piper9/07 Issue

6 A s k A n d r e w th 9 I n t e r n a t i o n a l Smiley Celebrates 25 Anniversary D i s p a t c h e s

1 0 N e w s B r i e f s T he e m ot i c o n — th a t c u l t u r a l p he n o m e n o n th a t l et s e c t u r e p o t l i g h t 1 2 L s u s k n ow whe n p eo p l e a re j o k i n g i n e m a i l — t u r n s

2 5 th i s m o n th . H a r d to b e l i e v e i t a l l s t a rte d

w i th a s i m p l e thre a d o n a C a r n e g i e M e l l o n Alert Now o n l i n e b u l l et i n b o a r d . T he s tor y g oe s th a t s o m eo n e j o k e d a b o u t a c o n t a m i n a te d W e a n

Emergency H a l l e l e v a tor , s o m eo n e e l s e too k i t Service Offered s er i o u s ly a n d c o n f u s i o n e n s u e d . H ow to a v o i d m i s c u e s ? M a r k j o k e s w i th a to Entire Campus “ # ” i n the s u b j e c t l i n e , o n e wr i ter s u g g e s te d . N o , o n e w a g i n s i s te d , “ & ” SMART Radios Under i s d e f i n i te ly the f u n n i e s t c h a r a c ter Development o n the k e y b o a r d . F i n a l ly , S c ott

F a h l m a n , re s e a r c h p ro f e s s or o f n Bruce Gerson c o m p u ter s c i e n c e , p o s te d a m o m e n to u s

Making people aware that an emergency s u g g e s t i o n . “ I p ro p o s e the f o l l ow i n g situation exists is a critical first step in c h a r a c ter s e q u e n c e f or j o k e m a r k er s : crisis communications. For people to : - ) . R e a d i t s i d ew a y s , ” he a d d e d take precautionary measures, they must he l p f u l ly . A n d s o , a t 1 1 : 4 4 a . m . , S e p t . first know that there’s a need to do so. This fall, the Environmental Health & 1 9 , 1 9 8 2 , the e m ot i c o n , or “ s m i l e y , ” w a s Safety (EH&S) Department hopes to i n v e n te d . R a p i d ly a d o p te d a n d e m b e l l i s he d b y make that first step easier by offering other c o m p u ter b u f f s , F a h l m a n ’ s i n s p i r a t i o n its Alert Now emergency notification c o n t i n u e s to s a v e e m a i l a u thor s f ro m the i r service to all students, faculty and staff. ow n l a m e j o k e s . T he S c hoo l o f C o m p u ter S c i e n c e

Alert Now is a rapid message p l a n s a c e l e b r a t i o n f or the s m i l e y o n i t s b i rth d a y , service that can send thousands of voice W e d n e s d a y , S e p t . 1 9 . messages within minutes. In the past,

C o n t i n u e d o n p a g e three

New Social Site Promotes “Mind Over Chatter”

n Byron Spice Unlike typical sites, this one, called Mindkin, is designed to connect people Not that long ago, signing up for based on whether they like each other’s Facebook was one of the first things thoughts — not their responses to a new students did once they hit campus. questionnaire or the photos they post. By the time this year’s freshmen arrived “We always want to find new last month, though, most were already ways for the first-years to get in veteran users of Facebook and other touch with each other,” explained social networking sites. Amanda Reapsummer, one of the head So you ask, why introduce another orientation counselors. “This is different

social networking site at orientation? C o n t i n u e d o n p a g e f o u r

M i n d k i n ’ s c e n tr a l f e a t u re i s “ T ho u g ht S tre a m , ” a s c ree n th a t s c ro l l s i d e a s s u b m i tte d b y u s er s . F or a b etter l oo k a t the s i te , v i s i t www . m i n d k i n . c o m or htt p :// c m u . m i n d k i n . c o m . O n e Arts-Based Robotics Program Gets Off piper To Flying Start 9/07 Issue n Anne Watzman P u b l i s h e r Teresa Thomas Some people made edible robots and

E d i t o r ate them. Others explored their neigh- Bruce Gerson borhoods with sensors registering air

M a n a g i n g E d i t o r quality or noise, while still more worked Susie Cribbs in teams to build robots that competed W r i t e r s against each other. Middle school Amy Pavlak Jonathan Potts students, twenty-something computer Byron Spice nerds and 50-year-old artists all mingled Chriss Swaney Ken Walters together during the summer kickoff of Anne Watzman Robot 250, Carnegie Mellon’s arts-based D e s i g n e r robotics program designed to foster Melissa Stoebe Communications Design Group creativity, build a sense of community

P h o t o g r a p h y and increase the technical literacy of the Ken Andreyo Pittsburgh region. Communications Design Group So just how does Robot 250 achieve To contact The Piper staff, call 412-268-2900 or email [email protected]. such an ambitious goal? By bringing b U D D ay

students, families, artists and the gen- R Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and Carnegie eral public together to build their own Mellon University is required not to discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities customized robots using cutting-edge on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of P h o t o b y the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the technology and educational materials Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or other federal, state, S t u d e n t s e n ro l l e d i n C a r n e g i e M e l l o n ’ s C - m i TE S p ro g r a m f or g i f te d or local laws or executive orders. developed at the Robotics Institute. But In addition, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate c h i l d re n h a d a c h a n c e to b u i l d the i r ow n ro b ot s e a r l i er th i s s u m m er a s in admission, employment or administration of its programs on Robot 250 doesn’t stop there. Another the basis of religion, creed, ancestry, belief, age, veteran status, p a rt o f R o b ot 2 5 0 . sexual orientation or gender identity. Carnegie Mellon does not important part of the program is creat- discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or execu- tive orders. However, in the judgment of the Carnegie Mellon Human Relations Commission, the Presidential Executive Order ing robotic art installations for display directing the Department of Defense to follow a policy of, “Don’t “We had been working on edu- and reach as many as 75,000 families ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue,” excludes openly gay, lesbian and in public spaces during the Pittsburgh bisexual students from receiving ROTC scholarships or serving th in the military. Nevertheless, all ROTC classes at Carnegie Mel- region’s 250 anniversary celebration cational robotics projects and decided and school-age children. lon University are available to all students. Inquiries concerning application of these statements should next year. These installations will help to make art and design a larger part of Robot 250 is built around three be directed to the Provost, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-6684 them,” said Nourbakhsh. “We asked themes: neighborhood and play, environ- or the Vice President for Enrollment, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh celebrate its robotic roots. 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412- ourselves, ‘What’s the largest public ment, and history and heritage. Under 268-2056. The visionaries behind Robot 250 Carnegie Mellon University publishes an annual campus security report describing the university’s security, alcohol and are Robotics Institute Associate Profes- robotics education program we can the leadership of Project Director Den- drug, and sexual assault policies and containing statistics about the number and type of crimes committed on the campus sor Illah Nourbakhsh and Carl DiSalvo, imagine that focuses on using art and nis Bateman, more than 150 people are during the preceding three years. You can obtain a copy by contacting the Carnegie Mellon Police Department at 412-268- design to get people interested in sci- working in teams to design robots that 2323. The security report is available through the World Wide a fellow in the Studio for Creative Web at www.cmu.edu/police/statistics.htm. ence and technology?’” will allow them to explore and learn Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon Inquiry in the College of Fine Arts and University by calling 412-268-2000. Produced for Media Relations by the Communications an assistant professor at the Georgia “We were looking for a way to new things about their neighborhoods. Design Group, September 2007, 07-448. Institute of Technology. make robotics more accessible,” They will then interpret their findings

“T h e a rts - b a s e d a p p r o a c h d i f f e r e n t i at e s u s a n d p i c k s u p

