In the best of times, the graduate student experience is intense, and we are not currently in the best of times. Students are understandably distressed by changing circumstances and concerns around social isolation, visa statuses, food and housing security, and faculty expectations for research output, along with plenty of general uncertainty about the future. 

In times like these, we need our institution more than ever. CMU has given us reasons to trust — they are, for example, finding remote work and financial assistance for students who held jobs on campus and offering health and wellness support services remotely and online.

As CMU navigates students, faculty, and staff through various uncharted territories, graduate students are working on the crucial personal task of taking care of ourselves and each other.  

Financial Support

If you can’t pay the rent, it’s hard to prioritize mental and physical wellness. To help with new financial stressors, reps in the Graduate Student Assembly will soon vote on contributing $62,000 in unspent student activities fees to support students in urgent financial need through university-administered emergency grants. The reps will be voting online Friday through Wednesday, April 3-8. The Undergraduate Student Senate and several student organizations have already pledged over $30,000 to these funds. The university will distribute info on applying for these new funds soon. 

Wellness Techniques

Digital Yoga Class

You will need:

• yoga mat or blanket
• webcam (salute the sun with a friend) 
• an online yoga instructor (DownDog is free until July 1)
• blasé attitude about camera angles and whether your buddies can see your face

Sign up for the live experience or just set a Zoom date!

Pro tips: add a playlist. Mute your mic.

Cyber Board Gaming

You will need:

• friends who’ll be nice when you win
• hacky or sleek implementation of a favorite board game: try Codenames, The Resistance: Avalon, or anything on Board Game Arena.
• Add video or audio chat.

Pro tip: include friends of friends — they won’t know when you’re lying about being Percival.

Web Therapy

Like therapy, but on Zoom. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) can help you find someone if you are out of state, or try Thriving Campus with the “telehealth” filter. If you are in Pennsylvania, CaPS offers distance counseling via telephone or video conferencing.

Grad Wellness Challenge

The Grad Wellness Challenge is open to all graduate students, partners, and family. Stay motivated and get internet points for working out, meditating or eating something you cooked yourself. Participation prizes included. Sign up here. Bonus points if you attend GSA e-workshops and Zoom offerings from StuGov. 

We'll Get Through This Together

This change hasn’t been easy, and a lot of us are still figuring out how to carry on somewhat normally. Remember that it’s okay not to be on top of everything. Our lives were already less stable (and our resources more limited) than those of most faculty and staff, so students need extra help and understanding right now. If you need help, let someone know, and look around for relevant resources. If you’re doing fine, remember to keep taking care of yourself, and offer a hand to others when you can — we’re in this together, and we’ll get through this together. 

Kristen Allen is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in engineering and public policy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in linguistics, with minors in computer science and cognitive science, from Swarthmore College in 2012.  

Pattye Stragar and her fellow fitness gurus at Carnegie Mellon are making it easy for us to stay fit despite our inability to get to the gym.

“We’re happy to bring the gym to you,” she said.

Stragar, who is fitness operations manager at the university, has been using this “pause” during regularly scheduled life to learn how to record fitness videos.

“We filmed an At Home Total Body Workout with Randy to show you don’t need equipment to work out,” she said. “You can use common items found in the home, such as your backpack filled with books, gallon water jugs, or cans of vegetables from your kitchen cupboard. Be creative with your workouts!”

If you’re missing the social aspect of working out, Stragar encourages you to join the live classes offered at 4:30 p.m. ET every day, Monday through Thursday.

Monday’s class was Abs, Glutes and Boots with Karen. The 45-minute workout focuses on sculpting and strengthening your core and glutes with additional toning of your arms and legs.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Randy will lead you through balance, strength and flexibility exercises. This class uses body weight for a full-body exercise experience.

The movements are challenging, but Stragar says people of every fitness level — from beginners to advanced — will benefit from each successive class.

“As someone who went religiously to CMU's Group-X fitness classes, I have found staying home to be really tough,” said Cassie Eng, a Ph.D. candidate in cognitive and developmental psychology, who was thrilled to join the live class Monday with several of her friends. “I think some people are having a hard time sitting all day; they’re filling up their time by cooking, eating and binging on Netflix series.”

Prior to the start of live classes, Eng said she has been going virtually with her friends via Zoom to some of the 70 Group-X exercise classes already available on demand. The classes range from yoga, dance and cardio workouts to kickboxing, indoor cycling and strength training.

“We use the share screen and audio so that we can take the classes together!” Eng said.

Nick Golio, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering, is another member of the campus community who misses going to Group-X fitness classes, where he learned exercises that require minimal to no equipment.

“While staying at home, I've been using the skills I've learned in these classes to stay fit from the comfort of my apartment,” Golio said. “But I am also really enjoying the virtual Group-X classes that premiered this week. I intend to follow along for all of the live-streams.”

Stragar invites anyone looking to stay motivated to consider joining the Isolate Your Fitness Challenge and log your workouts online alongside others in the campus community.

“I think the greatest challenge is just to keep people motivated to do something,” Stragar said. “Fitness is social, and the online challenge brings in that social component where you can see what your friends and other people are doing, maybe get some ideas for how you’d like to enhance your own workout.”

The point of it all, Stragar said, is to use this time at home to take care of yourself and maybe learn something new.

“We are so grateful to be able to continue doing this for the campus community, and to have the support of the Athletics Department and our university leadership,” Stragar said.

In honor of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, Carnegie Mellon has named Alexis Adams and Surya Aggarwal as this year’s Graduate Student Teaching and Graduate Student Service Award winners, respectively.

Adams, a Ph.D. candidate in Second Language Acquisition in the Department of Modern Languages, has taught courses in the English and Modern Language departments at the Pittsburgh campus, as well as in the Summer College Preview Program at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar. As an instructor and researcher, she values reflection and strives to create an inclusive learning environment for students. In particular, she focuses on creating learning opportunities during class discussions to support students’ language and content skills.

Most recently, Adams collaborated with the Eberly Center to design a discussion method for international students in a first-year writing course and has used her research to facilitate workshops about discussion practices at university and national conferences. She was recently awarded the Dietrich College Graduate Student Teaching Award for her innovative project.

Adams also works as a senior graduate teaching fellow at the Eberly Center, where she supports other graduate student instructors through observations, workshops and consultations. In addition, she works as an assessment fellow on a team that is assessing the undergraduate Gen-Ed program in the Dietrich College.

Adams completed her master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and Hispanic Languages and Literature at the University of Pittsburgh. She plans on defending her dissertation this spring and hopes to continue to a career in teacher education. 

Aggarwal, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences, has served as president of CMU’s Graduate Student Assembly, fostering efforts to benefit both graduate and undergraduate students. He fostered partnerships with university stakeholders to launch an on-campus legal consultation program and was involved with numerous other GSA initiatives including assessing the mentorship climate and providing childcare support for graduate students.

Prior to serving as president, Aggarwal was vice president for External Affairs for the GSA, taking on leadership roles at the national level as Chair of the Advocacy Board and as an International Student Concerns Advocate for the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. While in that role, he co-led the national campaign to advocate against the provision of the federal tax bill that proposed to tax graduate student tuition waivers.

Aggarwal also has served on numerous university and departmental committees. He completed his master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom and his bachelor’s degree from Amity University in India.

Recently, my thoughts have been going in a million directions at once, even more so than they usually do. I’ve decided to lean into that and share some of my thoughts and experiences. Staying connected is more important than ever, and I hope my story, or parts of it, can contribute to keeping our CMU community connected.

Loss is a common theme right now — we’ve lost our in-person interactions, we’ve lost Carnival, we’ve lost our normal Commencement ceremony. For a lot of my friends who are graduating and moving on to the next phase of their lives after May, they’ve lost the rest of their college experience. It’s heartbreaking. But it’s also bittersweet in a way — we’re hurting from these losses, but I can’t help thinking that I’m so grateful to be a part of a community that I care about enough to hurt this much. Although we’re physically apart, we’ve been tied even more tightly together through our shared yet unique experiences. We mourn what we’ve lost, but we’ll come back together, each carrying a piece of this history with us.

