The Piper at Carnegie Mellon Universityhttp://www.cmu.edu/piperNews updates from The Piper at Carnegie Mellon UniversitySeries Pages Through CMU Authors http://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/authors.htmlScience of Science FictionCarnegie Mellon's University Store is opening a new chapter with its inaugural Author Reading Series.

"We think these readings are a great way for us to contribute to what is going on artistically, intellectually and for entertainment across campus," said Katie Charles-McGrath, who is organizing the series. "We plan on making this a tradition every fall and spring semester."

Charles-McGrath, associate book buyer for the store, said that while CMU and outside authors have offered lectures at the store, the new venture is aimed at offering ways to interact and support the campus community.

The series kicked off in January with Rob Fallon, assistant professor of music, who spoke about the life and work of French composer Messiaen. Fallon discussed two volumes of "Messiaen Perspectives," in which he was a contributing writer and editor.

In mid-February, Barbara Johnstone, professor of rhetoric and linguistics in the Department of English, presented the popular book "Speaking Pittsburghese: The Story of a Dialect."

"This book is the result of 12 years of research using multiple humanistic and social-scientific methods, both qualitative and quantitative," Johnstone said. "I've found it fascinating to piece together the story I tell here, and I have been truly surprised by some of what I found."

In "Speaking Pittsburghese," Johnstone traces the history of the language used by native western Pennsylvanians.

The store carries more than 500 books by faculty authors and the books highlighted in the series span a broad range of topics.

Some of science fiction's biggest questions will be answered March 18 by Barry Luokkala, a teaching professor of physics and author of "Exploring Science Through Science Fiction."

Luokkala, who came to Carnegie Mellon in 1980 and started teaching in 1983, uses examples from science fiction films and television as a springboard for discussing major questions such as: What is the nature of space and time? What is the universe made of? Can a machine ever become self-aware? Are we alone in the universe? What does it mean to be human?

"The major goal of 'Exploring Science Through Science Fiction' is to get people who are not already technically oriented to become more interested in science. But the contents are also very appealing to those from technical backgrounds, who love science fiction, and enjoy examining some of the science in sci-fi films from a critical perspective," Luokkala said.

Leah Pileggi, a professional assistant and special projects director for Electrical and Computer Engineering, will discuss "Prisoner 88," a historical middle-grade novel for ages 10 and up, on April 15.

During a visit to Boise, Idaho, Pileggi toured the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. A tour guide shared a story about a 10-year-old prisoner who arrived in 1885. He was sentenced to five years for shooting a man who threatened his father.

Pileggi's book is based on the true story and tells about Jake's friendships with the warden, a few fellow prisoners and a young guard. He put his friendships to the test when he tried to foil a brave escape attempt of other prisoners.

Pileggi, who also wrote "How to Design a World-Class Engineering College: A History of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University," is currently working on a middle-grade historical novel about race relations in Pittsburgh in the 1950s. She is also researching the Fort Pitt Block House for her next project.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the authors' readings held in the upper level of the store.]]>
Fri, 07 Mar 2014 18:30:00 GMT
Buhl Lecturer To Discuss DNA Molecules on March 25http://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/buhl-lecturer.htmlWithin all living cells is a network of complex molecular machines that carry out the functions essential for survival. Molecular motors move proteins from place to place, connect enzymes with their substrates and unravel and copy DNA.

And just as with non-living machines and motors, physical forces drive the movement of the motors inside of the cell.

Understanding these physical forces is key to knowing how cells work. This year's Buhl Lecturer, Carlos Bustamante, has developed novel methods using magnetic beads, atomic force microscopes and laser tweezers to measure and manipulate the forces within DNA and other macromolecules.

Most notably, Bustamante, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Chair of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley, was the first to use laser tweezers to trap and stretch DNA molecules. This allowed his research group to measure the DNA's elasticity and study the mechanics involved in DNA replication.

BustamonteIn his lecture, titled "Biochemistry and Biophysics One Molecule at a Time: When Less is More," Bustamante will discuss how forces can affect molecular behavior and the methods his lab has been using to study molecular interactions.

Bustamante is also a professor of molecular and cell biology and a professor of chemistry at UC Berkeley and has been a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator since 2000. He has received the Alexander Hollaender Award in Biophysics from the National Academy of Science, the Hans Neurath Prize from the Protein Society and the Biological Physics Prize from the American Physical Society.

Sponsored by the Department of Physics, the Buhl Lecture is funded under the auspice of the Buhl Professorship in Theoretical Physics, which was established in 1961 by The Buhl Foundation.
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Fri, 07 Mar 2014 18:59:59 GMT
Academic Idolhttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/academic-idol.html
The competition, brought to CMU by Dean of Libraries Keith Webster, challenges students to give a compelling talk explaining their work for a general audience.

"Many of our students are working on research that has a broader impact on society, health and the economy," Webster said. "Challenging them to communicate their findings to a non-specialist audience, in a concise manner, helps to share their contribution. It also offers a great venue for students both to showcase their research, and to step back and reflect upon the big picture of their research."

The Public Communication for Researchers (PCR) student group provided support for the event. PCR President Jesse Dunietz said that communicating with others is an essential part of a scientist's job.

"Researchers possess knowledge that can make a crucial difference in the ability of others to make good decisions, so it's our responsibility to help society use what we've learned," Dunietz said. "Projects like 3MT hone participants' skills for doing just that: boiling down a complex research idea to its most essential elements, and conveying them compellingly to smart people from other backgrounds."

The rules are simple. The only aid students are allowed is a single Power Point slide. The goal is to engage the audience with simple spoken words that communicate the essence of their thesis work.

Eleven Ph.D. candidates made it to the final round out of 140 initial registrants. The first-place winner was David Rollinson, of the Robotics Institute, who presented his thesis "Snake Robots in the Wild!" Second place went to Suchitra Ramachandran of Biological Sciences, who presented "The Brain as a Statistician." Third place went to Patrick Foley, a statistics student, whose thesis is "Statistics and the Human Connectome."

Rollinson is at the final stages of his Ph.D. work. He said it took time to whittle the presentation down to three minutes, but the end result was a "fantastically distilled elevator pitch."

"I really liked the idea of taking a step back and reviewing everything from a more 'big picture' perspective," he said.

Ramachandran said the competition provided him a way to think about why people should care about his research. To prepare, he talked to people outside his field.

"Those conversations helped me not only figure out the best language to use to communicate to them, but also made me open to interesting intuitions and perspectives they had about my research as outsiders," he said.

In an audience vote, Ramachandran and Arun R. Shrivats (Biomedical Engineering) with the thesis "siRNA Therapeutics for Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva" tied for the People's Choice Award.

Shrivats said he has always enjoyed sharing his research with friends and family, and the competition helped him put more thought into the best ways to do that.

All three said the competition broadened their knowledge of work being done by graduate students.

"I learned of a lot of different avenues of research going on at CMU that I would have otherwise never been exposed to," Shrivats said. "The competition was also a great reminder for me to focus on what I could control. There were a lot of students that wanted to do well in this competition, but at the end of the day, the only thing each of us could control was our own performance. I really enjoyed this experience as there was a huge focus on simply bringing out the best in yourself."

Webster, who joined CMU earlier this academic year, was previously at the University of Queensland (UQ) where 3MT launched in 2008. It has now been adopted by dozens of universities and Universitas 21, a global network of research-intensive universities hosted its inaugural international competition last fall.

"The success of the competition at UQ showed that there was great demand for opportunities like this," Webster said.

"I have been overwhelmed by the response by the CMU Ph.D. student community to the 3MT competition," Webster said. "They have risen to the challenge, and presented some truly transformational research."

Watch the finalists' presentations.
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Fri, 07 Mar 2014 18:00:00 GMT
Research for Lifehttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/research-for-life.htmlHealthy CampusThe University Center was transformed into a university health club for the body, mind and soul.

Free fitness demonstrations and exercise classes, massages, a knitting and crochet room, and a gaming and arts and crafts area highlighted the second floor.

The first floor featured the talents of CulinArt chefs preparing Salmon Pasta Pomodoro and Albacore Stir Fry, a relaxation room with comfy chairs, mood-lighting and videos of a peaceful forest and sun-drenched beach, and a trail-mix bar area where about 1,000 students, faculty and staff shared their tips for a healthy lifestyle on bulletin boards. Eighteen individuals were pictured on posters with a description of their healthy activity.

