PIPER2/11 Issue

2 Q&A WITH ADRIEN T REUILLE ON E TERNA: A GA ME SC O RED BY N ATURE Fitting Fitness In 3 P AYING I T FO RWA RD: ALUMNI N A ME H I S T O RY F ELLO W S HIP IN T A RR’ S H O N O R

4 CMU PO LICE E A RN R E - A CCREDITATIO N

12 R E S E A RCHERS , W AT SON FE ATURED O N NOVA

Reefbot Lets Kids Explore Giant Aquarium CMU Technology Eventually Could Be Used To Study Deep Coral Reefs

Q Byron Spice The two-story Open Oceans tank at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium contains

100,000 gallons of salt water, 30 species Y KEN ANDREYO B of sea life and one submersible robot, or

Reefbot, named CLEO. PHOTO Young visitors to the exhibit use a control station to remotely pilot CLEO N I SHA S HUKLA, A SYSTEM S SCI ENTI ST FOR THE INSTI TUTE FOR C O M PLEX E NGI NEERED S YSTEM S , I S ONE OF around the tank and use its high-definition THE M ANY FACULTY AND STAFF W HO PARTI C I PATE I N GROUP F I TNESS CLASSES OFFERED BY THE D EPARTM ENT OF video camera to track fish and snap photos. A THLETI CS. A BOVE, S HUKLA STRI KES A WARRI OR II POSE I N AN AFTERNOON YOGA CLASS. R EAD M ORE ABOUT By comparing the images from CLEO HOW PEOPLE ARE EXERCI S I NG HEALTHI ER OPTI ONS ON PAGE 10. with reference photos, visitors can identify the type of fish. In the process, the young explorers are helping researchers at the Robotics Institute develop software that Interactions a New Focus of Diversity Initiative might someday be used by scientists to Q Bruce Gerson — President Cohon writes that “a “It is taking the time to learn and un- automatically detect, classify and count meaningful engagement goes beyond derstand, to invest a little of yourself, in fish in natural habitats. Let the diverse converse. a quick greeting, but rather, it is a order to grow as a person,” Cohon says. Reefbot is a joint project of the zoo While efforts are still under way conversation with someone from a dif- In early December 2010, the DAC and the Robotics Institute, with funding to increase minority representation ferent country, culture, race, ethnicity, hosted a retreat to discuss how to create through Spark, a program of The Sprout among students, faculty and staff and religion, gender, etc., where you learn and support meaningful interaction, pri- Fund, a nonprofit organization that sup- to promote diversity in all respects, a something you didn’t know, maybe marily among the undergraduate student ports innovative ideas and grassroots com- new social focus has emerged to en- question your own long-held beliefs population. The retreat was attended by munity projects in Pittsburgh. gage each other in meaningful ways. or understanding about a culture or 80 individuals, including deans, faculty, Ashley Kidd, an aquarist at the zoo, The “Guiding Principle for University religion. C ONTI NUED ON PAGE SEVEN developed the idea and Justine Kasznica, Culture,” authored last year by the a local business consultant for high-tech Diversity Advisory Council (DAC), start-ups, managed the project. David aims to foster opportunities for inter- Wettergreen, associate research professor action. of robotics, oversaw the project at the “It’s good to be diverse,” said Robotics Institute, where Ph.D. students CMU President Jared L. Cohon in his Mark Desnoyer, Michael Furlong and annual State of Diversity address on Scott Moreland and senior research Martin Luther King Jr. Day, “but we engineer John Thornton built the robot also need meaningful engagements.” and developed the software. In the DAC’s 2011 Annual Report — accessible online at

C ONTI NUED ON PAGE F I VE www.cmu.edu/diversity-guide/ O NE Q&A With Adrien Treuille On EteRNA: A Game Scored By Nature

Q Byron Spice EteRNA, supported by a grant from “the lab,” where we really don’t know the Adrien Treuille has always strived to the National Science Foundation, began answers. create computer graphics that make the beta testing last fall and was launched At this level, we have an experimen- virtual world come alive, whether by publicly in January. Treuille and his col- tal road map that starts off with simple simulating the draft of air behind a race leagues expect the game will solve some shapes that aren’t found in nature. We’re LLE car with his Emmy-nominated Draft of the mysteries surrounding RNA, but I then going to introduce more and more REU Track special effect or the folding of pro- they also hope to show that science can T complicated shapes. If people are going EN be crowdsourced. I to ace the early shapes easily, then we can

teins in the online game FoldIt. Now the DR A assistant professor of computer science rapidly move through the biochemical and robotics has developed an online You are using online games to pipeline. If not, then we’ll have to spend involve a wide array of people more time creating them. Ultimately we

game that literally comes alive. OF OURTESY

in scientific research. Why is C want to design RNAs that are biologically Called EteRNA, http://eterna.cmu. this important and why are you

edu, the game first enlists players to doing this? PHOTO interesting. design molecules of RNA (ribonucleic There are many more people in the A DRI EN T REUI LLE M AKES V I RTUAL On this game we have computer acid), which biologists now suspect plays world than there are scientists. Scientists W ORLDS COM E ALI VE. a much more important role in cells than scientists here at Carnegie shouldn’t have a monopoly on scientific Mellon collaborating with bio- previously recognized. Then the best Your new game EteRNA focuses discovery. They have historically because chemists at Stanford University. on RNA design. Why did you of the player designs are selected each there are huge barriers to becoming a How did that arrangement come choose that as a topic for a week to be synthesized in the biochemis- scientist in respect to the time required about? game? try lab of Rhiju Das, Treuille’s collabo- and the money required to have a Ph.D. Rhiju Das, an assistant professor of RNA is one of the trinity of basic rator at Stanford University. And not everyone can do that. One of the biochemistry at Stanford, and I knew each molecules that make up life, along with The complex, three-dimensional broader trends of the Internet is to break other back when we were both post-docs DNA and proteins. We’re just starting to shape of RNA is critical to its function, down those kinds of barriers and we’re in the David Baker Lab, which is a bio- understand all of what it does, and it’s so these real-life tests of the designs trying to do it in science. Essentially, we chemistry lab at the University of Wash- sort of shrouded in mystery, so it’s a very developed with computer tools are es- are creating mechanisms through which ington. I was working on FoldIt back then exciting place to be biochemically. But sential. Does the RNA self-assemble into advanced science is accessible to non- and he was working on RNA. RNA has another interesting property the desired shape, or does it fold at all? experts, so they ultimately can contribute We subsequently talked about apply- from a game-design perspective. Unlike The synthesis provides the answer, giving to science as well. ing the FoldIt idea to RNA. Years later, proteins, it can be synthesized and stud- players a score, while also making them one of my computer science Ph.D. stu- ied very, very readily. At the moment we part of the scientific process. And a game is the primary dents here at Carnegie Mellon, Jeehyung understood that, we realized we had the mechanism you are using here? Lee, started working on that. He really basis for a completely new kind of game The hope is that you’ll want to play this quickly produced this jaw-dropping in which it would be possible to have even if you don’t care that you’re con- demo. experiments inside the game loop and tributing to science. For reasons that we We were all at a small conference that scores could be based on the results don’t quite understand, people want to in Washington, and we all sat down one of those physical experiments. PIPER have high scores. It’s almost like a cave- night and talked about how this could be 2/11 Issue man instinct. You want to have more How do novices learn how to really fun — now what can we do with stones in your cave than the next person. P UBLISHER design RNA? this? That’s where we came up with the Teresa Thomas It doesn’t really matter what those One of the main design decisions in idea that RNAs could be synthesized E DITOR stones are. So what we’ve seen again readily, and so synthesis itself – experi- Bruce Gerson EteRNA was determining how much bio- and again is if you take an activity and chemistry the community could handle. ments with actual RNA — could be part M ANAGING E DITOR attach a score to it, people are extremely Heidi Opdyke We think we’ve reached a good balance. of a game. passionate about getting high scores and From that point on, we knew we had W RIT ERS We’ve taken the relevant biochemical getting whatever recognition they can Jocelyn Duffy Eric Sloss rules and converted them into a game for- something really exciting and new, and Bruce Gerson Byron Spice get. And there is the matter of social we knew we had to try it. Abby Houck Chriss Swaney mat that really feels like a game – almost capital, which the game tries to give as Heidi Opdyke Ken Walters like Tetris. Shilo Raube Maria Zayas well, so the better players are respected You say that EteRNA is played Kristi Ries We have tutorial levels that explain in the community. Certainly we know by humans but scored by nature, the basic rules of the game, followed by D ESIGNER that for many of the players the fact why is that important? Melissa Stoebe a large number of challenge puzzles that Communications Design Group that there is a true scientific substrate It captures the fact that it is a game based teach people through trial by fire how for their activities also makes the game on experimental data and nothing has P H OTOGRAP HY RNA folds, at least on the computer. Ken Andreyo exciting for them. been tried like that before. More fun- Stephen Baden Once they’ve solved those challenge Tim Kaulen damentally, most games have arbitrary The Communications Design and puzzles, players are allowed to go into Photography Group rules set by humans. But what’s exciting about science is that fundamentally it’s a To contact The Piper staff, call 412-268- 2900 or email [email protected]. game played against rules that we don’t

