class electron microscopy teaching and research laboratory, where engineers can identify the structures of a material down to the atom.

“I love electron microscopy and the technique of characterization. It became quite the passion and I wanted to build the facility into something special to leave behind,” Nuhfer said.

The Materials Characterization Facility in Roberts Engineering Hall is filled with high-powered technology, including X-ray machines, computing equipment and ultra-sensitive microscopes. The crown jewel of the lab is the Titan, a high-resolution electron microscope.

“The Titan gives us major credibility as a world-class facility. That’s what attracts industry,” he said. “That’s been the focus and the pinnacle of my career — building this facility and bringing in these instruments at this level.”

To help support the lab, Nuhfer led the creation of an industrial consortium that includes the Bechtel Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory; Arconic (formerly Alcoa); U.S. Steel; PPG Paints; and Kennametal. The National Energy Technology Laboratory also uses the facility.

“Our industrial partners buy days to use our instruments. They send their engineers and scientists here. Some of them are our graduates. It’s a good relationship we’ve developed in the local industry,” he said.

The facility plays a major role in academic research.

“We have more than 200 users in the College of Engineering, and many of the published papers in materials science and engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering and biomaterials have microscopy components to them,” said Nuhfer, who has authored and co-authored more than 400 papers.

Nuhfer joined CMU’s Metallurgy Department as a technician in 1967 after serving in Vietnam as a member of the U.S. Navy. He was promoted to a technical engineer and senior scientist and eventually became director of the Materials Characterization Facility. He attended night school at CMU and earned his bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering in 1981.

“Our work has changed as the department has evolved. We’ve gone from metals to materials science, to nano-materials to biomaterials, polymers and nanotubes. But resolution is always the issue,” he said.

In 2009, Nuhfer won the Andy Award for Outstanding Dedication and the College of Engineering Staff Award for Excellence.

“I feel like I’ll leave something good behind. My hope is that the facility will maintain and grow when I retire,” he said.

Have a suggestion for the Staff Spotlight? Send it to piperweekly@andrew.cmu.edu.

Four individuals and one team received this year’s Andy Awards for their outstanding job performance and significant impact on Carnegie Mellon University.

The Andy, CMU’s top staff prize, recognizes individuals and teams in five categories. And the winners are ...

Spirit
Aaron George

Aaron George (right) with nominators Jess Klein (left) and Ashley Christ.

Aaron George is passionate about his work with students.

As a housefellow for Hamerschlag and Scobell residence halls, George attends to the needs of male student residents and seeks ways to help them mature as young men. He works with fraternities and is a member of the core group supporting the Student Center for Diversity and Inclusion. He also works with the Office of Title IX Initiatives.

“Aaron’s commitment to developing healthy ... masculinity is evidenced in both the one on one relationships that he develops with his students as well as in the types of educational programs he has worked to develop and present in the community,” said Holly Hippensteel, assistant vice president for Community Standards and Diversity Initiatives and interim director of Title IX Initiatives.

Hippensteel said George is always available when students or colleagues need help.

“He brings a positive, can-do attitude to every task. He is a ready and willing partner who will eagerly jump in to help, even if it presents a new challenge,” she said.

Ashley Christ, coordinator of Greek Life, said George inspires her.

“He is incredibly comfortable at challenging students to rethink gender norms and societal pressures,” said Christ in her nominating letter. “These topics are never easy to approach, but Aaron always engages with others in a way that invites them to think differently in a nonthreatening style.”

Jess Klein, coordinator of Gender Programs and Sexual Violence Prevention, said George sets a great example.

“Aaron is just a good guy, plain and simple. His integrity alone is something to admire. He believes in doing the right thing, even when it’s hard,” she said.

Commitment to Excellence
Jennifer Weidenhof

Jen Weidenhof (right) with her nominator Stephanie Wallach.

Magical is how several nominators and supporters described Jennifer Weidenhof’s performance in handling her many roles as program coordinator for the Undergraduate Research Office and Fellowships and Scholarships Office.

In nominating Weidenhof, Stephanie Wallach, assistant vice provost for undergraduate education, praised her colleague for effectively and efficiently managing “Meeting of the Minds,” creating new websites and apps, solving database problems, interacting with students, faculty and staff, managing the office finances and supporting new programs.

