October 21, 2004

Vol. 15, No. 16

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.

More than 600 journalists, scientists, educators, government officials, business leaders and environmental advocates are participating in the Society of Environmental Journalists 14th annual conference through Oct. 24 at Carnegie Mellon. The conference, designed to improve and increase news coverage of environmental issues, features discussions by key policy decision-makers, Hollywood celebrities and environmental researchers.

The conference opened Oct. 20 with a celebrity panel discussion on how Hollywood influences environmental policy and policymakers. Actor Ted Danson (A'72) participated in the discussion moderated by New York Times reporter Andy Revkin. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and president of the Waterkeeper Alliance, will speak at 7:30 p.m. today (Oct. 21) at the Carnegie Museum Lecture Hall about the Bush Administration's environmental record.

The conference taps the expertise of researchers from all over North America, including Carnegie Mellon researchers like Granger Morgan, head of a newly formed center designed to study the uncertainties inherent in climate change, Chris Hendrickson and Lester Lave, co-directors of the university's Green Design Initiative, and Terry Collins, head of Carnegie Mellon's Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry.

Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases04/041018_sej.html

BRAIN DOES BATTLE OVER SHORT-TERM REWARDS, LONG-TERM GOALS

Professor of Economics George Loewenstein and researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard and Princeton have found that two areas of the brain appear to compete for control over behavior when a person tries to balance short-term rewards with long-term goals. Published in the Oct. 15 issue of Science, their research involved imaging people's brains as they made choices between small but immediate rewards or larger, future rewards.

The study showed that decisions involving the possibility of immediate reward activated parts of the brain influenced heavily by brain systems associated with emotion. When students had the choice of an immediate reward but chose the delayed option, the calculating regions of their brains were more strongly activated than their emotion systems. The researchers concluded that impulsive choices or preferences for short-term rewards result from the emotion-related parts of the brain winning out over the abstract-reasoning parts. The findings support the growing view among economists that psychological factors other than pure reasoning drive people's decisions.

Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases04/041014_study.html

STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES REPORTS STATUS OF FLU VACCINATIONS

Student Health Services reports that it expects its flu vaccine order by the end of October. Because of the national flu vaccine shortage, vaccinations will be administered in accordance with Center for Disease Control recommendations that support the immunization of priority groups: persons age 65 and older; persons with underlying chronic medical conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease); pregnant women; persons 6 months to 18 years old who are on chronic aspirin therapy; and caregivers and household contacts of children 6 months old or younger. Vaccinations will be given at the Health and Benefits Fair, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 3, in Rangos Hall, University Center (UC). Documentation of risk category will be required, along with a Carnegie Mellon ID. For more, see http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/HealthServices

OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2005 BENEFITS BEGINS NOV. 1

Open Enrollment for 2005 benefits will be held Nov. 1 - 12. This is your only opportunity to make changes to your benefit elections for 2005, unless you experience a qualifying status change. Look for your Open Enrollment packet to arrive in your home mailbox by Nov. 1. This year, the Benefits Workbook will be made available online, rather than in paper form. Dining Services gift certificates will be raffled off among those who actively enroll by Nov. 5.

NEWS BRIEFS

The Cyert Center for Early Education has earned re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. "NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences," says Judy Abrams, program director of the Cyert Center.

As Mark Kamlet begins the final year of his five-year term as provost, a Provost's Review Committee has been appointed at the request of President Jared L. Cohon and approved by the Faculty Senate to review Kamlet's first four years as provost. Committee members are Cristina Amon (chair), Linda Dickerson, Dennis Epple, Ramayya Krishnan, Peter Lee, Erika Linke, Jonathan Minden, Susan Polansky, Kears Pollock and Marilyn Thomas. The committee welcomes confidential input from all members of the Carnegie Mellon community. Send email to prc-list@cs.cmu.edu no later than Nov. 30. Further information: http://www.ices.cmu.edu/ProvostReview

Vending Services recently entered into an agreement with AVI Food systems to provide exclusive food and drink vending on campus. AVI will supply both Coke and Pepsi products as well as juices, water and food. AVI will also begin vending sales via CampusXpress on the Carnegie Mellon Card. Locations in Morewood Gardens, Baker, Posner, Hamburg and Wean halls began operating with card readers on Oct. 11, with most other locations to come online within 18 months. Send questions and comments to Tim Michael at vending@andrew.cmu.edu.

PERSONAL MENTION

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has elected Sheldon Cohen, the Robert E. Doherty Professor of Psychology, to its membership. Cohen is internationally recognized for his scientific contributions toward understanding the effects of social and environmental stress on human behavior and health. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases04/041018_cohen.html

At the American Association for Aerosol Research last week, Assistant Professor Peter Adams of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy, received the Sheldon K. Friedlander Award for his outstanding dissertation in aerosol science produced in the last three years.

Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) faculty Tina Blaine, Brenda Harger and Don Marinelli presented a session titled "Today's Technology: Make It Work For You" at the International Association for the Entertainment and Leisure Industries Fun Expo convention in Las Vegas. The ETC booth, featuring a variety of interactive technologies developed in the ETC, won the Golden Token Award as Best Themed Booth at the conference.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, Oct. 25: Open Access Forum, 1 - 2:30 p.m., Board of Trustees Meeting Room, Posner Center. Panelists Mark Kamlet, Mary Jo Dively, Daviess Menefee (Elsevier Ltd.) and Clifford Lynch (Coalition for Networked Information) will explore issues around availability of scientific and scholarly texts. Further information: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-04-064.html

Tuesday, Oct. 26: President Cohon's Annual Address to Staff. Noon, McConomy Auditorium, UC. Refreshments will be provided.

Tuesday, Oct. 26: "An Afternoon With Michael Moore." 4:30 p.m., Wiegand Gym, UC. Tickets are available at the UC Information Desk. For more, see http://www.cmu.edu/cmnews/extra/041019_moore.html

Tuesday, Oct. 26: Jane Fahringer, head of Dining and Catering, will meet with students to discuss the campus dining program. A question period will follow. 7 - 8:30 p.m., McKenna Peter Wright Room.

Thursday, Oct. 28: Graduate Support Programs' Professional Development Seminar. "Teaching: Pedagogy, Promotion and Perqs." Speakers: Anne Green, associate teaching professor of German, and Mark Stehlik, assistant dean for undergraduate education, Computer Science Department. 1 p.m., Connan Room, UC. Lunch will be served. Register at http://gposerver.as.cmu.edu/registration/multiregis.html

Thursday, Oct. 28: University Lecture Series: "Making Sense of Making Millions: Writing the Life of Andrew Carnegie." David Nasaw, Graduate Center, CUNY. 4:30 p.m., Adamson Wing, Baker Hall. Co-sponsored by the Andrew Carnegie Society.

Thursday, Oct. 28: School of Art Lecture Series. Senga Nengudi, installation and sculpture artist. 5 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, UC.

Friday, Oct. 29: The College of Engineering and ICES seminar showcasing the research of the 2003 and 2004 Dowd-ICES Fellows. 4 - 5 p.m., Singleton Room, Roberts Hall. Reception immediately follows.

Friday, Oct. 29: Final Friday Cabaret Series: "Ladies Night Out." 11 p.m., Rauh Theater, Purnell Center. A $5 donation is required for tickets, which are available at noon on the day of the show at the Drama Box Office.

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