A celebration of the life and work of Barbara Lazarus, associate provost for academic affairs, will be held at the university on Friday, Oct. 17, in the Hamburg Hall Auditorium. Lazarus died this past July after a long battle with cancer.

A winner of Carnegie Mellon's Doherty Prize, Lazarus touched the lives of hundreds of students and staff through her efforts to give women and minorities increased access to non-traditional occupations. She was an inspiration to many—a passionate colleague, a trusted mentor and a treasured friend.

"Barbara brought to Carnegie Mellon her compassion, understanding and spirit of activism and worked tirelessly for inclusion and understanding," said Indira Nair, vice provost for education. "Those of us who knew her learned to recognize when we would be swept into the work she inspired."

From her arrival at Carnegie Mellon in 1985, Lazarus advocated a level of awareness and education that made the university community ask new questions, think in different ways and launch reflective discussions on the difficult issues of access, equity and justice. She asked philosophical questions but sought answers that would lead to action and institutional transformation. Practical advice was the hallmark of her mode of mentoring.

Her work reached beyond the people she knew personally. She was an internationally influential activist whose steadfast aim was to adjust institutions to people rather than people to institutions. She brought an open mind, a sense of wonder and a deep appreciation of the diversity and possibility in people to everything she did.

Join the university community on Friday, Oct. 17, to celebrate Lazarus' life and work and to highlight the many remarkable programs that she initiated to bring people together to think, plan and act.

Throughout the day, panelists will highlight the key ideas behind her approach to research and education. Participants will have a chance to reminisce and to come away with renewed energy, inspiration and ideas.

Schedule of Events

8 a.m., Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m., Welcome and Introduction
Carnegie Mellon President Jared Cohon, Provost Mark Kamlet and University Professor Emeritus Angel Jordan

9 a.m., "Creating Access: Inviting Girls and Women into Mathematics, Science and Technology"
Includes: "Journeys of Women in Science and Engineering;" the Girls Math & Science Partnership and Lazarus' concept of Explanatoids; introducing and mentoring the authors of "Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing;" and what's next.
Panelists: Kathy Buechel (Alcoa Foundation), co-chair; Kristin Dunkle (University of Michigan); Allan Fisher (iCarnegie, Inc.), co-chair; Bill Isler (Family Communications, Inc.); Jane Margolis (UCLA); and Lisa Ritter (Carnegie Mellon).

10:15 - 10:45 a.m., Break

10:45 a.m., "Messy Problems, Dirty Hands, Having Fun: Undergraduate Research and the Heart of the University"
Includes: Undergraduate research at Carnegie Mellon before the Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI); Lazarus' vision of the URI and its early years; current status of undergraduate research at Carnegie Mellon and in the nation; how students benefit from undergraduate research; impact of research experience on alumni; and next steps.
Panelists: Sandra Gregerman (University of Michigan); Beth Jones (Carnegie Mellon); Sara Majetich (Carnegie Mellon); Jessie Ramey (founding director, URI); Janet Stocks (director, URI), chair.

12: 15 - 1 p.m., Luncheon (prior registration required)
The Highlander Room, Resnik Hall.

1 - 2:15 p.m., "Sharing Remembrances of Barbara"
The Highlander Room, Resnik Hall.
An opportunity for attendees to share additional remembrances

2:30 p.m., "Organizational Change Through the Eyes of a Mentor"
Lazarus' work with graduate students and programs with faculty and faculty development, and with organizations involved in this work
Panelists: Barbara Bogue (Penn State); Nancy Klancher (Carnegie Mellon); Pat Laughlin (Carnegie Mellon); and Carol Muller (MentorNet).

3:30 - 4 p.m., Break

4 p.m., "Empowering Women: The Early Years"
Lazarus' work at Wellesley College's Career Education Project and with women in Asia
Panelists: Vivian Guilfoy (Education Development Center); Patricia Meaney (formerly with the Environmental Protection Agency); Lee Y. Park (Williams College); Agnes Quisumbing (International Food Policy Research Institute); Nancy Tobin (formerly of Wellesley College Center for Women's Careers), chair.

5: 30 p.m., Closing Remarks

Edmund Delaney