“We are a small office with a big impact on students and faculty across campus. Jen is humble. Yes, she is the person — the ‘magician’ behind the scenes — who makes much of what we do to serve students and faculty possible,” Wallach said.

Thomas Keating, a retired professor and longtime member of the Undergraduate Research Office, said Weidenhof combines the coordination skills of a project manager with the patience of a kindergarten teacher.

“She is a magician, a cajoler, a part-time psychologist, and above all, an understanding friend who has bailed out all of us when we most needed a little extra time,” Keating said.

In a supporting letter, Necia Werner, associate teaching professor of English, wrote about Weidenhof’s logistical contributions to “Speak Up!” a communications workshop series organized by undergraduate students engaged in campus research. Werner called Weidenhof “the glue” that kept everything together and the “smiling face” that made everyone relax.

Vice Provost for Education Amy Burkert said Weidenhof’s standard of service and desire to make a positive impact is unwavering.

“She defines a commitment to excellence and demonstrates it every day in her work,” Burkert said.

Teamwork and Collaboration
The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Administrative Team
(George Darakos, Barbara Fecich, Jean Harpley, Debbie Harvard, Jeff Legault, Christoph Mertz, Mark Nolan and Cheryl Wehrer)

The ARM Administrative team with Interim President Farnam Jahanian. Members pictured are (l-r): Barbara Fecich, George Darakos, Cheryl Wehrer, Jeff Legault, Christoph Mertz, Deborah Harvard and Jean Harpley.

The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Administrative Team provided the critical, yearlong administrative support for Carnegie Mellon’s winning proposal to lead an Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute in Pittsburgh. In January 2017, the Department of Defense awarded $80 million to CMU, which raised an additional $173 million from more than 220 partners.

Robotics professor and team nominator Howie Choset praised the team for their expertise and diligence.

“Simply put, we crossed the finish line in submitting and securing the cost-match because of our incredible team. The team epitomizes Carnegie Mellon — hard work, collaborative team skills and ingenuity. Because of them we were selected and we have them to thank for the opportunities it will create for Carnegie Mellon and others in the region,” Choset said.

ARM Institute CEO Gary Fedder, professor of electrical and computer engineering and robotics, called the team effort in compiling the 812-page proposal “mammoth in every measure.”

“It really did take a ‘village’ to complete the proposal … pulling together the consortium of organizations … collecting all of the necessary information in a timely manner, building the timelines, cost spreadsheets and justifications, and organizing, editing and formatting required this entire team with its array of skills,” Fedder wrote in a supporting letter.

David Bourne, principal scientist in the Robotics Institute, said the team’s work went above and beyond their “day jobs.”

“These people … define why CMU is such a special place. The principals often get fame as a reward. But these special people and others like them do it for the community and the love of others,” Bourne said.

David Holcomb (right) with fellow nominee Amy Nichols.

David Holcomb is an extraordinary instructor, mentor and adviser. The production manager in the School of Drama has played a principal role in building the curriculum for the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in stage and production management, and in molding future leaders of the industry.

In her nominating letter, Tina Shackleford, associate teaching professor, said Holcomb’s classes in production management provide students with the practical skills they need to fully manage shows at CMU.

“His heart is in the work, but so are his energies, enthusiasm and wisdom,” she said. “When I speak with faculty at other colleges, they are often surprised that we have students who fully manage our productions, since most schools do not. The difference is David Holcomb.”

Shackleford said Holcomb is always available for students.

“The chairs outside his office are constantly filled with those needing a little help,” she said.

Richard Block, associate head of the Drama School, called his work with students “nothing short of astonishing.”

“He could not be more encouraging to all of his students,” Block said. “He is particularly patient with those who struggle. His hope … is that those who were not overly successful while a student will eventually find their individual path to success.”

Master’s degree student Rachel D’Amboise said Holcomb’s classes are some of the most challenging she has taken and his guidance is exceptional.

“In helping us find the answers ourselves without simply telling us, he holds true to one of the deepest truths of education: that it is more important to teach students how to think than what to think,” she said.

Innovative and Creative Contributions
Robert Kollar

Robert Kollar (left) with his nominator Richard Pell.

Robert Kollar is a treasure in the School of Art.

