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July 18, 2013

News Briefs

CMU Signs MoU With Qatar Airways

Carnegie Mellon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar Airways to benefit CMU students and airline employees in the fields of education, scientific research, executive training, social development, business management, information technology and public policies. To achieve these goals, both parties will organize joint conferences and workshops.

Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Dean Ilker Baybars and Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker signed the MoU. Al Baker said the collaboration will improve the integration between the aviation and academic sectors. He emphasized the airline's commitment to developing the skills of employees working in the travel sector, enabling them to keep pace with Qatar's great achievements in this vital industry.

Baybars said Carnegie Mellon has a work strategy in place that complies with Qatar National Vision 2030, focusing mainly on human development in the State of Qatar and empowering the people to build a prosperous society.  Read more.

Hunt Institute Exhibit To Feature 41 International Artists

The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation will present its "14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration" Sept. 27 – Dec. 19. The exhibition will include 41 artworks by 41 artists from 10 countries. The institute established the international series in 1964 with the hope of supporting and encouraging contemporary botanical artists. Every three years, the international series features the works of talented botanical artists from around the world. Hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; and 1 – 4 p.m., Sunday (except Nov. 24, Nov. 28 and Dec. 1). The exhibit also will open on Saturday, Sept. 28 during Cèilidh Weekend. Read more.

Blacklight Research Leads to New Stock Exchange Rules

The New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., are redefining how the industry tracks small stock trades, also known as "odd lots." New findings on the effects of odd lot trades on the financial markets, using computations on Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center's (PSC) Blacklight, a very large shared memory system, have led to new rules, which will be enacted in October.

Previously, odd lots — trades of 100 or fewer shares — did not have to be reported to regulators. The rationale was that these trades involved small investors who were unlikely to affect the larger market significantly. But recent volatility in the markets, driven by automated small trades that occur far faster than any human can think, called that assumption into question. Read more.

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 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.

Wean Hall Masonry Repairs To Continue Into November 

Facilities Management Services reports that Turner Construction and Mariani & Richards have begun making concrete repairs to the exterior walls of Wean Hall. Work is starting at the west end of the south elevation and the west elevation in coordination with the construction of the new Scott Hall building. Repair work will continue along the south elevation as weather permits. Work is expected to be completed by November. Please direct questions and/or concerns to Ed Hydzik at eh0x@andrew.cmu.edu.

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.