Those tips in the Kirr Commons "Wellness Area" included volunteering, knitting, walking, running, spending time with family, refinishing furniture, getting enough sleep, balancing work and personal life, praying, laughing and thinking positive thoughts.

Anita Barkin, director of University Health Services, said the Wellness Area was one of her favorite aspects of the day, which put a positive light on health and wellness.

"I enjoyed reading what people shared about what they do to keep healthy and what wellness means to them," Barkin said. "We can all help promote the health of our community by sharing our personal health strategies with others."

The healthy thoughts and venues were all part of "Exploring Health, Discovering Wellness," a first-of-its-kind interactive event at Carnegie Mellon in late February promoting health and wellness. The daylong activities were sponsored by the university's Healthy Campus initiative and were part of "Crossing Boundaries, Transforming Lives," the yearlong celebration of the inauguration of Subra Suresh as CMU's ninth president.

A featured event during the day was a symposium titled "Research Into Practice: Health and Wellness for Ourselves and Our Community," in which a panel of CMU faculty spoke about their health-related research. Mary Suresh, a longtime public health professional and former director of public health for Wellesley, Mass., moderated the panel.

CMU panelists were:

  • Baruch Fischhoff, the Howard Heinz University Professor of Social and Decision Sciences and Engineering and Public Policy;
  • Sheldon Cohen, the Robert E. Doherty Professor of Psychology;
  • Rema Padman, professor of management science and healthcare informatics at the Heinz College; and
  • Kristen Kurland, teaching professor in the School of Architecture and Heinz College.


Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), opened the discussion with an overview of the ACHD and the challenges it faces, specifically the high rate of obesity and smoking, and the poor air and water quality in the county.

Fischhoff, an expert in risk communication and decision science, spoke about the need for easy-to-understand food and drug information. He is a member of the Environmental Protection Agency's Scientific Advisory Board and chair of the Food and Drug Administration Risk Communication Advisory Committee.

"Some of the labels [on products] aren't very good. We need to insist on better information," Fischhoff said. "The fact that a drug is FDA approved doesn't mean that it's FDA recommended. That only means that there are some [very sick] people who would want to take that drug. Sometimes they approve drugs that are highly dangerous for people who are really suffering. The fact that they're out there doesn't mean they're recommended."

Cohen's research has shown that stress increases your susceptibility to infectious disease, including the common cold. His studies also have proven that the more interpersonal relationships a person has and the more diverse his or her social network is, the less susceptible a person is to getting a cold.

"Very clearly loneliness is a driving force for new students. There's a good deal of it, and we've shown it's related to markers of health," Cohen said. "I think the university has already implemented a number of programs trying to get new students integrated into groups and into the university, but it's something we have to keep working on."

Padman spoke about how the growing "digitization of health care" is increasing the amount of data per individual in clinical information systems, but the challenge for the health care industry is how it can be used to provide "cognitively guided, real-time decision support at the point of care." She calls it a "consumability" challenge.

She said by using information technology that reveals both population level and individual level information in a visual and interactive format, information can be accessed quickly and shared between patients and clinicians to potentially improve outcomes, communication and education.

Kurland, co-author of "GIS Tutorial for Health," studies how the environment affects our health. Her studies have shown how childhood obesity is affected by proximity to fast food restaurants and parks, and how pedestrian injuries are more common among youth living far from parks and among youth living in poverty. She also spoke about the "walkability" of neighborhoods and their importance in health and wellness.

Kurland, who wears a Jawbone Up wristband that records and uploads her daily activity to her smartphone, recommends walking as a way to keep healthy.

"Set a goal and try to meet that goal. I set a goal of [walking] five miles a day. Find a collaborator. You have to have some device to help you track what you're doing," Kurland said.

Prior to the symposium, the panelists, student leaders and several students planning a career in public health attended a luncheon.

"The conversation was very, very lively. It was a great opportunity for Dr. Hacker to connect with the panelists and students," Mary Suresh said. "As the students described what they do you could just see Dr. Hacker's face light up when she saw the firepower in the room.

"The panelists beautifully described how their research translates into practice that benefits all of us. The title of the symposium, 'Research Into Practice: Health and Wellness for Ourselves and Our Community' said it all."

Peers Promote Healthy Living

A group of students at Carnegie Mellon are encouraging their peers to live healthy by hosting and serving at a variety of programs and events on campus that are geared toward wellness.

Most recently, these Peer Health Advocates (PHAs) promoted participation in a number of free activities as part of "Crossing Boundaries, Transforming Lives: Exploring Health, Discovering Wellness."

The PHAs greeted students walking through the University Center and informed them about the many activities going on, increasing participation in the drum circle, a craft room, massages, a game of inflatable Twister and ballroom dance.

"Because we had a lot of student participation, I think the Wellness event was a great success," said Janet Lorenz, lead PHA.

Students are encouraged to attend the "Help Yourself" fair on April 8, the PHAs' largest event of the year. The event will include make-your-own yogurt parfaits, a raffle for free 30-minute massages, games, activities and plenty of "swag."

"'Help Yourself' is a fun way to remind students about services and support available to help them finish the semester strong," said program director Paula Martin.  - Kelly Solman

J.R. Marshall (DC'16) shared his healthy living tip "Gym with my buddies every day."

Albacore Stir Fry

  • 1 pouch 2.6 oz. Starkist Albacore Tuna, drained and chunked
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 3 tbsp. soy sauce, reduced sodium
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 bag frozen oriental vegetables or 4 cups fresh thinly sliced, carrots broccoli, snow peas, bell peppers, mushrooms and celery
  • 1 tsp. sugar or 2 packets from Entropy
  • 1 pouch 2.6 oz. Starkist Albacore Tuna, drained and chunked
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 3 tbsp. soy sauce, reduced sodium
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 bag frozen oriental vegetables or 4 cups fresh thinly sliced, carrots broccoli, snow peas, bell peppers, mushrooms and celery
  • 1 tsp. sugar or 2 packets from Entropy

Heat oil in skillet or wok and stir fry onion and vegetables until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add tuna, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, garlic and 1 tbsp. of water, until tuna is heated through. Serve over hot rice.  Contains: fish, soy, wheat

Nutrition Facts:
Per serving: 320 calories,
45g. carbohydrate, 9g. protein,
6g. fiber, 12g. fat]]>
Fri, 07 Mar 2014 21:00:00 GMT
Midway on the Movehttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/midway.html/**/ &lt;! /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:JA;} p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText {mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-link:"Plain Text Char"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.5pt; font-family:Courier; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:JA;} span.PlainTextChar {mso-style-name:"Plain Text Char"; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-locked:yes; mso-style-link:"Plain Text"; mso-ansi-font-size:10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.5pt; font-family:Courier; mso-ascii-font-family:Courier; mso-hansi-font-family:Courier;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:JA;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 53.95pt 1.0in 53.95pt; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} &gt; /**/

carnivalSpring Carnival will begin its second century in 2015 with a distinctive new look.

The mainstays - buggies, booths, carnival rides and live entertainment - will remain, but the Midway will have a new home as work moves forward to transform the Morewood parking lot into the Tepper Quadrangle, a major academic hub that will include a new home for the Tepper School of Business, a new welcome center, a fitness center and café, and meeting spaces and classrooms.

Alternative Midway sites have been the focus of a committee of students, faculty and staff, and in early February Tim Leonard, coordinator of Student Activities, hosted a town hall meeting
to present the possible new venues.

The committee's proposals are:

  • The College of Fine Arts (CFA) parking lot;
  • The East-West Walkway Extension and Merson Courtyard;
  • The Doherty parking lot;
  • Margaret Morrison Street;
  • The fourth floor of the East Campus Garage;
  • Morewood Avenue; and
  • Gesling Stadium.

Leonard said the committee looked at the positives and negatives of each location.
 
"We specifically looked at carnival noise and its proximity to neighbors, accessibility for pedestrians, the parking and traffic consequences, accessibility for emergency medical services and the locations' impact on campus grounds," Leonard said.

The committee rejected the Margaret Morrison Street and Morewood Avenue locations because the City of Pittsburgh would require a large payment to close down city streets for 10 days - the time needed for set-up, Carnival events and tear-down of all booths, amusement rides and clean-up. Funds from this payment would offset lost revenue from parking meters and the cost incurred for changes in traffic patterns.

The massive weight alone of Swank's Steel City Shows amusement rides would destroy Gesling Stadium's artificial turf, the East-West Walkway Extension and Merson Courtyards. Height restrictions prevent any two-story structure from being built on top of the East Campus Garage.

