March 10, 2005

Vol. 15, No. 33

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.

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2004 Editions are available online.

Previous editions are available online.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York has announced that Carnegie Mellon University and President Jared L. Cohon are among the winners of the newly established Academic Leadership Award. The award recognizes leaders of higher education institutions who have demonstrated an abiding commitment to liberal arts and have initiated and supported curricular innovations, including development of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary programs that aim to bridge the gulf between the theoretical and the practical. The award also honors leadership that supports K-12 reform and emphasizes community outreach.

—Henry S. Bienen of Northwestern University and Don M. Randel of the University of Chicago also received the award. Each leader will receive $500,000 to be used for their academic priorities.

—"These academic leaders have been articulate voices in defense of liberal arts, robust undergraduate education, the university's role in K-12 education and the university's commitment to their cities and communities," said Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation. "All three have demonstrated the fact that excellence in leadership is much more than effective management." The Carnegie Corporation highlighted the university's emphasis on scientific advancement through theory and student-driven, hands-on research, as well as its commitment to the environment.

—Further information: http://www.carnegie.org/sub/news/leadership.html.

INVESTIGATORS POINT OUT SHORTCOMINGS IN CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOKS

Stories of exciting chemistry discoveries in Scientific American and The New York Times paint a better picture of chemistry as it is practiced than do some widely used high school textbooks, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh researchers. The findings signal that introductory textbooks could be shortchanging students, denying them exposure to the creativity of chemistry and omitting context they need to be scientifically literate citizens, according to the authors, whose results are in press at the Journal of Chemical Education.

—"High school textbooks focus on teaching a set of basic tools that chemists use, but they often fail to address how those tools are used by practicing chemists," said David Yaron, associate professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon. "Because of this misalignment, students may leave an introductory chemistry course without a practical perspective on the field of chemistry... We may also be missing chances to attract talented students to this important field." Gaea Leinhardt, senior scientist at the University of Pittsburgh's Learning Research and Development Center, is a collaborator in the study.

—Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050303_chemistry.html

VOICE-ACTIVATED INFO SYSTEM DEVELOPED FOR PORT AUTHORITY

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has introduced a voice-activated, spoken dialogue system, developed by Carnegie Mellon language technology experts to make bus-scheduling information more accessible to elderly riders. The automated system will offer information through March 20 on 10 bus routes operating in the East End section of Pittsburgh. The system will run when Port Authority customer service representatives are not available to answer telephones: 7-11 p.m., weekdays, and 6-11 p.m., weekends. Users can access the system by dialing 412-442-2000.

—"This system is specifically designed to give scheduling information for bus routes in the city's East End," explained principal investigator Maxine Eskenazi, associate teaching professor in the Language Technologies Institute (LTI) in the School of Computer Science. "It's for all Pittsburghers, but we've really tried to make it easier to use and understand by the elderly. It will be especially useful to people with sight impairments, who have no way of accessing bus scheduling information in the evening," she added.

—Eskenazi and LTI Research Scientist Alan Black received a three-year, $650,000, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation's Universal Access Program in 2002 to fund the "Let's Go" project to study the use of phone dialogue systems by elderly and non-native speakers, and work with the Port Authority of Allegheny County to make its phone-based information services more user friendly to these groups of people. They have been working with co-principal investigator Lorraine Levin, associate research professor in the Language Technologies Institute, and LTI graduate students Antoine Raux and Brian Langner. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050307_pat.html/

NEWS BRIEF

—Due to security concerns, the Forbes Avenue entrance to Cyert Hall will be locked at 7 p.m. each evening and opened at 7 a.m. each morning, effective March 21. During the next several months, Computing Services will explore a variety of convenient entry options (e.g., swipe card access) to compensate for this security change. Until then, occupants of Cyert Hall can use their building keys to gain entry. Others who must enter the building to access the public cluster or the operations print area can do so through the upper entrance near Warner Hall, which will remain open. Direct questions or comments to advisor@andrew.cmu.edu or to the Computing Services Help Center at 8-4357.

PERSONAL MENTION

—Robert Murphy, professor of biological sciences, Mellon College of Science, has been selected to chair the Biodata Management and Analysis (BDMA) Study Section of the Center for Scientific Review at the National Institutes of Health. The BDMA committee has an important role in reviewing federal grant applications to manage, analyze and visualize biological data. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050303_nih.html

—Ralph Horgan, executive director of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, will join the university as associate provost for Campus Design and Facility Development, effective April 4. He will lead the university's newly created department responsible for campus facility and real estate planning, design, renovation and construction. The offices of the University Architect, Capital Projects and Facilities Design and Construction will report to him. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050308_horgan.html/

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Monday, March 14: Students For Justice In Palestine and the Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee present "Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History." Norman G. Finkelstein, professor of political science, DePaul University. 5-7 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, University Center. Finkelstein's parents were survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto and Auschwitz and Maidanek concentration camps.

—Tuesday, March 15: The Steinbrenner Institute Leadership in Environment series presents "A Corporate View of Sustainability." Anita M. Roper, Alcoa director of sustainability. 3:30 p.m., 7F Porter Hall (enter through 107 Porter and proceed down the stairs). A brief reception will follow.

—Tuesday, March 15: Feynman Lecture Series. "The Relation of Mathematics to Physics." 4:30 p.m., Doherty Hall 2210.

—Wednesday, March 16: "Cool Projects: The Innovative University in Action." 7-9 p.m., Adamson Wing, Baker Hall. Students, faculty and alumni will discuss their latest and greatest projects. Reception follows. Sponsored by the President's office and University Lecture Series.

—Thursday, March 17: Department of Chemical Engineering Seminar. "Development of New Molecular Dynamics Sampling Methods for Phase Equilibria Calculations." Edward Maginn, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame. 10:45 a.m., Doherty Hall 1112.

—Thursday, March 17: The lecture "Goethe and Globality" has been moved from Breed Hall to Doherty Hall 2315 and has a new title: "At the Edge of Chaos: Goethe and the Question of the Global. From Faust in the Witch's Kitchen to the Science of Complexity." Professor Clark Muenzer, University of Pittsburgh. 4:30 p.m.

—Friday, March 18: Mechanical Engineering Seminar. "Advanced Technology for Space Exploration." Erik Antonsson, chief technologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 10:30-11:30 a.m., Scaife Hall 125.

—Friday, March 18: The Carnegie Mellon EMS presents: Heartsaver Adult CPR Course. 4:30-6:30 p.m., Danforth Lounge. This basic CPR course covers healthy heart living, assessing an emergency, Adult CPR and the Adult Heimlich Maneuver (choking rescue). Recommended for anyone who would like to be prepared for what to do in case of a cardiac or choking emergency. Participants receive a certification card and reference book after completing a written and practical exam. To reserve your spot, stop by the Student Activities front desk or email scheerba@andrew.cmu.edu. Reservations will be taken until the day of the event.

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