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December 15, 2005 Vol. 16, No. 23
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.
PROFESSOR ANDREW MOORE TO HEAD GOOGLE'S NEW PITTSBURGH OFFICE Google Inc., developer of the award-winning search engine, has chosen Carnegie Mellon Professor of Computer Science and Robotics Andrew W. Moore to head its new engineering office that will open in Pittsburgh sometime in 2006. Moore, an expert in data mining and artificial intelligence, joined the Carnegie Mellon faculty in 1993. Since that time he has compiled an outstanding record of research breakthroughs that bridge the gap between the ideas of science and the needs of industry. Earlier this year he was named a fellow of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) for "significant contributions to machine learning, data mining and statistical AI and for major roles in transferring these technologies to industry and government." —Google officials say they were attracted to Pittsburgh because of Carnegie Mellon's renowned program in computer science, which produces an ongoing supply of outstanding, highly creative students experienced in working in interdisciplinary situations, as well as the proximity to world-class faculty like Moore. —"It is astonishingly exciting to be moving to Google and helping to start this new engineering office, " Moore said. "For me, Carnegie Mellon--and the Pittsburgh region--was already one of the most exciting places on the planet for someone interested in new ways for computers to process and organize information. So having Google opening an engineering office in Pittsburgh is like a dream come true. I think the things we'll be doing here will be amazing. " —"Google is one of the world's great companies," said President Jared L. Cohon. "By any measure--in creating value to shareholders, in making significant technical contributions, in setting high standards for ethical business practices--it has an astonishing record. We could not be more delighted and honored that Google has chosen to set up an engineering office in our city." —Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/cmnews/extra/051215_moore.html. NEUROSCIENTIST RECEIVES GRANT TO DEVELOP SEIZURE-PREVENTING THERAPY Alison Barth, assistant professor of biological sciences at the Mellon College of Science, has received one of two grant awards from the Milken Family Foundation to accelerate the development of a novel therapy to treat epilepsy. The grants were announced recently at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society. —Barth received the $50,000 award to support her research "on the development of a new therapy with the potential to reverse an acquired channelopathy [ion channel dysfunction] that increases neuronal excitability and the risk of a chronic seizure disorder following a first seizure." She has developed a novel approach to study the electrical activity of neurons following a seizure, which typically result from an electrical disturbance in the brain. Recent findings from Barth's lab show that the abnormal electrical activity of neurons following a seizure can be restored to normal by blocking a specific ion channel. Ion channels allow electrically charged atoms (or ions) into and out of cells. This activity starts and stops the electrical impulses by which neurons communicate with one another. —Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases05/051209_epilepsy.html. PHYSICS PROGRAM TEACHES MIDDLE SCHOOLERS MORE THAN SCIENCE About 35 inner city 7th and 8th graders go far beyond the traditional middle school science curriculum each Tuesday afternoon in a Doherty Hall lab. With help from Carnegie Mellon student mentors, the young scientists are learning scientific methods and physics concepts as well as interpersonal skills, patience and self-confidence. Students from Milliones Technology Academy in the Hill District, Reizenstein Middle School in East Liberty and Colfax Elementary in Squirrel Hill spend about 90 minutes working with their mentors on physics projects and experiments that they will present at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Fair in February. The Physics Concepts Outreach Program, which is funded by the Grable Foundation and supported by Carnegie Mellon's Physics Department, gives the middle schoolers an opportunity to learn science by doing fun, hands-on science experiments. "The way to learn science is to do it hands-on," says Physics Professor Leonard Kisslinger, who directs the program along with professors Thomas Ferguson and Gregg Franklin with lab assistance from Barry Luokkala and Michelle Hicks. Kisslinger said the middle school students benefit by interacting with their mentors and by learning how to present their projects in the science fair. "It's a remarkable experience for them," he says. —Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/cmnews/extra/051211_physics.html. NEWS BRIEFS —A new Weight Watchers at Work session is expected to start on Tuesday, Jan.10. The cost of the 12-week session is $144. Meetings are on Tuesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., usually in the Dowd Room, UC. Fifteen paying members are needed before Jan. 10 for the new meetings to begin. If you plan to sign up, or have questions, contact Rita Motor at rita@andrew.cmu.edu by Jan. 9. —Keep your New Year's resolution to experience less stress and improve your health by participating in the free faculty and staff Meditation Program. Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Meditation Program will be held each Tuesday at noon in Room 312, University Technology Development Center. This half-hour program is a cooperative endeavor between Staff Council and Human Resources. —The East Campus Garage will be closed during the Christmas holiday weekend from 10:30 p.m.,Thursday, Dec. 22, until 11:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 2. Be certain to make the necessary arrangements to have your vehicle out of the garage before it closes. If you left your vehicle in the garage after closing, contact University Police at 8-2323 so you may exit the garage. There will be no admittance into the garage after closing. —In the most recent issue of Interfaces, a publication of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS), Carnegie Mellon ranked first among universities contributing to the practice literature of operations research. The ratings are based on the number of papers published in the field. PERSONAL MENTION —At the recent annual meeting of the Society for Risk Analysis, Professor Baruch Fischhoff, of the Social and Decision Sciences and Engineering and Public Policy departments, completed his term as president.The incoming president is Chris Frey, who received his Ph.D. in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy and is on the faculty of North Carolina State University. The society's incoming secretary is Mitchell Small of the departments of Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering. One of the meeting's plenary addresses was given by Lan Xue (E'89), dean at Tsinghua University (Beijing), who also received his Ph.D. in engineering and public policy. —Richard Scheines, head of the Department of Philosophy, served on a committee for the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies that investigated whether food marketing is contributing to increased childhood obesity. The committee's report, "Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?" was released Dec. 6. Scheines was part of a subcommittee that conducted a systematic review of 40 years' worth of published scientific data on the impact of food marketing on children's diets. Most of the research dealt with television advertising, which represents a declining share of food marketing dollars. Television advertising does influence children's behavior, Scheines said, but the evidence is too weak to conclude that it has a direct tie to childhood obesity, —Elaine A. King, professor of art history/theory, was the guest American curator for the 8th Master of Graphic Arts and Drawing Exhibition Biennial in Hungary. Her invited essay, "The Simple and The Complex," was published in the exhibition catalogue. CALENDAR HIGHLIGHT —Monday, Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Day. In recognition of Dr. King and to foster engagement from all sectors of the campus community, the university will cancel classes scheduled after 12:30 p.m. Members of the university and surrounding community are invited to participate in a variety of programs and events in the University Center intended to stimulate discussion and reflection about the contributions of Dr. King. Activities include President Cohon's State of Diversity Address, presentation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Awards, a panel discussion entitled "King's Dream in the Wake of Katrina's Nightmare," a candlelight vigil and the keynote address by Derrick Bell, visiting professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. For more information and the complete schedule of events visit http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/first-year/mlk/2006/ —Thursday, Jan. 19: Annual CIT Awards Ceremony. Rangos 2 and 3.
HAVE A JOYFUL HOLIDAY! OUR NEXT ISSUE WILL BE PUBLISHED ON JANUARY 5.
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