Greek Inspiration o n t h e r i c h a rts t r a d i t i o n at C a r n e g i e M e l l o n a n d t h e c i t y

o f P i tts b u r g h .” — C a r l D i S a lv o

DiSalvo added. “The arts-based by creating kinetic robotic sculptures. approach differentiates us and picks Their tools include Telepresence Robot up on the rich arts tradition at Carnegie Kits (TeRKs), which allow almost Mellon and the city of Pittsburgh. anyone to build robots using “recipes” Art also makes technology culturally developed by Community Robotics, Ed- significant. We can question it and ucation and Technology Empowerment make it in a way that is more human.” (CREATE) Lab researchers. Robot 250 The first phase of the three-year participants will also rely on Gigapan, program began in June, runs through a robotic platform for capturing very- February 2008, and is funded with high-resolution panoramic images from grants from the Heinz Foundation and a standard digital camera; and Canary, a the Grable Foundation with additional sensor that enables people to collect data support from Intel Corp. This initial on various aspects of the environment. phase features educational workshops “As Pittsburgh prepares to celebrate and open studios at six sites around its 250th anniversary in 2008, it’s ap- Pittsburgh: the Mattress Factory, a propriate that the celebrations include contemporary art museum on Pitts- our region’s leading role in robotics,” burgh’s North Side; the Neighborhood Bateman said. “More than looking back, J e n n i f er K i m , a j u n i or i n the B a c he l or o f S c i e n c e a n d A rt s p ro g r a m , Nets Showcase at the Stephen Foster Robot 250 will highlight the future of w a s p a rt o f a g ro u p o f s t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y a n d a l u m n i th a t tr a v e l e d Community Center in Lawrenceville; Pittsburgh, emphasizing educational and to G ree c e th i s s u m m er a s p a rt o f the s t u d y c l a s s “ S p a rt a , G ree c e : I n q u i r y a n d V i s i o n . ” U n d er the g u i d a n c e o f A d j u n c t A s s i s t a n t P ro - Carnegie Science Center’s Mission/Dis- creative opportunities in robotics.” f e s s or o f A rt P a tr i c i a M a u r i d e s , s t u d e n t s f ro m the s c hoo l s o f a rt , covery at the Hill House; the C-MITES For more on Robot 250, see a r c h i te c t u re a n d m u s i c , a n d the B a c he l or o f H u m a n i t i e s a n d the program for gifted children at Carnegie www.robot250.org. A rt s p ro g r a m to u re d the c o u n tr y to l e a r n a b o u t i t s h i s tor y a n d Mellon; and the Homewood-Brushton the c u l t u r a l i n s p i r a t i o n i t ’ s p ro v i d e d thro u g h the a g e s . D u r i n g the tr i p , A rt P ro f e s s or L owr y B u r g e s s f i n i s he d p ort i o n s o f h i s p ro j e c t , and Greater Pittsburgh YWCAs. Plans “ S ee d s o f the I n f i n i te A b s o l u te , ” wh i c h he h a s b ee n wor k i n g o n f or call for Robot 250 to run through 2009 m ore th a n 3 3 y e a r s . K i m i s s how n here i n f ro n t o f the P a rthe n o n .

T w o EH&S Opens Alert Now Enrollment to Entire University Community C o n t i n u e d f ro m p a g e o n e

EH&S used the service to communicate Carnegie Mellon has signed an with about 400 deans, department heads, agreement with Sima Products Corpo- administrators and floor marshals, but ration of Oakmont, Pa., to develop a S tay I n f o r m e d now the service is being expanded to Scalable Mesh Alert Radio Transmission include everyone in the university com- (SMART) emergency communications … A f t e r t h e munity. system. The SMART system will use a C a l l a n d A l l “After the tragedy at Virginia Tech, combination of wireless technologies to many colleges have done some soul deliver emergency messages to desktop Y e a r R o u n d searching. University officials across the radios that will be placed in various country realized that in times of crisis, locations around campus. Messages can Once you receive a message they need to communicate with every- be sent campus-wide and targeted to from Alert Now, stay tuned for one very quickly,” said Madelyn Miller, specific campus locations. updates by visiting Carnegie director of EH&S. Tim Means of SIMA Products ex- Mellon’s homepage at www. The Environmental Health & plained that once an emergency message cmu.edu, and the Web Portal Safety Department provides services is drafted by university personnel, it will at my.cmu.edu — the top spots for emergency news and infor-

“A f t e r t h e t r a g e d y at V i r g i n i a T e c h , m a n y c o l l e g e s h av e mation. In fact, stay informed all year round by subscribing to d o n e s o m e s o u l s e a r c h i n g . U n i v e r s i t y o f f i c i a l s a c r o ss t h e Carnegie Mellon’s RSS (Really c o u n t ry r e a l i z e d t h at i n t i m e s o f c r i s i s , t h e y n e e d t o Simple Syndication) feeds for c o mm u n i c at e w i t h e v e ry o n e v e ry q u i c k ly .” — M a d e ly n M i l l e r homepage stories, news releas- es and news blogs. RSS is an that protect the university community be sent via the Web to the radio tower easy way to follow multiple Web and the environment. The department is at WDUQ-FM, Pittsburgh’s National sites all in one place. To sub- responsible for many university safety Public Radio affiliate. The tower will scribe to the RSS service, visit programs, ranging from biology and then transmit the message over the com- www.cmu.edu/homepage/ chemical safety, to fire safety and emer- mercial FM bandwidth to desktop radios rss.shtml. gency preparation. in campus locations. Miller encourages all students, “Safety for students, faculty and faculty and staff to consider enrolling in staff is the number one priority for the Alert Now. To register for the service, university, and Sima’s SMART radio visit https://my.cmu.edu/site/main/page. system will give us the ability to notify in multiple ways, so that when phone, conduct research, and design and present alert. To access the secure Web site, you students in classrooms, dorm rooms Internet or power fails, they are still up product proposals that address several must first log in to the Web Portal using and anywhere on campus,” Miller said. and running,” Hochendoner said. “Our physical forms, human factors and your Andrew ID and password. “Reaching different groups with specific receivers are backed-up by battery and preliminary production considerations. “This will be a completely volun- messages will allow us to better man- we provide multiple ways to generate Next semester, Zimmerman and tary program, so only those who want age information during emergencies. We warnings.” Anderson will lead a small team of the calls will get them,” Miller said. need more than one way to get the word Carnegie Mellon design students, students in an independent study group “Should you volunteer for the service, out, and this system will add several lay- Associate Design Professor Eric An- that will also present proposals based you shouldn’t worry about interruptions. ers to our current efforts.” derson and Assistant Human Computer on what it learns about how the user You’d only get a call in a dire emergency.” Dave Hochendoner, chief technical Interaction Professor John Zimmerman interacts with the product. While the expanded Alert Now officer for Sima Products, said redun- will collaborate with SIMA on product The project is funded by a $200,000 service is already in effect, an additional dancy is important. development during the fall and spring grant from the Technology Collab- means of emergency communication “The SMART system gives the semesters. This semester, students in orative, a local economic development will be under development over the next university the ability to warn students Anderson’s Product Design Studio will organization. 15 months.

When Caffeine Isn’t Enough

S o m et i m e s S t a r b u c k s j u s t i s n ’ t a s u b s t i t u te f or s l ee p

a n d the U n i v er s i t y L i b r a r i e s k n ow i t . T he M etro N a p s

E n er g y P o d n e a r the M a g g i e M u r p h C a f é ( d e m o n s tr a te d

here b y U n i v er s i t y L i b r a r i e s C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S p e c i a l i s t

C i n d y C a rro l l ) i s o n e o f s e v er a l n ew a d d i t i o n s to

H u n t L i b r a r y th a t s t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y a n d s t a f f w i l l

n ot i c e th i s f a l l . T he E n er g y P o d , where m e m b er s o f

the c a m p u s c o m m u n i t y c a n c a t c h a f ew Z s , c o m e s f ro m

T e p p er S c hoo l a l u m n u s A r s h a d C how d h u r y ( T P R ’ 0 3 ) ,

c o - f o u n d er o f M etro N a p s , he a d q u a rtere d i n the

E m p i re S t a te B u i l d i n g . A l s o n ew a re three g ro u p

s t u d y roo m s i n H u n t a n d two i n the E n g i n eer i n g a n d

S c i e n c e L i b r a r y . C o m f ort a b l e , m o v a b l e f u r n i s h i n g s ,

wh i te b o a r d s , e l e c tr i c a l o u t l et s , g oo d v e n t i l a t i o n

a n d s o u n d p roo f i n g were to p p r i or i t i e s f or the s t u d y on

s roo m s . M e a n wh i l e , the T r a n s f or m a t i o n 2 0 0 7 p ro j e c t

to re l a b e l a n d re s he l v e c o l l e c t i o n s f ro m the D ewe y e Ger

uc D e c i m a l s y s te m to the L i b r a r y o f C o n g re s s S u b j e c t r B C l a s s i f i c a t i o n s y s te m c o n t i n u e s . T he l c c i s the

s ta n d a r d a rr a n g e m e n t i n m o s t a c a d e m i c l i b r a r i e s i n

Photo by the U . S .

