September 25, 2003

Vol. 14, No. 12

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.

Carnegie Mellon University Trustee W. Lowell Steinbrenner and his wife, Jan, have pledged seed funds of $4 million to create the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research. The institute will aid Carnegie Mellon's ambitious long-term strategic thrust to change the way society thinks and acts about the environment through its educational and research methods and results, the issues it raises and the outcomes it produces.

—Steinbrenner, a member of the university's environmental strategic planning subcommittee, is former chairman of Contours Ltd., a specialty steel wire producer.

— Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Head Chris Hendrickson will direct the new institute.

CARNEGIE MELLON MBA RANKED NO. 6 BY WALL STREET JOURNAL

The Wall Street Journal has announced that Carnegie Mellon's MBA program ranks sixth among 266 full-time MBA programs worldwide. This year's survey represents the opinions of 2,191 corporate recruiters. It is the third consecutive year that Carnegie Mellon has ranked among the top 10.

—Carnegie Mellon's MBA also was recognized for excellence in four academic concentrations: operations management (No. 1); information technology (No. 2); quantitative analysis (No. 2); and finance (No. 5).

—Additional information: www.cmu.edu/bschool and official.cmu-news, Sept. 18.

MORRIS TO STEP DOWN AS DEAN OF SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

After four very productive years, Jim Morris has decided to step down as dean of the School of Computer Science (SCS) at the end of the 2004 school year to return to teaching and research and special projects. Under his leadership, SCS has risen to new heights of excellence in teaching and research and has been regarded as the top computer science school in the country. In addition to his achievements within SCS, he headed the initiative to establish a branch campus on the West Coast, giving students and the university new opportunities for study, internships and interaction with key people and companies in Silicon Valley. He recently conceived the Robot Hall of Fame, which will induct its first group of robots and their inventors on Nov. 10. For more information, visit www.cmu.edu/PR/releases03/030918_jmorris.html/

UNIVERSITY TO HOST FIRST CONFERENCE IN U.S. ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

Carnegie Mellon will host the Fifth International Conference on Electronic Commerce (ICEC), Sept. 30 - Oct. 3, at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. It is the first time this leading eBusiness research conference is being held in the United States. Norman M. Sadeh, associate professor of computer science, is chairman of the conference.

—The conference will also feature a plenary panel discussion on "Next Generation Search Infrastructure for e-Commerce," chaired by Computer Science Professor Jaime Carbonell. Information: www.icec03.org.

NEWS BRIEFS

—Faculty and staff may update their demographic information for the 2004 paper edition of the Faculty/Staff Directory through audit forms that will be distributed Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. Return only those audits needing correction to your departmental DRIVE administrator whose name is printed on the audit. Your department must receive your corrected audit form no later than Oct. 14 to be included in the 2004 directory.

—Effective with the Oct. 10 biweekly pay and October 31 monthly pay, all paychecks will be drawn on PNC Bank instead of Mellon Financial Services. This change will be transparent to most; however, if you don't have a current banking account, PNC can cash your paycheck if you provide proper identification. A service charge of $3 will apply but can be waived by opening a free checking account at PNC. Questions: contact Payroll Services at 412-268-2097.

—This year's Andy Awards ceremony will take place at noon, Monday, Sept. 29, in McConomy Auditorium.

PERSONAL MENTION

—Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer Stefano Falconi has announced several key financial leadership appointments, effective Oct. 1. Deborah Moon has been named assistant vice president and controller. Jim Gartner has been appointed senior director of university risk management. Rhonda Kloss has been appointed director of sponsored projects accounting. More information is posted on official.cmu-news, Sept. 24.

—Professor Robert Strauss of the Heinz School reports that Heinz School alum Prodipto Ghosh ('89) has been appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Federal Government of India.

—Barbara Mistick, distinguished service professor of entrepreneurship and public policy and director of The Girls Math and Science Initiative, has been nominated for Carlow College's Women of Spirit Award. She will be honored at the annual Women of Spirit Gala on Oct. 4.

—Paul Eiss, an assistant professor of history and anthropology, has received the Cultural Horizons Prize from the Society for Cultural Anthropology. Eiss received the award for his article, "Hunting for the Virgin: Meat, Money, and Memory in Tetiz, Yucatan," which was published in the journal Cultural Anthropology in August 2002. The article explores the interplay of religion, culture and commerce among deer hunters in modern Yucatan.

—Heinz School professors Daniel Nagin and Jeffrey Dominitz have received a $1.1 million award from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop statistical methodologies to study the development of psychiatric disorders and violent behavior.

—Robotics doctoral student Chieh-Chih (Bob) Wang, director of the Robotics Institute Chuck Thorpe and former Associate Professor of Computer Science Sebastian Thrun received the best paper award at the recent IEEE Robotics and Automation Conference. The three co-authored "Online Simultaneous Localization and Mapping with Detection and Tracking of Moving Objects: Theory and Results from a Ground Vehicle in Crowded Urban Areas." Thrun is now at Stanford University.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Friday, Sept. 26: Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Seminar Series. "Why There Is No Perfect Design." Henry Petroski, Duke University. 10 a.m - Noon, Scaife Hall 125.

—Monday, Sept. 29: Open Mind Lecture Series. "How To Make Your Dreams Come True in a Single Sentence." Kenji Jasper, writer/journalist of NPR's Morning Edition and The Tavis Smiley Show. 4:30 p.m., Rangos 1, University Center (UC).

—Wednesday, Oct. 1: The Graduate Programs Office, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University, is offering the first in a series of Inter-University Graduate Students of Color Dinners. 6 - 8 p.m., Posvar Hall, Room 2M2P56. The first meeting will be a welcoming dinner featuring live music from Kehonia Koncept. Register online at www.cmu.edu/adm/gpo or at kdahl@andrew.cmu.edu

—Wednesday, Oct. 1: 'Using the Carnegie Mellon Portal." Staff, faculty, and students are invited to attend this free "Hot Topics" program, presented by Computing Services. Noon - 1 p.m., Connan Room, UC. Information: www.cmu.edu/computing/education/

—Thursday, Oct. 2: Graduate Student Intercultural Workshop. "Introducing Ourselves: Crossing Cultures at Carnegie Mellon." Speakers: Nancy Klancher, Graduate Programs Office, and Melissa Rychener, Office of International Education. Noon - 3 p.m., Connan Room, UC. Lunch will be served. Register online at www.cmu.edu/adm/gpo or by emailing kdahl@andrew.cmu.edu

—Thursday, Oct. 2: School of Art Lecture Series. Mary Hood, Special Faculty, School of Art. 5 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, UC.

—Thursday Oct. 2: Open Mind Lecture Series. "My Life Is My Message: Mahatma Gandhi's Vision." Vijai Singh, vice chancellor, University of Pittsburgh. 4:30 p.m., Adamson Wing (Baker Hall 136A).

—Thursday Oct. 2: Physics and Engineering and Public Policy Lecture. "Nuclear Proliferation in the Post-Soviet World." David Hafemeister, California Polytechnic State University. 4:30 p.m., Wean Hall 7500.

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