January 27, 2005

Vol. 15, No. 27

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)

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For the first time, researchers have automatically grouped fluorescently tagged proteins from high-resolution images of cells. This technical feat opens a new way to identify disease proteins and drug targets by helping to show which proteins cluster together inside a cell. The approach, developed by Carnegie Mellon researchers, outperforms existing visual methods to localize proteins inside cells, says Professor Robert F. Murphy, whose report, "Data Mining in Genomics and Proteomics," appears in an upcoming special issue of the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. "Our approach really enables the new field of location proteomics, which describes and relates the location of proteins within cells," says Murphy, a professor of biological sciences, machine learning and biomedical engineering. "This work should provide a more thorough understanding of cellular processes that underlie disease." Information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050124_proteins.html

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY CENTER RECEIVES PENNSYLVANIA GRANT

The State of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has awarded Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) a $500,000 Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority grant for three specific initiatives designed to use interactive digital media for economic revitalization and tourism generation. The grant was the result of the work of ETC "Edutainment" Director Jessica Trybus and Tim McNulty, special assistant to the provost. The grant will be used to develop computer-based training programs and education tools for industries including health care and tourism. The ETC will team with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to develop a simulation game for critical care providers and to design cutting-edge Pennsylvania tourism exhibits, including an interactive ecological tour of Presque Isle for the Tom Ridge Center in Erie.

TEPPER MBAs REPORT IMPROVING JOB PROSPECTS

First- and second-year students from the Tepper School of Business who recently toured major job markets on the East and West Coasts report a decidedly more positive job climate than existed two years ago. The students attribute the change to companies that are bullish on the economy and are seeing a solid uptick in their business. According to Ken Keeley, executive director of the Tepper School's Career Opportunities Center, the number of student interviews is up significantly from the previous year and the number of job offers for full-time employment is up nearly 62 percent so far. "While it's still too early to tell for sure, it seems that the 'big eaters' for MBA talent have regained their hiring appetite and are back at the table," Keeley said. "Across the board, we're once again seeing strong recruiting interest in MBAs, especially those with strong quantitative skill sets, one of the hallmarks of our students." Keeley said classroom facilities at the West Coast Campus and near Wall Street in New York help to get students in front of more recruiters. Information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050124_tepper.html

FREE EMPLOYEE EXERCISE CLASSES AVAILABLE

Staff Council and Human Resources have partnered to offer free exercise classes for faculty and staff. Employees can take Low-Impact Aerobics (Mondays), Pilates (Tuesdays), Total Body Workout (Wednesdays) or Tai Bo (Thursdays). All classes are held from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. in Whitfield Hall. Classes have already begun, but you may join at any time. See http://hr.web.cmu.edu for more information and to download the registration form.

NEWS BRIEFS

—The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (H&SS) is seeking nominations for its Outstanding Service Award. The award is open to all regular full-time and part-time staff members. The basis for selection will be excellence in the areas of Job Performance, Dedication, Positive Attitude and Citizenship. Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff and graduate students may submit a nomination by Feb. 14. For an online nomination form and more information, go to http://www.hss.cmu.edu/serviceaward. Nomination forms are also available in the H&SS Dean's Office, Baker Hall 154.

—SafeZone is a network of allies committed to providing a safe and affirming environment for all at Carnegie Mellon, including anyone dealing with issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. All members of the campus community are invited to join. To become a member, you should participate in a three-hour training session. Spring SafeZone Training Sessions are Sunday, Feb. 13: 11:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Danforth Lounge, University Center (UC) (applications due Feb. 7), and Friday, March 25: 3 - 6 p.m., Pake Room, UC (applications due March 18).

—The Athletic Department's Fitness Challenge began Jan. 24 and will run for six weeks. The challenge for each individual is to exercise for 20 minutes or more at least four days per week, or walk10,000 steps per day. Pedometers are on sale for $5 at the UC equipment desk. The department is also offering new group exercise classes this year, including line dancing and several yoga offerings. The fitness schedule is online at http://www.cmu.edu/athletic/fitness/fitness.htm/

PERSONAL MENTION

—The American Psychological Society (APS) will honor Robyn Dawes, the Charles J. Queenan Jr. University Professor of Psychology, with a "Festschrift," a collection of essays about Dawes' work written by colleagues from across the nation. This rare honor is being afforded Dawes in honor of a 40-year career during which he has made significant impact in several areas of psychological science, including judgment and decision-making, cooperation and social dilemmas, and intuition and irrationality. The Festschrift will be based on presentations given during a daylong discussion related to Dawes' research at the APS annual convention, May 26 - 29, in Los Angeles.

—This year's CIT Staff Recognition Award winners are Alan Grupe, facilities coordinator, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Suzanne Smith, manager, Department Administration and Student Affairs, Materials Science and Engineering. They were honored for their job performance, dedication, positive attitude and contributions as team players. Jason Wolf, supervisor of the X-Ray Laboratory, received the Burritt Education Award, founded in memory of Timothy J. Burritt, former undergraduate advisor for the College of Engineering. The award recognizes staff members who successfully maintain a balance of work and schooling while pursuing further education.

—Electrical and Chemical Engineering graduate student Koushik Niyogi and his advisor, Assistant Professor Diana Marculescu, won the best paper award at the Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference for their work titled "Speed and Voltage Selection for GALS Systems based on Voltage/Frequency Islands."

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Thursday, Jan. 27: Digital Library Colloquium. Dean of University Libraries Gloriana St. Clair will compare objectives between Google Print (a partnership among Google, Stanford, New York Public, Michigan, Oxford, and Harvard to digitize books in and out of copyright) and Carnegie Mellon's Million Book Project. She also will comment briefly on the new search resource, Google Scholar. 3 p.m.,1507 Newell-Simon Hall.

—Friday, Jan. 28: Sony Electronics Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Hideki "Dick" Komiyama will visit Carnegie Mellon at 10 a.m. to introduce and demonstrate QRIO, the company's two-and-a-half-foot tall, autonomous, interactive humanoid robot, in Rangos Hall. A second demonstration will take place at 12:30 p.m. in Rangos Hall. Participants include Sony software developer John DeCuir, senior engineer Todd Kozuki and sales and marketing manager Ken Orii. At 3:30 p.m., DeCuir and Orii will give a robotics lecture for students and faculty in 3305 Newell-Simon Hall.

—Monday, Jan. 31: Tom Roberts, music arranger for the Martin Scorsese movie "The Aviator," will speak to ETC students at 7 p.m., one hour prior to the 8 p.m. showing of "The Aviator" at the Southside Works Cinema, directly across the Hot Metal Bridge from the ETC.

—Thursday, Feb. 3: Media analyst Ali Abunimah, co-founder of the Electronic Intifada (www.electronicintifada.net) and vice president of the Arab-American Action Network, will speak at Carnegie Mellon and Pitt. The Carnegie Mellon talk,"Palestine/Israel: An End to a Century of Conflict?," is at 4:30 p.m. in the Adamson Wing of Baker Hall. At Pitt, Abunimah will speak at 7 p.m. on "The Myths and Reality of the Palestine/Israel Conflict" in the Engineering Auditorium, Benedum Hall.

—Tuesday, Feb. 8: The Software Engineering Institute and Mellon Institute will sponsor a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Mellon Institute Social Room (third floor). To make an appointment, contact Francine Pugsely (8-7699, fj10@andrew.cmu.edu) or Anna Mosesso (8-6166, aam@sei.cmu.edu). Sign-in sheets are due Feb. 1.

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