News Briefs
Going Behind the Curtain at Lunar Gala
Created in 1997, the Lunar Gala fashion show sells out over 1,200 seats annually, showcasing the talents of Carnegie Mellon student designers.
Hours before showtime, the Rangos Ballroom becomes an assembly line. Dozens of models go from station to station. Stylists apply makeup and hairspray at a whirlwind pace.
Then, the student models gather backstage to change and prepare to walk out into the lights.
CMU Launches New Undergraduate Program in Economics and Politics
Carnegie Mellon has introduced a new bachelor's degree program in economics and politics. A joint effort between the Institute for Politics and Strategy and the Undergraduate Economics Program, the degree program launching this spring involves interdisciplinary study emphasizing a data-driven approach to understanding economic and political decision-making.
"The connections between politics and economics are nearly endless. Political decisions have an effect on economic growth, and economic outcomes shape political decisions," said Sevin Yeltekin, professor of economics and senior associate dean of education at the Tepper School of Business. "This new program reflects the realities of these important interactions."
The curriculum includes several key foundational and analytical economics courses from the Tepper School and the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, which jointly offer the undergraduate degree programs in economics. In parallel with the economics coursework, students pursuing the economics and politics degree will gain a background in political science, international security and international relations from courses offered at the Institute for Politics and Strategy.
Energy Week Explores What's Next in Innovation
The Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation at Carnegie Mellon will hold CMU Energy Week 2019 from March 25-28. Now in its fourth year, this free symposium gathers energy experts, corporate executives, government officials, nonprofits, key influencers, students and entrepreneurs for a facilitated dialogue on how to advance energy technologies and innovations around the world.
A lineup of 10 panels featuring CMU faculty members, alumni and energy experts will tackle topics ranging from sustainability, resilience and mobility in cities to grid-scale solar. Faculty participants include Don Carter, M. Granger Morgan, Larry Pileggi, Constantine Samaras and Jay Whitacre.
One forum and panel will feature powerhouse women who are leaders in the City of Pittsburgh’s mobility and infrastructure planning. These trailblazers — Mary Conturo, Katharine Eagan Kelleman, Karina Ricks and Arletta Scott-Williams — will discuss how to create a resilient future for Pittsburgh.
"Pittsburgh's transportation system, city planning, water treatment and sports and convention facilities are all run by women. We are bringing these leaders together under one roof to share their insights during CMU Energy Week 2019," said Anna J. Siefken, executive director of the Scott Institute and event organizer.
Traffic21 Hosts Second Smart Mobility Challenge
Carnegie Mellon’s Traffic21, a research institute operated out of CMU’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, and Mobility21, its affiliated USDOT National University Transportation Center in the College of Engineering, are sponsoring their second Smart Mobility Challenge with generous funding from the Hillman Foundation. As part of the continued mission to transform southwestern Pennsylvania into a testbed for mobility innovation, the Smart Mobility Challenge provides municipalities with research assistance to improve real-world mobility conditions.
"It’s exciting to see the momentum from the first challenge continue into 2019,” said Lisa Kay Schweyer, program manager of Traffic21. “These challenges are inspired by Traffic21’s years of successful collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh to become a globally recognized smart city test bed and our desire to demonstrate how suburban and rural communities can also benefit from a similar collaboration.”
From infrastructure usage and emergency responses to routing services and traffic mitigation, municipality representatives and public transit operators in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties are invited to participate in this year’s challenge by identifying mobility needs affecting their communities and applying to receive support from CMU faculty and students.
Chartwells Dining Wants Your Feedback
Chartwells Higher Education Dining invites you to participate in one of its upcoming focus group sessions, March 18-20, and share your candid feedback regarding your dining and catering experience on campus. Your feedback will be used to help us refresh, reinvent and shape the future of Chartwells dining at Carnegie Mellon.
Before you sign up for a focus group session, there are a few important items to note:
- It’s a one-hour session. We promise that the session will end within the hour.
- Free meal. Enjoy complimentary food and beverages during the session.
- Space is limited. There are only 15 spaces during each focus group session.
- Receive a gift. A token of appreciation will be given to you for your time and feedback.
Spinoff Sale Prompts Gift to School of Computer Science
Computer Science Professor Jason Hong and his wife, Shelley Zhang, have made a gift to endow two professorships for junior faculty named in honor of Dan Siewiorek and Robert Kraut, both prominent, longtime faculty members.
Like other professorships for faculty in the early stages of their careers, the Siewiorek and Kraut Endowed Computer Science Career Development Professorships will rotate among junior faculty about every three years.
The gift was prompted by the sale of Hong’s spinoff company Wombat Technologies Inc. Hong and Lorrie Faith Cranor are co-founders of Wombat Security Technologies, which was sold to Proofpoint Inc. for $225 million last year.Learn more.
Register for Student Employee Appreciation Lunch
The Career & Professional Development Center is again sponsoring the Student Employee Appreciation Lunch from noon - 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 2 in the Cohon University Center's Rangos Hall. Plan now to host your student employees, and join them for lunch to celebrate the great work they do. At a cost of $7.50 per attendee, the lunch is a great way to say "Thanks!"
A buffet lunch will be served that includes vegetarian entrees. Entertainment will be provided by The Originals, a CMU all-male a cappella group.
The deadline to register online is March 25.