March 28, 2002

Vol. 12, No. 36

The "8 1/2 x 11 News" is published each week by the Department of Public Relations. News of campus interest should be sent to
Ed Delaney, 412-268-1609 (ed47@andrew.cmu.edu) or Bruce Gerson, 412-268-1613 (bg02@andrew.cmu.edu). The newsletter is available on the official.cmu-news and cmu.misc.news bulletin boards.

Last year's editions are available online.

Previous editions are available online.

TOM RIDGE TO SPEAK AT MAY 19 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge will give the keynote address at Carnegie Mellon's commencement, Sunday, May 19, in Gesling Stadium. Ridge will receive an honorary doctorate of public policy to recognize his record of public service as well as his support of higher education and research.

—"It is a great honor for the Carnegie Mellon community to acknowledge Governor Ridge's lifetime of public service," said Carnegie Mellon President Jared Cohon. "And, it will be a special pleasure to welcome him back to his hometown, for which he has done so much."

—Other honorary degree recipients are ANITA BORG, founder of the nonprofit Institute for Women in Technology in Palo Alto, Calif., doctor of science and technology; WILLIAM G. BOWEN, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York, former president of Princeton University, and co-author of "The Shape of the River: Long-Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions," doctor of humane letters; GEORGE COWAN, a scientist and philanthropist who founded the Santa Fe Institute, doctor of science and technology; and JOHN H. SEINFELD, a leading researcher and educator in air quality engineering at the California Institute of Technology, doctor of science and technology.

— JEFF WALCH, senior Bachelor of Science and Arts with concentrations in Biology and Architecture has been selected by a committee of fellow students, staff, and faculty to be this year's student speaker.

STUDENTS SPEND SPRING BREAK WORKING WITH "HABITAT FOR HUMANITY"

Nineteen Carnegie Mellon students will spend spring break in Lake County, Fla., building houses through Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge program. Eleven freshmen, five sophomores, two juniors and one graduate student will work with Habitat for Humanity Lake County from April 1 - 5. Michael Schenz, an adjunct professor in the Modern Languages Department and in the Graduate School of Industrial Administration, and four staff members from the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Student Activities and the Housing Office will accompany the students.

—Habitat for Humanity is an international organization whose goal is to bring families and communities together with volunteers and resources to build decent, affordable housing. Habitat's Lake County chapter has a goal of building four houses during spring break. Our students will work alongside the homeowners in the finishing work on one or more of these homes. A list of the student members is posted on official.cmu-news, March 26.

STATE CONTRIBUTES $250,000 TO UNIVERSITY FOR SALT PROJECT

Carnegie Mellon has received $250,000 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for science educational programs that will result from the university's participation in the South African Large Telescope (SALT) project, an important new ground-based observatory being built in the southern hemisphere. Carnegie Mellon is an official partner in SALT. An international consortium of universities and governments are funding the project.

—Other partners in SALT come from Germany, New Zealand, Poland, the United Kingdom and several universities in the U.S. The telescope is expected to become operational in 2004. Further information about SALT can be found at www.salt.ac.za

NCAA CHAMP LEADS SWIMMING TEAM TO BEST NATIONAL FINISH

Led by sophomore Brian McCarthy, the national champion in the 200-yard individual medley, Carnegie Mellon's men's swimming team finished a school-best fourth-place in the NCAA Division III Men's Championships at Miami (Ohio) University with 269 points last Saturday.

—"This is the best national meet I've ever been associated with," said Head Coach David Belowich. "When you combine talent and hard work with opportunity, that creates the ingredients for a very successful meet. We had the most successful national meet in Carnegie Mellon history."

NEWS BRIEFS

—Registration for the "Race for the Cure," a 5K run/walk and one mile fun walk to benfit breast cancer screening, education, research and treatment, will be held from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., April 9 -11 in the University Center. The registration fee is $10. Checks are the preferred method of payment. Direct questions to corrine@andrew.cmu.edu.

—The excavation near Baker Hall is part of the construction site for the Herb Simon Memorial to be built by Engineering Professor Larry Cartwright's Design and Construction class. The class has designed and will build a small terraced amphitheater. The project Web site is http://yankee.res.cmu.edu/has/

—Supervisors and managers are encouraged to review the university's performance management references and tools available at http://hr.web.cmu.edu/default.asp?n=§ionID=1241. HR representatives are also available to answer your questions. Contact your HR representative directly, or through the HR Service Center at 8-4747.

—The Spring Break Shuttle/Escort schedule is posted on official.cmu-news, March 26.

PERSONAL MENTION

—David Sholl, assistant professor of chemical engineering, and J. Karl Johnson, associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, are organizing the 2002 Midwest Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics Meeting that will take place at Carnegie Mellon May 13-14. This annual event provides a forum for researchers in all aspects of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, both theoretical and experimental, to present their work.

—Karen Stump, director of undergraduate studies, Department of Chemistry, has received a Responsible Care Catalyst Award from the American Chemistry Council. The award recognizes outstanding chemistry teachers.

—Elizabeth Bradley, head, School of Drama, and chairperson of the International Society for the Performing Arts, recently chaired an International Society for the Performing Arts Forum in Beijing, China, where she was also a keynote speaker. The forum addressed the present and future of the performing arts in China and the world.

—Joel Greenhouse, professor of statistics and associate dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, has been appointed editor of "Statistics in Medicine," a journal dedicated to advancing the practical applications of statistics to medicine and its applied sciences.

—Keith Piper, assistant professor of art, presented his interactive artwork, "MegaCyberGlobal.com" and "The Automaton's Bloodline" and participated on a panel at the conference, "Blackinc: Black Culture and Identity, the Public Digital Sphere and the Promise of Egalitarianism" on March 22 in Amsterdam.

—School of Music students Kristin Schaffner ('03) and Zachary Burt ('03) will share a $1,000 award for winning the Steinway Society's annual competition. Schaffner, a piano major, is a student of Ralph Zitterbart, associate professor of piano. Burt, a music and mechanical engineering double major, is a student of Irene Schreier Scott, an artist lecturer in the School of Music.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Monday, April 1: Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Spring Blood Drive. 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. SEI Training Room A. To schedule an appointment, contact Dawn Owens, dowens@sei.cmu.edu or 8-6753.

—Wednesday, April 3: Cancer Support Group will meet off-campus for lunch from noon - 1 p.m. All cancer survivors are invited to attend. For more details contact: Margie Hinebaugh, 8-2161, Anne Humphreys, 8-3420, Mari Alice McShane, 8-7834 or Linda Plazinski, 8-5290.

—Monday, April 8: In recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day (April 8 - 9), the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and Hillel are sponsoring a 24-hour reading of the names of Holocaust victims, beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, April 8 at the Fence. If you would like to volunteer to read names of Holocaust victims for a 10-minute period, contact Mika Larrison, mlarriso@andrew.cmu.edu.

—Tuesday, April 9: Eva Weiss Schreiber, a Holocaust survivor, will speak about her experiences during the Holocaust and their impact on her life. 7 p.m., Rangos 3.

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