Carnegie Mellon University

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August 20, 2015

Personal Mention

Stephen FienbergThe National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS) has named Stephen E. Fienberg as the recipient of the 2015 Jerome Sacks Award for Cross-Disciplinary Research. The NISS, which is dedicated to strengthening and serving the national statistics community, established the award to honor Sacks as its founding director. It recognizes sustained, high-quality cross-disciplinary research involving the statistical sciences. Nell Sedransk, acting director of the NISS, said Fienberg was selected “for a remarkable career devoted to the development and application of statistical methodology to solve problems for the benefit of society, including aspects of human rights, privacy and confidentiality, forensics, survey and census-taking.” She also praised him for his “exceptional leadership in a variety of professional and governmental organizations, including the founding of NISS.” Fienberg is the Maurice Falk University Professor of Statistics and Social Science in the Dietrich College. He has additional appointments in the Machine Learning Department and Cylab and is the co-director of the Heinz College's Living Analytics Research Center. Find out more.

Ana Maria UlloaAna Maria Ulloa, senior associate dean of students in Columbia University’s School of General Studies, will join the Dietrich College as assistant dean and director of the Academic Advisory Center (AAC) on Oct. 1. The AAC is the “home base” for all Dietrich College students before they declare a major. The second largest academic unit at CMU, the Dietrich College offers more than 60 majors and minors, ranging from creative writing and cognitive science to philosophy and decision sciences. "She has wonderful energy, intellectual vitality, down-to-earth competence and the sort of empathetic talent that will make her an excellent colleague, leader and adviser," said Dietrich College Dean Richard Scheines. Ulloa succeeds Gloria Hill, who retired at the end of July. Find out more.

Carrie NelsonCarrie Nelson, assistant vice president for International Finance, represented Carnegie Mellon as a presenter at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) annual meeting last month in Nashville. In conjunction with Ernst & Young, Nelson presented “Assessing Risk with International Programs." Her presentation discussed how universities could approach, identify and assess risk related to global expansion.

Christine HuckoChristine Hucko, communications and external relations coordinator for the Department of Modern Languages, had a piece published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on how the mall of her childhood has fallen on hard times. Hucko, who lived in Germany from 2008-2010, wrote that when she returned and visited the mall, it was mostly abandoned. Read Memories of Century III Mall

Obituaries:

Bob AndereggRobert Anderegg, a fire safety specialist for the Environmental Health & Safety Department and a member of the CMU community for 50 years, died on Aug. 16. He was 77.

Anderegg started at CMU in 1965 as a university police officer before becoming interested in fire safety and fire prevention. He became an expert in the field, providing support to Facilities Management Services and the foundation for the Environmental Health & Safety Department. “Fireman Bob” as he was affectionately known, Anderegg supervised the construction and safety of student booths and Sweepstakes buggies during Spring Carnival. He won an Andy Award for Citizenship in 2001 as a member of the EH&S team that created the Household Hazardous Waste Program. Anderegg received praise from many of the student organizations he supported.

Al CheccoSchool of Drama alumnus Al Checco (A’47) died on July 19 at the age of 93. A native of Pittsburgh, Checco first worked as a stage manager before breaking into roles on Broadway in productions such as “Damn Yankees,” “Lend an Ear” and “Leave it to Jane.” His film credits include “Hotel,” “Bullitt” and “Pete’s Dragon.” Often, his television roles focused on his comedic talents, and he occasionally worked with Don Knotts, who he befriended in the Army.  He appeared on television shows such as “Batman,” “The Munsters” and “The Andy Griffith Show.”

A longtime supporter of the School of Drama, Checco was a member of the Carnegie Mellon Los Angeles Drama Clan and often attended the Los Angeles Showcase, the annual presentations by graduating senior students for agents and managers on the West Coast. He received Carnegie Mellon’s Distinguished Service Award (2001) and Alumni Service Award (1975). A generous donor to the school, he funded the Checco Rehearsal Studio in the Purnell Center for the Performing Arts and endowed a scholarship fund for undergraduate drama students. At the 2014 School of Drama Centennial Celebration in Los Angeles, he funded a School of Drama fellowship. Read the obituaries from CFA and the Post-Gazette.

Bud YorkinBud Yorkin (E ’48), a director and producer of the 1970s groundbreaking hit “All in the Family,” died on Aug. 18 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 89.

Yorkin and colleague Norman Lear formed Tandem Productions, which in addition to “All in the Family,” produced the successful television comedies “The Jeffersons,” “Sanford and Son” and “Maude.” Yorkin won Emmy Awards in 1959 for his directing and writing for the variety show “An Evening with Fred Astaire.” He also worked on variety shows starring Dinah Shore and George Gobel.

Yorkin worked in the film industry as well, directing several movies, including "Arthur 2: On The Rocks," "Start The Revolution Without Me" and "Come Blow Your Horn."

He received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Carnegie Mellon during commencement in 2006.

Read his obituary in the Associated Press.