T h r e e University on the Hunt for Scottie Dog’s Graphic Identity

n Bruce Gerson

Last spring, students, alumni and a merchandise, community events, photo campus-wide mascot committee finally opportunities, interactive Web and video made it official by selecting the Scottish elements, and much more will come terrier as Carnegie Mellon’s mascot. later. Game over? Not quite. In a student survey last February, While everyone knows what a Scot- nearly 78 percent of the 2,370 respon- tie Dog looks like, a graphic identity for dents were in favor of selecting the Scot- the Carnegie Mellon pup is now under tie Dog as the official university mascot. development. To help create an appro- In an alumni poll, 25 percent of the 400 priate and consistent visual representa- respondents identified the Scottie Dog as tion, the Mascot Identity Task Force, the school mascot. co-chaired by Dean of Student Affairs Nassif said the Scottie Dog has Jennifer Church and Director of Athlet- similar characteristics to that of the uni- ics Susan Bassett, has partnered with versity. “It’s bold, confident, dignified, SME Branding, a firm with 17 years of tenacious and powerful,” she said. experience creating mascot identities for many professional sports teams and leagues, colleges and universities. SME’s long list of clients include Vroooooooom! Boston College, BYU, Dartmouth, the P a r k i n g S er v i c e s M a n a g er M i c he l l e

Detroit Pistons, the Florida Panthers, P orter wo n ’ t n ee d to worr y a b o u t

Georgetown, MIT, the University of p a y i n g h i g h c a r - re n ta l f ee s n ow Florida, Penn, Penn State, the University th at Z i p c a r i s a v a i l a b l e o n c a m p u s . of Texas, the NBA, the NHL and the T he u n i v er s i t y h a s p a rt n ere d w i th NCAA. the wor l d ’ s l a r g e s t c a r - s h a r i n g Over the next several weeks, SME c o m pa n y to p ro v i d e c a r s to s t u d e n t s , will be on campus meeting with student f a c u lt y a n d s ta f f o n a n ho u r ly and alumni focus groups and the mascot or d a i ly b a s i s . T wo Z i p c a r s — a T o y ota P r i u s a n d a M a z d a 3 — committee to help guide their efforts. w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e f or u s e 2 4 ho u r s They hope to have a preview of the mas- a d a y , s e v e n d a y s a wee k to a l l cot graphic to share with the university s t u d e n t s a n d s ta f f 1 8 y e a r s or

community at homecoming. o l d er . G a s , m a i n te n a n c e , i n s u r a n c e ,

“We hired SME Branding to help us 1 8 0 m i l e s p er d a y a n d re s er v e d

create a strong mascot visual to provide p a r k i n g w i l l b e i n c l u d e d i n the on s a powerful representation of Carnegie $ 7 ho u r ly a n d $ 5 5 d a i ly r ate .

Mellon’s mascot, the Scottie Dog,” said e Ger M e m b er s h i p f ee i s $ 3 5 . F or m ore uc

r i n f or m at i o n or to re s er v e a c a r , Sophie Nassif, director of university ini- B tiatives for Carnegie Mellon’s Marketing v i s i t www . z i p c a r . c o m / c a r n e g i e m e l l o n . Communications. Photo by Nassif said a mascot costume,

Mindkin Uses Thoughts, Not Looks, To Connect People C o n t i n u e d f ro m p a g e o n e from the networking sites they’ve guarantee that answers are honest or as friends. But Cheng said evaluating The group has received a previously used. With Mindkin, you’re consistent. Perhaps more important than ideas without being prejudiced by provisional patent on the concept and not so much choosing to be friends with questionnaires are the photos that people who they belong to could make social is looking for ways to commercialize someone as you are identifying with post of themselves or their friends. networking much more, well, social. it. A stand-alone site, such as Facebook their ideas.” “What it boils down to is ‘Looking “You want people to meet new people and MySpace, is just one possibility. In fact, the only way people connect for people who look nice,’” Bardak on the site, not stay in their own little Adapting it for use on mobile phones, through Mindkin, the brainchild of four said of conventional sites. This focus groups,” she added. Authors with for instance, might make it a useful tool Carnegie Mellon graduate students, is on appearance has led to practices like thought-provoking ideas may have some at scientific conferences or other large by sharing their thoughts and identifying posting photos of fake friends who look advantages on the site, but extroverts gatherings where people are trying to musings from other users that they like cool and presumably make the user and introverts can both do well. make contact with strangers. or dislike. The site’s central feature is more hip by association. That didn’t Though Mindkin got a weeklong The School of Computer Sciences’ “Thought Stream,” a screen that scrolls make sense to Bardak and the others public demonstration during the Olympus Project, an initiative to foster ideas submitted by users. The ideas — grad students Betty Cheng and Vasco Employment Opportunities Conference the growth of computing innovation don’t include the author’s name, but Calais Pedro of the LTI and Jahanzeb this past February, orientation offered in Western Pennsylvania, has adopted users can identify the ones they like or Sherwani of the Computer Science the first chance to subject it to sustained Mindkin as one of its projects and dislike. If a user likes enough ideas from Department. “We were looking for use by a large group. Without a large will feature the social networking the same author, that author’s identity is something to cut through all of that,” number of people sharing ideas at any site at its next “Show and Tell” for eventually revealed so direct contact can Bardak said. one time, Thought Stream simply isn’t venture capitalists on Sept. 25 in the be made. Mindkin uses some gaming theory very compelling. Collaborative Innovation Center. Ulas Bardak, a grad student in to keep the site manageable. A system In addition to the regular Web site, “There are multiple paths we can the Language Technologies Institute of credits forces users to be selective www.mindkin.com, a special orientation take with this thing; we just don’t know (LTI), said he and the other students in identifying ideas they like or dislike, site was also created: http://cmu.mindkin. which one,” said Bardak, who added began working on Mindkin two years which makes it impossible for someone com. “We welcome older students — that input from orientation users can ago because sites such as Facebook to simply “like” all of the ideas scrolling sophomores, juniors and seniors — to help determine that direction. “We want and MySpace seemed superficial. through Thought Stream. join the site and give the incoming first- our users to tell us what they want.” Those sites include questionnaires Of course, two people might like years some advice, tips and secrets about about interests and attitudes, but no each other’s ideas and still fail to spark campus life,” Cheng said. F o u r Cohon Offers Insight on the Presidency, Priorities and … Barbeque? n Susie Cribbs Pittsburgh is doing better. We see real vitality in the technology business This past May, the university’s Board sector, and Carnegie Mellon and Pitt of Trustees appointed Jared L. Cohon working together had a great deal to do to a third, five-year term as president. with that. The Piper sat down with Cohon over the summer to learn more about what it’s What kind of legacy do you hope to like to be president, the achievements leave at Carnegie Mellon? he’s most proud of, his plans for the I joked when I first became president next five years and even a little bit about that what I wanted on my epitaph was what makes him tick. “And he did not start a law school or a medical school.” That would define Why did you decide to stick around success. (Laughs again.) for another five years? In general terms, I hope that there You mean, “What were you thinking?” will be a feeling that the university (Laughs). I guess the answer is that continued to advance on its upward there’s more to be done and more that trajectory in a way that stayed true to its I think I can do effectively. By saying core values. And if anything, the Cohon that, I have in mind, in particular, fur- years saw a reinforcement of those core ther movement along the path laid out values and an appreciation for how by our strategic plan. And fundraising. they distinguish Carnegie Mellon from It’s the latter that is especially important other universities and position Carnegie to me in this third term. In 10 years, as Mellon for success in the 21st century. you can imagine, you build up a lot of What I’m talking about is problem-solv- relationships with donors and prospects. ing, interdisciplinary collaboration, hard I want to continue to build on those work, innovation — those are our core relationships and benefit the university values. And everything we’ve done in through increased fundraising. I think the last 10 years and will do in the next that’s extremely important for the future five really flows from those characteristics. of Carnegie Mellon.

