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October 03, 2013

News Briefs

Search Committee To Hold Town Hall Meetings

Jim Garrett and Amir Rahnamay-Azar, co-chairs of the Vice President for Research (VPR) Search Advisory Committee, are hosting Town Hall meetings to engage the campus community in the search for CMU’s next VPR. These will be open forum sessions, providing an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to ask questions about the search process and share views about the qualities and characteristics deemed essential for CMU’s next VPR.
 
Two sessions will be offered on Wednesday, Oct. 16:

  • 9 -10:30 a.m., Rangos 1, University Center
  • 2 -3:30 p.m., Rangos 1, University Center

University of Salford Reps To Visit Oct. 10

Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff are invited to meet representatives from the University of Salford in the UK at a reception from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, in Room 303 of the College of Fine Arts. Following a presentation, CMU attendees will meet the Salford delegates during a reception. All guests are invited to view a related installation in the Ellis Gallery, CFA Room 312.

"The work focuses on the Chapel Street area, which was the civic center of old Salford, and it takes the form of a playful psycho-geographical journey, featuring a digital projection, a multichannel soundscape and printed works, with accompanying text," said CMU School of Art Head John Carson.

The installation is intended to generate ideas for potential collaboration between University of Salford and CMU and to stimulate imaginative thinking through fine art, creative technology and design. It will be available for viewing by the CMU community from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Oct. 10-19, in the Ellis Gallery.

The University of Salford in the Greater Manchester area is an established UK higher education institution with an international agenda. The university has opened a digital learning, teaching and research space at the heart of the development of MediaCityUK, at Salford Quays, located next to the BBC and a number of commercial TV and media companies. Art and Media students benefit from access to the facilities and expertise of MediaCityUK, as well as links with other university departments such as the School of Computing, Science and Engineering, and its Advanced Robotics Facility.

"Our colleagues from Salford feel that this exciting interdisciplinary mix provides opportunities to connect with Carnegie Mellon, and links have already been made with Carnegie Mellon’s School of Architecture and the ETC," Carson said.
 
Those interested in attending are asked to R.S.V.P. to Tom Justofin at justofin@cmu.edu.

Light-Up Nights at Mellon Institute

Campus Design and Facility Development will be conducting tests to light-up the exterior of the Mellon Institute building on Fifth Avenue this Monday and Tuesday nights (Oct. 7-8). Wednesday (Oct. 9) will be used as a rain date if necessary. The purpose is to assess the feasibility of developing a permanent lighting system to accentuate the grandeur of the structure. Contact Bob Reppe, director of design for CDFD, at breppe@andrew.cmu.edu for more information.

Libraries’ Survey; Account Login Updated

University Libraries would like your feedback. Whether you use the library or not — take a quick survey and tell us 3-5 things that CMU Libraries might do to better support you. Take the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YL-YV

Responding to customer feedback, University Libraries also announces that effective Oct. 7, you can login to your account with your Andrew ID & password to see your library transactions such as checked out items, holds, recalls and fines, and to place holds on item record pages in CAMEO. Login to your account from the libraries homepage at http://search.library.cmu.edu.

CMU-SV Leads Pack at Travel Hackathon

Carnegie Mellon students continued their year of hackathon dominance with six awards at the Emirates Travel Hackathon Sept 21-22. Emirates Vacations hosted the sold-out event at Microsoft’s Mountain View campus with 23 partners and sponsors, including Carnegie Mellon’s Silicon Valley campus (CMU-SV), Mountain View-based Appcelerator and CMU-SV startup Apportable.

The two-day overnight hackathon brought more than 300 hackers out to work on travel-focused Web or mobile applications. The guidelines suggested teams think beyond logistics to create “apps that help people experience the excitement of a vacation to the fullest extent.”

Stuart Evans, distinguished service professor at CMU-SV who facilitated the event through his relationship with the Emirates Innovation Board, said, “the atmosphere was tremendous” and that the execution was “clockwork” — no small feat for such a major hackathon. He credits CMU-SV alum Yuri de Souza (MS SM '13) and the volunteers for producing an event “for hackers, by hackers.”

Read the full story.

Annual Security Report Now Online

Carnegie Mellon's "2013 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report" is now available on the Web at http://www.cmu.edu/police/images/2013asr.pdf

As required by federal and state law, the annual report includes statistics for the previous three calendar years — 2010 to 2012 — on reported crimes that occurred on campuses or at degree program locations; in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Carnegie Mellon; and on public property within, immediately adjacent to, and accessible from those locations.

The report also contains safety and security policies and information on crime prevention education and awareness, fire safety, emergency response, the reporting of crimes and fires, and sexual assault support services.

A printed copy of the report can be requested by calling the University Police non-emergency number at 412-268-6232 or by sending email to campuspd@andrew.cmu.edu.

Open Benefits Forum is Oct. 29

How will the Affordable Care Act affect CMU employees? Find out when Staff Council presents its annual Open Benefits Forum from noon – 1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29 in McConomy Auditorium, University Center. Join members of the Human Resources Benefits Office as they review upcoming changes to staff benefit plans and answer your questions. Open to all staff members not represented by a bargaining unit.

Margaret Morrison Street Restrictions Through Oct. 15

This week FMS began working on an emergency underground steam line repair on Margaret Morrison Street between Donner House and Boss House. 