For 21 years, the 1992 CMU art alumnus has been responsible for maintaining the electronic, computing and audio-visual equipment for the school. In addition to keeping things running, he has led major improvement projects, such as upgrading the media resources and designing and installing a new projection system in the Kresge Theater.

This past year, Kollar created a video projection wall that displays faculty and student works. He designed an electronic photo roster and calendar of events, and made two displays that feature publications authored by faculty. Kollar also helped to produce the new and improved school website.

Richard Pell, an associate professor of art, said Kollar goes above and beyond his job description.

“Every summer on his own initiative, he devises and suggests a project to the benefit of the school, and implements the work himself,” Pell wrote in his nominating letter. “Bob encompasses the union of the technological and the artistic that is the hallmark of the School of Art. Bob Kollar is a treasure.”

John Carson, former head of the school, said Kollar is a “wizard” in solving computer problems for faculty and praised his dedication, efficiency and willingness to go beyond his official job duties.

In a supporting letter, Golan Levin, an associate professor of electronic art, said the School of Art’s top national ranking in multimedia education is partly a result of Kollar’s efforts.

“There is simply no doubt in my mind that we have only been able to achieve this because of the tireless, quiet and exceptionally competent support of Bob Kollar,” Levin said.

As operations manager for Facilities Management and Campus Services, Papuga oversees the maintenance of university buildings and gives people access to the Mellon College of Science building and CMU facilities from Second Avenue to East Liberty, Lawrenceville and along the Craig Street corridor.

“I get calls, and I dispatch the appropriate personnel. It makes the day go fast,” he said.

Occasionally, those calls come from Hollywood film crews. Papuga has worked with production personnel for several movies that have filmed scenes on campus, including “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Mothman Prophecies,” “Wonder Boys” and “Hoffa.”

Earlier this month in the Gates Center, crews filmed scenes for “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” starring Cate Blanchett, Laurence Fishburne and Billy Crudup..

“Film crews mostly want to know: ‘Can we change this? Can we paint this? Can we tear this apart? Can we take these doors off?’” Papuga said. “It’s a matter of doing our best to help them get the scene they want.”

“Preparing for high-profile events during the academic year can be a challenge, but my job is to make sure they have everything they need without disrupting other operations,” Papuga said.

For the White House Frontiers Conference last October, SpaceX brought a space capsule to put on display.

“We had to get the space capsule from the street onto the campus. So, it’s a matter of logistics a lot of the time,” he said.

When he is not at work, Papuga likes to golf and spend time with his family and grandchildren. In his 35 years at Carnegie Mellon, Papuga said he has seen tremendous growth at the university.

“I’m proud to be part of an institution that is recognized worldwide,” he said.

Byron Yu, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering, and Matthew Smith of the University of Pittsburgh, have received a four-year $1 million grant to use brain-computer interfaces to understand how the sensory environment and state of mind combine to affect perception and interpretation of the world around us. Their work has implications for treating psychiatric disorders. The NSF granted 19 awards to teams from all over the United States to conduct research on neural and cognitive systems. The awards will contribute to the NSF’s support of the BRAIN initiative, a research effort created to spark the development of new neurotechnologies. Find out more.

Max G’Sell, an assistant professor of statistics, and Avniel Ghuman of the University of Pittsburgh received a National Science Foundation award for brain research. G’Sell and Ghuman will work to understand how the brain perceives and understands the actions, emotions and communications of others. The three-year, $1 million grant will allow them to understand brain circuits in a real-world setting. They will record electrical brain activity in patients undergoing neurosurgical treatment for epilepsy while they have natural interactions with friends, family, doctors and hospital staff. Ultimately, they hope to provide much greater insight into neural processes that become dysfunctional in debilitating brain disorders such as autism and post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn more.

The Desert Research Institute has named chemistry graduate student Qing Ye the runner-up for the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences. The award is presented to a woman pursuing a graduate degree in atmospheric sciences or a related program at a university in the United States. Ye, a fifth-year graduate student conducting research on aerosols, tiny liquid or solid particles that pervade the atmosphere, works in CMU’s Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies and is the first student in the joint Ph.D. program in chemistry and engineering and public policy. She received the second-place award for her manuscript “Mixing of secondary organic aerosols versus relative humidity.” The work showed that semi-volatile organic compounds can readily diffuse into the billions of tiny atmospheric particles that inhabit the air, easily moving among them. Find out more.