Professionally, your proudest ac- What do you consider your biggest complishment is achieving so much professional accomplishment in the J a re d L . C oho n in the strategic priorities. Is that last 10 years? what you feel best about personally? I feel good about our progress on all of I take pride in the fact that I came to we need to raise, which is so important special place, it attracts special people, our priorities in the strategic plan — un- know Carnegie Mellon quickly and to us, but also creating the fundraising people who are committed to the work. dergraduate education, interdisciplinary well enough to lead it in a way that I infrastructure and further developing the “My heart is in the work” is more than research, diversity, internationalization think is true to, and respectful of the Carnegie Mellon community as one that just a slogan, I think. Hard workers. of the university, and our contributions way Carnegie Mellon does things. gives back to the university. Intellectually honest people. A group of to the local economy and community. And I greatly respect the way Carnegie people who are willing to experiment I think we’ve done a lot on all five of Mellon does things. and make change on a timescale that is those things, and we’ve moved in a not typical at other universities. A devo- positive direction. tion to collaboration and teamwork, And I’ll add a sixth one — the “I’ m p l e a s e d t h at a f t e r 10 y e a r s I st i l l h av e t h i s r u s h : which really sets us apart from other university’s finances, in particular fund- ‘W o w ! I’ m p r e s i d e n t o f C a r n e g i e M e l l o n !’” — J a r e d C o h o n universities. All of that makes it a plea- raising. We’ve made tremendous strides sure to be president at Carnegie Mellon. in building up a strong Advancement That’s a lot to do in five years. group, a fundraising infrastructure, and What’s your goal for the next five years? Well, this is a busy place. What do you think is the next big in raising the sights of our alumni and After a review of the strategic plan, I thing for Carnegie Mellon? donors. want to continue progress on that plan. What is the toughest thing about No one knows. That’s another one of … I’m especially keen on establishing your job? the magical things about Carnegie Are there any priorities in the plan Just the size of it. It’s endless. You could Mellon. The way Carnegie Mellon has that you think we’ve done better on Carnegie Mellon’s global presence. We work 24 hours of every day and still operated consistently for the last 40 years than others? throw around the term, “the global uni- not do all that you want to do or even has been to create a strategy that posi- We’ve seen real progress in all of them. versity,” and I’d like to define what that should do. tions us to take advantage of opportuni- Probably the one that most people on means for Carnegie Mellon, and to be ties as they arise. Given that that’s the campus would think of as the most it. I think we’re on our way to that. That How do you still find time to be a way the world works, I can’t really say dramatic change is how global we’ve also means, though, Carnegie Mellon husband, dad and grandfather? what the next big thing is. It’s likely to become in a short period of time. That’s Pittsburgh really embracing fully the I make time. I have to. That’s the big- fall within the priorities I mentioned. … accurate. … But I think we’ve seen sig- notion of being a global university and gest challenge. But it’s an enormous But who knows? Come back tomorrow nificant progress on all of the priorities. working through all that it means. And I privilege to be president of Carnegie to find out. That’s the fun of being here. We are certainly a very diverse campus, don’t think we’re there yet. Mellon. I’m pleased that after 10 years I more so than we were 10 years ago. Our Every other one of the priorities has still have this rush: “Wow! I’m presi- Carnegie Mellon has always seemed undergraduate programs are stronger more to be done. And then, fundraising. dent of Carnegie Mellon!” like a family. How do you hope to Obviously we are at a crucial time in and more diverse, and providing a keep that family together in light of the capital campaign, coming into the broader experience for students than What’s the best thing about being the university’s globalization? end of the so-called quiet phase and into they did 10 years ago. In interdisciplin- president of Carnegie Mellon? That’s a good question and I don’t have ary research, we’ve made tremendous the public phase. It’s already the largest Carnegie Mellon itself. It is truly a a good answer. We are a close-knit com- strides in building up our strength in campaign in the university’s history, and special university, with a unique culture munity … I hear that all the time from biomedical research especially, but also when we become public it will be by and just the most wonderful people people who have been here a long time. in our other priority areas of informa- far the largest. This again is extremely — students, staff, faculty, alumni … important for the future of the univer- tion technology, environment, and everyone involved. Because it’s a C o n t i n u e d o n P a g e T we l v e humanities and fine arts. And certainly, sity. I don’t mean just the money that F i v e Carnegie Mellon Experts Weigh-in on Bridge Inspection Techology, Processes New Carnegie Mellon Center Could Help Prevent Future Collapses

n Chriss Swaney

As a flurry of national and regional news agencies tried to piece together what happened to the eight-lane Minnesota bridge Aug. 1, Carnegie Mellon civil engineers helped the media put the disaster into perspective. Here’s just a sampling of what some of them had to say. • Steven J. Fenves, a guest researcher at the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology

o n and a professor emeritus s e r

g of Civil and Environmental e

uc Engineering, told the New York Times that “a crack is very difficult to observe visually.”

Photo by br • Irving J. Oppenheim, a R e s e a r c her s i n the C e n ter f or S e n s e d C r i t i c a l I n f r a s tr u c t u re R e s e a r c h a re i n v e s t i g a t i n g h i g h - te c h professor of Civil and i n f r a s tr u c t u re - m o n i tor i n g s y s te m s th a t c a n b e i n s t a l l e d whe n b r i d g e s a re c o n s tr u c te d . P i c t u re d a b o v e Environmental Engineering i s the n ew ly re n o v a te d H o m e s te a d G r a y s B r i d g e . was interviewed by the The Minneapolis bridge that collapsed event that spurred the creation of the research aimed at delivering cost- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about earlier this summer had passed National Bridge Inspection Standards effective, sensor-based monitoring spans known as “deck truss” inspections, but the design was and the National Bridge Inventory, systems for a broad range of critical bridges, the same design classified as “structurally deficient,” according to James H. Garrett Jr., infrastructure applications. It brings as the one that collapsed in a term used by the Federal Highway an infrastructure expert at Carnegie together a multidisciplinary team of Minneapolis. Administration to identify a bridge Mellon and head of the university’s experts committed to creating new, fast, • David A. Dzombak, a professor that needs to be repaired or eventually Civil and Environmental Engineering reliable monitoring systems to collect in Civil and Environmental replaced but is not in danger of Department. and process data about myriad complex imminent failure. Minnesota officials In the days following the network systems critical to both the Engineering and an associate were warned of the classification as Minnesota bridge collapse, Garrett nation’s security and daily commerce. dean in the College of early as 1990. So why didn’t inspectors told Associated Press national science What CenSCIR researchers Engineering, co-authored notice any problems, especially in light reporter Seth Borenstein that researchers envision for critical infrastructure an op-ed piece in the Aug. of a 2005 federal requirement that all in the Center for Sensed Critical systems is similar to the human nervous 12 edition of the Pittsburgh states adopt new quality-assurance Infrastructure Research (CenSCIR), system, where various senses feed Post-Gazette about the need processes for testing? which he co-directs, are investigating valuable data to be processed for instant for state officials to invest in The problem rests in the fact that high-tech monitoring systems for use or future reference. “new methods of construction, most of that inspection is still done bridges and other types of infrastructure “We want our infrastructure maintenance and monitoring” visually, but inspectors at times can’t systems that can be installed when new systems to sense aches and pains due to of our critical infrastructure. see everywhere they need to see. bridges are constructed. attacks or deterioration, and proactively That’s especially true of bridges built Garrett and Jose M.F. Moura, (or reactively) cause some form of before the 1967 collapse of the Silver co-director of this new research center, response in a more timely manner than Bridge over the Ohio River — an said that the center performs enabling we currently see,” Garrett said.

A s k A n d r e w Dear Andrew, I noticed lots of folks buried behind pillows, computers and boxes a few weekends ago and started to wonder about the Class of 2011. How many students are there? Where did they come from? What do you know about them?

Those new faces you mention belong to the 870 men and 566 women who represent the best and brightest high school students from around the globe. If my math is right, that makes for d r e y o s b y k e n a n 1,436 first-year students who should by now be getting a feel for their new Carnegie Mellon home. P h o t o Where do they come from? All over. Members of the Class of 2011 hail from 25 countries math and 660 in writing. Roughly 5 percent of the students are African American, 4.9 percent and 47 states, including the District of Columbia, with Arkansas, Mississippi, Wyoming and South are Hispanic American and 24.3 percent are Asian American. Dakota missing from the distribution. Forty-eight percent of the students are from the Middle The students have come from all over the world, too. Thirteen percent of the Class of Atlantic states and 16 percent are from Pennsylvania. Ten percent hail from New England, 10 2011 are international students. They represent Austria, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, percent from the South, 9 percent from the West, 6 percent from the Midwest and 3 percent from France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Korea, Oman, Malaysia, Mexico, Nor- the Southwest. way, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, What we know about them is basically demographic. After all, we’ll spend the next four years the United Kingdom and Venezuela. learning about what really makes them tick. But for now, know that the average high-school GPA That being said, next time you see a new face — buried behind pillows and boxes or not for first-year students was 3.63, and their average SAT scores are 660 in critical reading, 720 in — say hello and take the time to welcome them to campus.