***

In just a mere four weeks, the Zoom Memes for Self Quaranteens Facebook group has exploded. Almost all of the content comes from students finding small ways to combat the chaos and uncertainty of everything going on. We’re definitely hiding behind these memes, but who can really blame us? We’ve created our own “little” community, coming together in these times to laugh at how absolutely ridiculous this all feels with the undertones of, “It’s okay, we understand. We’re here for each other. None of us know what’s going on, I promise.”

***

I used to hate running, but now I go outside and run almost every single day. When I rhetorically asked a friend why my motivation to run has suddenly increased, he said running is one of the few things I have control of right now. And it’s true — when I run, it’s a small escape from the world and my own thoughts because I’m only focused on the music in my ears and my breathing, and I get to decide where I’m going. Beyond a mental reminder to keep my distance from others, I can almost forget all the craziness happening in the world.

***

Some small ridiculous things:

• My fellow Tartans and I have really spent a few days drawing chains of fruits and veggies on our Instagram stories.
• We’re abandoning our real-life chores for virtual chores to pay off our debt to a capitalist raccoon in a video game because it’s cute.
• I became very invested in debating whether chewy or crispy cookies are better (the answer is crispy on the outsides and chewy on the insides > chewy > crispy, by the way).

***

We’re all going through the same thing and yet our experiences are all so unique— we each have different needs and wants and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to how we can feel “normal” right now. It’s terrifying, yet fascinating. And it makes it even harder to try and support each other right now. It feels like the best we can really do is offer an open ear, a friendly face on a screen, and a “how are you doing?” each day. We’re all trying to find little ways to help ourselves and each other feel a bit more grounded.

***

One of the biggest challenges during this pandemic is knowing that, in order to take care of each other, we literally cannot physically be there for each other. It’s a strange paradox to live in, where the most responsible thing to do is stay isolated from one another.

***

Sometimes we really just have to let ourselves feel what we’re feeling and sit with our thoughts and emotions for a little bit. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re feeling or what we’re thinking, but we try to take comfort in knowing we’re all a little lost right now.

***

That’s my story — a small glimpse into my head. Your story is different than mine, but we probably share some common threads. I’d love to learn more about your experiences if you’re willing to share them — I’m collecting stories from the CMU community through my CMU Strangers Project. I think now more than ever, it’s valuable for us to share and see how we’re all going through this, separate but together.

A native of Cupertino, California, Rie Ohta is a senior computer science major and psychology minor. She is involved with C# Singers and Awareness of Roots in Chinese Culture's Spring Theater. Next year she will be a Fifth-Year Scholar working on the CMU Strangers Project. 

Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences Po-Shen Loh invites you to “Ask Math Anything" in his daily 60-minute live show on YouTube. Every day, Loh gives what he likes to call “mathematician office hours,” amid school closures brought on by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the shows, Loh interactively answers math questions posted by the audience in the chat and improvises mini-lessons around all different areas of mathematical reasoning. Loh tries to pick out the most mathematically interesting questions that don’t require prerequisite knowledge. He wants the show to welcome anyone who is interested in math. He also doesn’t want the lessons to resemble a math class. “I don’t want to replace teachers,” Loh added. “This is not a math class to teach you math techniques.” Instead he wants viewers to think about math in context. “My goal is to have a freewheeling chat to show how concepts interact in math and how those concepts interact with the real world,” Loh said. Find out more.

Rebecca Taylor and Kate Whitefoot have received NSF Early Career awards to support their research and educational goals.  

Taylor, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, will use the grant to support her research on nanostructures made using an artificially synthesized DNA-mimicking polymer. She will study the structure and formation of these novel nanostructures made using programmable gamma peptide nucleic acid (gammaPNA)-based materials. In particular, she will be studying the effects of different “weaving” patterns, chemical modifications and organic solvent mixtures as she seeks to learn more about peptide nucleic acid self-assembly.

Whitefoot, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and engineering and public policy, studies engineering design and economics to understand product design in the context of markets and regulations. The award will support her research on product differentiation. This work will better understand the optimal variety of product designs under different market and policy conditions. It will also develop computational models to inform product design strategies.

Ryan Tibshirani, associate professor in the Department of Statistics and Machine Learning Department, has received a  Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Naval Research Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) award. Tibshirani joins a multi-institutional team on a project titled "Theoretical Foundations of Deep Learning.” The team will receive $6 million over five years to develop a principled theory of deep learning that is based on rigorous mathematical principles. This project will emphasize mathematical foundations that quantifies the advantages of deep networks over more traditional approaches. “This a truly unique opportunity to work with leaders in fields [other] than my own,” said Tibshirani. “I can already tell from the work we did in putting the proposal together that we will all learn a lot from each other.” The team includes members from the University of Maryland, Texas A&M University, University of Wisconsin, University of California, Los Angeles, and Rice University. Find out more. 

Alumna Forms Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh

School of Art alumna Jenn Gooch began seeing reports about shortages of face masks and decided she’d sew a few to help out some neighbors in need. From those first few masks, Gooch formed Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh, a well-organized team of volunteers who cut, sew and deliver masks, as well as provide education on proper mask wear and care, to many of Pittsburgh’s in-need but overlooked populations.

“I made a couple of tutorials on how to make masks and that exploded into me both making masks, as well as doing the material research to create masks that were washable and reusable,” Gooch said.

Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh is now run by a board of seven volunteers who coordinate mask fabrication, material donations, requests and deliveries, along with other logistics. Around 50 volunteers make the masks and drive them to those in need.

Find out more.

Emergency Fund to Assist Students with Expenses Related to COVID-19

The Tartan Emergency Support Fund has been established through the generosity of alumni, parents, friends of the university and student organizations to provide enrolled CMU undergraduate and graduate students with emergency funds to assist with unforeseeable expenses related to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. The purpose of this fund is to cover unexpected circumstances needing immediate assistance, such as moving expenses, rent, food, medication, and other personal health and safety needs that occur during the spring term (through mid-May 2020). The Tartan Emergency Support fund does not require repayment; however, students receiving these funds are responsible for any potential tax implications. This fund supplements the existing Emergency Student Loan (ESL) program administered by the Office of the Dean of Students.

Both of these funding options will utilize the existing ESL form to receive and process requests. To apply, call the Office of the Dean of Students at 412-268-2075 to speak with a staff member and complete the online ESL application noting any COVID-19 specific impact. Summer 2020 funds may be available starting in May.

For those interested in supporting student needs through the fund, gifts are being accepted.

Grad Student Week Puts Spotlight on Adams, Aggarwal

In honor of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, Carnegie Mellon has named Alexis Adams and Surya Aggarwal as this year’s Graduate Student Teaching and Graduate Student Service Award winners, respectively.

Adams, a Ph.D. candidate in Second Language Acquisition in the Department of Modern Languages, has taught courses in the English and Modern Language departments at the Pittsburgh campus, as well as in the Summer College Preview Program at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar. As an instructor and researcher, she values reflection and strives to create an inclusive learning environment for students. In particular, she focuses on creating learning opportunities during class discussions to support students’ language and content skills.

Aggarwal, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences, has served as president of CMU’s Graduate Student Assembly, fostering efforts to benefit both graduate and undergraduate students. He fostered partnerships with university stakeholders to launch an on-campus legal consultation program and was involved with numerous other GSA initiatives including assessing the mentorship climate and providing childcare support for graduate students.

Find out more about Adams and Aggarwal.

School of Music Launches Play-In-Place

The School of Music has created Play-In-Place, a new video series showcasing the talented students and faculty of the school performing in their living rooms, porches, offices, back yards, or wherever they are sheltering in place.  

In the first installment of Play–In–Place, vocal performance majors Alyssa Vieau and Will Torres created this moving version of "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins, arranged by William Torres, Jr. — while quarantined 500 miles apart.

Watch, listen and enjoy.

HR Policy Enhancements Support Staff During Pandemic

President Farnam Jahanian has announced several enhancements to CMU policies in Human Resources that are designed to support university staff during this unprecedented time. These policies allow all CMU staff employees the opportunity to earn their full compensation through May 31, 2020. 