CMU Night at PNC Park is Sept. 6

For the second consecutive year, Carnegie Mellon is partnering with the Pittsburgh Pirates to host Carnegie Mellon Night at PNC Park on Wednesday, Sept. 6, when the Pirates take on the Chicago Cubs at 7:05 p.m.

Members of the CMU community may purchase upper level grandstand tickets along the third base line for $20 each and lower level corner box seats along the left-field line for $25 each. Each ticket comes with a voucher to receive a co-branded Pirates-CMU baseball hat.

Prior to the game, members of the CMU community will have the opportunity to enjoy “happy hour” discounts (40-50 percent off) on food, beer and non-alcoholic drinks from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Block House Corner at the base of the left field rotunda behind section 134.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the CMU Night at PNC Park website.

The event is part of the Pirates’ University Nights promotion.

Swartz Center Awarded Renewal of I-Corps Site Program

Carnegie Mellon’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship was recently awarded a continuing grant from the National Science Foundation for the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Site program.

Since fall 2014, CMU’s I-Corps program supports exploratory businesses created by teams interested in moving STEM research out of the lab and into the marketplace. The program builds upon CMU's demonstrated strengths in fusing technology and entrepreneurship, recruiting and training entrepreneurial teams each academic year to accelerate business exploration and creation.

Since the inception of the program, 85 entrepreneurial teams composed of 267 faculty, staff, students and alumni from across all seven CMU colleges and schools have participated in the I-Corps curriculum. To date, they have been awarded more than $11 million in additional funding for their ventures.

The principal investigator of the I-Corps Site is Computer Science Professor Lenore Blum, faculty co-director of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship and founding director of its incubator program, Project Olympus. Co-PIs include David Mawhinney, executive director of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship; Robert Dammon, dean of the Tepper School of Business; Andrew Moore, dean of the School of Computer Science; and Robert Wooldridge, director of the Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation.

The Swartz Center is now recruiting for its seventh cohort, which will kick off Sept. 18. The deadline to apply is Sept. 8.

Pictured above are the co-founders of RoBotany, one of the I-Corps Site program's success stories. RoBotany is transforming modern indoor agriculture with automation and software analytics.  

Polarization Over Science Topics Increases with Education

Carnegie Mellon researchers have found that people's beliefs about scientific topics that are associated with their political or religious identities become increasingly polarized with education as measured by years in school, science classes and science literacy.

"A lot of science is generally accepted and trusted, but certain topics have become deeply polarizing. We wanted to find out what factors are related to this polarization, and it turns out the 'deficit model' — which says the divisions are due to a lack of education or understanding — does not tell the whole story," said lead author Caitlin Drummond, who recently received her Ph.D. in behavioral decision research from CMU's Department of Social and Decision Sciences. Drummond will be a postdoctoral research fellow at the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan this fall.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences (PNAS), Drummond and CMU's Baruch Fischhoff used data from the nationally representative General Social Survey. They examined predictors of Americans' beliefs about six potentially controversial issues — stem cell research, the big bang, human evolution, genetically modified foods, nanotechnology and climate change. They measured education by the highest degree earned, science classes taken in high school and college and aptitude on general science facts.

Learn more.

Vote Up! To See #CMUatSXSW

Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff could have a strong showing at 2018’s SXSW, but they need your help! After creating a one-time login, “Vote Up” the following panel proposals to see #CMUatSXSW.

John Balash, education network coordiator, ETC, How K-12 is Shaping the Development of VR Ed-Tech

John Balash, education network coordinatior, ETC, 20/20: 20 years of VR hardware in 20 minutes

Michael Brett, managing director HCII, Are Your Students Learning? Prove It!

George Kantor, senior systems scientist, A.I. Will Help Feed a Growing Planet with FarmView

Laura Kelly, social media manager, LIVE FROM THE QUAD: Higher Ed & Live-Streaming

Ari Lightman, professor, Experience & next generation of social analysts

Ari Lightman, professor, Welcome to the “Internet of Threats”

Jordan Mroziak, community outreach coordinator, CREATE Lab, Disrupting Classical Music: Audience of the Future

Illah Nourbakhsh, director, CREATE lab, Message from Me: Enhancing Adult-Child Interaction

Molly Steenson, associate professor, Architectural Intelligence: AI & Design

Mark Stehlik, assistant dean for outreach and teaching professor, Re-envisioning the K-12 Computer Science Pipeline

Manuela Veloso, head, Machine Learning Department, How Can Robots Gain Our Trust?