S i x Listen Up: Podcasts May Improve Student Performance n Jonathan Potts

Want to create a podcast for that new access to traditional instruction. Later, course you’re teaching? First, you need “… The fact that most students access lectures at home or on Barrett made the recordings available to decide what goals you want your as podcasts. their computers indicates that even in this age of multitasking students to achieve — and whether an Barrett succeeded, Deal said, ‘Millenials,’ students are aware of the concentration and focus iPod will really help them do it. because he focused on a clear So says Ashley Deal, an academic required for productive studying and learning.” — Ashley Deal educational objective and devised a technology researcher in the Office learning activity to meet that objective. of Technology for Education and the To Deal’s surprise, the surveyed Neither the case studies of lecture He then used technology to facilitate Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence. studies showed that most students podcasting nor those of student- the learning activity, rather than Deal wrote a paper in which she listened to podcasts on their computers, generated podcasts directly measured placing technology at the center of the reviewed several studies of podcasting rather than on the go with their iPods. whether student performance or learning instructional design process. use in higher education. The results “People are excited about the outcomes improved. But studies of “If your starting point is with the show that podcasts have no intrinsic possibility of anytime, anywhere podcasting that supplemented classroom technology, you run the risk of arriving educational value, but can be used education, but the fact that most instruction showed more substantial at forced solutions,” Deal said. “Or, thoughtfully to improve student students access lectures at home or on results. ‘When you have a hammer, everything performance. their computers indicates that even in In one such study, a medical looks like a nail.’” “Whether a technology is this age of multitasking ‘Millenials,’ professor wanted to improve his successful or not depends on how it is students are aware of the concentration students’ ability to identify heart implemented,” Deal said. and focus required for productive murmurs, so he recorded the sounds A podcast is an audio or video studying and learning,” Deal said. of murmurs, with commentary, recording published to the Web and Deal’s investigation into onto CDs. Students who distributed through an RSS (real educational podcasting — which did listened to the CDs simple syndication) feed. Users who not include any studies conducted at recognized murmurs subscribe to the feed will have a podcast Carnegie Mellon — found three basic with 85 percent downloaded to their computer each uses for podcasting: creating audio or accuracy, time one is published. They can view video archives of classroom lectures, compared to or listen to the file on their computer, or assigning students projects that required 30 percent for transfer it to an MP3 player like an iPod them to create podcasts, and developing those who — hence the term podcasting. supplemental course materials. only had

Upcoming Events

University Lecture Series Andy Awards Ceremony Machines on the Eve of the Enlightenment” Software Industry in Emerging Economies” Bill Perkins of the Heinz School Carnegie Mellon will present its annual Andy Co-sponsored by the Humanities Center 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 4 “It’s Time To Act: The Reality of Climate Change” Awards to individual staff members and/or 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27 Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A 4:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 17 teams whose outstanding dedication and Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A performance have had a significant impact Women’s Volleyball on the university. School of Art Lecture Series Carnegie Mellon Invitational University Lecture Series Noon, Friday, Sept. 21 The 2007 Robert Lepper Distinguished 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 5, Randy Pausch, professor of human-computer McConomy Auditorium, UC Lecture in Creative Enquiry 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 6 interaction and co-founder of the Entertainment Mona Hatoum’s poetic and political oeuvre is Skibo Gymnasium and UC Technology Center, will kick off a new series Soccer realized in a diverse and often unconventional called “Journeys.” Men vs. Mt. Union, Noon range of media. Drama Production “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” Women vs. Denison, 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28 “The Three Sisters” 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18 Saturday, Sept. 22 McConomy Auditorium, UC Oct. 5–13 McConomy Auditorium, University Center (UC) Gesling Stadium Chosky Theater, Purnell Center Rachel Carson Legacy Conference For tickets/show times call 412-268-2407 Center for the Arts in Society Football “Sustaining the Web of Life in Modern Society” Research Forum The Tartans vs. Allegheny College Keynote speaker is Pulitzer-Prize winner E.O. University Lecture Series College of Fine Arts Dean Hilary Robinson will 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 22 Wilson, professor emeritus, Harvard University “Journeys,” Raj Reddy, Herbert A. Simon discuss “Reading Art, Reading Irigaray,” an influ- Gesling Stadium 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29 University Professor of Computer Science ential work in philosophy, gender, linguistics and Connan Room, McConomy Auditorium, and Robotics psychoanalysis by feminist theorist Luce Irigaray. University Lecture Series Rangos Hall, UC “Technology and Society” 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18 “Journeys,” Psychology Professor Further information: www.rachelcarson 4:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 8 Hunt Library — Fine and Rare Book Room, Roberta Klatzky homestead.org/ Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A 4th Floor “Waiting for Life to Happen” 4:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 24 Carnegie Mellon Contemporary School of Art Lecture Series Movie Screening Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A Ensemble Nina Katchadourian, whose work exists “In the Shadow of the Moon,” a feature 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29 in a wide variety of media, including documentary about the Apollo space program. Project Olympus Show and Tell Kresge Recital Hall, CFA photography, sculpture, video and sound. Produced by Academy Award-winning Computer Science Professor Lenore Blum 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 9 filmmaker Ron Howard and THINKFilm. will give an overview of Project Olympus, University Lecture Series Kresge Theater, CFA 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 19 an initiative designed to foster the growth Devra Davis, director of the Center for Environ- McConomy Auditorium, UC of ideas and talent in the region. mental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic 3:30–5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 25 Cancer Institute, and professor of epidemiology with Conductor Walter Morales Solar House Open House Collaborative Innovation Center, at Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 10 Check out Carnegie Mellon’s entry in the 1st floor lecture hall “The Secret History of the War on Cancer” Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Ave. October Solar Decathlon. 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 2 $5/$4, Carnegie Mellon students free with ID 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 20 School of Art Lecture Series McConomy Auditorium, UC Construction Junction, N. Lexington Ave., Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, Brooklyn-based Football Point Breeze artists who create projects about how our School of Art Lecture Series The Tartans vs. Case Western Reserve thoughts, experiences and memories are Martin Kersels, a Los Angeles-based artist who Noon, Saturday, Oct. 13 University Lecture Series structured through genre and repetition. works with sculpture, video and performance. Gesling Stadium Distinguished Professor of Anthropology 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 25 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 2 David Harvey, Graduate Center at CUNY Kresge Recital Hall, College of Fine Arts (CFA) Kresge Theater, CFA Homecoming “Geographies of Globalization” Festivities include class reunions, college recep- Co-sponsored by the English Department Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble Guitar Solo and Ensemble tions, intriguing presentations, performances and the Literary & Cultural Studies program 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 3 and campus tours, the Alumni Awards dinner 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20 Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Ave. Alumni Concert Hall, CFA and the pageantry of college football. Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A $5/$4, Carnegie Mellon students free with ID Thursday–Sunday, Oct. 25–28 University Lecture Series Further information: http://alumni.cmu.edu/ University Lecture Series Ashish Arora, professor of economics at the homecoming/index.html Jonathan Sawday, Strathclyde University Heinz School For more events, visit “Calculating Engines: Minds, Bodies, Sex and “From Underdogs to Tigers: the Growth of the http://my.cmu.edu/site/events/

S e v e n Research To Go

Data Truck Brings the Lab to the Experiment

n Jonathan Potts

At Carnegie Mellon, social science research rolls on six wheels and makes wide right turns. This summer, the university’s Cen- ter for Behavioral Decision Research (CBDR) unveiled the Data Truck, a 36-foot mobile social science laboratory that allows university researchers to take their projects to go. The vehicle allows them to gather experiment participants more quickly and conduct research with groups of people — like senior citizens — who can’t easily come to campus. The truck’s trailer is outfitted with a waiting area and eight workstations, where research participants can answer surveys, work on computers or test new

products. s Tamar Krishnamurti, a Ph.D. r o o k e student in the Department of Social and B e n n

Decision Sciences, has used the Data l Truck for her research into sexual deci- sion-making. She parked the truck near

Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park, where P h o t o b y G she recruited people attending movies in T h i s s u m m er , the u n i v er s i t y ’ s C e n ter f or B eh a v i or a l D e c i s i o n R e s e a r c h u n v e i l e d the D a t a T r u c k , a 3 6 - f oot the park to complete surveys about sexu- m o b i l e s o c i a l s c i e n c e l a b or a tor y th a t a l l ow s u n i v er s i t y re s e a r c her s to t a k e the i r p ro j e c t s to g o . ally transmitted diseases. A. Simon Professor of Economics exhaustion on marathon runners cross- developing devices that will help senior At least 60 people have participated and Psychology and a member of the ing the finish line or how alcohol im- citizens and people with disabilities lead in Krishnamurti’s research this way. CBDR. The center — jointly operated pacts the judgment of tailgating Steelers more independent lives. She said the Data Truck has drawn a by the College of Humanities and Social fans at Heinz Field. Researchers could take the truck more diverse group of participants than Sciences, the Tepper School of Busi- The Data Truck will also be avail- to a church or assisted-living facility, she could have recruited to campus for ness and the Heinz School — studies able to Carnegie Mellon’s Quality of and reach not only a broader popula- experiments. human decision-making in a variety of Life Technologies Initiative, a joint ven- tion than those who normally volunteer “If I were running it on campus, it contexts, including consumer spending, ture with the University of Pittsburgh for research, but also the very people would take maybe two or three weeks of drug addiction and the legal system. that is supported by the National Sci- for whom new technologies are being lab time (to get that many participants). In addition to helping researchers ence Foundation. Researchers plan to developed. That I could do it in a number of hours recruit a diverse subject pool, the truck use the Data Truck to study how people “By bringing experiments to the was amazing,” Krishnamurti said. can be used to study events as they learn to use new technologies. This kind subjects, Carnegie Mellon is at the fore- The Data Truck was developed unfold — for example, the effect of of work has important applications for front of data-gathering,” Loewenstein by George Loewenstein, the Herbert said.

