Personal Mention
Professor Linda A. Peteanu has been named head of the Department of Chemistry. She has served as acting head since January 2016 and succeeds Hyung Kim, who stepped down from the position in 2015 after serving 14 years as department head. A member of the Carnegie Mellon faculty since 1993, Peteanu is well known for her expertise in applying fluorescence-based methods, including microscopy and electric-field effects, to condensed-phase systems. One focus of her research involves measuring the morphology and electronic properties of molecules used to make light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and photovoltaic cells. Peteanu also applies fluorescence-based methods to the study of nucleic acids as a member of Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology. Find out more.
Lee Branstetter, professor or economics and public policy at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, is presenting this week at the Prospects and Challenges for Sustained Growth in Asia Conference in Seoul, South Korea. Branstetter will be presenting a paper he co-authored with Namho Kwon, a Ph.D. graduate of the Heinz College, during a session on “Invention, productivity and the evolution of East Asia’s innovation systems.” At the conference, he’ll be among some of Asia’s top policymakers and economists, as well as Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Jonathan Woetzel of McKinsey. The conference is sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Korea, the IMF and the Peterson Institute.
Susan Polansky has been named the Athletics Department's NCAA faculty representative. Polansky, head of the Department of Modern Languages in the Dietrich College, succeeds Eric Grotzinger. “Susan is a university leader and a wonderful advocate for student experience outside of the classroom,” said Athletics Director Josh Centor. “We couldn’t be more thrilled for her to take on a significant role within the athletics community. I am looking forward to the opportunity to work more closely with Susan as we continue to move our athletics program forward.” Learn more.
Kevin Zollman, an associate professor of philosophy, will be giving short presentations on game theory as it applies to everyday life on Friday, Sept. 8 at the Carnegie Science Center, as part of the center’s 21+ night series. He also will discuss his book, “Game Theorist's Guide to Parenting.” Zollman first presented game theory to the masses in 2013, when he wrote an advice column for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, applying game theory strategies to routine dilemmas and major conflicts alike. Find out more about the book.
Head Women's Volleyball Coach Kim Kelly won her 500th career match and 250th at Carnegie Mellon last Friday (Sept. 1), when the Tartans opened the 2017 season at the Ohio Northern University Invitational. The Tartans finished play on Friday with two 3-0 victories, the first over Defiance College and the second over Thomas More College. Kelly currently ranks 28th on the Division III active win list with 501. Learn more about Kelly.