While Leonard said the new site for 2015 has yet to be determined, the CFA parking lot and the adjacent CFA lawn and Mall area between Baker/
Porter, Doherty and Hamerschlag halls is gaining the most traction because of its central location.

Leonard noted that the potential booth layout in the CFA parking lot would consist of two rows between the lot entrance and The Cut allowing a natural flow for carnival-goers.

The amusement rides on the lawn, however, could cause a problem if the grounds are wet and soggy. Leonard said the weight of the rides would wreak havoc on the lawns, not to mention the heavy foot traffic, so the weather would be a major concern for this area.

Through all of the restrictions and considerations, CFA is the best choice, Leonard said.

"The CFA location will centralize Carnival Weekend programming and will add an abundance of activity that will present a new vibrancy to Spring Carnival," Leonard said. "Midway won't be tucked off in a distant parking lot - it will flourish right in the middle of Buggy, Mobots, Downhill Derby and the AB [Activities Board] concert."

A final decision is expected to be announced by the end of this spring.

This is the last year the Spring Carnival Midway will be hosted on Morewood parking lot.

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Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:30:00 GMT
Decade in Dohahttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/decade-in-doha.htmlWhen the first employees signed on with Carnegie Mellon Qatar a decade ago, they arrived to little more than a contract between Qatar Foundation and the university. There was no CMU-Q building, no website and no students.

The first faculty and staff had to "jump in with both feet and get to work," recalled Gloria Khoury, assistant dean for student affairs. "We always call the first class the pioneers, but I think we felt like we were pioneers too."

Khoury is one of a handful of people hired to set up Carnegie Mellon Qatar and is still working on the campus today.

cmuqCarnegie Mellon Qatar is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an event in Doha on March 18. The event will be webcast live at the Pittsburgh campus. Details to be announced.

Joining Khoury were faculty members Marion Oliver (S'67) and Benjamin Reilly; Fadhel Annan, assistant dean for Government and Corporate Affairs; Ahmed Husaine, Housing and Transportation manager; Abdullah Ibrahim, Housing and Transportation coordinator; and Stephen MacNeil, Web manager. Amal Al-Malki, an associate professor of English currently on a leave of absence, also joined the university in 2004 as the orientation manager.

About 40 staffers joined the university during that first year, with most moving on to other jobs.

The university's first home in Education City consisted of two corridors in the Weill Cornell University in Qatar building. From here, the team got to work on developing the business administration, computer science and general education curricula, as well as the supporting programs.

First on the agenda was to bring in a little of the Carnegie Mellon spirit. To create a student lounge, staff scoured local home stores, bringing back comfortable sofas, funky lamps, games and pop-art posters. All that was missing were the students.

First Encounters

With admission handled through the Pittsburgh campus, the inaugural class consisted of just names on a roster to most of the Qatar staff. The campus came together for the first time at Family Day, the beginning of new student orientation.

"I remember standing nervously at the Ritz Carlton with the dean, and then the students started to arrive one-by-one with their families. We said the first 'hellos' and gave the first handshakes, and that to me was the moment when it all became real," Khoury said.

The students were excited and nervous. While many of them could have travelled overseas to study, they had stayed in Qatar to support the country's ambitious educational initiatives, said Reilly, an associate teaching professor of history. Among them was Lulwa Al-Thani, daughter of the H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Father Emir of Qatar.

During their first few days on campus, the students were as quiet as mice, Khoury recalled. They walked past the new lounge but didn't sit down, assuming it must be for faculty and staff.

Oliver, teaching professor of mathematics, said the small space in Weill Cornell helped faculty, staff and students get to know each other. It also allowed the academic and co-curricular programs to become integrated from day one.

"That kind of thing happens once," Oliver said. "It doesn't last, but at that time it was pretty special."

After a little encouragement, the students started to hang out in the lounge.

"No sooner did they get the hang of it and you couldn't get them out of there. They lived there, worked there, napped there and ate there, and it was just what we wanted," Khoury said.

The students didn't stay quiet for long, Oliver recalled.

"That group has always been known as being the loudest class, and they were proud of that," he said.

So loud, that Weill Cornell sent emails asking if Carnegie Mellon could please keep the noise down.

A Carnegie Mellon Education

The transition from high school to college can be a bumpy road for many students, and it was no exception for Carnegie Mellon Qatar's first class.

"They came from being the best in their high schools to realizing they were going to have to work really hard. They were in boot camp trying to get through this thing," Oliver said.

When a student shows up late for Oliver's class, they'll probably find themselves locked out of the class. If they show up late for Reilly's class, he'll sometimes yell out, "You're so late," in an attempt to embarrass them in front of their friends. Those instances have become legends at Carnegie Mellon Qatar, but they were happening for the first time for the 41 students who joined in 2004. While they didn't always appreciate things like this, the first class rose to the challenges, Oliver said.

"As a group, I believe they had a lot of self confidence, and they were fighters," he said. "I remember sitting down with that group to give them some bad news about an assignment, and they were getting so mad that there were tears in their eyes. These weren't tears of sadness, they were tears of anger."

It wasn't only in the classroom that Carnegie Mellon traditions and legends began. To avoid becoming a commuter campus, Khoury and her team looked for ways to keep students on campus between classes.

"Our first goal was to have them stay during the day and not go off to the mall, which was tending to happen because at that time Landmark Mall was only a 10-minute drive away," Khoury said.

The team started workshops, talks and activities to complement the academic programs and build leadership skills. They encouraged students to start clubs by pitching ideas, applying for funding and creating the content.

Programs that started during the first year and are still going strong today include "Pizza and Politics," a series that encourages students to talk about current issues, International Day, the CMBA business club and the All Around student newspaper. The first Student Majlis was elected in 2004, with Fahad Al Jefairi as the president.

Making Progress

In spring 2005, five Carnegie Mellon students spent a week on the Pittsburgh campus, paving the way for cross-campus relations and becoming the first Carnegie Mellon Qatar ambassadors. That same spring, some of the students spoke at an event for the Carnegie Mellon trustees, who had traveled from Pittsburgh to visit Doha. This was the moment when Khoury realized what the group had achieved.

"It really blew me away because they were able to talk about their experience, and they began to call it the 'Carnegie Mellon' experience, which included both the academic and non- academic components," she said. "And I thought to myself, 'wow, we're really on the right path here.'"

Since then, Carnegie Mellon Qatar has grown every year, moving to its second home in Education City's LAS Building before the addition of the Information Systems program in 2007. The first students graduated a few months before the university's state-of-the-art building was completed in fall 2008. In 2011, the university expanded again, adding programs in biological sciences and computational biology.

While the inaugural faculty and staff have different reasons for staying, all have appreciated CMU's ongoing sense of community.

Oliver, who earned his doctorate at Carnegie Mellon 35 years ago and worked on the main campus for 10 years before leaving, returned to start the Qatar campus. He said he plans to stay indefinitely.

"I am here because I am having a great time and I am appreciated by the people I work for. As long as I'm healthy, I'll be here," he said.

Left to right: Ahmed Husaine, Fadhel Annan, Abdullah Ibrahim, Amal Al-Malki, Benjamin Reilly, Gloria Khoury, Stephen MacNeil and Marion Oliver (S'67) were faculty and staff pioneers at Carnegie Mellon Qatar.
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Fri, 07 Mar 2014 17:00:00 GMT
"Shipbreakers" Makes US Premiere in CMU Film Festivalhttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/march/shipbreakers.htmlIn Alang, India, there is a six-mile stretch of an oily, smoky beach where huge ocean vessels no longer seaworthy are run aground, broken apart and stripped of everything from portholes and paneling to furniture, engines and propellers.

Forty thousand migrant workers making $1-2 per day do the scrapping. They cut the ships apart by hand, working in extremely dangerous conditions and without any safety or labor regulations. Ship owners make millions off the process.

To bring this process of shipbreaking to life - and to highlight the human rights and environmental issues - involved the late filmmaker and Carnegie Mellon Professor Paul Goodman, CMU's Ralph Vituccio and Tom Clancey, an award-winning cinematographer whose resume includes Hollywood films such as "Fast & Furious," spent four years making the documentary "Shipbreakers."

They had shot the footage in India and were working on the script when Goodman passed away.

Goodman's widow, Denise Rousseau, the H.J. Heinz II University Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy, stepped in to keep the project moving. Working off Goodman's original script, Vituccio rewrote it to include more of the environmental and human rights issues.

