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May 12, 2005 Vol. 15, No. 42
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) 2001 Editions are available online. 2002 Editions are available online. 2003 Editions are available online. 2004 Editions are available online. Previous editions are available online.
UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES 108TH COMMENCEMENT SUNDAY, MAY 15 Daniel Green, a producer, director and writer in the entertainment industry and president of the Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Association Board, will be the keynote speaker at Carnegie Mellon's 108th commencement on Sunday, May 15. The main ceremony, which will be simulcast in the University's Center's McConomy Auditorium, begins at 11 a.m. in Gesling Stadium. The ceremony will also be broadcast live on the Web at http://www.cmu.edu/commencement/ —Joining Green on the commencement platform will be three honorary degree recipients: Mel Bochner, an internationally renowned artist who earned his bachelor's degree at Carnegie Mellon in 1962; award-winning lighting designer Robert Dickinson; and Jessie Gruman, president and founding executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Health. The student speaker for the Class of 2005 is Tim Lowe, who will receive his bachelor's degree in architecture. —For more information on the speakers and honorary degree recipients visit, http://www.cmu.edu. For more on the schedule of weekend events and diploma ceremonies, see http://www.cmu.edu/commencement/ LEGGED ROBOTS, SEARCH & RESCUE TEAM WIN ROBOCUP U.S. OPEN Carnegie Mellon's team of Sony Aibo legged robots and its Search and Rescue team took first place at the International RoboCup Federation's U.S. Open competition, May 7 - 10, at Georgia Tech. The team of autonomous soccer playing legged robots—CMDash'05—beat the University of Pennsylvania in a closely contested championship game, winning 2-1 in overtime. The Search and Rescue team placed first in the Advanced Mobility Class and in the Advanced Autonomy Class, and placed third in the RoboRescue League. Carnegie Mellon teams will compete in the International RoboCup July 13 -17 in Osaka, Japan. —Team advisers are Manuela Veloso, Katia Sycara and Illah Nourbakhsh. Team members include Doug Vail, James Bruce, Sonia Chernova, Colin McMillen, Paul Rybski, Juan Fasola, Felix von Hundelshausen, Alex Trevor, Sabine Hauert, Raquel Ros Espinoza, Brett Browning, Jeff Krichmar, Mary Koes, Anton Chechetka and Robin Glinton. SANDSTORM SUCCESSFUL IN GRAND CHALLENGE TEST TRIALS Sandstorm made four successful runs on May 10 at the Nevada Automotive Test Center during test trials for the $2 million DARPA Grand Challenge, a 175-mile desert race for robots this October 8. DARPA race officials evaluated Sandstorm's performance during three timed 200-meter runs that tested its ability to navigate among waypoints, stay within course boundaries and avoid obstacles. In the first Grand Challenge held last year, Sandstorm set records for speed and distance. Earlier this month Carnegie Mellon's H1ghlander robot also completed test trials in Pittsburgh. —Sandstorm and H1ghlander, created by Carnegie Mellon's Red Team and Red Team Too, under the leadership of robotics professor William "Red" Whittaker, are among 118 robots vying to reach the Grand Challenge starting line. Following the evaluations, the field will be cut to 40 semi-finalists. Ultimately, 20 vehicles will race. DARPA will announce the semi-finalists on June 1. —Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/cmnews/extra/050511_redteam.html/ NEW DISPLAY CELEBRATES CARNEGIE MELLON INNOVATORS A new display highlighting Carnegie Mellon's accomplished innovators and experts opens in the University Center (UC) on Friday, May 13. The display celebrates the university's collaborative culture and impact on the world by promoting its many award-winning alumni and faculty—from Nobel Prize laureates to Academy Award winners.The interactive display is located on the first floor between the Information Desk and Alumni Lounge and features multimedia content shown on three plasma screens.Visitors can use a controller pad to explore the various categories of award winners. NEWS BRIEFS —Beginning Monday, May 16, the CIT Dean's Office will relocate temporarily to the second floor of the new Collaborative Innovation Center building, while renovations take place in the first floor Scaife Hall offices. Renovations should take approximately two months. Phone numbers for the dean's office staff will stay the same. —Carnegie Mellon Dining Services has partnered with University Hillel and the Jewish Association on Aging to provide kosher meals as part of the campus meal plan for students. While the Kosher Korner in the University Center is closed until August, faculty, staff and students can reserve kosher meals for the summer by sending email to dining@andrew.cmu.edu. PERSONAL MENTION —Chris Pearson, who will receive his bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) at commencement this Sunday, is the first Carnegie Mellon student-athlete to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for athletic and academic achievements as an undergraduate. Pearson has earned three NCAA swimming titles, 11 University Athletic Association championships, 26 All-America citations and four Academic All-America awards. He plans to use the scholarship to complete his master's degree in ECE. —Adnan Akay, Lord Professor and head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, is taking a leave of absence to become director of the Civil and Mechanical Systems Division at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. His appointment begins July 1. Akay has served as department head for the past 13 years. The department's graduate program was recently ranked 10th by U.S. News & World Report magazine. —Architecture Professor Douglas Cooper has completed a mural in the lobby of the King County Courthouse in Seattle. Cooper has created murals for Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the University Center at Carnegie Mellon and the Philadelphia Courthouse. For more, see http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050506_cooper.html/ —The winners of the Gretchen Lankford Award for 2005 are Carolyn Elliott, an English major, and Kimberly Lackner, a major in social history. Every year, H&SS gives the award to a senior or seniors who plan to go on to graduate school to pursue careers in education. Elliott plans to earn a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pittsburgh and ultimately become a professor. Lackner has nearly completed certification in secondary education at Chatham College. Lankford received a master's degree in public management in 1990 from the Heinz School. —The Mellon College of Science (MCS) has announced its highest awards for teaching. The Julius Ashkin Award for Excellence in Teaching was presented to Gordon Rule, professor of biological sciences. Peter Berget, associate professor of biological sciences, received the Richard Moore Award for his "substantial and sustained contributions to the educational mission of MCS." Kelley Burgin, a graduate student in Mathematical Sciences, received the Hugh D. Young Graduate Teaching Award. The first Guy C. Berry Graduate Research Award was presented to Sebastian Stoian, a fourth-year graduate student in the Department of Chemistry. —Two violinists from the School of Music, Eunice Keem and Daniela Shtereva, are participating in the historic and prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, Belgium, through May 28. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/050506_queen.html CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS —May 12 - July 31: The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation presents "The Flowering Amazon: Margaret Mee Paintings from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew." The Flowering Amazon is drawn from the rich collection of botanical illustrations preserved in the Kew Archives and features the paintings of orchids, bromeliads, and other plants by the British artist and explorer Margaret Ursula Mee (1909-1988). Monday - Friday, 9 a.m.- noon and 1 - 5 p.m. Sunday, (1 - 4 p.m., from June 5 to July 31). The exhibition is free. —Saturday, May 14: "The Innovative University" book signing. 11:30 - 1 p.m., University Center Bookstore. Co-editor Daniel Resnick and other Carnegie Mellon authors will be there. The book is in its second printing. The Web site for the book is http://www.cmu.edu/innovativeuniversity/ —Monday, May 23: Special reception honoring Martin Prekop, dean of the College of Fine Arts, who is departing the university for a yearlong sabbatical. He will return to Carnegie Mellon as a professor, partner and further contributor to the university community. 4 - 6 p.m. Schatz Dining Hall, UC.
—Thursday, May 26: Staff Picnic 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wiegand Gym and Rangos Hall, UC. Free. Information: official.cmu-news, May 11.
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