February 20, 2003

Vol. 13, No. 30

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.

2001 Editions are available online.

2002 Editions are available online.

Previous editions are available online.

In the event of severe weather, members of the university community should tune in to KDKA-TV, WTAE-TV, WPXI-TV, Fox 53, KDKA-Radio or KQV-Radio for an official university announcement regarding delays, cancellation of classes and/or the closing of offices. Unless otherwise noted, the cancellation of classes will include evening classes at the Heinz School and Graduate School of Industrial Administration. Announcements will also be posted to the Carnegie Mellon main switchboard at 412-268-2000, the Web at www.cmu.edu, and the official.cmu-news and cmu.misc.news bulletin boards. Email will also be sent to all faculty, staff and students from Enrollment Services. Unless an official notification is issued, the university is maintaining normal operations.

—While Carnegie Mellon may cancel classes or close offices due to severe weather, the university cannot close operations because it provides residential space and services for thousands of students on campus. Although classes may be cancelled and offices closed, essential employees, including Facilities Management Services, University Police, Computing Services and Dining Services, are to report for work. Supervisors must identify and brief essential personnel regarding their responsibilities during severe weather.

UNIVERSITY FILES "FRIEND OF COURT" BRIEF ON BEHALF OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Carnegie Mellon has filed an "amicus curiae" (friend of the court) brief to the United States Supreme Court in support of the University of Michigan and the right of universities and colleges to use Affirmative Action in their admissions. At least 38 colleges and universities from across the United States joined in the filing.

—"Affirmative action is essential to making Carnegie Mellon a diverse university, which is crucial for making it the best university it can be," said President Cohon. "I have decided that the stakes in the University of Michigan case are so high and diversity is so important to our university that Carnegie Mellon will actively support the University of Michigan by filing a friend of the court brief in favor of their position."

—Carnegie Mellon's brief does not focus on specific programs, but argues that diversity continues to be a compelling interest that justifies the use of race as one factor among many in college and university admissions.

—Further information: www.cmu.edu/PR/releases03/030214_affirmative.html

NATION'S TOP BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER TO RECEIVE DICKSON PRIZE

Carnegie Mellon will award its prestigious Dickson Prize in Science to Robert S. Langer, a pioneering biomedical engineer, at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 26, in McConomy Auditorium, University Center (UC). Langer is the Kenneth J. Germeshausen Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This year's prize includes a cash award of $38,000.

—Langer's creative engineering of polymer plastics is now allowing delivery of medicine in innovative ways to difficult locations within the human body. One of his biodegradable polymer inventions broke a 20-year drought in FDA-approved brain cancer treatments. It was the first such chemotherapy that could be delivered to a tumor site. As part of the prize ceremony, Langer will speak on "Biomaterials And How They Will Change Our Lives." The talk is free and open to the public. Further information: www.cmu.edu/PR/releases03/030212_dickson.html

NIH AWARDS $1.3 MILLION TO PITTSBURGH SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER

The Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) has received an award of $1.3 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance research in biology and medicine. This award, from NIH's National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), will provide for computational resources to support the work of several world-leading, biomedical research teams.

—Through the NIH grant, PSC will acquire, install and operate a "shared-memory" computing system with advanced processor technologies, a very large memory capacity and associated storage. It will be based on the newest generation of Hewlett-Packard AlphaServer systems, the GS1280, announced in January. Further information: official.cmu-news, Feb.19.

PERSONAL MENTION

—Rich Lackner, Carnegie Mellon's head football coach, will be inducted into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on May 3.

—Ashish Arora, associate professor of economics, Heinz School, has co-authored research that was published in the Feb. 14 issue of Science Magazine in an article titled "Working Through the Patent Problem." The article, based on findings from a study commissioned by the National Academy of Science, looked at ways in which biomedical innovation and research may be slowed by growing numbers of patents on research tools.

—Associate Professor Tuomas Sandholm of the Computer Science Department has won the Computers and Thought Award, which will be presented at "The International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence" to outstanding young scientists in artificial intelligence.

—In last week's University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, junior Brian McCarthy was named the UAA Swimmer of the Year for the second time in his three years at Carnegie Mellon. Sophomore Mindi Finnegan was named the UAA Diver of the Year for the second consecutive season. Further information: official.cmu-news, Feb. 18.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Friday, Feb. 21: Lecture. Yudhistir Raj Isar, former director of UNESCO, will discuss the evolution of UNESCO's own discourse on culture including cultural development, the cultural dimension of development, and cultural diversity. 12:30 p.m., McConomy Auditorium. Sponsored by the Heinz School's International Policy Club. The lecture will be followed by an informal reception. Further information: official.cmu-news, Feb. 18.

—Friday, Feb. 21: "From POTS to PANS.com-A Look at Pipeline Technology, Past, Present and Future." Alan Murray, chief engineer, National Energy Board, Canada. 2:45 p.m., Scaife Hall 125.

—Friday, Feb. 21: Adamson Visiting Writer Series. C. Michael Curtis, senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly. 4:30 p.m., Adamson Wing, Baker Hall. Curtis' essays, articles, poems and reviews have appeared in publications including The New Republic, National Review and Sport. Free and open to the public.

—Sunday, Feb. 23: Mosaic 2003, Carnegie Mellon's annual conference on women's issues. "Finding Your Voice: Self, Society & Leadership." 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., University Center (UC). Keynote speaker Christy Haubegger, founder and CEO of Latina Magazine, will speak about women and entrepreneurship. Free and open to the public with pre-registration. Registration information is available at www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/mosaic.

—Monday, Feb. 24: Graduate Students of Color Lunch. "Work and Identity: A Relaxed Conversation." A joint program with SoHo, Carnegie Mellon's Resource Center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Concerns. Noon - 1:30 p.m., Rangos 3, UC. Speaker: Dwight McBride, author of "Impossible Witnesses: Truth, Abolitionism, and Slave Testimony" and "James Baldwin Now." Format: Informal talk followed by open discussion. Register at www.cmu.edu/adm/apaa/gpo/

—Monday, Feb. 24: University Lecture Series. Black History Month. Dwight McBride, chair of African American Studies, Northwestern University. 4:30 p.m., Adamson Wing, 136A Baker Hall.

—Tuesday, Feb. 25: The Institute for the Study of Information Technology & Society (InSITeS) is hosting a panel on: "Computer Surveillance and the War on Terrorism: Promoting National Security or a Return to McCarthyism?" 7 - 9 p.m, Giant Eagle Auditorium, basement of new wing of Baker Hall.

—Thursday, Feb. 27: University Lecture Series. "The Problems of Globalization." George Soros, chairman, Soros Fund Management. 4:30 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, UC.

—Thursday, Feb. 27: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Seminar Series. "Nanotechnology." Carolyn Block, Intel. 4 - 5 p.m., Scaife Hall Auditorium, Room 125. Refreshments at 3:30 p.m. See amp.ece.cmu.edu/ECESeminar for details.

—Friday, Feb. 28: Mechanical Engineering Seminar. "The Effect of Process Variables on Melt Pool Size and Residual Stress in Laser-Based Manufacturing Processes." Professor Jack Lee Beuth, Department of Mechanical Engineering. 2:45 p.m., Scaife Hall.

More news of campus interest is available at www.cmu.edu/news/index.html

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