"We were invited to the European Parliament in Brussels to present our unfinished work to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform Conference on global regulations for shipbreaking," said Vituccio, an assistant teaching professor in the Entertainment Technology Center who has won several awards for films and interactive media on topics including racism, conflict management, art history and military service. "There, we were able to interview people involved in trying to set new regulations for the industry."

"Shipbreakers" will make its U.S. premiere as part of CMU's 2014 International Film Festival, running March 20 - April 5.

"This is one of the most dangerous industrial sites in the world - there are explosions all the time, people die, people are maimed," Vituccio said. "The ships are 20 stories high and several football fields long, and the men are wearing sandals, climbing up the ships on rope ladders and using chisels and hammers to break up propellers and other precious metals."

The environmental pollution is devastating because the ships are laden with toxic materials, which are buried in surrounding farmlands or simply left to pollute the once pristine tidal flats.

"Every ship is a sump of toxic waste," Vituccio said. "If workers aren't killed on the job from explosions or falling objects, exposure to toxic waste, for many, will result in longterm illness or early death. They don't have a union or any protection. If they complain, they don't get hired. There's no pay standardization, and if - or when - they get hurt, there is no medical or lost wages compensation."

Vituccio hopes "Shipbreakers" brings awareness to how shipbreaking in less-developed countries has become a major international concern because of the human sacrifice involved and the environmental damages it causes. It pales in contrast to places, such as the U.S., where international laws for dealing with the proper disposal of toxic substances and occupational safety are followed.

"Shipbreakers" will screen at 7:15 p.m., on Friday, March 21, in McConomy Auditorium and will feature a panel of experts discussing the issues the film raises.

The film recently was nominated for Best Feature Documentary and Best Producer for Feature Documentary at the 2014 Madrid International Film Festival. It also has been accepted at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, Flagler International Film Festival and the American Online Documentary Film Awards.

The theme of this year's International Film Festival pays homage to Goodman, a revered filmmaker, and will highlight work across different cultures, which was his professional focus.

"Paul was about the process. He was a world-renowned organizational psychologist and was interested in work processes - how people organize, get along and manage each other. He was passionate about how film could help tell their stories. We all miss him," said Vituccio, who had worked with Goodman on numerous films during the past 15 years.

CMU's International Film Festival is sponsored by the Humanities Center.

"Shipbreakers" documents dangerous conditions faced by migrant workers scrapping unseaworthy vessels in India.
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Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:59:59 GMT
Partners Hope Grant Adds Up to Math Successhttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/partners-hope-grant-adds-up-to-math-success.html
The subject can strike fear into some junior high and high school students yet create a devoted and fanatical following among others.

While there is no single answer for what causes such wildly different emotions, effective teaching and access to high-level math courses are thought to contribute to positive experiences with the subject.

Researchers from local universities, including Carnegie Mellon, and Pittsburgh Public Schools teachers are embarking on a new project to determine if changing content and instructional techniques can benefit students who have been historically marginalized by traditional mathematics education.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded an $8 million grant under the NSF Math and Science Partnership program to the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and the Education Development Center, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit partnering with Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University.

John Mackey, a teaching professor, associate department head and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, is a co-principal investigator on the grant, which will bring together public school teachers from grades 6-12 with mathematicians from area universities to understand new ways to engage students in math.

Mackey said they are excited to work on mathematics instruction with the educators.

"We will all get to learn new techniques and gain perspective on the teaching of mathematics," Mackey said. "We anticipate that lasting partnerships will be formed and that more students will be energized to pursue mathematics at the university level."

In June, Mackey and five Carnegie Mellon teaching-track faculty members will conduct a monthlong program in which PPS teachers and administrators will learn concepts in math and collaboratively develop new ways of conveying these concepts to students, particularly those students from low-income or underserved populations.

"There are a lot of mathematical problems that are easy to state, and everyone can at least get an additional degree of satisfaction from exploring them. When you go a little deeper, there are more open-ended problems that students can get involved and invested in solving," Mackey said. "For example, there are topics in elementary number theory that can be applied to practical applications like cryptography for sending your credit card information over a secure website. Kids might initially blanch at 'number theory,' but not online shopping."

Throughout the school year, the university faculty will visit the participating junior and senior high schools to observe math classes and visit with the students, teachers and administrators.

Public school teachers also can attend a monthly colloquia held at Carnegie Mellon, which began in January.
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Mon, 17 Feb 2014 12:59:59 GMT
Deep Freezehttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/deep-freeze.html
During the week of Jan. 4 alone, FMS responded to 46 weather-related events that caused significant damage and loss.

The incidents - mostly frozen pipes, some of which ruptured and created flooding - were the result of dangerously cold temperatures not seen in the area for 20 years.

"We had ruptures and breaks from plumbing pipes to sprinkler systems. If something had water in it, it turned solid that week," said Steve Guenther, who directs facilities management operations, including 250 university staff and outside contractors.

A dozen of the events were related to a door or window inadvertently being left open during a mild spell just prior to winter break.

"We are incredibly lucky that we have such a great campus police department who are our eyes and ears after hours," Guenther said. "The university police did an excellent job of letting us know if they heard or saw anything unusual."

Knowing the potential for cold winter weather to cause damage, FMS has personnel on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Because of the unusually cold temperatures that had been forecasted, additional staff and managers were on campus around the clock the first week of the year.  

"We wanted to be sure we were in the best position possible to respond, and I'm so glad we made that decision," Guenther said. "We have a great team. We were able to get to problem areas, turn water off, get to the spaces and stop issues in their tracks. A lot of dollars are saved when we can get to issues in time."

Old, New and In-Between

Guenther said what's unique about managing higher education facilities such as those at CMU is that the structures and their technology range from "brand new" to more than 100 years old.

"CMU has building systems that represent every era of technology," Guenther said. "We have the latest and greatest technology in buildings like the Gates and Hillman Center, and then we also have buildings that rely on the same technology that was in use back when the university was Carnegie Tech."

Guenther said that's a very different situation than having all of the systems of the same vintage.

"Our mechanics and our staff are pretty unique people. They have to be," he said. "With the size of a campus like CMU, we don't have the luxury of having a staff dedicated to each building. Every building is unique to Carnegie Mellon, and to be successful, it takes a service team that is really committed to the campus community and has lots of training."

Help Wanted

Guenther, whose team is in the process of hiring new personnel, said the No. 1 quality he looks for in candidates is service-mindedness.

"They need to interact well with everyone from the boiler room to the board room. They've got to want to be part of the broader campus experience," he said.

Qualified candidates also must have an interest in learning about the many systems in use across campus, Guenther said, noting that many FMS staff members have advanced, moving from hourly positions to key leadership roles.

"That's one of the great things about working here at CMU," he said. "There is so much opportunity. Just the range of the diversity of structures and systems on campus creates a great experience for people interested in servicing facilities."

Fix It

FMS encourages students, faculty and staff to keep their eyes open for anything unusual, from dripping water to odd mechanical sounds or open windows and doors. Report concerns to FMS at fixit@andrew.cmu.edu.]]>
Mon, 17 Feb 2014 11:00:00 GMT
Scholarly Athleteshttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/scholarly-athletes.htmlCecilSeventy Carnegie Mellon student-athletes scored in a big way this past fall. But among their record-times, touchdowns, aces and goals, was an achievement that was even more impressive - a 4.0 grade-point average.

Josh Centor, interim director of Athletics, calls the accomplishment remarkable.

"They continue to prove that student-athletes can achieve whatever they set their mind to at Carnegie Mellon. Their excellence is extraordinary," Centor said. He said the combination of academics and athletics at CMU is excellent.

"The athletic experience complements the groundbreaking work being done across disciplines within the classrooms and laboratories of the university," he said. "Our students are able to prioritize their academic pursuits at Carnegie Mellon, without compromising their collective athletic ambition."

A member of the University Athletic Association, CMU has 17 intercollegiate teams. Like all Division III schools, athletic scholarships are prohibited, so students compete for the joy of the game.

"I love being a part of a team, I love to compete, and I love to win. In return I get camaraderie, the ability to compete and a few great memories," said Matt Sarett, a midfielder on the soccer team and student in the Integrated Master's/Bachelor's Program for Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Sarett, one of two varsity athletes graduating this spring with a 4.0 cumulative GPA, chose CMU because of the strength of the soccer program and the College of Engineering.

"CMU's engineering program has a very strong reputation, and I wanted to be a part of it," he said.

"There is a great balance between sports and academics at CMU because we can be academically successful but compete at a high level," Sarett said. "Playing soccer in college with my teammates and friends is really special as well because we have a great support system."

