Hey, Hey, Hey...It's Bill Cosby! Researchers Cook-Up Robot
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PIPER5/07 Issue 4 I NTERNAT I ONAL D I SPATCHES Hey, Hey, Hey ... It’s Bill Cosby! 9 A SK A N D REW H A NG ON T O YOUR MOR ta R - 1 0 N EWS B R I EFS BO A RDS , L A DIES 1 2 L ECTURE S POTL I GHT A ND GEN T LEMEN , C OMEDI A N B ILL C OSBY IS C OMING Researchers T O ca MPUS ! T HE C OMEDI A N , act OR Cook-Up Robot A ND A MERI ca N I C ON Recipes Anyone WILL DELI V ER T HE KEYNO T E A DDRESS at Can Follow C A RNEGIE M ELLON ’ S n Byron Spice C OMMEN C EMEN T It once would have required the C EREMONY ON expertise of the entire Robotics Institute S UND A Y , M A Y 2 0 . to build a robot that connects wirelessly F OR MORE ON to the Internet and can be controlled from any Web-linked computer. Now, C OSBY A ND A LL thanks to a Carnegie Mellon research T HE DE ta ILS A BOU T team, almost anyone can do it. C OMMEN C EMEN T , SEE Want a robot that can keep an eye on your pet during the day and send T HE C OMMEN C EMEN T photos to your work computer? You can P RE V IEW SE ct ION build one. Want a robot that looks like a BEGINNING ON flower, with leaves that open and close based on time of day or your mood? P A GE FI V E . PHOTO BY ERINN C ON T INUED ON P A GE NINE Erwin Steinberg Retires After Six Decades n Jonathan Potts That was 16 years ago. Steinberg By the time he was 70, English spent five years as vice provost then Professor Erwin Steinberg was giving returned to the English Department, his serious thought to retirement. Then retirement plans forgotten — until now. Carnegie Mellon President Robert After 60 years, Steinberg is retiring, Mehrabian offered him a brand-new bringing to a close the storied career position: vice provost for education, that has spanned several chapters of with a charge to cut the university’s Carnegie Mellon history. double-digit freshman attrition rate. So Steinberg decided to stick around. C ON T INUED ON P A GE 1 1 E N A N D R E Y O K Y B P H O T O E RWIN S T EINBERG ’ S ca REER at C A RNEGIE M ELLON H A S SP A NNED 6 0 YE A RS . H E ’ S SHOWN HERE at T HE M A PW 2 5 T H A NNI V ERS A RY C ELEBR at ION T HIS P A S T F A LL . O NE Ruder Jets To Germany To Meet PIPER With Nobel Laureates 5/07 Issue n Chriss Swaney P UBLI S HER Teresa Thomas Warren Ruder will be making a dream Assistant Professor of Mechanical En- E DI T OR come true this summer when he meets gineering Philip LeDuc, nominated him Bruce Gerson with 15 Nobel Laureates. The Ph.D. for two reasons. For starters, the oppor- M ANAGING E DI T OR candidate in Carnegie Mellon’s Depart- tunity carries great academic glory. But Susie Cribbs ment of Biomedical Engineering was it also serves as an excellent platform W RI T ER S selected to attend the 57th Meeting of for a young researcher to interact with Cindy Carroll Jonathan Potts Nobel Laureates and Students in some of the world’s great minds. Eric Sloss Byron Spice Lindau, Germany, July 1–6. “I’m probably as excited as Warren, Chriss Swaney “I’m elated. I hope to learn lessons because this is the first time a Carnegie Ken Walters from the laureates, including how they Mellon student has participated in this D E S IGNER approached their own research careers particular program,” LeDuc said. Science and Education. The institute is Melissa Stoebe Communications Design Group as younger scholars and what practices A handful of select U.S. scholars administered by ORAU under contract P HO T OGRAPHY complemented their success,” said will join an additional 450 international with the Department of Energy to man- Ken Andreyo Ruder, whose own research focuses students to make the academic trek this age programs that support science educa- Communications Design Group tion and research. Carnegie Mellon is a To contact The Piper staff, call 412-268-2900 member institution of ORAU, a consor- or email [email protected]. “I HOPE T O LEARN LE ss ON S FROM T HE LAUREAT E S , INCLUDING HOW tium of 98 major research universities. Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and Carnegie Mellon University is required not to discriminate in admission, T HEY APPROACHED T HEIR OWN RE S EARCH CAREER S A S YOUNGER employment, or administration of its programs or activities Ruder, a second-year Ph.D. student, 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 S CHOLAR S AND WHAT PRAC T ICE S COMPLEMEN T ED T HEIR S UCCE ss .” earned his bachelor’s degree in civil the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or other federal, state, and environmental engineering from the or local laws or executive orders. — W ARREN R UDER In addition, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate Massachusetts Institute of Technology in admission, employment or administration of its programs on the basis of religion, creed, ancestry, belief, age, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Carnegie Mellon does not in 2002. Between 2003 and 2005, he discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or execu- tive orders. However, in the judgment of the Carnegie Mellon on how stem cells interpret mechanical summer to the shores of beautiful Lake worked for the VA Medical Center Human Relations Commission, the Presidential Executive Order directing the Department of Defense to follow a policy of, “Don’t cues during tissue integration. Constance in Lindau to participate in affiliated with Harvard Medical School ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue,” excludes openly gay, lesbian and bisexual students from receiving ROTC scholarships or serving as a research technician in Professor in the military. Nevertheless, all ROTC classes at Carnegie Mel- The 27 year old joins 50 other plenary lectures and small discussion lon University are available to all students. Inquiries concerning application of these statements should members of a U.S. delegation supported groups with the distinguished scientists. Aldebaran Hofer’s cell physiology lab. be directed to the Provost, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-6684 by funding from the U.S. Department of This year, the meeting will address “We look forward to having Warren or the Vice President for Enrollment, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412- Energy Office of Science, the National research related to medicine and share his wonderful experience with the 268-2056. Carnegie Mellon University publishes an annual campus entire academic community when he security report describing the university’s security, alcohol and Science Foundation Directorate for physiology. drug, and sexual assault policies and containing statistics about the number and type of crimes committed on the campus Mathematical and Physical Sciences, “It’s an amazing experience, be- returns,” said Indira Nair, vice provost of during the preceding three years. You can obtain a copy by contacting the Carnegie Mellon Police Department at 412-268- the National Institutes of Health, Mars cause the U.S. delegation arranges for education and a professor of engineering 2323. The security report is available through the World Wide Web at www.cmu.edu/police/statistics.htm. Inc. and the Oak Ridge Associated additional interactions with the Nobel and public policy. “We are so very proud Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000. of him, and we hope his experience Produced for Media Relations by the Communications Universities (ORAU). Laureates and other students attending Design Group, May 2007, 07-415. Ruder’s advisors, Biomedical the meetings,” said Sam Held, pro- will encourage more of our students to Engineering Professor Jim Antaki and gram manager at Oakridge Institute for participate in this exceptional program.” Celebrate Earth Day, Change Your Light Bulbs n Eric Sloss In today’s world, there’s a lot of focus on The team is building individual pods, transportation and its effects on global centered around a larger core, that allow warming. But when people around the for easy upgrades of the space, as well world recently celebrated Earth Day, as the ability to expand and rearrange. they should have paid some attention to New units can be added or exchanged their homes and offices, too. to allow the house to grow or be modified “Buildings fundamentally impact to meet a homeowner’s changing needs. people’s lives and the health of the The design also creates a comfortable planet,” said Steve Lee, a professor living environment that promotes close in the School of Architecture. “In the interactions between the occupant, the U.S., buildings use one-third of our total house and nature. energy, two-thirds of our electricity, one- At the conclusion of the event, the eighth of our water and transform land house will become a permanent addition that provides valuable ecological services.