“Highlands Circle” Chronicles University’s Building Blocks

n Susie Cribbs

The University Advancement Division These charter members serve university. And it gives an in- recently published “The Highlands as the subject of “The Highlands depth look at the people who Circle: A Commemorative History Circle” book. Each two-page spread made it possible. of Philanthropy at Carnegie Mellon, in the 251-page volume features Though not available at 1900–2005,” which highlights the an original portrait of the donor on your local bookstore, “The alumni, founders and university the left, and a profile of their life, Highlands Circle” was friends who have committed $1 work and contributions to Carnegie distributed to all members million or more to Carnegie Mellon Mellon on the right. These aren’t of the society and the Board during their lifetimes. Designed by just any portraits, though. Each one of Trustees, and University Brady Communications (founded was rendered by a Carnegie Mellon Libraries received a few by alumnus John Brady, A’75), it student, faculty member or alum copies as well. University

s borrows its name from the university’s — including Andy Warhol, whose Advancement also gave

a t i o n

Highlands Circle giving society, famous portrait of Andrew Carnegie each person profiled in the c which was established in 2005 fittingly opens the book. book his or her original n i to recognize that same category Beginning with Carnegie’s portrait. mmu

y C o

of Carnegie Mellon supporters. original commitment to begin the For more on the d

r a

More than 100 individuals and 100 school and continuing through Highlands Circle, see B

organizations were named to the some of the university’s most www.cmu.edu/giving/ f

y o society in 2005, representing roughly recent benefactors (like the societies/highlands- s

r t e

u

$940 million in gifts to Carnegie Gates Foundation), the book tells circle.shtml. o

c

Mellon since the university was the chronological story of how e g

a

established. philanthropy can build a world-class i M

E i g h t I n t e r n at i o n a l D i s pat c h e s

Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Carnegie Mellon Qatar Moves to Liberal Arts Summer Fun in the ’Burgh for Botball winners and Sciences Building Carnegie Mellon in Qatar begins its fourth academic year in a new home, the Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) building in Education City. But this is only a pit stop as students and employees eagerly await the completion of Carnegie Mellon’s business administration and computer sci- ence building sometime in spring 2008. The move increases Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s office, meeting and workstation space. The main campus phone numbers remain the same, but all faculty and staff have new phone num- bers. Carnegie Mellon shares its space in LAS with the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and the Academic Bridge Program. Carnegie Mellon’s new building (shown below), which is being built by the Qatar Founda- tion, will measure an expansive 42,000 square meters. State-of-the-art features combined with a robust palette of colors, water features and trees will create warm and inviting spaces throughout the building. Designed by renowned architects Legorreta + Legorreta, the building will have at

its core an open three-story atrium that will serve as a town square. Filled with natural light, the e k atrium will be home to a food court, assembly area and expansive walkway. ms

Carnegie Mellon’s building is situated on the main east-west passage through Education y z r i d City, and the design is intended to create the feeling that the building is a meeting place for everyone there. Photo by an

This July, Carnegie Mellon hosted three high school students from the Al RU’YA Bilingual School in Kuwait who took the top spot at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar’s first international Botball® competition. The students won a trip to Pittsburgh as the grand prize for beating 17 other teams from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait in May. Their five days in Pittsburgh included a whirlwind of activities, from tours of the Robotics Institute and the Entertainment Technology Center to a Pirates game, caving, shopping, a city tour and recognition of their achievement by Pittsburgh City Council. The Botball high school robotics competition is a U.S.-based organization that brings robotics to high schools. Student teams are equipped with a Lego© Mindstorm robot, along with instruction on how to program it to move autonomously through a course. Carnegie Mellon Qatar introduced Botball to its undergraduate campus in Doha in 2005. Because of the overwhelming success of the Botball competitions, Carnegie Mellon in Qatar plans to encourage high school students from the entire Persian Gulf region to participate in the robotics competition next year. The students are pictured above in Pittsburgh City Council Chambers with Dean Chuck Thorpe (far right) and members of Pittsburgh City Council.

Australia Heinz Australia Introduces New Programs Online that the collaboration would complement Carnegie Mellon’s “existing broad base of international collaborations in the area of professional software engineering master’s programs.” The Heinz School in Australia now offers degree programs in public policy and management and Craig Saddler, president of Boeing Australia, said the company is “delighted to be the catalyst information technology. The programs, which take two years to complete, are a new develop- in getting this highly regarded course to Australia.” He predicted that the program would be of ment, said Executive Director Tim Zak. “The two-year programs have a strong practical compo- great interest to Boeing’s 4,000 Australian employees. nent and an internship that gives students experience in the workplace, as well as the skills and knowledge required for a wide range of public policy and management roles,” Zak said. Students Telstra Scholarships Offered will also be able to take advantage of the formal exchange program between Pittsburgh and Adelaide. Applicants to the information technology program at Heinz Australia are eligible for scholarships offered annually through a program funded by Telstra, a major telecommunications company. Shortage of Software Engineers Addressed The Telstra Media Communications and Technology Scholarships are valued at $90,000 each. The University of Queensland, Boeing Australia and Carnegie Mellon have formed a partnership ETC Makes Trip to Brisbane to address the shortage of software engineers in Australia. The launch of the joint Master of Soft- ware Engineering program was announced this summer. The curriculum will be offered through ETC Australia faculty and students visited the vibrant city of Brisbane this summer. The trip to distance learning, enabling working professionals in remote locations to complete their studies. Brisbane, which is the hub of video game activity in Australia, was led by ETC Australia Director Carnegie Mellon is providing materials for several courses. David Garlan, director of the John Buchanan and included visits to companies to discuss job opportunities for students. Master of Software Engineering programs in Pittsburgh, told the University of Queensland News

Portugal Human-Computer Interaction Master’s With Madiera

This fall, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Madiera in Portugal launched a dual master’s of Madeira. Associate Professor of Design Shelley Evenson and Nuno Jardim Nunes, head of degree in human-computer interaction that involves course work on both sides of the Atlantic the Mathematics and Engineering Sciences Department in Madiera, direct the degree program, Ocean. The 16-month program, sponsored by the regional government of Madeira, starts in which is part of a long-term educational and research collaboration between Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh with a semester of core courses at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute, and Portugal’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education announced last year. followed by 12 months of further course work and a capstone project course at the University

N i n e Simulation Helps Put Black Hole Puzzle Together at Last

n Amy Pavlak iziana Di Matteo T

f y o s r t e u o c

s e g a i M

T he s e s t i l l s f ro m the B H C o s m o s i m u l a t i o n d e p i c t the e m er g e n c e o f b l a c k ho l e s ( s how n a s d ot s ) whe n the u n i v er s e i s j u s t 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 m i l l i o n

y e a r s o l d ( l e f t ) . A s the u n i v er s e e v o l v e s , s u p er m a s s i v e b l a c k ho l e s a n d l a r g e g a l a x i e s f or m ( r i g ht ) .