Athletics Department Offers Golf Lessons

CMU Head Golf Coach and PGA professional Dan Rodgers is offering personalized golf lessons for students, faculty and staff. All lessons will be conducted in Skibo Gymnasium using the golf program’s state-of-the-art golf simulator.

Lessons are by appointment only and can be made by contacting Rodgers at rodgersd@andrew.cmu.edu. The cost is 40 FitBucks per half hour. For more information on FitBucks, visit the FitBucks website.

2017-2018 Academic Calendars Now Available

The 2017-2018 academic calendars are now available at the University Store. Academic Calendars can be purchased on the lower level of the University Store at $2.09 each. For bulk orders (over 50) or orders for off-campus locations, details can be sent to art-store@andrew.cmu.edu.

More information about calendar orders is available online.

Gerwig has been director of the Jared L. Cohon University Center since the building opened in 1996. A nexus for the CMU community in Pittsburgh, the Cohon Center is the most popular venue on campus for meetings, student performances, concerts, movies and guest speakers. It also hosts conferences, commencement activities and large student events like the Lunar Gala, Meeting of the Minds and the technical and business career fairs.

“Every major university event touches this building in some way,” Gerwig said.

Gerwig oversees the building’s operations, including the information desk. She also sets policies, helps with logistics for each event and “keeps the trains running on time.”

“It’s different every day. I like putting the pieces of the puzzle together,” she said. “We do amazing things. We can get anything done with a lot of collaboration and partners on campus. The students are incredible, creative, challenging, enjoyable, smart and helpful. They’re just a pleasure to work with and so is the staff.”

Gerwig works with four staff members and 32 student workers. The team works with the Athletics Department and Dining Services, which operate the building’s physical fitness facilities and eating locations, respectively. They also work with Facilities Management and Campus Services and Custodial Services, which Gerwig said are vital to the center’s success.

“We really could not get through the day without their help. They take ownership of the building. They understand the big picture and what needs to be done to make a good experience for everyone,” she said.

One of her most memorable events in the Cohon Center was the 2016 White House Frontiers Conference, in which national thought-leaders, including President Barack Obama, discussed building America's capacity in science, technology and innovation.

“That type of an event is on a whole new level,” she said. “It was amazing. They transformed the entire building overnight. Our existing furniture went on the road for a day and the next day it was back to normal. It was like nothing ever happened. It was unbelievable.”

Gerwig usually arrives at work around 6:30 a.m. and often meets with student groups after 4:30 p.m. to help plan events in the Cohon Center. On most days she makes the five-mile commute to and from work on her bicycle.

“It’s a good way to wake up in the morning,” she said.

In addition to cycling, Gerwig enjoys watching late night comedy and police drama shows. She also likes to do yoga, cook and bake.

“Cookies, cakes and pies are my specialty,” she said.

Have a suggestion for the Staff Spotlight? Send it to piperweekly@andrew.cmu.edu.

Carnegie Mellon University is farming out a landscaping job for the environment’s sake.

Goats from Allegheny Goatscape, a herd of four-legged, eco-friendly laborers, will spend about three days and nights on campus, Sept. 13-15, to clear the steep, overgrown hillside between the Gates Center and Purnell Center for the Arts. The area has been invaded by Kudzu vines, which are strangling the native plants and trees.

Steve Guenther, director of operations for Facilities Management and Campus Services (FMCS), said this is a trial program in support of the Green Practices Committee and the university’s commitment to a healthy environment.

“Goats do a good job of eating invasive plants and weeds, their hooves are gentle on the ground, not like a heavy piece of equipment, and the end product is fertilizer,” said Guenther, who noted the goats’ digestive system kills the weeds’ seeds.

“We don’t want to start spraying that hillside with herbicide. We’re hoping the goats will eradicate the area and cut down on the regrowth. It’s all part of our commitment to a long-term maintenance plan that may combine goats with manual labor,” he said.