Enhancements include the creation of an Alternative Work Marketplace for Remote Assignments for employees whose jobs do not fully lend themselves to remote work, an option for the university to recognize up to 10 days of community service and/or staff professional development, additional PTO options and the ability to choose a reduced work schedule with reduced pay for up to two months. 

“Thank you all for your continued passion for, and dedication to, Carnegie Mellon, and especially for your hard work and flexibility during the past few weeks,” Jahanian said in an email to staff and faculty. “As I have said on multiple occasions, staff are a vital part of this institution who help us to deliver on CMU’s extraordinary potential. I am truly grateful for all of your efforts as we get through these challenges together.”

Read President Jahanian’s message to staff and faculty.

Volleyball Team Video Goes Viral

Carnegie Mellon’s volleyball team had a little fun staying connected at a distance by creating a video on its TikTok social media account. Thanks to some clever video editing, the Tartans seem to be setting and hitting the ball back and forth to each other. Shared on CMU’s main Facebook page, the video has reached nearly 1 million people, and has garnered more than 530,000 views, almost 40,000 engagements and more than 35,000 clicks. Check it out.

CMU Pantry Accepting Donations for Student Shoppers

The CMU Pantry is accepting donations to keep the pantry stocked with a healthy variety of food for our student shoppers. In addition to non-perishable foods, donations of hygiene products and cleaning supplies also are  appreciated. If you would like to donate physical items, a time can be arranged when a staff member can meet you at the pantry to collect the items.

If you would like to make a monetary donation, you can do so by following these steps:

• Visit the CMU Giving webpage.
• Click “Give Now”
• Click “Search All Funds”
• Search for the “Student Food Insecurity Fund” – any money donated to this fund will directly benefit student food insecurity initiatives on campus, including the CMU Pantry.

The CMU Pantry thanks you for your support.

Vote for Your Staff Council Divisional Rep

Voting for Staff Council Divisional Representatives for the 2020-2022 term ends Friday, April 10.

Visit the Staff Council website to learn about the candidates in your division, and use the unique link to your ballot that was in your Staff Council email dated April 1. Thanks for voting! 

Journal Features CIRP Grad Students

The seventh edition of the CIRP Journal, sponsored by Carnegie Mellon’s Center for International Relations and Politics (CIRP), features the abridged theses of its six master’s degree students, who have a broad range of specializations and interests. All of the articles loosely relate to how societies are governed, whether it be through analysis of legal interpretations, the effects of different variables on democracies, or changing cybersecurity policy.

Students featured are Kellen Carleton, Ian Asenjo, Raaga Kalva, Michael Gormley, Colin Tait and Jacqueline Puschmann. 

Swartz Center Seeks Applicants for Innovation Fellows Program

The Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship is seeking applications for its 2020 Innovation Fellows program. Innovation Fellows is a year-long entrepreneurial program offered to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and young faculty working with faculty investigators on university research. The goal of the program is to support researchers in exploring the potential for creating a successful company based on their technology. 

Along with cohort-based educational workshops and expert one-on-one mentoring, Innovation Fellows will receive a $50K contribution from the Swartz Center, with a required $50K match from another source, to assist them in the process of commercializing university research. 

Further details on the program and eligibility can be found at the Swartz Center website. Questions can be directed to Melanie Simko at msimko@andrew.cmu.edu. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 27. 

Gelfand Center Seeks Students for Educational Outreach Awards

Each year the Gelfand Center recognizes three students who have made a commitment to sharing their knowledge, talents, skills and time to make a difference in the lives of children in the community. Awardees will each earn a $250 prize! This is a self-nomination process, with letters of support provided by on-campus or community partners. Click for self-nomination form or email GelfandCenter@andrew.cmu.edu for information.  All nomination materials are due by Friday, April 17.

Who’s New at CMU? 

Carnegie Mellon welcomes the following new staff members.

• Rajanie Prabha, Machine Learning Research Scientist, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center;
• Anthony Basso, Laborer I, FMS Operations;
• Dana Vietmeier, Finance and Research Administrator, Mechanical Engineering Department;
• Jim Piekutowski, Learning and Development Trainer, Office of Human Resources; and
• Colin Brown, Executive Director, Heinz College Development.

In a world filled with uncertainties, one thing is for sure: Headspace is there for you.

Whether you’re stressed, having trouble sleeping, having a hard time focusing, or just want to get the most out of your daily walk, Headspace offers guided meditations that can help on these topics and many more.

“Our scientific research shows that even a couple of minutes of mindfulness meditation practice each day has stress reduction benefits,” said David Creswell, associate professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. “Instead of getting swallowed up in the COVID-19 news cycle, I recommend people give Headspace a try.” 

Headspace is free to Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff and students. To redeem your free subscription, go to CMU’s landing page on the Headspace website, enter your Andrew ID and create a new password for your account.

To help people during the pandemic, Headspace has put together “Weathering the Storm,” a special collection of free content that anyone can access. Angela Lusk, program director of Student Affairs Wellness Initiatives at Carnegie Mellon, encourages people to share this free content with family members and friends who may need some mindfulness.

“I have been hearing from quite a few members in our community — students, faculty and staff — that sleep has been a challenge for them,” Lusk said. “Headspace offers some great guided relaxation exercises, nighttime meditations and music to support sleep. Personally, using the Sleep Health and Managing Stress daily packs have been helpful in my own wellness routine as I try to navigate the ambiguity of this experience.”

Beginners can learn the basics of meditation through the app in as little as three minutes a day.
Animated videos explain mindfulness concepts in a way that is entertaining and easy to understand. Themed packs meet listeners where they are, meaning a listener can follow a series of daily meditations on a single topic such as stress, anxiety, loneliness, parenting, mindful eating, how to feel motivated upon waking up in the morning, and many more.

“When we introduce a few minutes of mindfulness and meditation into our day, suddenly we become very aware that we have the ability to focus more, to sleep better, to worry less, because mindfulness pulls us back into the present moment and what we can control,” Lusk said.

Carnegie Mellon's leadership in adopting the meditation app university-wide and its research collaborations with the company led Headspace to select CMU and Pittsburgh for kicking off its “Happy Healthy America” tour last November. The free event featured two days of mindfulness and meditation activities in nearby Schenley Plaza inside a giant bubble structure.

Want more mindfulness in your life? Follow Headspace on Instagram and connect with founder Andy Puddicombe, the voice of Headspace, for his live, daily “Take Ten” meditations that often feature a special guest.

In a crisis, Mr. Rogers said to always look for the helpers. You can find them at Carnegie Mellon University.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent recommendation from federal and state authorities to wear face masks in public to help mitigate the spread, Angela Ng, Emily and Laurie Arch, and Nancy Hags have taken to their sewing machines to lend a hand. Together, they have produced more than 550 masks thus far. And they’re still going strong.

Ng, a CMU alumna and program director for Student Engagement at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar, along with CMU Custodial Services Manager Emily Arch, custodian Laurie Arch and family member Sharon Myers, have made 400 cloth face masks for CMU custodians, maintenance workers, police officers and other essential employees. Ng, who is riding out the pandemic in Pittsburgh, plans to make 600 more in the next two weeks using material she purchased at Joann Fabrics and ribbon for ties instead of elastic, “which was sold out everywhere.”

Ng connected with Facilities Management and Campus Services (FMCS) through a Facebook group of people sewing for health care workers in Pittsburgh. When she completed her first batch of masks, she posted a note on Facebook and received a comment that CMU’s custodial staff needed them. 

“I decided that no matter where I was in the world, I could still do my part.”— Angela Ng

“I walked right over and dropped them off!” she said. “I know how essential they are in keeping our community clean. I think what most people don’t understand is that these essential workers can’t just have one mask, they have to have multiple since it takes time to sanitize and wash them, and they might want to change it throughout a shift.” 

Ng, who earned her bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering and biomedical engineering in 2016, has a master’s degree in global disease and epidemiology and control from Johns Hopkins University. She was looking for a way to help.