This work, which is expected to be completed by Oct. 15, includes concrete sidewalk and roadway excavation and will cause traffic to be reduced to a single lane on Margaret Morrison Street.  Campus Police will be present to direct traffic.

There also will be some parking restrictions and sidewalk closures on the street near the work area. Please use caution while driving and walking through the area during this emergency repair.
 
Contact Kyle Tomer at  kt2n@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-6332 if you have any questions or concerns.

FMS Drive Closed Oct. 5

FMS Drive, near the FMS loading dock and Gates Hillman Garage, will be closed from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5 for paving. During this time there will be no vehicle access to the Gates Hillman Garage. Alternate parking is available in the Collaborative Innovation Center and East Campus garages.

Hamerschlag Exit Closed for Scott Hall Construction

The Hamerschlag Hall E level exit facing Hamerschlag Drive will be closed due to construction for Scott Hall from Oct. 7 through the duration of the project (December 2015). This will affect the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and specifically the Hamerschlag Hall first level 200 wing, the A level 200 wing, the B level 200 wing, the D level 200 wing, E level, and F level.

The closure is being caused by excavation, caisson drilling, concrete pouring and other construction work related to the project.

During construction, occupants with ECE card access could use their existing access through A level, B level, D level or F level. In case of fire, please use the Hamerschlag Hall first floor to the mall area as an alternate route. Contact Campus Design and Facility Development with questions.

AED/CPR Training Offered

The Environmental Health & Safety Department is offering four upcoming AED/CPR training classes for the university community. Those who have been certified more than two years ago also can attend to renew your certification. All classes begin at 10 a.m. and last about two hours. The schedule is as follows:

  • Oct. 16 – University Center, Rangos 2
  • Oct. 24 - University Center, Dowd Room
  • Nov. 14 - Mellon Institute Social Room
  • Nov. 26 - University Center, Dowd Room

You can register for any of these classes at https://ehs-apps.andrew.cmu.edu/secure/ALERT-Online/aed/registration.aspx

ISO To Host Mobile Device Security Day, Oct. 3

As part of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October) the Information Security Office (ISO) is hosting Mobile Device Security Day from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3 in Rangos Ballroom, University Center. Vendors, researchers and the ISO will be on hand with product news and displays, research reports, training material, vulnerability demos and guidance for configuring your mobile devices for security and privacy. From 1:30 - 4 p.m., the ISO will lead presentations and discussions for administrative and technical staff on topics like the legal issues surrounding bring your own device (BYOD), CMU’s mobile device security guidelines and support challenges.

Refreshments will be available and attendees can scan their university ID cards for a chance to win prizes like a Chromebook or Wahoo Fitness strap.

For more information on National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, including a full list of vendors and presenters, visit www.cmu.edu/iso/aware/ncsam/.

Oct. 5 Donut Dash Benefits Children’s Hospital

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity is once again hosting the Donut Dash on Saturday, Oct. 5 to benefit UPMC’s Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The two-mile race around the CMU campus begins on Frew Street behind Hunt Library and requires each runner to eat donuts along the way — as many as 12 if you consider yourself a “serious” competitor and as little as you like if you’re a “casual” participant. Teams will split a box of 12. For more information and to register, go to http://cmudonutdash.org/.

Register for Relay for Life, Oct. 4-5

Faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in CMU’s Relay for Life, Oct. 4-5, on the Cut to benefit the American Cancer Society. The walking relay event begins at 6 p.m., Oct. 4 and concludes at 6 a.m., Oct. 5.

A special dinner at the start of the event will be held for those who are cancer survivors, caregivers or who know of an individual currently fighting cancer.

A $10 team registration fee is required, which goes toward each team’s fundraising goal. For more information and to register your team, go to www.relayforlife.org/pacmu.

Questions can be directed to rbradfor@andrew.cmu.edu.

Memorial Soccer Tournament Planned for Oct. 13

Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity is hosting the 4th Annual Matthew Tembo Memorial Soccer Tournament from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 13 at Gesling Stadium. Individuals ($12) and teams ($100, 8-12 players) are invited to participate with all proceeds benefitting the Gateway Rehabilitation Center, a nonprofit organization that helps those with alcohol and other drug-related dependencies. Twenty-five teams participated in last year’s event, which raised more than $4,250. In addition to participants, Pi Kappa Alpha is also seeking local and corporate sponsors. For more information, to register and to learn more about sponsorships, go to http://tembosoccer.com/.

Nominations Now Open for Education Awards

The nomination period for the Celebration of Education is now open. Nominations are being accepted for the Doherty, Ryan, Academic Advising, Barbara Lazarus and Gelfand awards. The nomination deadline is Nov. 4. Read more at http://www.cmu.edu/celebration-of-education/.

Responsible Conduct of Research Seminar Series Continues

CMU's Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (ORIC) is once again sponsoring the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Seminar Series during the fall semester to provide faculty, students and staff with an overview of topics typically covered in RCR curricula. All sessions will be held from 12 – 1 p.m. in the University Center’s McKenna/Peter conference room.  Upcoming sessions are as follows:
 
  • Thursday, Oct.10: Who Owns Data?
  • Tuesday, Oct. 15: Data Management Planning
  • Wednesday, Oct. 30: Conflict of Interest
  • Thursday, Nov. 7: Safeguarding International Research
  • Wednesday, Nov. 13: Mentor Trainee, Relationships, and Collaboration
More information is available on the RCR website.  Space is limited, so please register early.