Head Men's Soccer Coach Arron Lujan said a new program started by Chris Madden, a senior in business administration, pairs freshmen with upper classmen mentors in the same fields of study to ease the transition into college.

"The team has been terrific over the past few years, and the outcome is directly related to the philosophy and identity of the team and the individual player," Lujan said. "Students have the freedom to miss team practices without repercussions. The team knows to keep in mind what the mission is - and that's to get an education before playing soccer."

The team has made the second round of the NCAA tournament four times in the last six years. This past season the Tartans ranked 18th in the nation with an overall record of 12-3-3. The team is 74-25-8 in the last six years under Lujan.

Of the 430 current student-athletes, 86 are seniors expected to graduate or continue their education at CMU.

The other senior graduating with a cumulative 4.0 GPA is Katie Cecil, an All-American tennis player majoring in biological sciences.  

"My performance on and off the court is directly related to the balance between academics and sports and the full support of professors and the coaching staff," she said.

Head Tennis Coach Andrew Girard said, "One of the best things about Katie is that she shows both current and prospective athletes that it is possible to have both academic and athletic success at the highest level."

Cecil was an All-American in singles play in 2012 and was named National Player to Watch for 2013 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). She was named to the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-America first team, received the ITA National Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship, and earned the NCAA Elite 89 Award. Cecil completed 2013 with a 16-8 record in singles and a 15-10 slate in doubles.

Academic All-American Ryan Jok, a defensive end for the football team, is a senior majoring in business administration and statistics. He said he committed to CMU for its high-caliber opportunities.

"CMU is well-known for its academics. I knew the direction that I wanted to go, and it included football as well as finance," Jok said. "Coming to CMU was an easy decision."

Jok backed up his prestigious academic record with 113 total tackles and seven career sacks on the gridiron.

"You do well in the classroom before you do well on the football field because it's what Coach [Rich] Lackner emphasizes," Jok said. "It's because of his emphasis on balancing schoolwork and football that I - as well as my teammates - achieve greater success in the classroom, on the field and in the community."

Carnegie Mellon ranks first in Division III football and non-scholarship institutions with a total of 45 Academic All-Americans. The program ranks eighth overall in the NCAA.

"We've created a culture of high expectations for our players, and players have created a culture in the locker room to be great as a player and great as a student," said Lackner (DC'79), CMU's longtime head football coach. "Students expect excellence in themselves so it's important for us [the coaching staff] to encourage them to be great."]]>
Mon, 17 Feb 2014 11:00:00 GMT
Student Successhttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/student-success.htmlCarnegie Mellon's academic rigor and reputation for hard work have served as both points of pride and sources of stress for the university community, particularly among students.

In the past year, campus conversations have taken place, and numerous initiatives have been launched.

"There has been exciting momentum and deep investment in where we can make meaningful change in campus culture," said Dean of Student Affairs Gina Casalegno.

Following several campus-wide events to better explore and understand the campus perspective, Student Government, the Office of the Vice Provost for Education and the Division of Student Affairs issued a request for proposals to identify creative ways to engage students, faculty, staff and alumni in addressing stress, building resilience and investing in personal wellness. The Enhancing Campus Culture (ECC) Fund provided $15,000 in seed funding for four proposals last March.

Here's a look at how these initiatives are coming to life.

thrive@CMU

Juniors Soniya Shah (DC'15) and Vivek Nair (E'15) partnered with Angie Lusk, assistant director of Student Life and housefellow for Boss and McGill houses; Amy Burkert, vice provost for education; Heather Workinger, an academic adviser; and other faculty and staff members, to pilot thrive@CMU, a six-week mini-course designed to help first-year students learn about the personal, academic and co-curricular opportunities and challenges they may encounter during their time at CMU.

The pass-fail elective met in the fall for 50 minutes a week and was capped at 15 students. Students completed self-assessments and wrote reflections on the previous session's topic before each class. Students delivered 2-4 minute "TED-like" talks on what they personally took from the class material in lieu of a final exam.

"I was simply blown away by the depth and amount of reflection these first-year students had put into internalizing what it meant to be a CMU student and what steps they could take to make the most of their time here," Nair said.
    A number of faculty and staff facilitated course segments. They were:
  • Burkert and Casalegno provided an overview of resources available to students as they transitioned to university life;
  • Kunal Ghosh, teaching professor of physics, led a discussion on setting goals and integrating academic and campus involvement;
  • Nico Slate, associate professor of history, shared thoughts pursuing passions and becoming "architects of change";
  • Helen Wang, director of first-year student life, helped students explore ways to build and sustain relationships;
  • Mary Suresh, CMU's first lady and former director of public health for Wellesley, Mass., shared her expertise on personal wellness and holistic health; and
  • Kurt Kumler, director of Counseling and Psychology Services (CAPS), addressed stress management strategies.

Overall feedback from course participants has been positive, and instructors are identifying changes to the curriculum based on student input. Another section of thrive@CMU will be offered during the Mini-4 session, which begins March 17.

"We're hoping to identify the scalability of the course as we consider how many sections we can offer for the 2014-2015 academic year. We don't believe this is something that would be mandatory for first-year students, but we would like to be able to offer it to all students interested in participating," Lusk said.

Project Smile

Angela Ng (S'16) was a straight-A student in high school, but she found herself struggling during the fall of her freshman year. No matter how long or hard she studied, she felt she wasn't getting ahead - and she saw many of her peers in the same position.

"I love random acts of kindness," she said. "Putting a smile on someone else's face puts a smile on mine."

Using her own money, she launched Project Smile by making midnight visits to Hunt Library armed with candy for fellow students.

Wang, her housefellow, and friends like Sean Archie (E'15) encouraged her to apply for financial support through the ECC Fund.

Other morale-boosting efforts by Project Smile members have launched this year, including Temporary Tattoo Tuesdays, bubble-blowing parties and chocolate "gratitude grams."

The Mindfulness Room

Ng also is the mastermind behind the Mindfulness Room, which celebrated its grand opening Jan. 30.

Located in the former first-floor TV lounge in West Wing, the room is open 24/7 to the entire campus community. The only rules: No homework, no meetings and no technology.

 Ng's original plan was to transform the room with $3,000 from the ECC Fund. However, Wang and Lusk encouraged her to engage others in the project. As Housing Services, Facilities Management Services, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Student Senate joined the conversation, funding increased to more than $22,000.

"We want this to be an evolving space. We want to see change each semester, so that every class and every community has an opportunity to contribute," Lusk said.

Ng and friends built room dividers out of 2x4s and attached floating metal planters filled with plants. The entryway walls, covered in dry-erasable paint, are filled with messages from visitors. The room also features a waterfall wall, yoga mats, meditation pillows, a hanging egg seat and donated books.

A shelf holds two handmade albums that capture students' reflections on what they love about CMU, descriptions of times they failed and words of wisdom.

"I want students to know that it's OK to ask for help. We're all here to look out for each other," Ng said.

In the future, yoga and other wellness programs will be offered in the space.

"We've also talked about adding Legos, Play-Doh and crayons, so if meditation is not your thing, maybe there is something else that gets you away from the chaos of your day," Lusk said.

Mental Health First-Aid Training

The final proposal funded through the ECC Fund was a pilot mental health first-aid training course with a select group of staff and students in the fall. Mercy Behavioral Health staff helped to design and deliver the training, which aims to increase awareness of mental health issues and reduce stigma.

Participants will learn how to recognize when someone is in serious mental distress and how to help individuals connect with the resources they need. University Health Services and CAPS are assessing feedback from the first cohort of trainees, and an announcement about future training opportunities will be made this semester. The eight-hour course will be open to all faculty, staff and students.

The ECC Fund is just one initiative among many that the Division of Student Affairs, Office of the Vice Provost for Education and Student Government have implemented to improve campus culture. Casalegno, Burkert and student leaders welcome ongoing input and suggestions.

"Campus spoke, and we heard you," Casalegno said. "If you have an idea, speak up. There is a pathway to create it."


Angela Ng (S'16), Helen Wang, Sean Archie (E'15) and Angie Lusk (l-r) hang out in the new Mindfulness Room on the first floor of West Wing.
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Mon, 17 Feb 2014 09:59:59 GMT
Senior Releases CD, Stresshttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/senior-releases-cd-stress.html
A senior in the Tepper School of Business, Roberts took time off from school for treatment of extreme anxiety. Music helped him heal.

Hoping to help other college students suffering from stress, he released "Carnegie Café," an album that depicts his CMU experience.