David Wessell, FMCS supervisor, said an electric fence will keep the Nubian goats and their protective miniature donkey inside the work area on the hillside. FMCS will install a three-foot-high, green plastic fence with signage around the perimeter of the electric fence to keep onlookers at a distance.

“We’ll set it up, and they’ll put the donkey and goats in there. About six goats can clear an acre of ground in a week and we have about two-thirds of an acre. So, we’re thinking three to four days should do it,” Wessell said.

“This is the first time on campus for something like this. This is an ecological approach to general vegetation removal. It’s a learning opportunity for the campus community,” he said.

Gavin Deming, founder and executive director of Allegheny Goatscape, said he is excited to come to Carnegie Mellon and is glad people are thinking about goats to help landscape difficult, overgrown areas.

“When we use goats we’re avoiding using any kind of chemical that goes into the plants, into the ground and into the air. It’s surely a benefit if we can avoid pesticides and herbicides at any cost,” Deming said. “Also, when you’re using goats you’re not using excess gasoline and oil for machinery that is often used in trickier landscaping situations.”

Deming said it makes sense to take advantage of what goats do best.

“It’s a very natural thing for goats to eat nearly any type of plant. So, why not make use of what they do naturally,” he said.

The best place to view the goats at work will be from the Pausch Bridge.

“We will be putting up signs on the bridge. There’s a perfect view from there,” Guenther said.

Kristin Ward props up drama students with her artistry and ingenuity.

As a fulltime props coordinator working in the Purnell Center for the Arts, Ward assists students in creating every conceivable item the actors need on stage to achieve their most authentic performances.

“At the moment, we’re upholstering furniture for a show set in the Victorian era. But the script calls for an exploding can of tomatoes, and soon I will have to help the students figure out how to make that happen,” she said.

Ward fell in love with theater in high school, mostly from a performance perspective. She graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester, where she learned acting, costuming and how to build scenery.

“There are certain ways that you build scenery and you do that over and over again. It’s the same with costumes; even when you have different designs, you’re using the same set of skills,” she said. “With props it’s always something different, and that’s what I like about it. It allows me to constantly learn and use my imagination.”

When she is not working behind the scenes, Ward likes to return to acting. She wrote, produced and performed a one-woman show, “Swan,” inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Ugly Duckling.”

“‘The Ugly Duckling’ is a story about how the outside world can be so brutal. For me, that hasn’t been my experience,” she said. “I wanted to create something about learning from others who are different from you, and about sharing and finding commonalities and defining who you are not just by how you were born but how you’ve been shaped by the world around you.”

Ward performed “Swan” at the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival in March, and she will perform it again at 1 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Nov. 17-19, at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. She said the message she works to convey through the show is that to find where you belong, you must look with your heart.

“Even if you feel like the odd one out, sometimes you just have to open up, step forward and find your belonging through a little bit of bravery,” she said.

Ward feels like she belongs at CMU.

“I like the community feel of Carnegie Mellon University,” she said. “I feel like I’m part of something, that we’re all on the same team.”

Have a suggestion for the Piper Spotlight? Send it to piperweekly@andrew.cmu.edu.

CMU-Alert Test Friday

A test of the university’s emergency notification service, CMU-Alert, will be conducted at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1. In the event of an emergency, CMU-Alert sends voice or text messages to registered phones and emergency alert devices on campus. The messages provide brief details about the nature of the emergency and direct people to www.cmu.edu/alert for more information, instructions and updates.

All students are automatically registered to receive CMU-Alert messages, and faculty and staff are encouraged to sign-up for the same. Faculty and staff can register and update their information online at www.cmu.edu/alert by clicking on the “what is CMU-Alert?” link.

Flu Vaccine Clinics Begin Sept. 7

Once again, the university will be offering flu vaccines at no cost for faculty and staff members. New this year, the flu vaccine clinics will be hosted by Human Resources and administered by Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Visit the Flu Vaccine Clinic Website for the clinic schedule and more information. To obtain your flu vaccine, you will need to present your Carnegie Mellon ID card. While walk-ins are welcome, for faster service it is recommended that you schedule an appointment.

Weighing Lightest Particle in the Universe

Physicists from Carnegie Mellon are part of an international collaboration that’s aiming to weigh the universe’s most elusive particle — the neutrino.