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and Carnegie Mellon University is required not to discriminate in admission, know. We’re trying to figure out how the employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in knights move and how the bishops move. violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the EteRNA gets right to the heart of that. In Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or other federal, state, or local laws or executive orders. In addition, Carnegie Mellon University does not some sense we’ve taken away what might discriminate in admission, employment or administration of its programs on the basis of religion, creed, ancestry, belief, be the man-made rules of the game and age, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Carnegie Mellon does not discriminate in violation of federal, we allow people to play directly against state, or local laws or executive orders. However, in the judg- ment of the Carnegie Mellon Human Relations Commission, the Presidential Executive Order directing the Department nature and see how well they can do. of Defense to follow a policy of, “Don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue,” excludes openly gay, lesbian and bisexual students from receiving ROTC scholarships or serving in the military. Nevertheless, all ROTC classes at Carnegie Mellon University You say players don’t have to are available to all students. Inquiries concerning application of these statements care about the science to play should be directed to the Provost, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412- the game, but when they play the 268-6684 or the Vice President for Campus Affairs, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, game, are they becoming scientists telephone 412-268-2057. Carnegie Mellon University publishes an annual campus and do they act like scientists? security report describing the university’s security, alcohol and drug, and sexual assault policies and containing statistics about the number and type of crimes committed on the EteRNA presents the Internet community campus during the preceding three years. You can obtain a copy by contacting the Carnegie Mellon Police Department with a set of challenges that are funda- at 412-268-2323. The security report is available through the World Wide Web at www.cmu.edu/police/. mentally scientific. Even though the Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000. A SCREENSHOT OF AN ETERNA TUTORI AL SHOW S THE START OF AN RNA Produced for Media Relations by The Communications players are not for the most part Design and Photography Group, January 2011, 11-346. M OLECULE DESI GN T W O . C ONTI NUED ON PAGE F I VE Q&A With Adrien Treuille On EteRNA: A Game Scored By Nature Putting Our Heads Together

E XECUTI VE V I CE P RESI DENT AND P ROVOST

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WINTER/ BRAI N - DAY. SHTM L PHOTO

Paying It Forward: Alumni Name History Fellowship in Tarr’s Honor

Q Kara Droney Rachel Maines (HS’83) has made a that while she wanted to attend CMU, $50,000 to endow a fellowship for another $10,000 to establish the Joel Tarr career of researching the history of tech- she had neither the time nor the money Carnegie Mellon students — and she Speaker and Seminar Fund. nology. Now a visiting scientist in the to pursue grad school. named it in honor of Tarr. “I have a very personal motivation Cornell University School of Electrical Tarr’s response was that if she “Carnegie Mellon did so much for and that’s my respect and admiration and Computer Engineering, Maines was found the time, he’d find the money. me. It’s a pleasure to be able to pay it for Joel Tarr, who has probably been at CMU in late True to his word, forward,” she said. the single most influential person in my January to give a Tarr helped Maines Her gift has inspired other alumni. intellectual development,” said Yosie, now talk as part of the secure a fellowship Terry F. Yosie (HS’75, ‘81) also is president and CEO of the World Environ- University Lecture that made it possible thankful he had the opportunity to study mental Center, an independent non-profit Series (ULS). She for her to attend at a top-tier university. While attending organization that advances sustainable de- discussed how graduate school at graduate school at CMU, Yosie was able velopment through the business practices engineering safety CMU. to build relationships that have been of member companies and in partnership codes and standards play a major role in “Professor Tarr probably doesn’t sustained for more than 30 years. He has with governments, multi-lateral organiza- how governments can provide for people even remember the conversation, but served as head of the Science Advisory tions, non-governmental organizations, and help them stay alive. I’ll never forget it,” Maines said. “I give board of the EPA, and as vice president universities and other stakeholders. “From the point of view of keeping back today, because I would like for of several major trade organization. Yosie also is part of this year’s ULS, citizens alive, the development, incor- some other faculty member to be able to Tarr served as his adviser as well, and he will deliver a talk titled “Sustain- poration into law, and enforcement of provide the same opportunity to another which is one of the reasons Yosie ability and the Evolving Global Chess- consensus safety codes for the built en- student.” pledged $15,000 to the fellowship board,” at 4:30 p.m., Monday, March 21 vironment makes safety engineering the That’s why Maines pledged Maines established in honor of Tarr and at Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall). instrumental arm of injury epidemiology in industrial democracies,” said Maines, who believes including the concept into college curricula could aid engineer- ing education and help attract students to the profession. She is the author of “The Technology of Orgasm,” a study in women’s health and the best-selling non-fiction book published by Johns Hopkins University Press. The book has been made into a play. Her newest book $687.8M is “Hedonizing Technologies.” Maines attributes her success today 1/1/2011 to her Carnegie Mellon education. But if it weren’t for the support from Joel Tarr, Carnegie Mellon’s Richard S. Caliguiri University Professor of History & Policy, her CMU experience may not have been possible. “I knew I would not be able to get a doctorate degree without financial aid,” explained Maines, who specializes in is- sues relating to technology and the body, including sexuality, medicine, techno-

logical risk and injury epidemiology. “I A S O F JAN. 1, 2011, CARNEGIE MELLO N ’ S I NSP IRE I NNO VAT I O N C A MPAIGN HAD REAC HED $ 6 8 7 . 8

had a lot of ambition, but I didn’t have M ILLIO N TOWARD T HE $1 BILLIO N G O AL. S INC E N O V . 30, 2010, T HE C A MPAIGN RAISED $ 1 1 , 1 3 4 , 2 3 2 .

two nickels to rub together.” F O R T HE LAT EST P R O GRESS, VISIT WWW. CMU . EDU/ C A MPAIGN/ ABO U T / P R O GRESS. H TML . Maines met Tarr while exploring the possibility of grad school. She explained T HREE CMU Police Earn First Re-Accreditation in Higher Education

Q Bruce Gerson Crone said. First accredited in 2007, CMU They have the right to remain silent, but Police is one of only three college and this achievement by Carnegie Mellon’s university police forces to be accredited police force is worth shouting about. by the PCPA. The others are Duquesne CMU Police recently became the and Lehigh universities. first police force in higher education in There are 70 accredited police the state to be re-accredited for continu- departments in Pennsylvania, which is ing to meet the 132 policy, procedure comprised of 130 in higher education and operation standards established and about 1,200 municipal police agen- as best practices by the Pennsylvania cies. Chiefs of Police Association (PCPA). Under Chief Thomas Ogden, the Standards range from dress code KAULEN

university’s police department includes IM and office procedures to the use of force, Y T

24 police officers, 41 security guards, 13 B gathering evidence and securing a crime shuttle/escort drivers, four dispatchers scene. and one business manager. The depart- PHOTO Lt. Leon G. Crone Jr. of the Lower ment provides police patrols and call Allen Township Police Department and C M U P OLI CE PATROL THE CAM PUS STREETS TO KEEP THEM SAFE. IN 2010, THEY response, criminal investigations, shuttle I N I T I ATED TRAFFI C STOPS FOR VARI OUS V I OLATI ONS I SSUI NG M ORE THAN a member of the Pennsylvania Law En- 1,673 , and escort services, security guard 1,000 W R I TTEN W ARNI NGS AND M ORE THAN 650 TRAFFI C C I TATI ONS. P I CTURED forcement Accreditation Commission’s patrols, event security, and educational ABOVE I S S GT. JASON H ENDERSHOT. assessment team, said the re-assessment programming in crime prevention. of CMU Police was one of the smoothest “Accreditation with the Pennsyl- safety entities endeavor to maintain the for Mt. Lebanon, a south hills suburb of the team has experienced. vania Law Enforcement Accreditation highest standards possible to help ensure Pittsburgh. He was chief of Mt. Lebanon “This is an agency that is clearly Commission establishes that we have excellent service and the public trust,” Police for 10 years. Ogden succeeded dedicated to executing police work the adopted professional best practices, Ogden said. Chief Creig Doyle who left CMU to right way and has embraced a culture policies and standards. I believe it is im- Ogden joined CMU in August 2008, become police chief at Plymouth State of professionalism that is evident in perative that police, security and public after serving 29 years as a police officer University in New Hampshire. their performances and presentation,”

