March 29, 2007
Vol. 17, No. 35
In this issue:
New Center Established for Computational Thinking
Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon have created the Microsoft Carnegie Mellon Center for Computational Thinking with a three-year, $1.5 million grant from Microsoft. The center represents a long-term collaboration between Microsoft Research and Carnegie Mellon's Computer Science Department and will support research in emerging areas of computer science, particularly those that can influence the thinking of other disciplines.
"Increasingly, scientists and researchers rely on computer science to enable them to sift through massive amounts of data and find breakthroughs that could provide new insights into the human body, the earth we live on and even the universe," said
Rick Rashid, Microsoft Research senior vice president and former Carnegie Mellon faculty member. "We are eager to explore this exciting new area of research with Carnegie Mellon." Rashid made the announcement at the Carnegie Mellon Symposium for Computational Thinking. Computational thinking, as conceived by
Jeannette M. Wing, head of the Computer Science Department, involves solving problems, designing systems and understanding human behavior by drawing on fundamental computer science concepts.
"Carnegie Mellon itself is an example of how the power of computational thinking can energize disciplines across the campus," said Carnegie Mellon President
Jared L. Cohon. "Our psychologists use machine learning techniques to decipher brain scans. Our biologists build computer models of cells to find causes of cancer. And business professors harness artificial intelligence to better understand markets. We are delighted that Microsoft is joining us in furthering this concept."
Further information:
http://www.cmu.edu/news/archive/2007/March/march26_compthinking.shtml/
Recipients of Graduate Student Teching and Service Awards Announced
The Graduate Student Teaching and Service awards will be presented at 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 2 in the Kresge Recital Hall, College of Fine Arts.
Geoffrey Glover, a Ph.D. candidate in the English Department, is this year's winner of the Graduate Student Teaching Award. Honorable mentions will be given to
Michael Benisch in the School of Computer Science and
Tiago Maia of the Psychology Department.
Arielle Drummond, a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering, will receive the Graduate Student Service Award, with honorable mentions going to
Aurora Sharrard of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and
Zebulun Krahn of the Physics Department. The keynote speaker at the awards ceremony will be
Daniel Wilson, who earned his Ph.D. in robotics in 2005. Wilson is the author of "How to Survive A Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion." A reception and book signing will follow in the CFA Great Hall.
Campus Conversation Continues on Public Art, April 11
The development of public spaces on campus to recognize excellence in the arts will be the topic at the next Campus Conversation at 5 p.m., Thursday, April 11, Baker Hall A53. In each Campus Conversation, a representative sample of the community studies an issue, discusses it among themselves and with an expert panel, and then registers opinion. The expert panel will include
John Carson, head of the School of Art; Student Body Vice President
Andrea Hamilton; Ralph Horgan, associate vice provost of Campus Design and Facility Development; and
Robbee Kosak, vice president for University Advancement. The conversation will also include several Pittsburgh alumni, as well as 10 to 15 alumni from across the country participating live online.
News Briefs
- Since many were not able to hear Jared Diamond's Dickson Prize lecture this past Monday due to the overwhelming number of people who attended, Diamond's lecture has been made available online at http://www.cmu.edu/computing/netmedia/iso/Dickson_3-26-07.mov. You will need a valid andrew ID to obtain access.
- Parking and Transportation Services will begin the open enrollment parking allocation process earlier this year. Campus parking applications will be available online beginning April 9. You can access the application at http://www.cmu.edu/parking. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to increase the odds of getting their first lot choice. The open enrollment period ends April 30. Individuals who miss the deadline will get to choose from the spaces available after allocation. Lots available to students include the East Campus Garage, Morewood stacked, sororities, fraternities, Clyde Street and Second Avenue. All applications for universal and disabled permits must also be completed online.
Personal Mention
- Paul J. Hopper, the Paul Mellon Distinguished Professor of Humanities in the English Department, gave the inaugural lecture of the newly established Language, Communication and Cognition Lecture Series at the University of Brighton, England, on March 14.
- Anthony Stanton, associate teaching professor at the Tepper School and director of Graphic Media Management, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA), an international organization focused on research and technology related to the graphic arts. On March 18 - 20, TAGA held their 59th Annual Technical Conference in Pittsburgh, where Richard McCullough, dean of the Mellon College of Science, and Phil Campbell, associate research professor at the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems, were among the keynote speakers.
- Tanapon Phenrat, a Ph.D. candidate in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, has received the Jacqueline Shields Award from the Air and Waste Management Association. The $4,000 scholarship recognizes Tanapon's work on waste management issues. Tanapon will be recognized this June at the 100th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Pittsburgh. Tanapon's advisor is Professor Greg Lowry.
- Senior David Krzeminski won the 200-yard butterfly at the NCAA Division III Championships earlier this month.The eight-time All-American is the sixth national champion for Carnegie Mellon's swimming program in the last five years.
Calendar Highlights
- March 30 - 31: The School of Art will host "You're Not the Boss of Me!", a two-day interdisciplinary festival addressing copyright issues in contemporary culture, in the College of Fine Arts building and other locations throughout Pittsburgh. The festival, which consists of performances, film screenings and lectures, will open at 7 p.m., Friday, March 30 with a keynote lecture by James Boyle, the William Neal Reynolds Professor of Law and co-founder of the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke University Law School. Boyle's talk will be held in the College of Fine Arts' Kresge Recital Hall. Information: http://www.yourenotthebossofme.info/
- March 30 - April 1: The Problem of Environmental Justice Symposium will explore how corporate and governmental environmental policies disproportionately impact minority and disadvantaged communities. Speakers will address topics including global warming, brownfield redevelopment and emerging technologies -- subjects tied to the theme of environmental justice. Carnegie Mellon students who attend the symposium and complete its required readings can receive three course units. Sponsored by the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research. Information: http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/99-521/index.html
- Wednesday, April 4: Center for the Arts in Society lecture. Fellow Carl DiSalvo will discuss the relationships between design and the public. 4:30 p.m., Giant Eagle Auditorium, Baker Hall A51.
- Wednesday, April 4: Digital Libraries Colloquium: "Digital Library Initiatives Within the University Library System." Ed Galloway, coordinator of the Digital Research Library at the University of Pittsburgh. Noon - 1 p.m., Room 501, Information Science Building, 135 N. Bellefield.
- Thursday, April 5: "A Celebration of Teaching." University and college teaching award winners, including G. Richard Tucker, Gordon Rule and Melissa Cicozi, will be honored. 4:30 p.m., Rangos Hall, UC.
- Friday, April 6: Mechanical Engineering Seminar: "Mechanics and Tribology Problems for the Next Generation of Hard Disk Drives," presented by David B. Bogy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley. Jointly sponsored by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Data Storage Systems Center. 10:30 a.m., Scaife Hall 125.
- Wednesday, April 11: Student Employee Appreciation Lunch. Noon to 1:30 p.m., Rangos Hall, UC. Campus employers should sign up at http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/career/campus_employment/main.html. Students from the School of Drama will provide entertainment.