Postulated in 1930 and detected in 1956, the neutrino has captivated scientists for decades. Neutrinos are the most abundant particle in the universe — and the lightest, weighing at least 250,000 times less than an electron. Because neutrinos are so lightweight, attempts to determine their mass have failed, so far. A new experiment, called KATRIN (Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino), hopes to change that.

“With KATRIN, everything is bigger, everything is better,” said Assistant Research Professor of Physics and CMU alumna Diana Parno, who is an analysis co-coordinator for the KATRIN experiment, which is based in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Learn more.

Book Offers 18 Years of "Challenges to the Dream"

A new anthology, “Challenges to the Dream: The Best of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Awards at Carnegie Mellon University,” includes a powerful selection of the poetry and prose pieces from the writing contest’s 18-year history. Edited by English Professor Jim Daniels, the book will be published by CMU Press in October and features 91 pieces from 83 writers and 31 different schools on topics ranging from racial and cultural stereotypes and school bullying to homophobia and identity questions.

Tracy K. Smith poet laureate of the United States and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, called the anthology, “the mortar that will mend our nation’s spirit." She said, "It is consoling beyond words to witness these young writers wrestling with the realities of race, bringing solid thought and well-wrought language to bear upon that process.”

Since its inception, the MLK Jr. Writing Awards contest has received more than 2,000 entries. The anthology’s purpose is to not only share especially moving pieces from the awards program but also encourage and extend more conversations about racial, political, gender, cultural and other diversity issues.

Find out more and purchase an advance copy.

2017-2018 Academic Calendars Now Available

More information about calendar orders is available online.

Four faculty members at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar have been awarded National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) grants by the Qatar National Research Fund. The grants will fund CMU-Q faculty studies on breast cancer, water quality, computer science education, and marine environmental monitoring.

Saquib Razak, associate teaching professor of computer science, was awarded a grant to expand Alice Middle East, an interactive software tool that guides students through the basics of computer programming. With the NPRP grant, Razak and the Alice Middle East team will develop a three-year curriculum for local middle schools. The new curriculum will focus on computational concepts and critical thinking, which are crucial skills for young people as they enter the workforce.

Ihab Younis, assistant teaching professor of biological sciences, was awarded a grant to study the molecular indicators of breast cancer, which is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Qatar. The project also seeks to add to the database of breast cancer biomarkers, which will have direct impact on diagnosis and provide novel therapeutic targets and approaches to treatment.

Annette Vincent, assistant teaching professor of biological sciences, was awarded a grant for her project on water quality within Qatar. The project uses bacteriophages — viruses that infect bacteria — as biomonitoring tools to provide a more accurate assessment of the types of bacteria present in the water. Vincent’s research could have important implications for Qatar’s water security, perennially a top priority in a country where the drinking water is desalinated seawater. Vincent will collaborate with Basem Shomar, principle investigator of environmental and chemical sciences at Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

Gianni Di Caro, associate teaching professor of computer science, will investigate the monitoring of marine environments over extended periods of time. Di Caro’s team seeks to develop swarms of unmanned aerial and surface robots that are equipped with GPS devices and sensors for environmental monitoring. Because the system will be designed for use in long-running missions, it will allow for repeated, time-indexed data sampling that can help develop distributed and scalable solutions for controlling individual and system-level behaviors.

Jeremy Avigad co-organized the conference “Big Proof” this summer, which gathered research from all over the world to explore ways that logical methods in computer science can be used to support mathematical reasoning. Jeremy Avigad is a professor of Philosophy and Mathematical Sciences in the Department of Philosophy. Find out more about the conference.

Tailgate Party Saturday

The Carnegie Mellon University Department of Athletics will be hosting the UPMC Season-Opening Tailgate party Saturday, Sept. 9, prior to kickoff of the Tartans’ first home football game of the season against the University of Rochester.

The Tailgate party will begin at 12 p.m. on the IM/Soccer Field on the east side of Gesling Stadium. Students, staff, faculty, friends and fans are welcome and encouraged to attend. Hot dogs, snacks and drinks will be provided in a fun atmosphere for Tartan fans to come together to pump up the excitement for the beginning of the football season.

“We are grateful to our colleagues at UPMC for their support of our program, and this special initiative,” said Director of Athletics Josh Centor. “I am looking forward to ushering in the new football season with our student body at the tailgate.”