Calendar of Events

Learning and Development Session The Society of Women Engineers’ Show + Tell: Sustainability & 9 a.m. – noon, Wednesday, Feb. 23 Patricia Kravetz, associate director for Family Carnival Government Connan Room, UC experiential learning and student employ- Learn about engineering and science by Join two alumni working in the public sector https://hr-apps.as.cmu.edu/hrlearn/HRLearn2. ment, will deliver a presentation titled participating in hands-on activities as part in Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh as they “Working with Today’s Student Employees: of National Engineers Week. share stories of strategic and sustainable Learning and Development Session Managing Millennials in the Workplace.” 2-5 p.m., Feb. 13 – 16 planning for the future. David Holzemer will present a course titled Noon – 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 9 Rangos Ballroom, UC 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 17 “PowerPoint Skills: Creating Master Slide Connan Room, University Center (UC). Free and open to the public. Connan Room, UC. Templates.” Register at https://hr-apps.as.cmu.edu/ 9 a.m. – noon, Thursday, Feb. 24 hrlearn/HRLearn2. Learning and Development Session The 25th Annual Putnam County Hearth Room, Whitfield Hall. Human Resources’ Lola Mason will present a Spelling Bee Register at https://hr-apps.as.cmu.edu/ “A Number” course titled “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective The musical follows six semi-pubescent middle hrlearn/HRLearn2. Directed by Lillian DeRitter, the School of People.” This uses the principles taught in schoolers competing to be the best speller, as Drama performance is part psychological the national bestseller by the same name by well as their equally quirky adult moderators. Media Focused: Storytelling with Photos thriller, part scientific speculation and part Stephen R. Covey. Feb. 17 – 26 Justin Merriman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Re- exploration of the nature and responsibili- 9 a.m. – noon, Feb. 13, 16 and March 1 New Hazlett Theater, Allegheny Square E, view will offer a tour of his virtual photo gallery ties of fatherhood in an age when cloning McKenna/Peter/Wright Room, UC. Pittsburgh and a workshop about the create use is just as much a part of child-rearing as There is a $100 materials fee to be charged Purchase tickets at www.cmu.edu/cfa/drama. of photos and photo illustrations. lullabies and bedtime stories. to your department’s Oracle string for the Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24 To order tickets call the Box Office at three-part course. Register at https://hr-apps. University Lecture Series The Singleton Room, Roberts Engineering Hall 412-268-2407. as.cmu.edu/hrlearn/HRLearn2. Dennis Howard, one of Jamaica’s most noted Sponsored by the College of Engineering and Feb. 9-11 musicologists will speak. His talk is titled “Mu- the Department of Media Relations. Helen Wayne Rauh Studio Theater Learning and Development Session sic like dirt rasta! Genre defiance and bonding For reservations contact Chriss Swaney at Human Resources’ Freida Kinney will present a in the Kingston Creative Echo Chamber.” [email protected] or Abby Houck at Steinbrenner Institute course titled “Managing Conflict.” The program 4:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 21 [email protected]. Environmental Distinguished explores the requirements for effectively man- Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall). Lecture Series aging conflict and will discuss common causes University Lecture Series Christopher Reddy, a scientist at the and effects, a management model and five Learning and Development Session Rochel Gelman, co-director of the Center for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, will general styles. Human Resources’ Karen Beaudway will Cognitive Science at Rutgers and professor discuss the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. 9 a.m. – noon, Tuesday, Feb. 15 present a talk titled “Grammar Refresher.” of Psychology, will deliver a talk titled “Early 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 10 McKenna/Peter/Wright Room, UC Noon – 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 22 Cognitive Development and Beyond.” Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall). Register at https://hr-apps.as.cmu.edu/ McKenna/Peter/Wright Room, UC 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24 hrlearn/HRLearn2. Register at https://hr-apps.as.cmu.edu/ Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall) Black History Month hrlearn/HRLearn2 Ernest Green, a member of the Little Rock The Humanities Center Lectures Humanities Lecture Series Nine, will deliver the keynote address for Paul John Eakin, Ruth N. Halls Professor “Still Life With Iris” Mieke Bal, Royal Netherlands Academy of Black History Month, titled “The Ernest Emeritus of English at Indiana University, will The play follows young Iris as she struggles Arts and Science Professor at the University of Green Story.” deliver a talk titled “When We Say ‘I’: Identity, to maintain her fragile memories in an inviting Amsterdam, will present a talk titled “Thousand 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 10 Memory, Narrative.” shadow-world. Her journey is one of hope, and One Voices.” Bal also will preview “Sepa- McConomy Auditorium 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15 courage and the power of faith. rations,” a film she co-directed, on Wednes- Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A Feb. 23-25 day, March 2, as part of the International Film The Center for Africanamerican Helen Wayne Rauh Studio Theater Festival. Urban Studies and the Economy Central Blood Bank Drive Purchase tickets at www.cmu.edu/cfa/drama/. 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 1 Speaker Series 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 17 Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A Nell Irvin Painter, Edwards Professor Connan Room, UC Learning and Development Session of American History, U.C. Emerita, of Ron Placone will lead a course titled “Master- Defensive Driving Class Princeton University, will present a lecture Staff Council General Body Meeting ing Change: Building Resilience.” The program 8:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 8 titled “The History of White People.” Noon - 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 17 will discuss process and phases of change, Connan Room, UC. 5 – 6:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 11 Rangos 3, UC human reactions and techniques for overcom- For more information contact Jim Gindlesperg- Connan Room, UC ing resistance. er at 412-268-3760 or [email protected].

F O UR Reefbot Lets Kids Explore Giant Aquarium C ONTI NUED FROM PAGE ONE

Graduate students in the Human- will focus on intelligent camera systems, Computer Interactions Methods course led development of CLEO’s smart cam- taught this fall by Bonnie John, profes- era technology, which helps detect fish sor in the Human-Computer Interaction and may eventually be able to automati- Institute, designed the robot’s interface cally classify fish. Aquarium visitors and the project website, http://reefbot. who use CLEO to identify fish in the com/. tank are helping to train the system. CLEO (Children Learning through Though humans are identifying Education and Observation) was built by the fish based on photos, what CLEO is adding an HD video camera and making learning in this process is a set of attri- other modifications to a commercially butes that it can associate with particular O

available submersible. Moreland said species, Wettergreen explained. GGI

reliability was a major consideration. “It might be the size of a fin and the ELVA S .

Most remotely operated vehicles color of a tail that identifies one species A (ROVs) used by oceanographers oper- and the pattern of stripes and the body Y PAUL Y PAUL ate for only a few hours at a time and shape that identifies another,” he said. B are routinely serviced between dives; “But in fact some of the attributes CLEO PHOTO CLEO, by contrast, will need to operate learns might not be things that people for a couple of weeks before scheduled would even recognize, such as ratios of T HE R EEFBOT TEAM I NCLUDES (FROM LEFT) D AVI D WETTERGREEN, ASSOCI ATE RESEARCH servicing. properties.” PROFESSOR OF ROBOTI CS; JOHN T HORNTON, SENI OR RESEARCH ENGI NEER; A QUARI ST The foot-and-a-half-long CLEO Wettergreen said scientists who A SHLEY K I DD; MARK D ESNOYER, A ROBOTI CS P H .D . STUDENT; JUSTI NE K ASZNI CA, moves too slowly to chase fish or cause study deep coral reefs might be par- R EEFBOT PROJ ECT M ANAGER; AND S COTT MORELAND, A ROBOTI CS P H .D . S TUDENT. any damage to itself, the tank or the ticularly interested in the technologies M I CHAEL F URLONG, A P H .D . STUDENT ON THE PROJ ECT, I S NOT P I CTURED. sea life, Moreland said. Navigation soft- being developed for CLEO. In contrast ware includes safeguards to prevent the to corals that flourish in shallow, tropical cause of rising ocean temperatures and these deep corals could provide invalu- tethered submarine from getting caught waters, these deep reefs are difficult changing ocean chemistry. ROVs that able knowledge. Further funding will in crevices, caves and obstructions. for human divers to study in detail. The could autonomously identify and count be necessary to pursue those goals, he Desnoyer, whose doctoral thesis reefs are threatened with extinction be- the creatures and organisms living on added.