“Johns Hopkins has been sending massive amounts of emails of how to help make PPE (personal protective equipment) in Baltimore, and it made me want to activate the CMU community. I decided that no matter where I was in the world, I could still do my part,” she said. “I also recognized my privilege in having both time and the resources to be able to help. I wanted to make sure that I used my privilege to help others in need.” 

Steve Guenther, assistant vice president for FMCS and University Engineer, said CMU has nearly 2,000 washable masks and 15,000 disposable masks ordered but a strained supply chain is holding up delivery.

“The donations of homemade face coverings for our front-line staff is one more example of the community pulling together in a time of crisis,” Guenther said. “It was a great relief when we received enough homemade face coverings to ensure every essential worker could immediately comply with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s recommendation.”

Hags, a former financial analysis manager for 26 years at the Software Engineering Institute, has made more than 150 cloth face masks for CMU staff working in the Division of Student Affairs, who are caring for the several hundred students who are still living on campus, and for the broader community serving essential roles.

Nancy Hags has made more than 150 face masks for essential staff at CMU.

Hags, the mother of Lorrie Safar, director of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, is a talented seamstress, who quickly offered support.

“I called my mom on Friday evening and shared that my CMU colleagues were in need of facemasks, and by Saturday morning she had already located an online pattern and her assembly line was officially started,” Safar said. 

Hags used her supply of existing fabric and elastic and purchased additional fabric from Joann Fabrics. Tiia Torchia Lager, costume studio manager and senior creative professional in the School of Drama, donated additional elastic. The School of Drama's Costume Department also recently made 50 cloth face masks for CMU Police officers.

Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh

School of Art alumna Jenn Gooch began seeing reports about shortages of face masks and decided she’d sew a few to help out some neighbors in need. From those first few masks, Gooch formed Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh, a well-organized team of volunteers who cut, sew and deliver masks, as well as provide education on proper mask wear and care, to many of Pittsburgh’s in-need but overlooked populations.

“I made a couple of tutorials on how to make masks and that exploded into me both making masks, as well as doing the material research to create masks that were washable and reusable,” Gooch said.

Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh is now run by a board of seven volunteers who coordinate mask fabrication, material donations, requests and deliveries, along with other logistics. Around 50 volunteers make the masks and drive them to those in need. 

New York native Renata Yerzhanova’s last semester as an undergraduate chemistry major in the Mellon College of Science has led to mixed reactions.

Over the past four years, she has been actively involved on campus as an orientation counselor, as part of the Emerging Leaders program in SLICE, and as co-chair for this year’s Spring Carnival.   

Like many CMU students who had been eagerly waiting for the annual spring tradition, Yerzhanova was disappointed when Spring Carnival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was on a plane and started crying when I heard the news,” she said.

But she and fellow Spring Carnival Committee members quickly pivoted and began working on a virtual carnival experience that will offer many ways to get involved remotely.

“The more I work with people at CMU, the more I realize that everybody cares, not only about academics, but about passion and friendship.”

Students can showcase any skill and win prizes up to $1,000 in “Tartans Got Talent.” Other events will virtually highlight the Booth, Buggy and Mobot teams who have already put so much work into Spring Carnival.

“It’s going to look a little different, but the purpose is to keep the spirit alive,” she said.

Yerzhanova is passionate about on-campus leadership and has taken advantage of many opportunities that have come her way. Her favorite part of getting involved is meeting like-minded peers.

“The more I work with people at CMU, the more I realize that everybody cares, not only about academics, but about passion and friendship,” she said.

Yerzanhova was initially worried about the university’s transition to remote learning but says the Chemistry Department has done an amazing job.

“A lot of my professors were communicative of new expectations and understanding during the first week of transition. My advisor, Karen Stump, has done an amazing job with reaching out to students, and to me, to see if she can help in any way. These small details really showed me how much the department and my professors care for us,” she said.

Yerzhanova will be the first woman in her family to graduate from an American university. “I know my parents are proud of me and what I have accomplished,” she said.

This semester, Yerzhanova was registered for a second-half mini lab about designing skincare products, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic. When her instructor, Gizelle Sherwood, learned that Yerzhanova needed the units to graduate, she helped restructure the class so Yerzhanova could use natural ingredients instead of chemicals to complete the experiments at home.

Yerzhanova aspires to work in the cosmetics industry after graduation, and hands-on experience with product design goes a long way toward her career development. 

“Getting to experiment with cosmetics at home is about more than fun and creativity,” she said.

As the first woman in her family to graduate from an American university, Yerzhanova was looking forward to experiencing CMU’s Commencement in Gesling Stadium. Now she will have to settle for getting her degree conferred virtually. 

“Graduation is symbolic of the experience I had here. I will still have the experience, I just won’t have a ceremony for it,” she said.

Though it won’t take place the way she had planned, receiving her degree in May will be her way of saying thank you to her parents for all the support they gave her.   

“I know my parents are proud of me and what I have accomplished,” she said.

Yerzhanova said that even though their year got cut short, the Class of 2020 still has all the memories of past years that they created together.

“Our first orientation where we got to Capture the Moment. All the weekend brunches at Schatz. The late-night snacks at the Underground. The excitement of studying in the new Tepper Building when it first opened. Being part of the first Tartan Community Day, and saying farewell to our beloved Beep-Boop,” she recalled. “We participated in a lot of wonderful CMU traditions.” 

Tending to our mental health and wellness should be top of mind for all of us during this uncharted time of physical distancing, and part of that is finding ways to honor the celebrations and traditions that bring the community together, like Spring Carnival. 

“As we reflect on what helps us to feel balanced and grounded in unfamiliar circumstances, staying connected to each other allows us to process these changes together and not feel isolated,” said Angie Lusk, program director for Student Affairs Wellness Initiatives. “CMU, Student Affairs and partners from across campus have come together to provide a variety of virtual programming for students, faculty and staff that can help to deal with the ambiguity and loss of routine.” 

This year as part of Virtual Spring Carnival, CMU is partnering with Headspace, a leading platform for mindfulness and meditation, to provide an online meditation session to guide listeners through difficult times.

Just Breathe, a virtual chat and live meditation with Eve from Headspace, will take place at 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 17. The session will focus on personal wellness and the benefits of taking care of your mind with Eve Lewis, Headspace's content director, female voice and trained meditation teacher. She will speak about collective loss, sadness, anxiety, mental health and the benefits of mindfulness and will guide attendees through a live, 10-minute meditation.

Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of Headspace, will continue the meditation conversation through #TakeTen, an Instagram live series that features daily special guests and allows listeners to come together for a mindful moment.

“The entire Spring Carnival weekend provides opportunities to take a step back and virtually connect with one another,” said Laurel Furlow, senior associate director of University Events.

Furlow’s team has been working with students and alumni to design virtual activities that are fun, restorative and engaging. 

Victoria Lugo, a junior in global studies and psychology, has spent three years on the Spring Carnival Committee. This year she will be co-chairing Spring Carnival 2020 from her home in Puerto Rico.

Junior Victoria Lugo has helped to make plans for Spring Carnival weekend from her home in Puerto Rico.

Since returning to Puerto Rico, Lugo and her twin sister have been hosting relaxing wellness activities on Zoom every Thursday. Their friends have joined them for a trivia night or a workshop on mask designs.

“A lot of people just need more person-to-person interaction,” she said.

From Puerto Rico, Lugo has helped to make concrete plans for Spring Carnival weekend. Among the many planned events, CMU Dining Services will host a live concession foods cooking class on Instagram, teaching students how to make deep-fried Oreos, a classic recipe from previous Spring Carnivals. 

“We hope students and participants from home will join in with us and enjoy some delicious and traditional carnival food,” she said.

The online cooking class will be followed by the Reunion Happy Hour, when students can join breakout rooms based on their class. Another must-attend event is the virtual Tartans Got Talent Showcase. Saturday is virtual race day when previous buggy races and the awards ceremony from last year will be aired.  

