Personal Mention

Ramayya Krishnan, dean of the H. John Heinz III College of Information Systems and Public Policy, and the William W. and Ruth F. Cooper Professor of Management Science and Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon, is a 2017 recipient of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Distinguished Alumnus Award. IIT-Madras will present the award to Krishnan and his fellow honorees at a March 16 ceremony in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The Distinguished Alumnus awards are presented annually by the institute. Since their inception in 1996, 147 alumni have been selected for the award, including CMU President Subra Suresh.

Angela Ng and Joshua Zak have been selected to receive Student Service awards from CMU’s Alumni Association for their outstanding contributions to the university, student body and community. Ng, a fifth-year scholar who earned her bachelor’s degree in civil and biomedical engineering with university and college honors, has traveled around the world as a volunteer for several service programs. On campus, Ng founded the Mindfulness Room, a room of relaxation and rejuvenation; and Paws to Relax, a therapy dog program that includes pet-friendly housing.

Zak, a member of the Science and Humanities Scholars program, will earn his bachelor’s degree this May with a major in materials chemistry and a minor in Japanese studies. He has been extremely active on campus, serving as head orientation counselor, head of booth for Spring Carnival, social chair and booth chair for the student organization Fringe, a member of Phi Kappa Phi fraternity and a three-year member of the Carnegie Mellon UNICEF executive board. In 2016, he participated in the IMPAQT program and traveled to CMU’s Qatar campus in Doha. Read more.

Mechanical Engineering Professor Jessica Zhang has been accepted to participate in the 2017-2018 Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering (ELATE at Drexel) program. The ELATE at Drexel program is an intensive full-year, part-time fellowship designed to advance senior women faculty in leadership roles. The ELATE at Drexel program focuses specifically on engineering, computer science, and other STEM-related disciplines. Through education, coaching and support, fellows are given the opportunity to expand the vision of their role within their university while simultaneously enhancing their leadership qualities and network of resources.

Jimmy Williams, professor of engineering and public policy and executive director of the Master of Engineering and Technology Management program, will be receiving the Texas A&M University 2017 College of Engineering Outstanding Alumni Award. Williams graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and has since become a leading expert in engineering and public policy, managing companies such as Pall Corp, Boeing and Alcoa.