Aviary Volunteer is All About the Birds

Q Heidi Opdyke

Gail Newton’s volunteer work gives her life wings. Newton, an IT project manager at the Software Engineering Institute, is the president of the National Aviary’s Volunteer Council and has helped with everything from being a docent to cleaning cages for the last five years. She recently shared her experiences with the aviary at a Carnegie Mellon Women’s Association (CMWA) event. As part of her talk, she gave a presentation on African Penguins that was originally designed for a CMU Learning and Development class. Her passion started with a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove in Orlando. “I was so positively impacted by the experience, that I wondered how I might someday help other people make a similar connection,” she said. She called the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, but they weren’t accepting HEN BADEN volunteers at that time of year. The aviary, however, started her right away. P TE S

“The Aviary training staff are incredibly talented mentors and there are so many Y B ways to help make an impact as a volunteer there,” she said.

Newton wasn’t alone for her talk. She had a little help from Simon, one of the PHOTO aviary’s penguins. G A I L N E W TON W ORKS WITH S IMON, AN A FRI CAN P ENGUI N FROM THE N ATI ON- I had at least a year of volunteering (and guest interactions) under my belt before AL A V I ARY, DURI NG A RECENT TALK AT C M U . I had the opportunity to start learning how to work with select birds,” Newton said. “Every bird has its own traits and there are protocols that must be followed for the safety of the bird and the handler. You really learn to respect these creatures and Q&A with Adrien Treuille C ONTI NUED FROM PAGE T W O their natural behaviors. They are wild animals after all.” scientists, they’ve responded naturally the way scientists do by forming a com- The aviary is actively involved in a managed breeding program for African munity, by discussing, by naming things, and even by having some players who do Penguins, which has declined by 90 percent in the last 100 years. There are fewer better, who become sort of experts in different aspects of the field and are respected than 60,000 in the wild. by others. In some sense the organization of the game community exactly mirrors At large, the aviary has more than 500 birds and 200 species. that of the scientific community. It’s a beautiful thing. If anyone has interest in volunteering, Newton recommends they give it a try. Volunteers serve as docents who provide aviary guests with wildlife and ecology What have we learned thus far in the limited time that EteRNA has information through guided tours and informal talks. They also serve as education been online? Are you learning things about RNA? volunteers who receive special training above and beyond the docent roles. The players have convincingly shown something that we already knew, in that you “I really didn’t know very much about birds when I first started volunteering at can design RNAs that work in principle according to our theories, but don’t work the National Aviary,” she said. “So don’t be hesitant to volunteer because you don’t in practice. They designed RNAs that some theories said should fold someway and have a ‘birding’ or zoo background. You will definitely have opportunities to learn they don’t. Then they immediately began hypothesizing why certain things work about the amazing birds, and what it takes to care for them and train them. You’ll and why some things don’t work. And they have successfully designed RNAs now also get to meet some great people in the process — Aviary staff and guests.” that do fold properly — completely synthetic RNAs that do fold properly. So in For more information about volunteering at the National Aviary, visit some sense we have our first sort of light into this cavern of why RNAs fold prop- www.aviary.org/inv/volunteer.php or contact the National Aviary Volunteer erly. That’s sort of our opening now to work with the community and try to really Coordinator at 412-323-7235 x476 or [email protected]. explore this space. We ultimately want to come up with a complete and repeatable

For more information and for upcoming CMWA events, visit www.cmu.edu/cmwa. set of rules to allow us to synthesize RNAs that fold properly in practice. F IVE Social Networks White House Staffer Uses Innovation To S P EAKERS S HARE D.C. E X P ERIENC ES Create Solutions Washington insiders are common guests at CMU’s Pittsburgh and Qatar campuses.

Q Maria Zayas The university has a strong connection and presence with the capital, thanks to the efforts D.C. programs for the Heinz College and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy (EPP). When President Barack Obama took Established in 2008, the Heinz College D.C. Campus aims at building connections between office, he wanted government to “do busi- CMU and national and international policymakers. The Heinz D.C. Campus offers the Master of ness differently.” As part of his plan, he created the Science in Public Policy and Management in DC degree. This highly selective program combines Office of Social Innovation and Civic studies, work experience and networking opportunities in the capital. After spending one year at Participation (SICP). Sonal Shah, the CMU’s main campus, students go on to work full-time apprenticeships four days a week, take night inaugural SICP director, spoke about her classes twice a week, and spend Friday mornings in classes and workshops. work in mid-January at Heinz College. EPP’s Washington Office opened in June 1997 and works to develop interaction between Shah said the SICP has three distinct students and faculty with related policy organizations in the area through video-conference seminars. goals to help support grass-roots efforts to These link the Washington Office with the CMU Pittsburgh campus. solve U.S. challenges: to develop commu- Dubbed the “classroom in the capital,” these seminars provide undergraduate and graduate nity leadership and to promote service as a students the chance to connect with and learn from experienced Washington policymakers. solution; to increase investment in innova- tive community solutions that have revealed Connections like these make networking with high-ranking officials possible. For this reason, real results; and to invest in the develop- Sonal Shah’s visit was more than a lecture, but a key moment in establishing a working relationship. ment of new models of partnership. “We discussed some specific ways that Carnegie Mellon could work with the Office of Social She praised Carnegie Mellon’s focus Innovation including, for example, student projects in specific areas of interest, and will be following on interdisciplinary education. Her expe- up on those opportunities,” said Tim Zak, associate teaching professor and the director of the Insti- rience has shown her the necessity of un- tute for Social Innovation. derstanding the many facets of problems. Recent speakers based in Washington, D.C., have included David Radzanowski, NASA Chief “It is a matter of using what you of Staff; and Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. In 2010, know with what you have started learn- three U.S. Cabinet members visited CMU campuses. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited ing,” Shah said. “It’s not just housing, graduation rates and birth rates. We need Carnegie Mellon in Qatar, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu spoke in Qatar and Pittsburgh, and to take a more interdisciplinary stance. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke spoke in Pittsburgh. More holistic views are needed. Is it that we are simply giving a service or that we Online: For a list of future speakers visit: http://www.cmu.edu/uls/ are solving a problem?” More information about Engineering and Public Policy’s Washington Office, and their Shah discussed some of the ways video-conference series can be found at: www.epp.cmu.edu/washington/index.html SICP has begun addressing the need for diverse, innovative thinking. She said the federal government, rather than centrally dictating procedures, will be encouraging community-based CMU Among the Talk at Linguists Meeting efforts and innovation. She said new ways Barbara Johnstone delivered the keynote to assess the economic impact of social presentation at the national Linguistic innovation will be created to drive experi- Society of America’s (LSA) 85th meet- mentation in financing those initiatives. ing, in “dahntahn” Pittsburgh where top Her speech provided an incompa- linguistic scholars gathered in January. rable benefit to Carnegie Mellon students. Johnstone, an English professor “The monthly speaker series attracts who works at the intersection of rhetoric, regional, national and international linguistics and critical theory, discussed thought leaders to campus to share in- “Speaking Pittsburghese: The Social sights and perspectives on current public History of Pittsburgh Speech.” interest issues with our graduate students In her talk, she examined the many and faculty. Students can then learn how special characteristics of Pittsburgh STER

to apply what they learn in class to a real I speech and how in the second half of the

policy issue, broadening their breadth of OLL 20th century, “Pittsburghese” became C knowledge,” said Jackie Speedy, Heinz identified as a highly visible dialect. College’s director of student affairs. AUREN B.

Along with a team of collaborators, L

Many in the audience were students Y Mandy Simons, an associate professor B and faculty from CMU’s Institute for of philosophy who launched Carnegie Social Innovation. PHOTO Mellon’s growing linguistics major, “The Heinz College, with its focus presented “Towards a Taxonomy of Pro- E NGLI SH P ROFESSOR B ARBARA JOHNSTONE D I SCUSSED P I TTSBURGHESE AS THE at the intersection of public policy, jective Content.” Her talk shared some KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE L I NGUI STI C S OCI ETY OF A M ERI CA’ S 85TH M EETI NG. management and technology, was the results of an National Science Founda- computational linguistics, received the NACLO is sponsored by the NSF, perfect place to host her inaugural visit to tion-sponsored research project aimed at (LSA) 2011 Linguistics, Language and the North American chapter of the As- Carnegie Mellon,” said Tim Zak, associ- better understanding different types of the Public Award. Lori Levin, NACLO sociation for Computational Linguistics, ate teaching professor and the director of linguistically conveyed meaning, using co-chair, is an associate research profes- CMU’s Language Technologies Insti- the institute. “I think those of us who had data from a variety of languages. sor in CMU’s Language Technologies tute, CMU’s Gelfand Center for Service a chance to meet with her briefly prior Also at the meeting, the North Institute, and Mary Jo Bensasi is the Learning and Community Outreach, the to the talk got confirmation that CMU’s American Computational Linguistics NALCO administrator. University of Michigan and Brandeis social innovation efforts are well aligned Olympiad (NACLO), an annual competi- The annual award recognizes people University, among others. with — and could contribute to — the tion that identifies high school students or organizations that have had a demon- Office of Social Innovation’s initiatives.” with linguistic talent while simultane- strable impact on the public awareness Shah’s visit was sponsored by Heinz ously acquainting them with the field of of linguistics. S IX College and the University Lecture Series. Meaningful Interactions a New Focus of Diversity Initiative

C ONTI NUED FROM PAGE ONE staff and students from all seven colleges and schools. Representatives participated in college-specific roundtable conversations to discuss ideas, strategies and tactics. Each college and school will pursue at least one project in 2011. “In order to have worthwhile and lasting impact, the motivation for change and the ideas to drive it must come from within the colleges themselves, as each has its own unique culture and dynamic. It is not something which can be imposed on them,” Cohon writes in the diversity report. Throughout the year, the DAC will work with college and schools to help them refine and implement their plans. Progress reports will be issued on MLK Day 2012.