“When we had to break the news to the students about traditional Spring Carnival being cancelled, it broke my heart,” said Andrew Greenwald, coordinator in the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement and Civic Engagement (SLICE), who works hand-in-hand with the Spring Carnival Committee. “But the students have worked so hard to turn virtual Spring Carnival into a rejuvenating experience that celebrates all things CMU.” 

Students and staff give the "thumbs up" at last year's Spring Carnival awards ceremony. In the top row are this year's co-chairs VIctoria Lugo (fourth from right) and Renata Yerzhanova (second from right). In the front row are SLICE coordinators Kaycee Palko (third from left) and Andrew Greenwald (third from right).  

The Spring Carnival Committee and Peer Health Advocates (PHAs) have worked with University Events to plan other activities that will allow students to enjoy the tradition at home. Contests like Design Your Buggy and Build-Your-Booth will activate the CMU community’s creative side and inspire self-expression. 

Participants can color, decorate, bedazzle, and make their Buggy amazing in this contest for all ages. Download the Buggy scene designed by College of Fine Arts (CFA) and Heinz College alumna Andrea Shockling, get creative and upload your design before noon on April 18. 

This year, Booth is open to everyone. Construct your own booth with any material you like and submit your entry with photos by noon on April 18.

Grand prize winners of these contests will be announced on April 19 and $500 will be given to the student organization or CMU fund of the winners’ choice.

In place of the traditional gatherings on the CFA lawn, multiple online webinars hosted by faculty and staff will take place during the weekend. There is also a Carnival Minecraft competition. 

“I think the virtual Spring Carnival events will show how resilient and innovative the CMU community is,” Greenwald said. “It’s important now more than ever that we maintain our sense of community. What better way than to come together around the world to celebrate how our hearts are truly in the work.”

Author Elaine Zhu is a junior professional writing and history major from Shanghai, China.

Jian Ma, associate professor in the Computational Biology Department, is one of 175 scientists, writers, artists and other scholars who have been awarded 2020 Guggenheim Fellowships by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Ma, who joined Carnegie Mellon in 2016, will receive funding for his work in developing algorithms to compare genome structure and function in different biological contexts — a major body of work in his lab in recent years. In a paper published in February in the journal Genome Research, Ma and his colleagues described how they took an algorithm used to study social networks and adapted it to identify how DNA and proteins are interconnected into communities within the cell nucleus. Ma earned a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2011. In addition to his appointment in the Computational Biology Department, he is an affiliated faculty member of the Machine Learning Department. Find out more.

Anna J. Siefken, executive director of the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, has been selected as a Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Ambassador by the U.S. Department of Energy. She joins a cohort of distinguished senior leaders who serve as role models and advocates for women in clean energy. Siefken has spent her career making the business case for energy efficiency, cleantech innovation and building performance as a means to address the world’s energy challenges and the global urgency of climate change. Through programming, targeted outreach and partnerships, she guides the Scott Institute’s efforts to optimize energy resources, reduce the environmental impacts of energy production and use, and develop breakthrough technologies that will have meaningful impact and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, low carbon energy future. Find out more.

Heinz College students Lauren Grubbs and Rachel Hanes and 2019 alumna Katie LeFevre have been selected as finalists for the 2020 Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program, a highly competitive program run by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management that matches outstanding graduate students with federal agencies hungry for talent. Grubbs, Hanes and LeFevre — all from the Master of Science in Public Policy and Management Program — were chosen from a pool of over 4,900 applicants. Grubbs and Hanes are both part of Heinz College's Public Policy in Washington, D.C., program, a master's degree program in which students learn quantitative management and technical skills at CMU's Pittsburgh campus in the first year, then take classes with government and policy practitioners in D.C. in the second year. Students also work nearly full-time hours for a D.C. organization in the second year as part of the Heinz Policy Fellowship program. Grubbs has been completing her fellowship at Mercy Corps, an international development and humanitarian aid organization, and through PMF has accepted an offer to be a Digital Technology Program Specialist with USAID's Global Development Lab, working on digital inclusion projects. Hanes is focused on environmental policy and is doing climate and clean energy related work for the Natural Resources Defense Council for her Heinz Policy Fellowship; she accepted a PMF position as a program analyst with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. LeFevre is completing a post-graduate ORISE fellowship at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Find out more.

Wenner Creates Virtual Tip Jar for Pittsburgh Service Workers

In nationwide efforts to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the coronavirus, many service workers find themselves out of work. Waitresses, barbers and bartenders are without their main source of income: tips.

Danielle Wenner, an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and the associate director for the Center for Ethics and Policy, created the Pittsburgh Virtual Tip Jar in response to the high amount of service workers suddenly finding themselves unemployed. Wenner decided to find a way so she and others can help local workers as well as the greater Pittsburgh community.

"Those of us who have a steady income and whose jobs aren't threatened by the virus [need to] take responsibility to help support the people around us who aren't as lucky as we are," Wenner said. "One of the most important things that people need to [do is] make sending tips a part of their regular routine."

Find out more.

U.S. Army Selects CMU to Lead AI Innovation Framework

Carnegie Mellon has been selected by the U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC) to lead a five-year contract to support research and development of an innovation framework for Advanced Algorithms, Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (A4I).

Carnegie Mellon’s A4I Innovation Framework will accelerate the development and deployment of advanced algorithms, autonomy and AI for the U.S. Army.

“As the pace of innovation grows at an unprecedented rate, Carnegie Mellon will continue to define what’s possible in advanced algorithms, autonomy and AI,” said President Farnam Jahanian. “We are delighted to continue working with the U.S. Army to pursue advances that fortify the nation’s security and defense and accelerate technology-enabled economic growth.”

Find out more.

Say “Thank You” to CMU's Custodial Staff

Facilities Management and Campus Services (FMCS) is asking members of the CMU community to send their thanks to the custodians on campus who are making it safe for the remaining students and essential workers on campus. Hand write a note and send a picture of it to cleanit@andrew.cmu.edu and FMCS will display your thanks in various locations around campus.

New Play-in-Place Series Features Student Musicians

This week’s Play-in-Place series features musical performances by Brian Kelley and John Quinlan.

Kelley, a 2019 graduate and current Advanced Music Studies student, performs his own arrangement of "The Swan" from Camille Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals for tuba and harp, from his apartment in Pittsburgh.

Quinlan is in the BXA interdisciplinary degree program, studying oboe performance and computer science. Here he performs the introduction to Camille Saint-Saëns' Sonata for Oboe and Piano, from his home in La Grange Park, Illinois. "I wanted to thank my oboe professor, Cynthia DeAlmeida, for helping me with this piece in our Zoom lessons!" Qunlan said.

Students Can Order Online from the CMU Pantry

Students who are still living on campus can now order food online from the CMU Pantry. During the pandemic, the pantry is taking online orders and preparing food in bags for pick-up to protect the health and safety of shoppers, staff and volunteers.

All orders from the pantry will include a standardized package of staple foods (fresh produce, protein, canned fruits/vegetables, quick meals, soups, pasta/rice, potatoes, cereal, snacks, miscellaneous items if available, and a cleaning/hygiene item).

Students should follow these steps to place their order:

1. Compete the Pantry Registration Survey: cmu.is/PantryRS
2. Complete the Online Order Form: cmu.is/PantryOrder
3. Pick up your food during the pantry pick-up hours — 3 - 5 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday — and bring your CMU ID.

The CMU Pantry is committed to reducing hunger among students by providing nutritious food at no cost. It is dedicated to serving CMU’s student community with accessible food resources to promote a healthier, balanced university experience.

Find out more.

Podcast Looks at Pandemics, Public Data and Privacy

The Block Center for Technology and Society’s podcast series, titled Consequential, has released its latest episode on Pandemics, Public Data and Privacy, featuring Wilbert Van Panhuis, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh; Tom Mitchell, lead technologist of the Block Center and a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon; and Scott Andes, executive director of the Block Center. The experts discuss the importance of collecting and using data for public health, the individual privacy concerns that arise as a result of this data collection, and the challenges of striking a balance between societal benefit and personal privacy. The episode is part one of a two-episode look at large-scale public health data analytics. Listen to the podcast. 