Black holes have always been the In recent years, experimental Enter Di Matteo’s computer place black holes at the center of fledg- black sheep of the galactic family. First observations have revealed that black simulation, the first to incorporate the ling galaxies and describe how they predicted by Einstein — even though he holes are important regulators of galaxy physics of black holes into a highly swallow gas. With these calculations thought they were too weird to be real formation and, ultimately, the fabric sophisticated model of cosmic evolu- in place, Di Matteo could sit back and — black holes have puzzled astrophysi- of today’s universe, according to Di tion. BHCosmo allows Di Matteo to watch what unfolds over millennia and cists for decades. But today, Carnegie Matteo. “There appears to be a close study the interplay of galaxy formation millions of light years. Mellon astrophysicist Tiziana Di Matteo connection between the formation and and black hole growth over the past 13 Di Matteo’s simulation took an is putting that puzzle together with the evolution of galaxies and of their central billion years of cosmic history. enormous amount of computer power, help of a super-powered cosmological supermassive black holes. However, the Di Matteo’s computer model starts so she called on the Cray XT3 system at computer simulation she developed nature of this relationship has yet to be from scratch — a universe full of dark the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, called BHCosmo. understood in detail.” matter and gas. She added equations to a joint effort of Carnegie Mellon and

N e w s B r i e f s

McCullough Named Robert Doherty Award. He held key roles on facility in Victorville, Calif. Tartan Racing’s Von Ahn Among World’s VP of Research; Gilman numerous committees and was the Faculty self-driving Chevy Tahoe, “Boss,” will now Top Young Innovators Acting Dean Senate Chair from 2004 to 2005. A campus compete for one of 20 positions in the starting Assistant Computer Science Professor Luis Rick McCullough, former dean of the tribute is being planned for 10 a.m., Saturday, lineup at the National Qualification Event, von Ahn has been named one of the world’s Mellon College of Science (MCS), was named Nov. 10 in Rangos Hall. Remembrances Oct. 26–31, which will also be at the top young innovators under the age of 35 by Carnegie Mellon’s vice president of research may be made to Carnegie Mellon for the Victorville training facility. Technology Review magazine in recognition of this past July. In this new senior leadership Dr. William E. Brown Scholarship Fund, The Urban Challenge is a competitive his pioneering work in the field of human com- th position, McCullough will nurture interdisciplin- c/o Sharon King, 6 PPG Place, 11 Floor, rally for autonomous vehicles, with prizes of putation. Von Ahn and 34 other TR35 winners ary research initiatives and oversee sponsored Pittsburgh, PA 15222-5488. $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 for the top will be featured in the September issue of the research, technology commercialization and a Powers was a respected educator known three finishers that complete the course within magazine and will be honored Sept. 25–27 number of cross-college research centers. He for his passion for teaching and dynamic per- a six-hour time limit. Vehicles have to navigate, at the magazine’s Emerging Technologies will also work to obtain funding from founda- sonality. He was a pioneer in risk-assessment park and deal with traffic on a 60-mile sub- Conference at MIT. tions and corporations for research activities. technology and a leading researcher in pro- urban course without human guidance. They A major focus of von Ahn’s research has Fred Gilman, the Buhl Professor of Theoretical cess systems engineering. A memorial service must rely on sensors and computers to obey been finding novel ways to tap the unique Physics and head of the Physics Department, was held on Sept. 13. Memorial contributions traffic laws, merge into moving traffic, avoid computational abilities of humans. His latest is serving as acting dean of MCS. Gilman will may be made to the Spina Bifida Association obstacles and negotiate intersections. Boss project, reCAPTCHA, is a new version of the also continue to serve as department head, a of Western Pa., 134 Shernot Road, Wexford, is equipped with lasers, radars and cameras, “distorted letter” tests, called CAPTCHAs, that position he has held since 1999. PA 15090. and has 10 computers and 200,000 lines of are used millions of times each day to ensure software behind the wheel. that users of a Web site are human and not “Boss” A Semifinalist for Brown, Powers rogue computer programs. The reCAPTCHA DARPA’s Urban Challenge Remembered tests use words from printed texts that are in Biological Sciences Professor and former The Tartan Racing team, led by University Pro- the process of being digitized, but cannot be r e y o d department head William Brown and Chemical fessor William “Red” Whittaker and technology deciphered with existing optical character- Engineering Professor Gary Powers died this director Chris Urmson, has been named one recognition programs. By solving the past July. Brown was an honored educator, of 36 semifinalists in the DARPA Urban Chal- reCAPTCHA puzzle, a human user not only winning the Julius Ashkin Teaching Award, lenge, a $2 million robotic vehicle race that will gains access to a Web site, but also helps take place Nov. 3 at an urban military training the Richard Moore Education Award and the Photo by kenmake an more books available online.

T e n Cleaning Up Panther Hollow Lake the University of Pittsburgh together galaxy. Without nearby gas, the black with the Westinghouse Corp. Running hole can’t “eat” to sustain itself and the simulation required all 2,000 of the becomes dormant. Because stars are XT3’s processors and about four weeks made of gas that cools and fragments, of run time. the black hole’s quasar also shuts down Di Matteo and her collaborators, star formation when it pushes all the gas including Jörg Colberg at Carnegie out of the galaxy. As the stars age, the Mellon, Volker Springel and Debora galaxy can be described as “red” (what Sijacki at the Max Planck Institute for old stars look like) and “dead” (because Astrophysics, and Lars Hernquist at no new ones are made). Harvard, are still sorting through the Di Matteo’s simulation allows her ten trillion bytes of data the simulation to watch the growth and evolution of produced. But so far, they’ve seen at thousands of black holes and galaxies. least one thing to pique their interest Its high resolution lets her zoom in to — black hole behavior governs how study the growth of any black hole that galaxies grow and mature. Their finding catches her eye. verifies and deepens understanding of “Using BHCosmo, we can study the relationships between black holes the detailed growth history of individual and the galaxies where they reside. black holes, from the moment they are As galaxies formed in the early seeded to today, which provides a universe, they likely contained small powerful way to follow the evolution black holes at their centers that formed of black holes over cosmic time,” from the gravitational collapse of the Di Matteo explained. first stars. In BHCosmo, the first black They can also examine what turns holes appear when the universe is a spry a small black hole into a supermassive s

300 million years old. Millions of years one — do two black holes merge, or r o o k e pass, and the black holes keep gobbling does one just suck in so much gas that B e n n up gas, which powers a luminescent it grows to a billion times the mass of l state called a quasar. our sun? “Quasar formation really captures It’s not clear what will emerge as when the fun happens in a galaxy,” Di the investigation into cosmic history P h o t o b y G Matteo said. “You can only use a com- deepens, but one thing is for sure: at C i v i l a n d e n v i ro n m e n t a l e n g i n eer i n g s t u d e n t s A m a n d a M i t c he l l a n d puter simulation to follow a complex, least for Di Matteo, black holes are M a r y S c hoe n h a v e te a m e d u p w i th the P i tt s b u r g h P a r k s C o n s er v a n c y nonlinear history like this to understand sitting center stage. to c l e a n u p P a n ther H o l l ow L a k e . U n d er the s u p er v i s i o n o f how quasars and other cosmic structures J e a n n e V a n B r i e s e n , a s s i s t a n t p ro f e s s or o f c i v i l a n d e n v i ro n m e n t a l come about.” e n g i n eer i n g a n d b i o m e d i c a l e n g i n eer i n g , the s t u d e n t s c o l l e c te d As the simulation progresses, the w a ter s a m p l e s o f the o n c e - b u s t l i n g l a k e . V a n B r i e s e n s a i d the quasar energizes the surrounding gas b i g g e s t c h a l l e n g e i s the m u l t i p l e p o i n t s o f p ote n t i a l w a ter and blows it all the way out of the c o n t a m i n a t i o n , wh i c h the y s a y i s c o m i n g m o s t ly f ro m w i l d l i f e .

