April 1, 2004

Vol. 14, No. 36

The "8 1/2 x 11 News" is published each week by the University Advancement Division. News of campus interest should be sent to one of the following editors:   Ed Delaney, 412-268-1609 (ed47@andrew.cmu.edu)
  Bruce Gerson, 412-268-1613 (bg02@andrew.cmu.edu)
  Susan Cribbs, 412-268-7521 (cribbs@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.

2003 Editions are available online.

Previous editions are available online.

Mark G. Wessel has been named dean of the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management, where he has served as acting dean since February 2003. As dean, Wessel will direct the school's academic programs in public policy and management, health care policy and management, arts management, public management, medical management, educational technology management, and information security policy and management. He also will be responsible for academic programs in information systems and technology management and for six research centers.

—"For more than a decade, Mark Wessel has provided consistent leadership and vision while serving the Heinz School in a wide variety of key posts," said Provost Mark Kamlet, who was dean of the Heinz School from 1994 to 2000. "He will continue to build upon the Heinz School's strengths, particularly at the intersection of policy, management and information technology." Information: www.cmu.edu/PR/press_releases/index.html

RUDICH, BROWN AND WALKER RECEIVE EDUCATION AWARDS

School of Computer Science Professor Steven Rudich, Associate Head of Mathematical Sciences Russell Walker and Biological Sciences Professor William Brown are this year's recipients of the university's prestigious education awards. Rudich earned the William H. and Frances S. Ryan Award for Meritorious Teaching, Walker received the Undergraduate Advising Award and Brown garnered the Robert E. Doherty Award for Sustained Contributions to Excellence in Education. Doctoral student Ashish Venugopal of the Language Technologies Institute won the Graduate Student Teaching Award. The awards will be presented at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 13, in Rangos Hall, University Center (UC).

WARNER HALL STAFF TO RELOCATE DURING ASBESTOS REMOVAL

Temporary office locations have been announced for Warner Hall staff while work to remove asbestos from the building is in progress. Locations and effective dates are: Admissions: Highlander (4/12/04); Advisory Boards and Board of Trustees: 407 S. Craig, 2nd floor (4/1/04); Budget Services: UTDC, 1st floor (4/6/04); The HUB, Enrollment Services and Cash Operations: University Center lower level (4/12/04); Government Relations: UTDC, 4th floor (3/30/04); Graduate Programs: 407 S. Craig, 2nd floor (4/1/04); Intercultural Communications: Old Student Center, next to ICC training room (3/31/04); International Education: Alumni House, 3rd floor (4/3/04); Assistant General Counsel: UTDC, 4th floor (3/30/04); Provost's Office Financial Administration: 407 S. Craig, 2nd floor (4/1/04); Sponsored Research: UTDC, 4th floor (3/30/04); Student Affairs: Bramer House (3/31/04); Undergraduate Research: Margaret Morrison Plaza #3 (4/1/04); Vice Provost for Research: 4105 Newell-Simon (4/1/04). Corporate Relations and Foundation Relations: Alumni House, 1st floor. Information: www.cmu.edu/PR/press_releases/index.html

STUDENTS CAN USE COMPUTERS TO DO THEIR LAUNDRY

Through May 15, Carnegie Mellon is piloting a Web-based laundry system, called eSuds,™ in three residence halls. If all goes well, the system will be installed campus-wide by August, in time for the 2004-05 school year. eSuds, which was developed by USA Technologies Inc., allows students to use the Internet to check whether any machines in a specific laundry room are available and how much time is remaining on each machine's load. Students can sign up for an email notification that tells them when their laundry is finished. And no more quarters or tokens‹students will be able to activate the machines with a simple swipe of their student IDs. Information: www.cmu.edu/PR/press_releases/index.html

PERSONAL MENTION

—Sara Kiesler, professor of human-computer interaction, has been named to the Hillman Professorship in Computer Science. Kiesler, who applies social psychology to understand people and technology, has published several behavioral studies on how computers change communication and social relationships, including how the Internet socially impacts families. Her published papers have examined phenomena such as openness in online communication, group equalization, and geographically distributed work in organizations. The Hillman Professorship was previously held by Dana Scott, who became an emeritus professor last year.

—Burcu Akinci has been named acting director of the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems' Advanced Infrastructure Systems Lab. She replaces Jim Garrett who has become acting dean of the College of Engineering.

—Barbara Freed's film, "A Model for Matisse: The Story of the Vence Chapel," received one of the nine major awards at the 22nd International Festival of Films on Art held in Montreal, Canada, March 11 - 21. Freed is a professor in the Department of Modern Languages.

—Eugene Chang, School of Architecture, won second place in a student design competition hosted by Humanscale and Metropolis Magazine. He was selected for his entry, "Personalization! Flexibility! Mobility!," a mobile, flexible partition wall and mover. The two multi-use parts can be utilized anywhere, challenging the traditional concept of office space.

—Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Yoed Rabin is leading an interdisciplinary research team in developing a new computerized tool to assist surgeons in planning cryosurgery, a method used to freeze undesired tissues in prostate cancer patients. He reports that this newly developed software package will save time and money for both surgeons and patients. Cryosurgery is performed as a minimally invasive procedure by inserting miniature cryoprobes (shaped like long hypodermic needles) into a diseased part of the body. Information: www.cmu.edu/news/index.html

—The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has named Susan Polansky, a teaching professor of Spanish, winner of the 2003-04 Elliott Dunlap Smith Award, which is given annually by the college to honor excellent undergraduate teaching. Polansky, who has taught at Carnegie Mellon since 1986, is the associate head of the Department of Modern Languages.

—The Research Administrators Certification Council has announced the 2003-2004 Carnegie Mellon staff who are recipients of the national Certified Research Administrators status: Sandra Brenner Hill, Biomedical & Health Engineering & Bone Tissue Engineering Center; Barbara Bugosh, Engineering & Public Policy, HDGC; Patrick Carr, Physics; Kathy Majors, Psychology; Sharon McCann, Sponsored Projects Accounting; Janet Novelli, Sponsored Projects Accounting; Timothy Sager, Chemistry.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Friday, April 2: Lecture. "What's a City For? Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Hood." Wendell Pritchett, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and expert in legal history and property law. Refreshments, 3:30 p.m.; lecture and discussion, 4 - 5:30 p.m., Singleton Room, Roberts Hall. Sponsored by the Department of History's Center for Africanamerican Urban Studies and the Economy (CAUSE).

—Tuesday, April 6: Deadline to register for the Meeting of the Minds Undergraduate Research Symposium. Register at www.cmu.edu/adm/uri. The symposium is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 5, UC

—Tuesday, April 6: Feynman Lecture. "The Distinction of Past and Future." 4:30 - 6 p.m., Doherty Hall 2210.

—Wednesday, April 7: Screening of rare Indian film, "Bhavantaran/Immanence." (English subtitles, 60 minutes). 6 p.m., University of Pittsburgh Alumni Hall, 7th floor auditorium (opposite the Cathedral of Learning). The event is coordinated by Carnegie Mellon Assistant Professor of South Asian history Jayeeta Sharma. The film is a meditation on the life and art of the legendary Odissi dancer Kelucharan Mohapatra.

—Wednesday, April 7: Student Employee Appreciation Lunch. Noon - 1:30 p.m., Rangos Hall, UC.

—Thursday, April 8: Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Science, Technology and Policy. Kathryn Jackson, executive vice president, River System Operations & Environment, Tennessee Valley Authority. 4:30 p.m., Adamson Wing, Baker Hall.

—Thursday, April 8: School of Art Lecture Series. M. Michelle Illuminato, School of Art, 5 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, UC.

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