Swartz Center Seeks Applicants for Innovation Fellows Program

The Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship is seeking applications for its 2020 Innovation Fellows program. Innovation Fellows is a year-long entrepreneurial program offered to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and young faculty working with faculty investigators on university research. The goal of the program is to support researchers in exploring the potential for creating a successful company based on their technology. 

Along with cohort-based educational workshops and expert one-on-one mentoring, Innovation Fellows will receive a $50K contribution from the Swartz Center, with a required $50K match from another source, to assist them in the process of commercializing university research. 

Further details on the program and eligibility can be found at the Swartz Center website. Questions can be directed to Melanie Simko at msimko@andrew.cmu.edu. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 27. 

Who’s New at CMU? 

Carnegie Mellon welcomes the following new staff members.

• Laura Caton, Temporary Employment Service; and
• Yuheng Qiu, Research Associate I, Robotics Institute.

Did You Know?

CMU's unofficial university billboard, the Fence, is usually painted between midnight and sunrise by students who then stand guard as long as they want their message to stay. But, that has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students can now paint the Fence virtually.

Fun Fact: The original Fence was once the "most painted object in the world" until it collapsed and was replaced by a steel-concrete fence.

Before the pandemic brought life as we know it to a virtual halt, Sarah Mendelson was raising awareness in the campus community of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve a peaceful and prosperous planet by the end of the decade.

Today, she is even more convinced of their relevance.

“If the pandemic doesn’t make the case for sustainable development, I don’t know what does,” said Mendelson, Distinguished Service Professor of Public Policy and head of the Heinz College in Washington, D.C. “The opportunities in terms of shifts in public policy are really enormous.”

In case you missed it, January kicked off a global call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity for all people by 2030 using the 17 SDGs — also known as the Global Goals — as a guide. In concert with that call-to-action, Provost Jim Garrett announced a Sustainability Initiative to elevate Carnegie Mellon University’s commitment to and involvement with the global goals.

By March, in many countries, Mendelson said, we were living through a collective action exercise not seen since World War II.

“For most of us, that means actively changing behavior and making sacrifices all together at the same time like never before in our lifetime,” she said.

“This virus, like nothing else, has demonstrated just how much we are of one planet,” she wrote  in a recent blog featured on Global Dashboard. “The concept that we are all global citizens is the bedrock of the Global Goals with its aim of a more peaceful, prosperous planet to benefit people through partnership.”

Mendelson worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Obama administration, where she led efforts to elevate human rights, democracy, and governance, as well as the issue of combating human trafficking. She joined the United States Mission to the United Nations (UN) as Ambassador to the UN’s Economic and Social Council shortly after 193 member states agreed to the Global Goals framework.  That agreement in September 2015 followed years of engagement with millions of people around the world on what ought to be in the framework.  

“I was excited about the Global Goals. I did what I could to elevate them while in New York. But it was very clear to me when I was at the UN that, frankly, the role of the UN in achieving the Global Goals is fairly minimal," she said. "For these kinds of issues to become real, they need to be locally owned and rooted in communities.”

Mendelson joined CMU in January 2018 after taking a year off to think about what she wanted to do.

“Serving more than five years in government, for me, was a long time. I didn’t intend to go into government, and most of my professional life has been spent either in academia or think tanks, so having some time to hear my own voice again and understand my priorities after leaving government was really important,” she said.

Throughout that year off, she kept coming back to young people and the importance of the Global Goals.

“What is personally motivating for me is that I see the Global Goals agenda as a way of refreshing how we do work on human rights,” she said.

Mendelson serves as a co-chair on the Steering Committee for CMU’s Sustainability Initiative along with David Dzombak, Hamerschlag University Professor and head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Steve Guenther, assistant vice president for Facilities Management and Campus Services and University Engineer. She is working with them and Alexandra Hiniker, the Sustainability Initiative’s Executive Fellow, on some Zoom-friendly activities that will run from April 27 through May 15, called the “17 Rooms,” in which students, faculty, and staff can sign up for a Zoom meeting and have the opportunity to learn more about the Global Goals and to share what work they are already engaged in relevant to a particular Global Goal.

“If we can galvanize public demand and political will, the pandemic might indeed offer the opportunity to build back better,” she said. “Once we are up and out of the house, we will need to make this agenda accessible for a world that will need deep, profound and sustained recovery.”

Henny Admoni, an assistant professor in the School of Computer Science's Robotics Institute, has received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, the organization's most prestigious award for young faculty members. The five-year, $550,000 award will support her work on robotic assistive technologies, specifically her project investigating how human eye gaze can reveal when and how people need assistance in daily activities. Admoni's research combines her expertise in human-robot interaction (HRI) and cognitive psychology to enable those with severe motor impairments to independently navigate daily tasks such as preparing food and eating. Many existing assistive robots are reactive, but Admoni sees that changing. "The next major advance in HRI will involve robots that can proactively anticipate and respond to people's needs, just as an experienced caregiver does," she said. Find out more.

Carmel Majidi, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Ryan Sullivan, associate professor of chemistry and mechanical engineering, have won Carnegie Science Awards from the Carnegie Science Center.

Majidi won in the advanced manufacturing and materials category. Majidi's research focuses on soft machines. Unlike traditional machines with heavy circuits and gears, soft machines are made from flexible materials that are suitable for human interaction. Pioneering research done in his Soft Machines Lab (SML) creates unique materials to make softer, more lightweight robots. Some of these machines could function as artificial skin or muscle, and advancements made in his lab are bringing us closer to that reality. These robots could help humankind, completing "co-robotic" tasks such as minimally invasive surgery or household chores. SML's current research includes an electrically self-healing circuit and wearable electronic tattoos. 

Sullivan, associate director of CMU's Institute for Green Science, won in the environmental category. Sullivan is a leading researcher in atmospheric chemistry. As the first scientist in North America to make use of optical tweezer technology to study aerosol particles suspended in air, he has pioneered research into how these particles travel and evolve in the atmosphere, and how they affect the formation of clouds that have significant impacts on Earth's climate. Find out more.

Anne Lambright, dean of academic affairs and professor of language and culture studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, has been named the next head of Carnegie Mellon's Department of Modern Languages, effective July 1. Lambright succeeds Susan Polansky, who has served as head of the Department of Modern Languages since 2008. Polansky will return to her full-time role as teaching professor of Hispanic studies. Lambright joined Trinity College's Department of Languages and Cultural Studies as a faculty member in 2000. Her main appointment is in the Hispanic Studies Program, and she is an affiliated faculty member within the International Studies and Human Rights Studies programs. Her latest book, "Andean Truths: Transitional Justice, Ethnicity, and Cultural Production in Post-Shining Path Peru" (Liverpool University Press, 2015), was the recipient of the Modern Language Association's 2016 Katherine Singer Kovacs Prize for Outstanding Book on Latin America or Spain. Find out more. 

Four Student Researchers Earn Goldwater Scholarships

Cassandra Bishop, Jessica Lee, Shiv Sethi and Noah Stevenson are among this year's recipients of a Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which encourage students to pursue careers in research. They are among the 396 students selected from an applicant pool of over 5,000 sophomores and juniors nationwide.

Bishop, a junior biological sciences major, is an ardent researcher with a keen interest in molecular biology. She is planning to pursue a career in cancer research. Specifically, she wants to understand the carcinogenic drivers that cause that first cell to be cancerous and research immunotherapeutic approaches that could identify and eradicate these cancerous molecules.

Lee, a junior majoring in computer science, is a member of the School of Computer Science's Student Advisory Council and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computer vision and machine learning. Her goal is to develop techniques that make machine learning algorithms more efficient, scalable and explainable — similar to how a human brain is able to learn quickly.

Sethi, a junior neuroscience major and Science and Humanities Scholar, is interested in neuroscience but has spent most of his time in the lab working on cancer research. He has worked in labs at the University of Pittsburgh, Washington University in St. Louis and at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. He currently is working with University of Pittsburgh scientists Louis Falo and Emrullah Korkmaz who are researching a new way to deliver drugs for skin cancer.