D EAN OF S TUDENTS G I NA C ASALEGNO (FAR R I GHT) LEADS

A PROCESSI ON FROM THE P URNELL C ENTER LOBBY TO

THE U N I VERSI TY C ENTER I N A SYM BOLI C M ARCH FOR C I V I L

R I GHTS. A T THE U N I VERSI TY C ENTER, MAGGI E S ODERHOLM

( HSS’12) SPOKE ABOUT HOW MARTI N L UTHER K I NG JR .

IMPACTED HER L I FE AS A PRI V I LEGED W H I TE G I RL AND HOW

H I S W ORK HAS AFFECTED THE ENTI RE COUNTRY. A PPI AH

A DOM AKO (HNZ’11) SPOKE ABOUT HOW SOCI ETY SHOULD

I NVEST I N EDUCATI ON AND TRAI N I NG. “IF EVERY COUNTRY

W OULD ALLOCATE J UST 10 PERCENT OF I TS DEFENSE

BUDGET TO TRAI N AND EDUCATE THE POOR AND I NVEST I N

AGRI CULTURAL TECHNOLOGI ES, THE F I GHT AGAI NST POVERTY KAULEN

IM AND M ALNUTRI T I ON COULD BE W ON,” A DOM AKO SAI D . Y T B J ULI ANNE MALVEAUX, PRESI DENT OF B ENNETT C OLLEGE

FOR WO M EN, DELI VERED THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND HOTO P D I SCUSSED K I NG’ S ECONOMIC LEGACY.

D IVERSIT Y R E PORT H IGHLIGHT S

s )N HIS 3TATE OF $IVERSITY ADDRESS 0RESIDENT #OHON NOTED THAT  of the current undergraduate minority students and 16 percent percent of this year’s first-year class are minority students, mak- of the current graduate minority students consider themselves ing the Class of 2014 the most diverse first-year class in school multiracial. The opportunity to declare multiracial status began history. last fall.

s )N THE PAST  YEARS THE TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE MINORITY POPULATION s #-5 SPONSORS MANY DIVERSITY PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR HAS INCREASED  PERCENT FROM  TO  4HERE WERE  UN- including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month (Febru- dergraduate minority students last year and 610 the year before. ary), Women’s History Month (March), Hispanic Heritage Month President Cohon credited the results to a “concerted effort” by the 3EPT  n /CT  0RIDE -ONTH /CTOBER !SIAN (ERITAGE -ONTH Admission Office and the “extraordinary success” of the Summer (November), International Festival, the MOSAIC Gender Confer- Academy for Math and Science, the CMU program designed to ence, and Speak Your Mind Diversity Discussion and Dinners.

increase the number of college-bound minority students. s #-5 SUPPORTS MORE THAN  MULTICULTURAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS s 3TUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOG- nized as multiracial rather than a single race. Twenty-six percent For the full report visit www.cmu.edu/diversity-guide.

World Economic Forum Visits CMU; Cohon Participates in Davos

Michele Petochi, director and head of university community for the World Economic Forum (WEF), visited Carnegie Mellon in December. His visit preceded the WEF’s well-known annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which brought together the world’s business, political and Carnegie Mellon President Jared academic leaders in late January. The L. Cohon moderated an interactive meeting’s theme was “Shared Norms group session at the Davos meeting, for the New Reality,” and included titled “Getting Things Done: Macro NDREYO discussions which focused on how the and Micro Strategies,” which addressed A EN world is becoming increasingly complex using technology to help increase K Y and interconnected, and experiencing productivity at the group and individual B

an erosion of common values that level. The session included discussion PHOTO undermines public trust in leadership, leaders from the United Kingdom, India, economic growth and political stability. Vietnam and Germany. M I CHELE P ETOCHI (CENTER), D I RECTOR AND HEAD OF UNI VERSI TY COMMUNI TY FOR THE WORLD E CONOMIC F ORUM (WEF), TALKS WITH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

K ATHERI NE Y ANG AND E R I C WU DURI NG H I S V I S I T TO CAM PUS I N D ECEM BER. S EVEN Students Helping Students Academic Development Enhances Collaborative Learning Culture

Q Abby Houck ing for exams and combating stress. In Peer Tutoring make a connection.” The basement of Cyert Hall is not a addition to workshops, ACs provide Tutoring, coordinated by John Lanyon, Walk-in tutoring is the most popular typical destination for most faculty or one-on-one sessions for those interested is Academic Development’s largest option, although students may request staff, but it’s worth a visit in the late in developing a personalized plan for program with approximately 100 tutors weekly standing appointments. Tutors afternoon or evening, especially during academic success. A similar program is supporting 20 courses. offer late afternoon walk-in sessions at finals week. being developed at the Qatar campus’ Orathai Sukwong has been a peer the Academic Development office, as Visitors will see Academic De- Academic Resource Center, and several tutor for nearly well as evening sessions velopment’s classrooms, offices and of the ACs helped to create YouTube eight years and was in Mudge, Donner and hallways filled with students engaging videos of individual sessions for training named the 2010 West Wing residence in experiences that reinforce classroom new student employees this fall. Graduate Student halls. The Engineering learning and encourage positive study Students enrolled in traditionally Employee of the and Science Library has skills. difficult courses are encouraged to Year. She completed been added to the list of “We offer a variety of programs attend optional, one-hour SI sessions her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in walk-in locations for the for students who are facing academic offered twice each week. Chad Pysher, engineering at Carnegie Mellon and is spring semester. challenges, as well as those who want to SI/EXCEL program coordinator, reports pursuing a doctorate. “We’re thankful for the extra space,” improve their performance,” said Linda 76 percent of students enrolled in the “Some students come to tutoring Lanyon said. “In the past, we’ve had Hooper, director of Academic Develop- seven courses supported by SI this fall sessions and really need help connecting to contact housefellows to add chairs ment. attended at least one session. the pieces. Others have mastered a con- in popular tutoring locations. In one Academic Development’s programs cept but just need confirmation that they instance, our administrative assistant, Supplemental Instruction are prime examples of how Carnegie are using the right process,” Sukwong Donora Craighead, carried a folding Mellon students are taking ownership of Ming-Yang Hung, a senior mechanical said. “One of the most rewarding experi- table over to Donner House, because so their learning experiences, not only by engineering major, is the SI instructor ences is when I see one of my ‘tutees’ many students showed up.” improving their own academic perfor- for physiology. Two years ago, Hung mance, but also by enabling the success was enrolled in the same course and of others. regularly attended SI sessions led by The office has experienced signifi- Raphael Bertrand. cant growth over the past decade — a “Rafael was patient with us,” Hung clear indication that Hooper and her said. “His dedication really moved me, four full-time staff members have made and I wanted to give back a little.” Academic Development a place where Hung’s SI students will tell you students feel comfortable seeking help. that he’s gone above and beyond his During the 2009–2010 academic year, job description. Nearly 97 percent of Academic Development logged 10,885 physiology students attended at least student contacts (students are counted one of his sessions last semester. He’s each time they attend a session), nearly even answered emails from students at 5 a 38 percent increase over student con- a.m. the day of a test. Hung meets weekly with faculty tacts for 2000-2001. N OAH A . S MITH S HAW N L I TSTER The team trains and supervises member Phil Campbell to discuss what about 140 undergraduate and gradu- course content is likely to be the most ate students who support one of four challenging. Student instructors ap- Investigators Receive programs: Academic Counseling, preciate the ability to better prepare for Supplemental Instruction (SI), EXCEL sessions when faculty submit syllabi NSF Career Awards or homework sets in advance, although Groups and Peer Tutoring. Students The National Science Foundation has recognized the outstanding research it’s not required. Some faculty members must have an overall QPA of 3.5 and of Noah A. Smith and Shawn Litster by presenting them with Career also provide access to course content on As in the courses they support. They Development awards in recent weeks. Blackboard. take a semester-long course that covers In his recent letter to the university community, President Jared Cohon teaching concepts like multiple intelli- said that more than 20 of CMU’s faculty members have received Career EXCEL gence theory and collaborative learning Awards in the last year. techniques. While SI typically supports large, intro- Smith, an assistant professor in the Language Technologies Institute and “The students are very real about ductory courses, EXCEL Groups work Machine Learning Department, has received a five-year, $550,000 Faculty what it takes to succeed in a course,” well for major-specific courses with Early Career Development Award to study flexible statistical learning algo- Hooper said. “Their peers listen because smaller enrollments. Up to six students rithms for natural language processing. Smith’s research focuses on computa- they’ve ‘been there, done that.’” meet with an EXCEL leader each week. tional models of human language: formal aspects, learning such models from Student employees take away skills Weronika Balewski, a junior flute data, and applying them to problems like translation and social media analysis. that are attractive to graduate programs performance major, is the College of Smith joined the School of Computer Science faculty in 2006. He earned and employers. “We write a lot of rec- Fine Arts’ first EXCEL leader and sup- bachelor’s degrees in linguistics and computer science at the ommendations for students applying for ports courses in harmony and solfege. University of Maryland and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer teaching assistantships during graduate “Chad Pysher has given me the science at Johns Hopkins University. school, and other students have talked support and structure to come up with Shawn Litster was awarded a $400,000 Career Young Investigator Award about their experiences during medical new solutions to support music courses, from the NSF to pursue fuel cell and lithium-ion battery research. school interviews,” Hooper said. which focus on skill development,” she “I’m delighted to receive this award. It provides important support for said. studying transport phenomena in fuel cell and battery electrodes using our Academic Counseling Faculty members invite Balewski unique micro-scale approaches. The award also supports my education initia- Jessica Owens coordinates the Academ- to visit their classes at the beginning of tives in developing new approaches for teaching energy systems,” said Litster, ic Counseling program, which focuses each semester. an assistant professor of mechanical engineering who teaches undergraduate on academic skill development. The stu- “Professor Whipple, in particular, and graduate courses in energy systems and thermodynamics. dent Academic Counselors (ACs) lead has been very supportive,” Balewski Litster received his bachelor’s degree in engineering and his master’s group workshops covering topics such said. “He even told me that several degree in mechanical engineering in 2004 and 2005, respectively, from the as succeeding in the freshman year, of his students raised their grade by a University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia. He earned a Ph.D. in managing time, citing sources, prepar- whole letter after getting involved in mechanical engineering in 2008 from Stanford University.

