Carnegie Mellon University

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CMU Community News

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July 11, 2013

News Briefs

CTTEC To Provide Seminars on Implications of America Invents Act

The America Invents Act (AIA) was passed and signed into law in September 2011, and the central provisions went into effect on March 16, 2013, creating the largest patent reform in United States history.  One notable change in the U.S. is the switch from a first-to-invent (FTI) system, in which rights to a patent are granted to the inventor able to prove that he or she is the first inventor, to a first-inventor-to-file (FITF) system in which patent rights are granted to the first inventor to file.  Although this change will synchronize the United States patent system with the rest of the world, it, and others introduced in the AIA, will have implications for disclosure and patent strategy going forward.

CMU’s Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation (CTTEC) and the expert attorneys it works with will host interactive seminars and information sessions on this topic. Come learn what the AIA means for you and your research.

Information sessions will be held:

  • July 16, 1 p.m. with Gwilym Attwell from Fish & Richardson at Mellon Institute 348;
  • July 22, 2 p.m. with Mark Knedeisen from K&L Gates at the Singleton Room, Roberts Hall;
  • July 25, 1 p.m. with Chip Dougherty and John Thomas from Beck & Thomas, P.C in Gates Hillman 6115;
  • July 26, 10 a.m. with Dave Oberdick from Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP in Newell Simon Hall 1507; and
  • July 30, 2 p.m. with Ray Miller from Pepper Hamilton LLP in Hamburg Hall 1002. 

Questions should be directed to the CTTEC at 412-268-7393.

Pennsylvania Allocates $500,000 for Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania budget signed by Gov. Tom Corbett on June 30 includes a $500,000 line item for the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC).

"This is very good news for PSC and for the Commonwealth," said Ralph Roskies, scientific director for the PSC. "Since our inception we’ve brought over $500 million in outside funds into Pennsylvania, representing a 14:1 return on state funding for PSC."

The funding will benefit the state’s technological and workforce infrastructures. Cheryl Begandy, the PSC’s director of education, outreach and training, said the PSC generates 1,600 jobs and more than $200 million in annual economic activity. The state line item also will prove valuable to PSC’s ongoing competition for federal research funding. Local funding is often seen by granting agencies as concrete evidence of grassroots support for a research center.

UC Lap Pool Closing for Maintenance

The University Center lap pool is closing Monday, July 15 through mid-August for routine maintenance. The dive pool will remain open. For anyone interested in swimming laps, arrangements have been made with two local facilities, Club One at 6325 Penn Ave. in East Liberty and the Jewish Community Center at 5738 Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill.  You will need to bring your valid Carnegie Mellon ID and $5 for each visit to swim. For more information visit Club One at http://www.club1pittsburgheastend.com/aquaticscenter.html and the JCC at http://www.jccpgh.org/page/schedules.

School of Music Centennial Magazine Now Available

The School of Music has published a magazine to pay tribute to its first 100 years. The publication offers an insider's view of what it means to be a music student at CMU, including the September concert premiere of “Centennial Suite,” and a feature article, titled "Andrew Carnegie's School of Music," penned by Robert Fallon, assistant professor of musicology. Fallon’s article reaffirms why Andrew Carnegie is considered one of the fathers of modern philanthropy. Although not a musician himself, Carnegie believed that Pittsburgh could be more than just a steel town; and through his gifts, Carnegie Mellon is now one of the leading universities for arts and sciences.

The magazine also honors Maestro Robert Page, who retired this year after nearly 40 illustrious years at CMU. He joined the university as head of the School of Music in 1975. Watch the video produced in honor of his contributions.

The magazine can be found online. To obtain a print copy, send email with your name and postal mailing address to music-communications@andrew.cmu.edu.

CMU Ranked No. 2 Among Top US Schools for Game Design

Animation Career Review has ranked Carnegie Mellon 2nd in its list of the top 50 U.S. schools for game design and development. The criteria used included academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program and faculty, and geographic location.

Animation Career Review acknowledges CMU's School of Computer Science and the College of Fine Arts for sponsoring Carnegie Mellon’s game design programs, which include the Bachelor of Computer Science and Arts (BCSA) and a Master of Entertainment Technology. The ranking praises the BCSA degree for preparing students to enter such fields as game design, computer animation and robotic art.  

“As a leader in the world of technology and art, it’s not surprising that Carnegie Mellon is home to several of the world’s top programs for aspiring game designers,” says Animation Career Review, which called the ETC’s master’s degree program in entertainment technology “unique” and “rare.”

USC received the top ranking. See the list.

Alumni Award Nominations Now Open

The Alumni Association is accepting nominations in the Achievement and Service categories through Sunday, Sept. 1 for the 2014 Alumni Awards. Each year, the Alumni Association honors alumni, students and faculty who have given outstanding service to the university, and alumni who have achieved exceptional success in their chosen professions. 
A nomination form, list of previous award recipients and descriptions of the award categories can be found at http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/awards. All nomination forms should be submitted with the nominee's resume/vitae and at least two letters of support. For more information, contact Yulia Zhukoff at 412-268-7048 or yuliaz@andrew.cmu.edu.