Stevenson, a junior in mathematical sciences, is pursuing CMU's Mathematical Sciences Honors Degree Program. At CMU, he has molded his interests in both teaching and research. He has served as a teaching assistant for the mathematical sciences’ courses Analysis I and II, and he has conducted several research projects studying partial differential equations in fluid mechanics and function spaces. He plans to earn his Ph.D. and become a researcher and professor of mathematics.

Find out more.

Gelfand Center Pivots to Support Parents, Prospective Students

In the first week of Pennsylvania's school cancellations ordered by Governor Tom Wolf to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Carnegie Mellon’s Leonard Gelfand Center had thousands of hits on their curated list of educational resources for parents. Director Judith Hallinen points out that the internet teems with activities for kids to do online, but parents struggle to find resources that are meaningful, effective and fun.

"Our staff members have teacher certifications and vast experience working with children from preschool through high school. We take time to vet each resource," Hallinen said.

The Gelfand Center has also partnered with the Division of Student Affairs regarding ways to bring some of these experiences to K-12 and prospective college students, virtually.

"Our tutoring programming with Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) is one of our signature activities," Hallinen said. "We see that as a great opportunity for CMU students to share their expertise and love of learning, and also to help our partner programs enhance their ability to provide individualized instruction." Find out more.

Meet with the Provost Tuesday

Provost Jim Garrett is holding an open office hour from 2 - 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 28 on Zoom. He welcomes students, faculty and staff to use this time as an opportunity to tell him what's on your mind, and share your experiences, ideas, and aspirations for Carnegie Mellon. Find out more.

Career Center Adapts To Help Students Facing Uncertain Summer

Carnegie Mellon's Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) has altered its regular services to ensure students are best poised to land internships or post-graduation jobs in a COVID-19 world.

"The sooner graduates accept the new employment landscape, the better," said CPDC Director Kevin Monahan. "What worked for friends in summer 2019 may not work for new grads this summer. When students accept that reality, they can move forward in their planning and actions quicker than those who wish and hope for a return to former times."

Monahan and his team of 26 have already hosted several webinars for hundreds of students. One recent offering, on April 9, featured representatives from five companies that typically hire Carnegie Mellon graduates. The industry panelists shared insight into the current hiring and recruiting landscape and tips of how to manage stress while searching for opportunities.

Learn more.

Play-in-Place Presents Three New Music Videos to Enjoy

This week, The School of Music’s Play-in-Play series presents three new student videos to share with the community.

Emily Gallagher, a 2019 graduate and assistant at the School of Music, and Joseph Sandler, a 2019 graduate and current Advanced Music Studies student, perform the duet "Where's My Shoe?" from the 1963 musical "She Loves Me." Their performance was recorded in Pittsburgh by their roommate and fellow School of Music graduate Ivan Plazačić.

Ziming (Christopher) Zhu, a master's degree candidate in music, performs the lively "Le Basque" from "Five Old French Dances" by Marin Marais, for horn and piano. 

Theresa Abalos is a senior in the BXA interdisciplinary humanities and arts program, majoring in Flute and Global Studies. She performs excerpts from Katherine Hoover's "Winter Spirits" from her apartment in Pittsburgh.

Swartz Center Seeks Applicants for Innovation Fellows Program

The Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship is seeking applications for its 2020 Innovation Fellows program. Innovation Fellows is a year-long entrepreneurial program offered to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and young faculty working with faculty investigators on university research. The goal of the program is to support researchers in exploring the potential for creating a successful company based on their technology. 

Along with cohort-based educational workshops and expert one-on-one mentoring, Innovation Fellows will receive a $50K contribution from the Swartz Center, with a required $50K match from another source, to assist them in the process of commercializing university research. 

Further details on the program and eligibility can be found at the Swartz Center website. Questions can be directed to Melanie Simko at msimko@andrew.cmu.edu. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 27. 

Who’s New at CMU? 

Carnegie Mellon welcomes the following new staff members.

• Mary Kilcoyne, Alumni Relations Manager, Integrated Innovation Institute;

• Rebecca Panza, Senior Administrative Assistant, SEI Chief Strategy Officer Admin; and

• Randy Burger, Police Officer, University Police.

Read the Dietrich College Diaries

Faculty, staff and students in the Dietrich College are staying connected by sharing their experiences, reflections and tips related to how they are navigating the pandemic in the Dietrich College Diaries. Read the Dietrich Diaries

COVID-19 has interrupted lives across the globe. It has changed the way we interact with each other, shop, eat, work, learn and play. It has also changed the way we access our healthcare.

While the world rushes to learn more about the virus and ways to defeat it, many public health interventions have proven effective at slowing the spread of the disease. Two such practices that Carnegie Mellon University and University Health Services (UHS) have adopted are telehealth care and the general use of facial coverings.

Telehealth Care

Until recently, telehealth was rare. Given the need for physical distancing to control the spread of COVID-19, patients and healthcare providers have turned quickly to telehealth platforms to provide the care that patients need.

Currently, UHS is serving students via virtual services. For students who are living outside of the Pittsburgh area, UHS nurses and staff answer telephone calls and direct students to medical care where they are currently residing. Nurses also assist students to refill medications they receive through UHS and receive laboratory services needed for ongoing therapy.

For students who continue live in the Pittsburgh area, UHS can provide an added service of virtual medical appointments. These appointments are conducted via a Zoom link that is compliant with medical laws and confidentiality. The virtual visit takes place between the student and a healthcare provider at UHS. The service is a medical appointment that achieves much of what an in-person appointment does. It can generate a diagnosis and treatment plan that may result in a patient receiving a prescription that will be called to a pharmacy or advice to care for a condition at home.  UHS is also able to discuss continuing plans of care for patients who may have ongoing medical conditions that they seek treatment for routinely at UHS. We also provide ongoing appointments for students who use UHS for psychiatry services.

Public Health Recommendations

After the Pennsylvania Department of Health determined that face coverings most likely help to slow spread of the coronavirus, Pennsylvania put forth new requirements about wearing a face covering in public.

Experts believe that the virus spreads by coughing or sneezing, propelling the virus through respiratory droplets that can land on surfaces or suspend briefly in the air before dropping to surfaces. Frequently touched surfaces where the virus may be concentrated are doorknobs, elevator buttons, counters, desktops, store checkout counters and payment pads, and bathroom surfaces. Public health officials added the face covering requirements after newer data have indicated that infected people may be able to spread the virus just by talking, laughing or even breathing.

By covering the mouth and nose, a person who may feel well, but who is carrying the virus, will decrease the chances of unknowingly spreading it to others.

The face covering requirement is not a surgical or N95 mask, as these medical grade masks should be reserved for healthcare workers or people who are ill. Instead, any cloth covering over the nose and mouth such as a bandana or even an old pillow case or tee shirt may be used. Learn more about making a face covering.

Wearing a face covering does not negate the need for staying at least six feet from another person in public or for frequent and effective handwashing. Used together, these three practices are the cornerstone of infection control measures that will keep us safer.

Carnegie Mellon University is a deeply caring and committed place. By following the recommendations of public health officials, we can all do our part to protect and support one another and bring our world closer to life, post-coronavirus.

The Cyert Center for Early Education is helping parents manage the stress and chaos of the pandemic with a virtual curriculum for its 187 children, from 12 weeks old through kindergarten.

“Our core has always been relationships,” said Carla Freund, director of the Cyert Center. “Right now, our challenge is continuing to build those relationships when we can’t physically be in the same place.”

The Cyert Center’s 54 staff members have developed a growing collection of resources for parents who are caring for children while working from home. Their E-Connections and Curricular Opportunities (ECCO) includes age-appropriate learning activities, a rich video library and opportunities for virtual interaction — all in line with the center’s values and philosophy.

Katie Walsh, a senior teaching consultant at CMU’s Eberly Center whose two young sons attend the Cyert Center, said the staff’s efforts have been a lifeline, and she has always appreciated their commitment to educating parents about their children’s development.

“They’ve been such a comforting presence at an unsettling time,” she said. “I’ve realized how much these people are my family.”

