Personal Mention
Saurabh Bhargava, an assistant professor of economics in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences, has been named a visiting scholar for the 2016-2017 academic year by the Russell Sage Foundation. During his time in residence, Bhargava will pursue research that reflects the foundation’s commitment to strengthening the social sciences and improving social and living conditions in the U.S.
Jing Lei, an assistant professor in the Department of Statistics, has won the 2016 Noether Young Scholar Award. The Noether awards were established in 1999 as a tribute to the late Gottfried Emmanuel Noether, whose family presented the American Statistical Association with an endowment fund to recognize distinguished researchers and teachers in the statistics field. As part of the award, Lei will present a special lecture this summer at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Chicago. Find out more about the Noether awards.
Kara Nesimiuk has been appointed executive director of Marketing and Public Relations at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. Nesimiuk joined CMU-Q in 2007 as manager of events, and in 2011 became assistant director of Marketing and Public Relations. She has organized every CMU-Q graduation ceremony, as well as milestone events, such as the opening ceremony for CMU-Q's new building and the 10-year anniversary celebration. "As assistant director, she proved a dedicated member of the CMU-Q team and her vision, organization and professionalism have helped shape the wider community’s perception of CMU-Q. Kara’s knowledge of CMU-Q, as well as her leadership and strategic vision, will be invaluable as she takes on this new role," said CMU-Q Dean Ilker Baybars.
Senior chemical engineering major Adam Simpson is using a research internship in Germany to help him chase his dream of cleaner water in Jamaica. Through the German Academic Exchange Service's Research Internships in Science and Engineering program (DAAD RISE), Simpson participated in groundbreaking protein engineering research with the Frank Sönnichsen group at the Christiana Albertina University of Kiel. There his work involved making alterations to protein amino acid sequences to stabilize protein-folding structures, which could one day be used to create an antimicrobial drug. He also learned a powerful purification technique used in the sciences that he can apply to his own water research in Jamaica. Due to agricultural runoff and improper waste disposal, nitrate levels in Jamaica's soil have become dangerously elevated. Humans exposed to nitrate pollution can experience respiratory and neurological damage, and even death. His solution? The development of a sustainable, low-cost denitrifying process to remove the nitrates from wetland systems, some of the main areas negatively impacted by these pollutants. Find out more.
Obituary: Len Brush
Len Brush, a former assistant vice president for Administrative Computing, died on Friday, Jan. 15. He was 81.
Brush joined CMU in 1985 and led the development of several administrative computing applications, including those for payroll, human resources, student information, alumni relations and finance. Well known and well liked on campus and in the Oakland community at large, Brush played significant roles and had great influence on countless computing initiatives at CMU. He was an avid baseball fan and ardent member of CMU’s summer softball leagues.
Brush retired from CMU in 2005.