Alum Wins Gant Gathier Theater Award...

Carlos Armesto, a 2005 graduate with a master's degree in directing, won the Gant Gathier Theater Award, one of the 2005 Princess Grace Awards. The awards for theater, dance and film began in 1984 and are named in honor of Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, who was known for helping new artists achieve their goals. Armesto won a theater apprenticeship with salary support at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York. "This is a fast-paced, high-stakes, high-energy theatre, where we develop a lot of new work with many high-profile artists," he said. "My work at Carnegie Mellon prepared me well for dealing with this kind of environment." For more, click here.

Chemistry Grad Student Named Teresa Heinz Scholar...

Deboshri Banerjee, a doctoral candidate in chemistry, has received a $10,000 Teresa Heinz Scholars for Environmental Research Award for innovative green chemistry research to rid water of biohazards and persistent toxic chemicals. Funded by the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation, these annual awards provide exemplary graduate students from nine institutions around the country with financial support to enhance their research, which is aimed at providing effective solutions for environmental problems and enriching public understanding of emerging environmental issues. Banerjee is one of only eight doctoral students to receive the award this year. For more, click here.

Researcher Creates Sensor-Producing Spinoff...

Michael Bigrigg, a project scientist for the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems (ICES), recently started a company that manufactures an innovative sensor to detect temperature problems in computer hard drives. The Pittsburgh-based Pervasive Sensors Inc. is producing Critter™ from research undertaken at the university throughout the past two years. In addition to continued development of sensor technologies, Pervasive Sensors Inc. provides product and software development services for customized application of sensor technology. For more, click here.

Stats Professors Capture Award For Paper That Helps Solve Big Bang Mysteries...

Statistics professors Christopher Genovese and Larry Wasserman received the American Statistical Association's 2005 Outstanding Statistical Application Award for their paper "Nonparametric Inference for the Cosmic Microwave Background." Their research, published in the journal Statistical Science, provides a new analysis of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the radiation left over after the Big Bang about 380,000 years ago. For more, click here.

Professor Among “Brilliant 10”

Doug James, assistant professor of computer science and robotics, was featured in the October issue of Popular Science as one of this year's "Brilliant 10." The magazine annually showcases 10 of the brightest, most innovative young scientists in the country who are gaining recognition in their fields but are not yet household names. James, 33, is recognized for combining his expertise in mathematics and computer graphics to develop algorithms that reduce the number of coordinates needed to describe phenomena like trees blowing in the wind or objects falling to the ground. For more, click here.

Ravi Named Associate Dean for Intellectual Strategy...

Tepper School Dean Kenneth Dunn has appointed R. Ravi associate dean for intellectual strategy. Ravi, professor of operations research and computer science, has been on the business school faculty since 1995. Ravi is also chair of the Center for Analytical Research in Technology (CART), a center that "aggressively encourages analytical research that can be applied to fundamental business problems." He earned a Ph.D. and a master's degree in computer science from Brown University and an undergraduate degree in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology. He has been published in leading journals such as Management Science and the Journal of Computer Systems and Sciences. For more, click here.

Reddy Awarded 2005 Honda Prize From the Honda Foundation...

Raj Reddy, the Mozah Bint Nasser University Professor of Computer Science and Robotics, has been awarded the 2005 Honda Prize by the Honda Foundation. The prize includes an honorary certificate, a medal and 10 million yen (roughly $89,000) for his contributions to "Eco-Technology," a concept that technology does not pursue efficiency and profits alone but is geared toward harmony with the environment surrounding human activities. According to the foundation, Reddy was selected for his outstanding achievements in computer science and robotics, particularly "as a world leader in the study of human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, and speech and visual recognition by machine." For more, click here.

Rousseau Publishes New Book...

Denise Rousseau, H. J. Heinz II Professor of Organization Behavior, challenges the notion that standardization is the way to create workplace justice in her new book, "I-deals: Idiosyncratic Deals Employees Bargain for Themselves." Rousseau argues that employees with valuable skills and a sense of their own worth can make their jobs, pay, perks, and career opportunities different from those of their coworkers in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Personally negotiated arrangements like flexible hours, special projects, or telecommuting, can be a valuable source of flexibility and personal satisfaction, but at the risk of creating inequality and resentment by other employees. Rousseau explains how such individual arrangements can be made fair and acceptable to coworkers, and beneficial to both the employee and the employer. For more, click here.

Student Commissioned to Compose Musical Score...

Master of Arts Management student Bryan Senti has been commissioned by pianist Lisa Moore to compose a musical score to be performed at the Greenwich Music House in New York on Dec. 6, and at Firehouse 12 in New Haven, Conn., on Dec. 4. A concert in Dublin is also under discussion. Moore is a founding member of "Bang on a Can," an organization formed in reaction to the classical status quo by classical musicians. They produce music that embraces all genres and speaks to younger generations. Bryan's works will also be performed by Marie Lee Gustafsson at London's St.-Martins-in-the-Field concert house on Dec. 15. For more, click here.

Staloch Wins National Tennis Championship...

Women's sophomore tennis player Amy Staloch won the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Small College Championship at Florida Gulf Coast University last month. Staloch, pictured with Coach Andy Girard, defeated Serena Burkard from Emory University in the final, and became the first women's singles player in school history to win the ITA National Small College Championship. She also received the James O' Hara Sargent Sportsmanship Award, which is given annually to a men's and women's player who displays outstanding sportsmanship and exemplifies the spirit of college tennis during the tournament. For more, click here.

Tucker Re-appointed as Head of Modern Languages...

G. Richard Tucker, the Paul Mellon Professor of Applied Linguistics, has been re-appointed to a third term as head of the Department of Modern Languages. Tucker joined the Carnegie Mellon faculty in 1992 and has been the head of the Modern Languages Department since 1995. Under his leadership, the department has cultivated a reputation as one of the university's strongest teaching units and has developed cutting-edge language learning technology and curricula. Tucker is one of the world's leading experts on second-language learning and is the only person to have been honored by all four major North American language education associations: the American Association for Applied Linguistics; the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; the National Association for Bilingual Education; and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. For more, click here.

Research Professor Receives Award for Work on Robotic Exploration...

David Wettergreen, associate research professor at the Robotics Institute, has received Popular Mechanic's Breakthrough Award for his work on technology for robotic exploration. The award recognizes 10 individuals and teams that are helping to improve lives and expand possibilities in science, technology and exploration. In addition to the award, Wettergreen, along with the other nine awardees, will be featured in Popular Mechanic's November issue. For more, click here.