Heinz Endowments Funds “A Behavioral Theory of Research in Computer Science), will be held In specialty business programs, Carnegie Remaking Cities Institute the Firm” Still Has Impact Oct. 5–7 at Carnegie Mellon. Participants will Mellon ranked first in management information The Heinz Endowments has awarded More than four decades ago, two academic learn about research by working in teams systems, second in productions/operations $300,000 to create a Remaking Cities Institute pioneers at what is now the Tepper School guided by scientists from academia and management and quantitative analysis, sixth in th th (RCI) in the School of Architecture that will published “A Behavioral Theory of the Firm,” industry. They will also be given an opportunity supply chain management, 10 in finance, 17 th bring university, industry and community lead- a book that profoundly changed how research- to present talks or posters about their own in general management and 18 in entrepre- ers together to make responsible, sustainable ers and managers worldwide understood the research. Women graduate students from neurship. In specialty engineering programs, changes to Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The decision-making process within organizations. computer science departments across the the university ranked second in computer th RCI will use a multidisciplinary work model to In a forthcoming special issue, the leading country will provide additional insights by shar- engineering, 10 in electrical/electronic, envi- th make decisions that bring aspects of land use, management journal Organization Science ing their perspectives about life and work in ronmental and mechanical engineering, 11 in th zoning, transportation, mixed-use develop- recounts the enormous impact of this ground- graduate school. In addition to Women@SCS, materials/metallurgical engineering, 12 in civil th ment and neighborhood design together with breaking work by the late Richard Cyert, OurCS is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon and engineering and 14 in chemical engineering. th urban geography, economics and policy. Key former Carnegie Mellon President, dean of Microsoft Research. Further information: www. Carnegie Mellon was listed 30 in the partners in the effort are the Heinz School’s the business school and faculty member; and cs.cmu.edu/ourcs/ “Great Schools, Great Price” category and Center for Economic Development and the former Carnegie Mellon faculty member James continued to be noted as a “program to look Carnegie Mellon Ranked university’s Urban Lab, an outreach program March, who is now at Stanford University. for” in undergraduate research and creative Among Top National that uses faculty and student expertise to projects. The university was also recognized Universities address urban-development issues in the Conference Focuses for its percentage of international students (13 nd Pittsburgh region. During the next year, the on Computer Science Carnegie Mellon ranked 22 overall among percent) and its economic diversity, a category institute will use the grant to create a vision Research for Women national universities in U.S. News & World based on the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants (12 percent). for the former LTV site in Hazelwood and to Frances Allen, the first woman to receive the Report magazine’s 2008 edition of “America’s study its potential for advancing sustainable A.M. Turing Award, the nation’s top computer Best Colleges,” its survey of the nation’s development in neighboring communities. science honor, will be a keynote speaker at undergraduate programs in higher education. Luis Rico-Gutierrez, associate dean of the a conference focusing on computer science In addition to its overall rankings, the magazine College of Fine Arts, will direct the institute. research opportunities for undergraduate annually rates undergraduate business and women. The first-of-its-kind conference, titled engineering programs and Carnegie Mellon “OurCS” (Opportunities for Undergraduate ranked seventh and ninth, respectively.

E l e v e n Lecture Spotlight: E.O. Wilson To Highlight Rachel Carson Legacy Conference

n Ken Walters discovered hundreds of new species. He is the Pellegrino University Research “Dr. Ant” is coming to Carnegie Mellon. Professor Emeritus at Harvard, where he Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist has taught for more than four decades. E.O. Wilson will be the keynote speaker Born in 1929, Wilson became in- at the Rachel Carson Legacy Confer- terested in ants at an early age when an ence, Saturday, Sept. 29. His talk, “The accident cost him the sight in his right Ecosystem of Life,” will take place at eye. As a result, he learned to examine 9:15 a.m. in McConomy Auditorium in insects closely with his left eye and the University Center. Celebrating the decided to specialize in ants when he life of famed environmentalist Rachel entered the University of Alabama in the Carson, the inaugural conference is mid-1940s. titled “Sustaining the Web of Life in After earning his degree at Ala-

Modern Society.” Photo by Mark Mahaney bama, Wilson enrolled at Harvard for his The daylong conference is spon- E . O . W i l s o n graduate studies. His graduate work in- sored by the Rachel Carson Homestead cluded research in the American tropics, Association and will feature panels Australia and the South Pacific, where W h o : Pulitzer-Prize winning biologist E.O. Wilson discussing key environmental issues, in- his studies of native ants earned him the cluding the health of the world’s oceans W h e n : 9:15 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29 reputation as the world’s foremost au- and environmental leadership. Granger thority on the subject, and the nickname Morgan, head of Carnegie Mellon’s En- W h e r e : McConomy Auditorium, UC “Dr. Ant.” gineering and Public Policy Department From this work, Wilson developed and director of the Climate Decision the foundations for understanding the Making Center, will lead a third panel humans, should not be excluded from tors of Conservation International, the biological basis for social behavior in in- on global warming. Vice Provost for evolutionary analyses. American Museum of Natural History sects and other animals, which resulted Education Indira Nair will lead the clos- Today, Wilson remains involved and The Nature Conservancy. in a new field of study called sociobiol- ing session. in environmental issues, especially Admission for the conference is $25 ogy. In direct contradiction with many A world-renowned authority on ants concerning the loss of biodiversity. He for adults and $10 for college students. social scientists at the time, Wilson and social insects, Wilson has written is also heavily involved in conservation Seating is limited. For more information, believed that all animals, including 20 books, won two Pulitzer Prizes and efforts, serving on the board of direc- visit www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org.

Read more about what’s going on at Carnegie Mellon in the Upcoming Events on page seven.

Q&A With President Cohon C o n t i n u e d f ro m p a g e f i v e

They’ll often add that we’re a nicer But it’s all part of Carnegie Mellon. So grandson, reading, golf. Just We just completed this year’s road trip. place, a happier place than we were And how that plays out over time is a hanging out with my wife. We went to Kansas City. … It’s up to me 10 years ago. really good question. It’s something we every year to choose the destination, but So how do you sustain that when have to work at and manage. The key is What’s the last book you read? the destination doesn’t matter that much. you’ve got far-flung operations, as maintaining connections. The last one I finished was “The John- It’s really the journey. My wife and I just we do? How do you bring a sense of stown Flood” by David McCullough. love spending time together in the car, community to a campus outside of What advice do you have for first- But I’m very eclectic. I like fiction and stopping at places we’ve never heard of Pittsburgh that’s brand new? year students to be successful here? nonfiction, biographies and histories, and discovering things. First of all, I think populating it The same advice I and everybody else fantasy. I’m a Tolkien nut. But Kansas City was chosen this with people from Pittsburgh, at least to always give them: take advantage of time because last year I was reading start, is important because they bring what’s around you. Be proactive and What would people be surprised to McCullough’s book on Truman, who with them a knowledge of the Carnegie even aggressive in working the system know about you? was from Independence, Missouri — Mellon way and the way this commu- to your advantage. Go talk to faculty, I’m just a regular guy; also the fact just outside Kansas City. We did all the nity operates. So that plants the seed even if you’re not taking their class that I was a rock drummer when I was Truman stuff there, the Truman Museum — they know what it’s like to be an but especially if you are — even if you younger. It’s actually on Wikipedia now. and Library, which was terrific. We had effective campus community. don’t have a problem or a homework There’s a “Cohon” entry but the only our share of beef, which is definitely bet- But there’s a maintenance issue: question. Just go chat with them. Learn thing of substance other than the fact ter in Kansas City, and barbeque. keeping the connection between an about their research. Get involved. … that I am president of Carnegie Mellon international location and Pittsburgh. Carnegie Mellon is a place just filled is that I was Clivus Jivus in the New Have you been to the other big We don’t have a good answer for that with intellectual and creative riches Crusty Nostrils. BBQ capitals so you can accurately compare? now. Qatar is our biggest operation and that are there for the taking, there for Nice name. Yeah. They’re all different. We had a there’s a lot of going back and forth the experiencing. But it’s not a place There was a folk rock group of the ’60s pilgrimage to Memphis and other trips there, which has helped greatly. We’re that grabs you by the collar and says called the New Christy Minstrels, which around Tennessee and Kentucky. I also still very much in the start-up ‘Do this’ or ‘Do that.’ It gives you these was very white bread. So my ultra cool would never say one is better. phase, so it’s hard to really say that opportunities, but it’s up to you to take and hip band mates chose this name as anything we’ve done is the answer. But advantage of them. a nasty, sort of ’80s sensibilities take-off Last question: What’s your take on I think that the free-flow of people back on what was this banal band: Christy the bagpipes? and forth is important. You’re a busy guy, but do you have time to do anything outside of work? Minstrels, Crusty Nostrils … Get it? I love them. I find they get me in the gut Frankly I’d be kidding myself I like to read. My grandson, Nathan, is — in a good way. They can be uplift- and we’d be kidding ourselves if we actually my first hobby. He’s four and Where do you like to go on vacation? ing. They can be morose. They can be thought that somehow Doha’s going he’s a miracle. My wife and I are the Our favorite thing is to take road trips. nostalgic, even for a kid from Cleve- to be a mini Pittsburgh. It can’t be. It’s luckiest people in the world. We’ve got We call it our “Discover America” tour. land. But whatever they are, they evoke Carnegie Mellon in a new environment Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh, and Anything that doesn’t involve getting on emotion in me. I think they’re terrific. and that’s going to be a different thing my daughter, son-in-law and grandson a plane and that does involve barbeque. from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. T w e l v e two miles away.