Come out and enjoy a game of corn hole or can jam with friends, grab some giveaways, and settle in the grandstands to cheer on the Tartans. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Last Call: I-Corps Applications Due Sept. 8

The Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship has announced that the National Science Foundation I-Corps application deadline is Sept. 8.

CMU teams — faculty, staff, students and recent alumni — looking to jumpstart their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) business ideas may apply. Benefits of the program include:

• Up to $2,500 to further your business venture through customer discovery;
• Access to six entrepreneurial workshops focused on agile innovation;
• Become part of the Project Olympus incubator;
• Access to a dedicated Swartz Center mentor to help hone your business idea;
• Priority opportunities to showcase your venture at LaunchCMU and Olympus Show & Tell; and
• Guidance in writing proposals for the national I-Corps Team program, SBIR/STTR grants, regional accelerator programs and other external funding.

Applications must be submitted online.

Learn more.

Two-Factor Authentication Improves Security

Two-Factor Authentication (2fa) is a service that provides an added layer of protection for your Andrew userID and password. University faculty, staff, and student workers are required to use Duo, a 2fa application. Other students, as well as those with sponsored accounts, also are encouraged to enroll in 2fa for added identity and account security.

“Simply stated, two-factor authentication increases the collective online security of the entire university," said Rodney McClendon, vice president for Operations. "Everyone who uses 2fa helps reduce the risk of breaches, and better protects all CMU accounts, passwords, and password-protected data, systems and services.

"Implementation of 2fa is a university-wide effort. I extend my sincere thanks to the entire campus community for their help and support in making the 2fa program a success — from those involved in the 2fa research initiative and user surveys, to everyone who enrolled by our deadline, as well as to all affiliates for their continued awareness and diligence in helping prevent and respond to cybersecurity threats,” McClendon said.

Find out more.

Flu Vaccine Clinics Underway

Once again, the university will be offering flu vaccines at no cost for faculty and staff members. New this year, the flu vaccine clinics will be hosted by Human Resources and administered by Giant Eagle Pharmacy.

Visit the Flu Vaccine Clinic Website for the clinic schedule and more information. To obtain your flu vaccine, you will need to present your Carnegie Mellon ID card. While walk-ins are welcome, for faster service it is recommended that you schedule an appointment.

CMU Earns Grant for Digital Scholarship

The Andrew. W. Mellon Foundation has awarded Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh an 18-month, $60,000 grant to research the development of a standardized platform for digital scholarship. The award will support "Digits," a project that will explore how new technologies that make it increasingly easy to publish, share, reproduce and archive complex digital materials can be sustained in a unified and flexible way.

CMU's Jessica Otis and Scott Weingart, digital humanities specialists, and Pitt's Matt Burton, visiting assistant professor, and Matt Lavin, clinical assistant professor of English and director of the digital media lab, will lead the project. They will focus on minimizing software system administration costs while increasing scale and flexibility.

Digits also will allow digital projects and small-scale work to be preserved and updated.

"It is often considered double-dipping or even cheating to publish nearly identical research as more data becomes available," Weingart said. "Digits would provide infrastructure for regularly updating publications, as with an article that relays perpetually current popular opinions about romance fiction based on a large-scale analysis of online reviews."

Find out more.

Book Offers 18 Years of "Challenges to the Dream"

A new anthology, “Challenges to the Dream: The Best of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Awards at Carnegie Mellon University,” includes a powerful selection of the poetry and prose pieces from the writing contest’s 18-year history. Edited by English Professor Jim Daniels, the book will be published by CMU Press in October and features 91 pieces from 83 writers and 31 different schools on topics ranging from racial and cultural stereotypes and school bullying to homophobia and identity questions.

Tracy K. Smith poet laureate of the United States and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, called the anthology, “the mortar that will mend our nation’s spirit." She said, "It is consoling beyond words to witness these young writers wrestling with the realities of race, bringing solid thought and well-wrought language to bear upon that process.”

Since its inception, the MLK Jr. Writing Awards contest has received more than 2,000 entries. The anthology’s purpose is to not only share especially moving pieces from the awards program but also encourage and extend more conversations about racial, political, gender, cultural and other diversity issues.

Find out more and purchase an advance copy.