"I feel like it's important to share my story so that others can learn from what I've gone through," Roberts said. "From my experience, I learned that the biggest factor in the healing process for a mental health disorder is awareness. The idea of understanding what is happening, understanding that it is a normal bodily process and that there are others going through the exact same thing is invaluable to recovery."

As a high school student, Roberts participated in the Arts Greenhouse, a hip-hop educational outreach program of the Center for the Arts in Society. Throughout college he has worked with the program as an assistant instructor.

Amos Levy (A'07), the lead artist/mentor with the Arts Greenhouse, has known Roberts since he was in high school. He called Carnegie Café a creative and honest album that showcases Roberts' talent.

"Kai did an incredible job of translating his struggles into art. This is music that listeners are going to be able to connect with on an emotional level, but it's also catchy and easy to listen to," Levy said. "As a teacher, mentor and friend of Kai's, I'm very proud of what he has achieved with this project."

Levy said that Roberts has been an invaluable role model at Arts Greenhouse for teens looking for a way to balance their goals as a student with their aspirations as musicians.

Roberts started in college as an engineering student but turned to business administration.

"I discovered my love for marketing through my music endeavors," he said. "Looking back it was a very good decision."

After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in the entertainment industry or attend graduate school.

Roberts used poetry to record his thoughts and frustrations.

"I thought of it as my personal responsibility to connect with the plight of all students through the Carnegie Café project," Roberts said. "I just want to show people that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that they are not alone."

The album is available for streaming and free download at: http://kairobertsmusic.bandcamp.com/.
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Mon, 17 Feb 2014 09:00:00 GMT
CAPS Expands Support Serviceshttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/caps-expands-support-services.html
"The conversations reinforced the need for particular initiatives and helped us calibrate our priorities," CAPS Director Kurt Kumler said. "They also raised community awareness of mental health issues on our campus, which has been invaluable. We're seeing more students, faculty and staff getting involved in the mission shared by CAPS and UHS (University Health Services), prioritizing the health and wellness of our community members."

Kumler said in the fall counselors saw a significant increase of student appointments.

The department has hired two new therapists, including one full-time clinician and one doctoral-level psychotherapy trainee. Plans are underway to add another doctoral-level training position for the 2014-2015 academic year.

"CMU's staffing levels are above the national average when it comes to full-time clinical staff appointments. We have approximately one full-time therapist for every 1,300 students, while the national average for university counseling centers is one full-time therapist for every 1,600 students," Kumler said.

At the same time, CAPS enhanced after-hours support. Previously, on-call services were reserved for life-threatening emergencies

Starting in the fall semester, the service was expanded to offer immediate support for any distressed students who call CAPS between 5 p.m. and 8:30 a.m., regardless of the nature of the crisis.  

CAPS has hosted "drop-in" groups for students for the past two semesters as a way to provide support during a time when students report higher levels of stress. A staff member facilitates discussion among students, giving them an opportunity to share concerns, connect with and support peers. The groups also discuss coping strategies. "Surviving @ College" drop-in groups are currently being offered from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Mondays and 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays at CAPS.

CAPS also is collaborating with UHS to strengthen its impact. Staff Therapist Viviana Ferrer-Medina is working with UHS' Paula Martin, director of health promotions programs. Together, they are training 12 students who serve as Peer Health Advocates to implement more programs related to mental health and stress management.

In addition, CAPS and UHS have worked with Institutional Research and Analysis to launch CMU's Healthy U survey for students. Results will be used to inform existing and future health and wellness initiatives.

As part of its ongoing assessment efforts, CAPS will conduct a satisfaction survey later this spring. The department also is expanding information on its website, cmu.edu/counseling, to provide more information about therapy and mental health issues.

As conversations about campus culture continue, Kumler encourages the CMU community to consider stress and culture in a broader context.

"We are all called to reflect on 'What does stress mean?' Our culture at large has been changing. Look at the ways in which we view our time, utilize technology and approach relationships," Kumler said. "Building resilience is key to overcoming stressful situations."

CAPS Contacts

Online: www.cmu.edu/counseling/
By phone: 412-268-2922]]>
Mon, 17 Feb 2014 08:00:00 GMT
Sundance Celebrationhttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/sundance-celebration.htmlWhile some students started the year attending class, others were attending the Sundance Film Festival. But that doesn't mean their learning stopped.

As part of the second-year curriculum of CMU's Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) program 19 students attended the festival in Utah to watch movies and learn from the best in the industry.

Producers, executives and filmmakers met with the MEIM students during a series of breakfast seminars coordinated exclusively for the students. This year's guests included David Dinerstein, past president of Paramount Classics. Dinerstein is now head of marketing efforts for Annapurna Pictures, the production company whose films "American Hustle" and "Her" earned Academy Award nominees for Best Picture.

In addition to other speakers, students met with alumni including Samantha Fabin (HNZ'13) from Millennium Entertainment, Director/Producer Tommy Oliver (TPR'08), and Lakshmi Iyengar (HNZ'09), an executive at Universal Acquisitions.

SundanceDuring the festival, Divya Joseph (HNZ'14) interned for Sunshine Sachs, a public relations firm whose clients include Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Sunshine Sachs also represents Canon Cameras, a Sundance sponsor that hosted a party for cinematographers.

"This experience of working at Canon Craft Services during the festival showed me a unique side of the festival," Joseph said. "The main lesson I learned through working at Sundance is that all networking situations are opportunities to meet new people, and you never know when or how a connection you make will be beneficial in shaping your career."

Dian Song (HNZ'14) saw a gap in festival coverage in the Chinese media.

"I've seen Chinese media doing a lot of coverage on Cannes/Venice/Berlin/Toronto, but Sundance is still quite unknown to most Chinese people," Dian said.

He pitched his idea of covering the event to an editor at the Chinese website iFeng.com, who loved the idea and provided a pass for press and public screenings and access to official venues.

Two students aided with a movie premiere by dressing up like Nazi Zombies to help out Roxanne Benjamin (HNZ'08).

"When I was offered the chance to dress up like a Nazi Zombie for the premiere of 'Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead,' my first thought was 'This is going to be absolutely hilarious,'" said Katie O'Leary. "I was right. Kris [Elder] and I met with the producers prior to the start of the film. ... We donned our costumes and for the next 30 minutes we scared people in the parking lot of the theater with our frightening appearances. Luckily I speak German and was able to frighten people with that, too."

The university has served as an Institute Sponsor for seven years. The Carnegie Mellon party on the opening night of the festival, was a huge success with more than 800 guests. It was thrown in conjunction with the festival's New Frontier program, which fosters artists experimenting at the intesection of film, art, media, live performance, music and technology.
    
Film Premieres
In addition, two fellows from the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry hosted a viewing of their documentary, "Clouds."

James George and Jonathan Minard's 3-D cinematic technology piece was produced by Golan Levin, director of the STUDIO, and was born at the STUDIO's Art&Code Conference. It focuses on the global community of new-media artist-technologists.

Li, Manji, Charnetsky and Taylor Grabowski check out the Artist Services Workshop at Sundance.

Carnegie Mellon's presence at the Sundance Film Festival continues to get bigger and better. The university's party on the opening night this year drew more than 800 guests.
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Mon, 17 Feb 2014 06:59:59 GMT
Build18http://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/february/build18.htmlEngineering students provided creative solutions to everyday issues during their sixth annual Build 18 engineering fair.

"Build18 is a great and unique opportunity to complement our studies with the application of real-life skills. That includes what we learn in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) to create a cool product in a short time, within a budget in a team environment ... with the equipment available," said Michael Ryan, an ECE senior and Build18 leader.

This year, some ideas showcased included a mail-delivery blimp, an electronic tug-of-war game and a TV screen that duplicates a Formula One racetrack.

"There is simply no limit to what the students develop over this fast and furious week of imagination and creativity," said Pronoy Biswas, an ECE senior and event co-director.

The festival evolved out of ECE students' desires to expand classroom concepts into a fast-paced, abbreviated challenge to create innovative products under strict deadlines and limited funding, as is the case for most entrepreneurial startups.

"We wanted to get out of our comfort zones and really see what it's like to compete in the marketplace," Ryan said.

Susan Farrington, head of ECE alumni and employer relations and a founding Build18 adviser, praised the students for their organizational skills and enthusiasm.