E IGHT EXCEL.” LECTURE SPOTLIGHT: “LITTLE ROCK NINE” MEMBER TO SHARE HISTORIC MEMORIES

Q Abby Houck members of the campus community to W HO: E RNES T GREEN Senior math major Kamal Ibrahim is reflect on the ways they can make an W HAT: B L A CK H I S T O RY M O NTH K EYNO TE SP E A KER excited to start his career at PNC Bank’s impact while learning from the personal W HEN: 7 P . M ., T HURS D AY , FE B . 10 Pittsburgh headquarters this sum- experiences of contemporary heroes. mer, although he’s spending his final Ibrahim’s family tree includes one W HERE: M C C O N O MY AUDITO RIUM, U NIV ERS ITY C ENTER semester at Carnegie Mellon focused on of the civil rights movement’s youngest O NLINE: WWW. CMU. EDU/ ULS / F E B RUA RY/ G REEN. HTML the legacy he’ll leave behind for future living legacies. Distant cousin Carlotta students. Lanier and her eight classmates, now Ibrahim, an Andrew Carnegie Soci- known as the “Little Rock Nine,” were protect the students as they entered ety Scholar from New York City’s Har- the first black students to integrate the school. The “Little Rock Nine” lem neighborhood, has been involved in Central High School in 1957. Although encountered violence and verbal abuse a wide range of activities that promote Lanier will not be in Pittsburgh this throughout the school year. diversity and multicultural awareness. February, fellow classmate Ernest Green After graduation, Green earned He’s served as a resident assistant for will deliver the Black History Month a bachelor’s degree in social science ORIGINS, the Carnegie Mellon Advis- keynote address at 7 p.m., Thursday, and master’s degree in sociology from ing Resource Center’s pre-orientation Feb. 10 in McConomy Auditorium. Michigan State University. He served program for minority students. Ibrahim Green will describe the events as assistant secretary of Labor for is the fundraising chair for Carnegie that took place during his senior year of Employment and Training under the Mellon’s chapter of the National Society high school. September 1957 began with Carter administration and as chair of of Black Engineers and is a member of Gov. Orval Fabus ordering the Arkansas the African Development Foundation the University of Pittsburgh’s Alpha Phi National Guard to block black students during the Clinton administration. Green E RNEST G REEN Alpha fraternity. from entering Central High. The gover- is now the managing director of public Speaking with M. Shernell Smith nor’s refusal to uphold the U.S. Supreme finance for Lehman Brothers’ Washing- honor given to a civilian. Several books, mov- in the Office of the Dean of Student Court decision Brown v. Board of ton, D.C., office. ies and documentaries have been produced Affairs, Ibrahim suggested this year’s Education prompted President Dwight In 1999, President Clinton present- about the students’ experiences, including the Black History Month focus on “liv- Eisenhower to order the U.S. Army and ed the “Little Rock Nine” with the “The Ernest Green Story,” which premiered ing legacies.” He wants to encourage Arkansas National Guard to Congressional Gold Medal, the highest on the Disney Chanel in 1993.

It’s Electrifying MCS Staffer Shows Steelers Spirit

Q Amy Pavlak it to an organization who would show- including Hines Ward, James Harrison, tinue. Dalmasse has more than 10 other electronic football boards with the oldest Rob Dalmasse wants to share a game case it so Pittsburghers and other people Ryan Clark and the legendary Jack dating to before 1960. with the world. can enjoy it.” Lambert, for their signatures. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s a Dalmasse, a lab technician in the He built it with help from his sister- “I’ve had this electric football game hobby. It’s just strange that a game from Department of Chemistry, runs an in-law Shawna and her husband, John, board since I was a kid, and I’ve always yesteryear still exists. But just by expos- electric football league with graduate who did the bulk of the construction. been a Steelers fan. It’s been a blast to ing it to younger people they catch on students and teaches outsiders about Dalmasse did all of the artwork for showcase this retro-childhood game in quickly and really enjoy it.” the game with a hot-tub-sized model of the replica, including intricately painting this wonderful venue, contribute to the For more information about the Heinz Field. figurines of the Steelers players and Steelers Nation, and share this hobby. display, contact Dalmasse at Complete with fans in the stands, their opponents, the Cleveland Browns. Go Steelers!” [email protected], 412-268-5394 current Steelers players on the field and Over the years, Dalmasse has presented If someone does take the game, the or 412-268-2341. coaches on the sidelines, the model has the figurines to several Steelers players, student league will still be able to con- since been featured in commercials and a local news clip. It travels to Fan Blitz at Heinz Field every year, and now it’s been on exhibit at CMU’s Miller Gal- lery. The exhibition, “Whatever It Takes: Steelers Fan Collections, Rituals, and Obsessions,” looks at the ingenious methods Steelers fans use to construct their own personal and social identities in relation to the team. The exhibit will end after the Superbowl. Dalmasse’s homage to Heinz Field is hard to miss. The large model is one of the first things you see as you walk through the gallery’s doors. If you look

closely, you might spot Art Rooney G N sitting in his box or President Obama I EAD waving a Terrible Towel. R

But once the exhibit wraps up, COLE NI Y

Dalmasse would like to find a permanent B home for the display in a museum. “I don’t want to have to store it in PHOTO my basement, but I would like to donate T H I S ELECTRONI C FOOTBALL GAM E I S A HOT- TUB- S I ZE M ODEL OF H E I NZ F I ELD I N NEED OF A PERM ANENT HOM E . N INE Fit Fitness In: University Community Exercises Healthier Choices