Using the Cyert Center’s virtual curriculum, Walsh and her sons have made salt dough for sensory play and listened to educators read their favorite books aloud. They’ve taken a virtual walk, reconnected with classmates through video meetings, and cooked familiar Cyert Center recipes like banana bread. Walsh said her 4-year-old son helped organize a special celebration for her birthday.

Freund said children express stress differently than adults, so the Cyert Center is providing parents with strategies to recognize and respond to their children’s emotional cues.

“Children may be clingy or want more cuddles, which can be difficult when parents are managing their own stress,” she said. “We want to provide parents with as much knowledge and support as we can.” 

Assistant Director Sandy Johns has worked at the Cyert Center for 38 years. She said she has always admired the staff’s resiliency, and the current crisis has only reinforced that admiration.

“Our conversations were never if we would continue our work, but how we could continue to support the strong connections we have with parents and children while considering what is developmentally appropriate for each of the age groups that we serve,” she said.

Educational Coordinator Brianna Moskal said her team has pulled together to accomplish things she never imagined would be possible.

“It required the minds and the strengths of every single educator and staff member to fit all of the pieces together,” she said. “Our strong sense of community continues outside the walls of our school.” 

Carnegie Mellon University honors faculty and staff for their exceptional contributions in teaching, advising and mentoring with its annual Celebration of Education Awards. The awards recognize the accomplishments of those who exemplify the university's standards of excellence in education, and celebrates CMU’s distinguished faculty members and educators for their outstanding contributions and devotion to the university.

This year’s recipients are:

• Amy Burkert, Robert E. Doherty Award for Sustained Contributions to Excellence in Education;
• Barry Luokkala, William H. and Frances S. Ryan Award for Meritorious Teaching;
• Ana Maria Ulloa-Shields, Award for Outstanding Contributions to Academic Advising and Mentoring;
• Philip LeDuc, Barbara Lazarus Award for Graduate Student and Junior Faculty Mentoring;
• Felipe Gómez, Teaching Innovation Award; and
• Kim Hyatt, Teaching Innovation Award.
• Carrie Doonan, Lynley Doonan, Emily Drill and Natalie McGuier, Team Teacahing Innovation Award.  

Alexis Adams and Surya Aggarwal are this year’s Graduate Student Teaching and Graduate Student Service Award winners, respectively.

The 2020 award ceremony originally planned for April 30 has been postponed. An event will be hosted during the upcoming academic year to recognize this year's recipients.

Stan Waddell knows what teamwork, collaboration and, of course, technology can do.   

As CMU’s associate vice president, chief information officer and head of Computing Services, Waddell saw them at work first-hand as a leading member of the team that quickly and successfully transitioned more than 2,400 classes on the Pittsburgh campus to remote instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We mobilized early as an institution and pulled together groups from the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Operations, Enterprise Risk Management, the Eberly Center, departmental information technology units and Computing Services,” he said. “We engaged early and often, and that allowed for a very effective response.”

Waddell said small groups formed to tackle many concerns, from necessary software licenses and loaner laptops for students, to last-mile connectivity — how well home internet service would handle remote work — virtual private networks and computer security.

“Our brainstorming sessions yielded calls to action and marching orders,” he said. “In many cases, we had a sense of what to do, if not precisely how to do it. At one point, we were tracking more than 40 discrete issues.”

Waddell said there was a distinct level of coordination between the groups that allowed them to illuminate and solve challenges together.

“We engaged early and often, and that allowed for a very effective response.”

“There wasn’t an actual playbook for how to respond,” he said, “but CMU was in a very good place regarding disaster recovery and business continuity, and this made responding significantly simpler.”

Waddell said his biggest concerns revolved around students’ internet connectivity at home and their ability to access online materials from their personal computer. He said a campus survey prior to the start of remote instruction allowed the team to identify and respond to those student challenges. Some of those issues involved working with vendors to ensure software used in computer labs were made available to students.

A little more than a month after remote instruction began on March 18, Waddell said things are going great and feedback from students and faculty has been positive. But, he expects “second-tier issues” to arise.

“We have solved the foundational problems, and now we are getting to issues around more sophisticated use of technologies,” he explained. “The rapid shift to remote work and online education delivery has created some winners and some losers in the technology landscape.

“Those that are rising to prominence are experiencing some growing pains and the pressures of being in the spotlight, which magnifies shortcomings and shortfalls. Part of what we will have to do is stay vigilant and make sure we educate the campus on how to use the technology effectively and securely,” Waddell said. 

One of those technologies in the spotlight is Zoom, the popular web-conferencing platform, which has been experiencing privacy issues when uninvited guests join the session. 

“We have solved the foundational problems, and now we are getting to issues around more sophisticated use of technologies.”

“Zoom bombing is a real thing, but it is also easy to prevent,” he said. “We can use Zoom with our Andrew ID to limit the possibility of anonymous bad actors spoiling our events.”

Zoom and other security controls are available on the Computing Services website.

The daunting task of moving to remote instruction came a few weeks prior to Waddell’s one-year anniversary at CMU. He joined the university on April 1 of last year after serving in leading technology roles, including chief information officer, at the University of New Hampshire, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He was an aviation electronics technician in the U.S. Navy for nine years.

Upon Waddell’s appointment, Vice President for Operations Rodney McClendon seemed to have a premonition, stating in a university announcement that it was imperative to have a strategic leader to help advance the technical infrastructure that supports the university’s exceptional teaching, research and administration.

Waddell said CMU is weathering the unprecedented move to remote instruction in expert fashion. 

“All aspects of the university community are pulling in the same direction, and as issues arise, we are working collaboratively to solve them,” he said. “I have heard from many external groups about various challenges and how we might solve them, and I can happily say we have already thought about that and have a workable solution.”

Ivan Zhang takes global citizenship seriously. The senior physics major at Carnegie Mellon who calls Pittsburgh home was born in China and spent the majority of his teenage years in Indonesia and Uganda.

“I chose CMU because I knew I would not be limited to one specific major,” Zhang said.

Attracted to CMU’s diverse course offerings, Zhang was encouraged to cross over to other intellectual fields beyond physics. His favorite IDeATe class — nicknamed the “rollercoaster” class — educated students on the basics of event management, enabling them to engage their audience with an immersive, interactive experience in parks and museums. 

Beyond academics, Zhang is an active leader on campus. This year, he was chair of Greek Sing and responsible for organizing the event in collaboration with the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement and Civic Engagement (SLICE). Although the show didn’t make it to a live stage, Zhang was grateful that it was a learning experience for him.

As a member of CMU’s Delta Tau Delta (Delt) chapter, Zhang takes pride in being involved in Greek events and community service. Before CMU, he said he never would have envisioned that giving back to the community would play such a huge role in his life. In 2019, Greek Sing earned $113,000 and donated the funds to 412 Food Rescue, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization that works to combat food insecurity.

“It’s inspiring to hit a six-digit number on your donation box,” he said. “I would not say that Delt has made me into who I want to be, but it definitely changed me into someone admirable from my freshman self.”

After graduating from CMU in May, Zhang will work as a teaching resident at New York University.

“I considered doing pure physics research, but I can’t settle with the fact that I would be very far away from people and community,” he said.

Zhang’s most memorable moment at CMU was Build Week during Spring Carnival in 2018. He was sitting on the second floor of Delt’s unfinished booth at 1 a.m., listening to the drilling sound of circular saws and observing the hustling helmets on Midway.

“I sat there listening to machines turning on and off, and it started to snow. Everything felt so peaceful at that moment, despite the total chaos,” he said.

In his leisure time, Zhang is a huge fan of all sorts of cultural and sporting events around the city. Now, he has resorted to playing Animal Crossing on Nintendo, joining Netflix watch parties, listening to audio books in online libraries and going on daily walks to Fuku Tea.

“I miss walking down the hallway, knocking on someone’s door, and asking them if they want to hang out,” Zhang reflected. “And I will miss the CMU community when I graduate. You can basically put every physics professor on my favorite faculty list.”