"Our students have very demanding schedules and for them to take time to develop the Build18 concept and orchestrate this event annually is both amazing and a testament to the quality of our engineering programs and this university," she said.]]>
Mon, 17 Feb 2014 09:00:00 GMT
Writing Awardshttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/january/writing-awards.html
Dietrich College English Professor Jim Daniels established the Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Awards in 1999 to encourage students to uncover personal experiences with race and discrimination. With a true passion for expressing oneself through poetry, Daniels wanted to share his experience with students.

"We want the students to be honest," Daniels said. "To invoke the spirit of Dr. King, without just quoting him. We want them to think about his ideas ... we want their poems and essays to be inspired by his spirit, openness, honesty and compassion."

The Writing Awards program, which has received more than 200 submissions this year, includes Pittsburgh-area high school and college students. Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) and Winchester Thurston high schools have been the "anchors" since the beginning. CAPA was the first school to participate and Winchester Thurston joined in 2002.

"You can't hide in a poem. There's a kind of openness and honesty in the best poems," Daniels said. "We want the students to tell their own personal stories of dealing with race and difference. We want them to make it more complicated. Not simplify it."

A nominee for the 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award, Daniels has committed himself to helping students express themselves in "safe environments," where they can speak freely and express their own hardships and dreams.

"If we can be a center where there's acceptance and understanding, I'm all for that," Daniels said.  

"Some of the most moving things for me have been during the receptions we have afterward where I meet the kids' families," Daniels said. "A lot of these kids have to be brave to write some of the things they write. I really admire them."

Jamar Thrasher (HNZ'14), winner of the 2003 Writing Awards, has a deep connection to his first-place poem "An Unforgettable Journey," which was written after he visited Ghana in the summer of 2002.

"It was my first time being in Africa, and as a black man it was a powerful experience," Thrasher said. "The piece was my coming-of-age story about my experiences as a black teen growing up in a black Pittsburgh neighborhood and traveling to Africa."

Thrasher and five previous MLK Writing Awards' winners traveled to the Chautauqua Institution in New York state last year to read their work as part of the institution's lecture series "Emancipation: Where Do We Go From Here?"

"The audience's reception at the Chautauqua Institute showed me that the piece, even after all of these years, still has power," Thrasher said.

Winners will travel to the Chautauqua Institution again this June.

Schedule of Events
Selected poems will be published, and students will read their work during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at 12:30 p.m. in Rangos Ballroom in the University Center.

Carnegie Mellon celebrates MLK Jr. Day with "A Day On, Not a Day Off" through community and civic engagement to honor Dr. King's legacy of tolerance, peace and equality. View the full schedule of events at www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/first-year/mlk/index.html

11:30 - 12:15 p.m.
Listening Tour on Diversity
President Subra Suresh
Rangos Ballroom, University Center (UC)
 
12:30 p.m.
15th Annual MLK Jr. Writing Awards
Celebration Featuring a Tribute from the School of Drama
Rangos Ballroom, UC
 
12:30 - 3 p.m.
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr.!
The Children's Programming
    & MLK Tribute
Sing-A-Longs with Book Readings
    & Arts Activities
Connan Room & Wean Commons, UC
 
2 - 3 p.m.
Story Circles: Race & Community
Danforth Lounge, UC

2:30 - 3:15 p.m.
Arts Greenhouse Collaborative
    & Writing Workshop
Kirr Commons, UC
 
4:30 p.m.
Keynote Address & Reception
Featuring Jendayi E. Frazer,
Distinguished Public Service Professor
of the Heinz College, Director of the Center
for International Policy and Innovation

Student Speakers:
Vijay Jayaram, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Junior
Millard McElwee, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Junior
Rangos Ballroom, UC

Jamar Thrasher (HNZ'14), who won the 2003 Writing Awards, has a deep connection to his first-place poem "An Unforgettable Journey," which was written after he visited Ghana in the summer of 2002.]]>
Mon, 13 Jan 2014 15:00:00 GMT
Health Care Herohttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/january/health-care-hero.htmlPaula Martin is taking the "build it and they will come" adage to a whole new level.

The director of Health Promotions Programs at Carnegie Mellon doesn't have a new facility, event, specific program or curriculum in mind; she's reaching higher to create a healthier lifestyle for the Carnegie Mellon community.

Her myriad efforts are being recognized at the university and in Pittsburgh. She was named a finalist for the Pittsburgh Business Times' Health Care Heroes Award, which honors individuals, companies and organizations in western Pennsylvania for their contributions to improving health care in the region.

A registered dietitian nutritionist who earned her master's degree in wellness and human performance at the University of Pittsburgh, Martin has expanded her role at CMU during the past eight years. She began as a dietitian who counseled students on nutrition. Today, she continues to maintain a full counseling schedule, but also has created and further developed many outreach activities, and collaborates with university partners to promote health and wellness.

"Paula has had a significant impact on the nutritional health of the campus community at the individual and community level through her work with Dining Services, Human Resources and our clinical staff at University Health Services," said Anita Barkin, director of University Health Services. "She has a passion for health and wellness and
a deep commitment to Carnegie Mellon that inspires, motivates and excites others who work with her or seek her counsel."

One of the outreach efforts Martin leads is the Peer Health Advocates (PHA) program, a group of 13 students who are trained by Martin and her colleagues to help spread important messages about health to their fellow students.

"They're our outreach arm, they're the face of the Health Center and their focus is on education," Martin said. "They focus on sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, stress and sleep, and also touch on nutrition and healthy eating topics."

The PHAs communicate to the student body by tabling at the Fence, chalking sidewalks and through a social media page. Some of the tabling events include Free Condom Fridays, which is the first Friday of each month, and Wellness Thursdays. Martin said the PHAs also host "edutainment" programs for students, such as Condom Bingo and Alcohol Jeopardy.

"Paula always looks for opportun-ities for the PHAs to reach out to the campus community and is always willing to work extra hours to help with the harder programs we present, such as nutrition, or attend other events," said PHA Janet Lorenz, a senior civil and environmental engineering and humanities and arts major.

"It's not just PHA that has made me so interested in health practices on campus, but Paula's ambition and love for her work that inspired me to help my fellow peers," she said.

In addition to the PHAs, Martin coordinates programming for house-fellows and resident assistants, whom she calls "extended advocates."

Martin has forged a partnership with Dining Services to provide healthier eating choices. She helped to develop a food icon system portraying healthful choice, heart smart, whole grain and vegetarian options. Some food vendors are displaying the icons on their menu boards, and the icons are prominently displayed on their online menus.

Martin is working with Dining Services on a website that will give consumers the nutritional value and the nutrition facts panel of each food item prepared on campus.

"It's all about making it easier for the individual to make decisions that they know are better for their health," she said. "Students, faculty and staff have a higher level of overall knowledge about health in general. So, our dining vendors have to be well versed, too."

Kim Abel, former director of Housing and Dining Services, says Martin has made CMU a healthier campus.

"Paula single-handedly improved nutrition education at CMU. With a multi-faceted approach, cool persistence and a solid commitment to improvement, Paula worked with the dining vendors to increase healthy menu options and modify recipes to achieve healthier food preparation," Abel said.

In addition to Dining Services, Martin has worked diligently to form working partnerships with the Department of Athletics, Student Affairs, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Environmental Health and Safety, and the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research, which is sponsoring a Food and the Environment lecture series this year.

"We are very decentralized at CMU, so getting to know one person, making connections across departments makes a big difference," Martin said.

Martin directs a counseling program for the intercollegiate sports teams covering topics such as nutrition and eating disorders, alcohol and tobacco use, and sexual health. She's a key player in the Pathways to Health program for faculty and staff, and is partnering with Student Affairs and CAPS on a new initiative titled Mental Health First Aid. The program, which may be offered to the entire university community, teaches individuals how to identify a peer coping with a mental health issue and what steps should be taken.

Alcohol.edu is another counseling tool that falls under Martin's purview. The online alcohol awareness module for first-year students is offered from when they arrive in late August through mid-October. Martin said it might soon be offered to first-years before they
arrive on campus.

Martin, along with her team of health promotion specialists, takes her messages to the classroom as well, teaching several six-week, six-unit courses for students. The classes include "Managing Stress, Restoring Harmony," "Personal Nutrition" and "Relationships 101."

"Paula's goal has always been to improve mental and physical wellness, and she has found creative ways to reach students and faculty alike," said PHA Olumide Martins, a senior biological sciences major who lauded her work with EH&S to establish designated smoking areas on campus. "Her efforts have had a remarkable impact. To the campus community, Paula is a role model and hero."