Q Bruce Gerson Initiative, an effort he launched in 2006. “The president works out, he’s a big Come healthy, leave healthier. G R O U P X- ERC ISE PR O GRAM advocate of the program, and it trickles That’s the slogan for Carnegie Mel- down from there. People are really mak- 4HE h'ROUP 8 ERCISEv PROGRAM OFFERS MORE THAN  CLASSES EACH lon’s fitness program, and by the looks of ing time for fitness,” she said. week in everything from step aerobics, kickboxing, pilates and things, folks are taking it to heart. In an email in early January, spinning, to swimming, West African Dance, yoga and Zumba. More than 400 students, faculty and Barbara Smith, associate vice president s 3INGLE CLASS CARDS ARE  WITH THE EXCEPTION OF YOGA WHICH IS staff participated in group exercise classes and chief Human Resources Officer,  PER CLASS and the Fitness Open House during the and Anita Barkin, director of University s 4WELVE PUNCH CARDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR  YOGA CLASSES REQUIRE first week of classes this semester. Partici- Health Services, encouraged supervisors two punches). pants at the Open House in the University to support their staff’s involvement in s #ARDS CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE 5# %QUIPMENT $ESK ACROSS THE Center (UC) were able to get advice from fitness activities. hall from Wiegand Gym. fitness staff and personal trainers and try “While there are times when the out different activities, such as racquet- needs of the office and the demands of ball, squash, yoga, spinning and stability the work situation make staff participa- balls and bands. tion in an event or activity impossible, Nearly 100 signed up for personal we would ask that, if and when flex- training sessions over the next few weeks, ibility is an option, you support a staff and many registered to “Fit Fitness In,” member’s interest in participating in a this semester’s Fitness Challenge, Jan. 24 healthy campus activity,” they wrote. – March 1. During that six-week period, “When individuals engage in a individuals commit to working out for at healthier lifestyle the positive impact is least 20 minutes a day, four days a week. realized on both the personal and insti- Last semester the challenge drew more tutional level. Chronic illness . . . lower than 300 participants. employee productivity, increase the Director of Fitness and Health Donna number of lost workdays and increase Morosky, a 35-year veteran at CMU, health insurance costs. This is clearly and Fitness Operations Manager Pat- a case where what is good for the em- tye Stragar said they’ve seen a drastic ployee is also good for the employer,” increase in awareness and interest in the Smith and Barkin said. fitness program. The Walking Wednesday pro- “We try to do more activities to make African Caribbean Dance, basketball, Zumba, a high intensity, Latin-inspired gram, in which participants walk for people aware of what’s going on,” said body sculpting and karate, to lifeguard- dance exercise, was introduced in 2007. 45 minutes during the noon hour in the Stragar who maintains an email d-list of ing, personal fitness, racquetball and “We’ve seen an explosion of activity UC Gym during inclement weather and about 2,000 subscribers to communicate squash, tennis and volleyball. and interest among students, faculty and on the Gesling Stadium track when the fitness news. Morosky began CMU’s fitness staff, especially with spinning and yoga,” weather’s nice, and the Fitness Chal- “People love competition so we chal- program in the mid-1980s with aerobics Morosky said. “I had 74 students on my lenge are just two components of a lenge departments and residence halls to classes in the residence halls and in waiting list for yoga this semester and 34 mutli-faceted fitness menu offered to the see who can bring the most people to our Skibo Gym’s Thistle Hall. She recalls on the waiting list for spinning. university community by the Depart- Fitness Challenge or Walking Wednes- adding step aerobics and body sculpting, “We’ve certainly become a much ment of Athletics and Physical Educa- days program. We’re seeing a steady trend and then classes that combined aerobics, healthier campus,” she said. tion. There’s also the Group X-ercise upward in participation,” she said. step aerobics and body sculpting. Circuit For more information on the fitness program (see above) and more than 25 Stragar also credits the success of the training was added in the ’90s, followed program, go to www.cmu.edu/athletics/ physical education classes. program to President Jared L. Cohon’s by spinning, “aquacises,” or water aero- recreation/fitness/index.html or stop by Courses for students range from commitment to the Healthy Campus bics, African Caribbean Dance and yoga. the UC Equipment Desk.

EWS RIEFS will be posted on CulinArt’s Facebook page at at discounted rates. For order forms go to the the Finance Division, the issue includes news, N B www.facebook.com/CulinArtCMU. Staff Council website www.cmu.edu/staff- deadlines, information about tax changes for The two students with the most “likes” will council/Discounts/index.html. 2011, and upcoming changes to the business Resnik Café, Tartans Pavilion perform in the finale on Monday, Feb. 21. The and travel expense policy. The bulletins will be Eliminate Bottled Water winner will receive $100 and the chance to L&D Classes Available archived on the Finance Division website at sing the National Anthem at a Washington Wild For Spring Semester www.cmu.edu/finance/cfo/fincom/. CulinArt has partnered with Aqua Health Foun- Things baseball game next season. tain Waters for the spring semester to promote Learning & Development’s spring semester has Students, faculty and staff interested in Study: Thinking About a greener campus by offering flavored water begun, and sessions are filling up fast. For a singing just for fun are encouraged to partici- Food Can Help Diet fountain options in the Schatz Dining Room full schedule, and to register for courses, visit pate. Eclipse Entertainment’s DJ Joe Wright will and the Marketplace. Flavors include raspberry, www.cmu.edu/hr/learning/seminars.html. If you’re looking to lose weight, think about provide music. kiwi strawberry, green tea and lemon lime. eating your favorite candy bar. In fact, go Bottled water is being eliminated in the Resnik Annual Alcohol and ahead and imagine devouring every last bite — Natural History Museum Café and the Tartans Pavilion. Drug Brochure Released all in the name of your diet. Extends Gigapixel Show A new landmark study by Carnegie Mellon CulinArt Student Activities Director Shelby The university’s annual alcohol and drug policy The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has researchers, published in Science, shows that Cole said the decision supports the CMU brochure can be downloaded at www.stu- extended through July its display of the juried when you imagine eating a certain food re- students’ Tap Water Project, which encourages dentaffairs.cmu.edu/dean/publications/2010- gallery show from last fall’s Fine International peatedly, it reduces the amount you consume, students to “grab a cup of water, rather than a 2011-alcohol-and-drug-brochure.pdf. This Conference on Gigapixel Imaging for Science. rather than increasing cravings. bottle.” publication was compiled as a resource by staff Prints of the eight stunning high-resolution pho- “We think these findings will help develop in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. tos, each up to 17 feet in length, are displayed future interventions to reduce cravings for Carnegie Mellon Café Contact the staff at 412-268-2075 with any in the R.P. Simmons Family Gallery on the things such as unhealthy food, drugs and ciga- Hosts Karaoke Nights questions or comments. museum’s third floor. rettes,” said Carey Morewedge, an assistant CulinArt is sponsoring competitive and enter- professor of social and decision sciences and tainment-only karaoke nights from 6 to 9 p.m., First Finance Staff Council Offers the lead author of the study, who appeared on Monday, Feb. 7 and 14. Students wishing to Bulletin Published Discounts for PSO, Opera ABC News with Diane Sawyer on Friday, Dec. compete must pre-register at least two hours The inaugural edition of the Finance Bulletin 10. Watch the interview online at http://abcn. prior to each event with CulinArt’s Student Ac- Staff Council has arranged for members of the has been published and can be downloaded ws/eNXUSS. tivities Director Shelby Cole at scole@andrew. university community to receive tickets to the at www.cmu.edu/finance/cfo/fincom/files/fin_ The research team included Young Eun cmu.edu. Thirty seconds of each performance Pittsburgh Symphony and Pittsburgh Opera bull_201101.pdf. A new monthly publication by Huh, a Tepper School of Business Ph.D.

T EN Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley Opens Expansive New Wing

Q Sylvia Leong Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley is growing. The California program celebrated the opening of a new wing with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 12. The new space is located in Building 19, in the 1050-60 section of NASA Ames Research Park at Moffett Field. The wing consists of 11 rooms, which have been renovated to accommodate two conference rooms, one office space, three work areas for 30 graduate students, two work areas for 16 researchers, two offices for Institute Telecom (a partner of Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley) and one student/faculty lounge. G The project was the final phase EON L A of a three-phase renovation plan that I YLV began in 2008 with the transformation S Y of Building 23, the main building for the B Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley campus. PHOTO During Phase I, a high-tech, point- F ACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS CELEBRATE THE RECENT BUI LDI NG RENOVATI ON. to-point video conferencing classroom was created to accommodate distance I’m pleased we can provide new learning, and student work stations were accommodations for our graduate put in place to house the new full-time students and researchers. The CMU master’s degree and Ph.D. students. building project team has provided In Phase II, renovations focused piper a seamless integration to the new on improving audio-quality for remote- wing,” said Martin Griss, director classroom capability, and maximization of the Silicon Valley campus and Congratulations to include Aamir Anwar, Teresa Smith and Marilyn Parker for correctly answering the December Piper Trivia question.

Go online to the Piper+ at http://bit.ly/CMUpiper for this month’s ONLINE: WATCH THE RIBBON CUTTING AT WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/USER/ question. Previous winners are ineligible. Winners will receive a CMUSILICONVALLEY#P/A/U/0/T7WQYWHONX4 prize from the Carnegie Mellon Bookstore.