Health and Wellness Event Set for Feb. 21


"Crossing Boundaries, Transforming Lives" is the theme of President and Mrs. Suresh's inaugural year at Carnegie Mellon, and First Lady Mary Suresh is working with Student Affairs and Health Services to lead a health and wellness component to the theme.

The program, which is still in the planning stages, will kick off on Friday, Feb. 21, when Mrs. Suresh will host a university-wide, interactive event for students, faculty, staff and their families titled "Discovering Health: Exploring Wellness."

The event in the University Center, which is scheduled to run from 4:30 - 8 p.m., will promote physical, mental, spiritual and emotional wellness, and will feature some of the health-related research being conducted at the university.

"It will be a fun, energetic event for small children up to retirees, faculty, staff, students and spouses," said Paula Martin of University Health Services.


Paula Martin stops by El Gallo de Oro in the University Center to see owner and operator Shah Nevisi and the food being prepared.

]]>
Mon, 13 Jan 2014 14:00:00 GMT
Special Deliveryhttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/january/special-delivery.htmlIt was almost like sending a child off to college - after 17 years of work, the last four in Wean Hall, Curtis Meyer watched as the particle detector that he and his colleagues had constructed was packed up, loaded into a moving van and sent off to the Jefferson Lab National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Va.

The detector will be installed as part of the Department of Energy-funded GlueX experiment. GlueX aims to find a new type of subatomic particle called a hybrid meson, which researchers believe will allow for a better understanding of gluons, elementary particles that hold everyday matter together.

"We started thinking about this project in 1997. Finally moving all the pieces to the accelerator facility means it's all coming together," Meyer said. "But we still need to wait a few more years until we can actually do physics."

Meyer isn't the only one who has been working on the project at Carnegie Mellon. Over the years four doctoral students have worked on projects related to the GlueX experiment, and Meyer estimates another 40 to 50 undergraduate students have contributed to the project.

Moving the approximately 400 pound detector chamber last fall was no easy feat. The detector couldn't withstand any big shocks, and needed to be kept at a fairly constant temperature. The research group secured a truck that was open in the back, allowing them to easily control the temperature. The detector itself was placed on a specialized cart equipped with shock absorbers - students had earlier tested a prototype cart, wheeling it around the uneven sidewalks of campus.

Orchestrating the move was technician Gary Wilkin. Years ago, Wilkin had helped move another detector to Jefferson Lab (JLab), making him the resident expert on transporting large-scale physics equipment. When it was time for the detector to go, the group removed some of its electronics and wrapped the detector in bubble wrap. The cart was then wheeled to the Wean Hall loading dock, loaded onto the waiting truck and secured to the corners of the bed.

Since the JLab facility where the detector was headed wouldn't be open at night, the truck and detector spent an evening outside of Wilkin's house. The next morning Wilkin and former technician Amy Woodhall set off for Virginia. They followed a carefully mapped out eight-hour route to Newport News, specifically avoiding the notoriously busy highways around Washington, D.C. Post-doctoral researcher Naomi Jarvis and graduate student Will Levine had made a test drive of the route in the weeks before the move to troubleshoot any possible road closures or obstacles that might be in the way.

The drive went smoothly, and the detector was unloaded into the accelerator facility the following morning. The detector will be installed early this year, and the accelerator will send its first beam of photons by the end of 2014, engineering runs should be completed by 2015, and researchers will start conducting experiments with the accelerator in 2016. It's then that Meyer and his collaborators hope to create hybrid mesons.

The work is important because it gets to the essence of everything, Meyer said.

"The matter that makes up everything we see around is primarily made of quarks tightly locked up inside nuclear matter by the gluons that mediate the extremely strong forces between the quarks," he said. The force is so strong that quarks can never be removed and studied in isolation.

"With the GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab, we have the opportunity to do the next best thing," Meyer said. The GlueX experiment will excite the gluons between the quarks so researchers can study what this does to subatomic particles that can be observed.

"This will open a new window on the strongest force in nature," he said.

Technician Gary Wilkin guides the particle detector onto a truck. The detector was taken to Jefferson Lab last fall.]]>
Mon, 13 Jan 2014 12:59:59 GMT
Dickson Prizehttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/january/dickson-prize.htmlThe brain is considered to be the most mysterious organ in the body.

For years neuroscientists have searched for improved methods for looking inside the brain and to control the activity of brain cells. Such methods are critical to understanding both normal brain function and brain function following disease or injury.

Karl Deisseroth, the recipient of the 2013 Dickson Prize in Science, has been a key discoverer and developer of such methods, which are now being applied across all areas of brain science.

The D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and Psychiatry at Stanford University, Deisseroth will give this year's Dickson Prize Lecture, titled "Illuminating the Brain," at noon, Monday, Feb. 3 in McConomy Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public.

In particular, Deisseroth's lab has made key breakthroughs in the area of optogenetics, which allows neuronal activity to be controlled with unprecedented precision and recently has invented a technique called CLARITY, which allows brain structures to be viewed in ways never before possible. These techniques have dramatically accelerated discoveries in brain science.

"Dr. Deisseroth's approaches have initiated a revolution in the field of neuroscience," said Nathan Urban, the Dr. Frederick A. Schwertz Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences and head of the Department of Biological Sciences.

Named a "Breakthrough of the Decade" by Science magazine in 2010, optogenetics uses light sensitive proteins to control the activity of individual neurons or specific populations of neurons. Using this approach, researchers can selectively activate or inactivate these genetically modified neurons using light, allowing unprecedented control of neuronal activity. Optogenetics is now being used widely to study the mechanisms of normal brain functions, like memory and sensory perception, as well as abnormal conditions like Parkinson's Disease, addiction, depression and autism.  

Deisseroth's latest work focuses on CLARITY, a chemical technique that turns unlabeled brain tissue transparent, allowing researchers to visualize and study the brain's 3-D structure and circuitry using standard molecular probes.  

His work has been widely recognized by the scientific community. He was awarded the National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award, a Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, a McKnight Foundation Scholar Award, the Lawrence C. Katz Prize in Neurobiology, the Nakasone Award of the Human Frontiers Science Program and The Brain Prize from the Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Prize Foundation. He has been elected to the Institute of Medicine.

Given annually since 1970, the Dickson Prize in Science is awarded by Carnegie Mellon to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to science in the United States.  

Karl Deisseroth]]>
Mon, 13 Jan 2014 12:00:00 GMT
Musical CAPTCHAshttp://www.cmu.edu/piper/stories/2014/january/musical-captchas.htmlSince they were first developed at Carnegie Mellon, the distorted word puzzles called CAPTCHAs have been known to make people a little crazy, a little upset and prone to muttering words best left distorted.

Now these sometimes irritating puzzles, designed to protect websites from Internet bots, have inspired song.

New York-based composer Robert Paterson has used texts from CAPTCHAs as the lyrics of a classical song cycle for baritone and piano. Entitled CAPTCHA, the five-song cycle is featured on Paterson's newly released American Modern Recordings album, Winter Songs.

"I think people will probably get a kick out of it," said Paterson, who, like most people, has seemingly typed thousands of CAPTCHAs. "It relates to something that we've all experienced."

CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart) were originally developed and the term coined in 2000 by a Carnegie Mellon team that included Manuel Blum, professor of computer science, and Luis von Ahn, now an associate professor of computer science. The idea was to protect websites from rogue programs by devising a test that could be administered and graded by a computer, but only passed by a human. The idea was quickly embraced and copied worldwide.

In 2007, von Ahn introduced reCAPTCHAs, a two-word version that harnessed the puzzles to digitize old books and periodicals. Google Inc. acquired reCAPTCHA in 2009.

Paterson, on the other hand, was simply looking for a way to fulfill an assignment from the American Opera Project's Composers & the Voice program. He and other composers were supposed to write a variety of arias and songs that met certain challenges: using no more than four lines of text, using found text, etc.

"We were joking about ideas we could use for found text," Paterson recalled. "The weirdest thing I could think of was CAPTCHAs." He settled on reCAPTCHAs, which frequently include a real word and a fragment or misspelling of a word, and spent hours online searching for suitable reCAPTCHA texts.

When his own name came up several times in a couple of hours, "I thought, 'This is just awesome. I have to use this.'" When he came upon another text, "apparently cDumber," he instantly knew he should pair it with "Robert." He incorporated it into the piece entitled "Secretary Metadon."

Paterson and vocalist Jesse Blumberg developed pronunciations for the word fragments. Some, such as "splens," sonically suggested real words such as spleen, while others seemed to evoke a language from the future, he said.]]>
Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:00:00 GMT
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