Connect with Internal Communications of meeting and office spaces. associate dean at the College of Carnegie Mellon shares Building Engineering. “It feels like every time http://bit.ly/CMUnewsFacebook 19 with University of California-Santa we finish construction on a new phase, Cruz and several start-up companies we immediately outgrow it. This is an twitter.com/CMUnews associated with NASA. exciting time to be at the Silicon Valley “We’ve seen tremendous growth campus.” in our academic and research areas.

candidate, and Joachim Vosgerau, assistant gations embodied in existing university policies. Energy Decision Making (http://cedm.epp.cmu. tempts to select the next technology for future professor of marketing at the Tepper School. Each section of the code sets forth a general edu/index.php), funded by a five-year, $6 million hard disk drives. legal or ethical principal followed by Web links grant from the National Science Foundation, will NSF Extends Support to related university policies. The code was develop and implement strategies for protecting Mechanism Discovered for For ARTSI Program reviewed and approved by President’s Council things from fragile marine ecosystems to curb- Cell Receptor Recycling and the Board of Administration Regulation and ing dangerous carbon dioxide emissions. An international team of researchers led by The National Science Foundation (NSF) will be Finance. A copy of the code may be found at The center, directed by Ines Lima Azevedo, Carnegie Mellon’s Manojkumar Puthenveedu supporting an alliance of nine major research www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/CodeBusi- will tap the expertise of principal investiga- has discovered the mechanism by which universities, including Carnegie Mellon, and nessEthicsConduct.htm. General questions tor M. Granger Morgan, head of EPP, and signaling receptors recycle. Writing in the 19 historically black colleges and universities may be directed to Assistant General Counsel several other Carnegie Mellon faculty as well as journal Cell, the team describes for the first time (HBCUs) that encourages African American stu- Dan Munsch at [email protected]. researchers from other institutions. how a signaling receptor travels back to the dents to pursue graduate training and research cell membrane after it has been activated and careers in robotics and computer science. Parking & Transportation Zhu Recognized for internalized. The NSF’s two-year, $1.5 million extension Seeks PAT Feedback Magnetic Work award will enable the Advancing Robotics Tech- Signaling receptors live on the cell mem- nology for Societal Impact (ARTSI) Alliance to Parking & Transportation Services is seek- ABB Professor of Engineering and current brane waiting to be matched with their associ- develop additional curricula, outreach activities, ing feedback from students, faculty and staff Data Storage Systems Center Director Jimmy ated protein ligand. When they meet, the two and summer research programs. regarding their experiences using Port Authority Zhu has received the IEEE Magnetics Soci- join together like a lock and key, turning on Participating Carnegie Mellon faculty Transit (PAT) services. Please complete the PAT ety Achievement Award “for contributions to and off critical functions within the cell. These members include David S. Touretzky, Illah feedback form at https://www.cmu.edu/park- magnetic storage devices through magnetic functions play a role in human health, and each Nourbakhsh and Sara Kiesler. ing/PAT-feedback/ to ensure your concerns are modeling.” It is the society’s highest award. new discovery provides a potential therapeutic heard. Zhu, who is also an IEEE fellow, is a rec- target for conditions like heart, lung and inflam- ognized world leader in modeling magnetic matory disease. University Develops New Center To Develop devices, especially for magnetic recording and Business Ethics Code Decision-Making Strategies magnetoresistive memory. His pivotal modeling work on thin film recording media has led the Uncertainty is a part of life. But a new center As required by recent federal regulations, use of the granular microstructure in hard disk at Carnegie Mellon will help consumers and Carnegie Mellon has developed a Code of drive media throughout the past two decades. industry better handle those doubts when Business Ethics and Conduct. The code sum- Zhu’s pioneering research and modeling it comes to issues involving global climate marizes and organizes the legal and ethical obli- are making a significant impact as industry at- change and energy. The Center for Climate and E LEVEN Regional Dialects Evident in Twitter Slang

Regional slang and dialects are as evident in tweets as they are in everyday conversations, according to computer science researchers. Jacob Eisenstein, a post-doctoral fellow in the Machine Learning Department, and his colleagues developed an automated method that analyzed word use in 380,000 JOINT Boston geotagged Tweets from 9,500 users. Among the findings: ONTO LOVEEE / SIPPIN Northern California New Yorkers often use “suttin” instead of “something,” San TIPSY Lake Erie Region New York KOO Franciscans think something cool is “coo,” while Angelenos IAM / CAB / SUTTIN FLIRT spell it “koo,” and in Philly “mayb” is often used instead of SEEE Pittsburgh “maybe.” WIZ Using the same data base, they demonstrated they OMW could identify a tweeter’s location with a mean error of 300 COO miles just by analyzing word choice and topics in tweets. LAKERS Automated analysis of Twitter message streams offers Los Angeles linguists an opportunity to watch regional dialects evolve in real time. “It will be interesting to see what happens. Will ‘suttin’ remain a word we see primarily in New York City, or will it spread?” Eisenstein asked.

Tracing Potholes to Pasta Researchers, Watson Students Create Software To Boost Efficiency Featured on NOVA Q Shilo Raube this, the team designed and built the Ask anyone who works for a non-profit “Tartan Food Tracker,” an online Web organization what they need to more application that contains all nutritional efficiently run their organization, and information for campus restaurants as chances are that a type of expensive well as hours of operation, location software will make the wish list. details and user food logs. The site, Luckily, for a select group of which is expected to launch this spring, non-profits, the Information Systems will be accessible with an Andrew ID. Program has made their wish come true. “It was very difficult to create “During their senior year, our because there are over 22 dining students work with non-profits in the locations on campus that use community,” said Larry Heimann, between 7-10 vendors, so we had to a teaching professor of Information communicate with them to get accurate Systems who has been helping lead information and then find a way to get it these projects for the past 13 years. into our system,” Tyson said. In the Information Systems Susan Lace and Brandon Sherman

Applications course, students spent worked on the pothole project that OF IBM PHOTO COURTESY thousands of hours on software involved building a mobile application W ATSON, POW ERED BY IB M POW ER7, I S A COM PUTER SYSTEM THAT CAN development during the fall semester. and website. Lace explained that people CORRECTLY ANSW ER QUESTI ONS COVERI NG AN UNLIMITED RANGE OF TOPI CS. will be able to take and upload photos of Projects included identifying and Q Byron Spice creating a model system for the United potholes directly from smart phones. Way of Allegheny County to track and “The phone’s GPS location will tag Researchers from the School of Computer Science are featured in “Smartest assign funds for after-school programs; the pothole’s location,” she said. Machine on Earth: Can a Computer Win at Jeopardy!?” the Feb. 9 episode of PBS’s creating a way for the community Once photos are uploaded, website top-rated science documentary series, NOVA. The episode focuses on Watson, the to track and report potholes; and users can vote for the most problematic computing system that IBM has built to face off against human champions on TV’s continued work with Pittsburgh Steelers potholes. “The votes are shown through Jeopardy! and on the state of artificial intelligence in general. Quarterback Charlie Batch’s “In the heat maps, which are useful to city Eric Nyberg, professor in the Language Technologies Institute (LTI), and his Pocket” charity event to streamline planners and people who want to avoid students have worked closely with IBM on Watson and other question-answering registration processes and track game potholes,” Sherman said. systems. Jeopardy! episodes featuring Watson and former champions Ken Jennings results during the event. “These projects give the students a and Brad Rutter will air at 7 p.m., Feb. 14-16 on WPXI-TV. Additionally, the team of Anthony chance to give back to the community Tom Mitchell, head of the Machine Learning Department; Alex Waibel, an LTI Zhang, Ashwin Hedge, Brandon Tyson, and make a difference,” Heimann said. professor; and Luis von Ahn, assistant professor of computer science, are featured in Joey Raudabaugh and Arvind Shrihari “The students get excited about it, and the NOVA episode. Von Ahn also met with TV writers to promote the episode at the worked with CMU’s Housing and it makes for a great, memorable senior PBS Winter Press Tour last month in Pasadena, Calif. Dining Services to address the lack year.” “Smartest Machine on Earth” will air at 10 p.m., Feb. 9 on WQED-TV, capping of nutritional information available View a video of the students talking a special three-hour night of programming for NOVA. An episode of NOVA Science at campus food locations. To do about their projects at www.youtube. Now regarding animal intelligence, begins at 8 p.m., followed by the final episode of T WELVE com/watch?v=8hJxaTVcCcQ. NOVA’s four-part series on materials science, “Making Stuff: Smarter,” at 9 p.m.