Personal Mention

Dan Martin has announced he will step down as dean of the College of Fine Arts at the conclusion of the academic year and return to the faculty in the School of Drama. As dean, Martin facilitated the emergence of a transdisciplinary culture in CFA, developing a sense of cohesiveness among CFA programs while allowing each to retain its own unique identity. His interdisciplinary approach led to the expansion of the BXA Intercollege Degree programs, and he oversaw the creation of the engineering and arts additional major. During his 10-years as dean, CMU became the first, exclusive higher education partner of the Tony Awards, a partnership that annually presents the Excellence in Theatre Education Award to a K-12 teacher who inspires students through theater arts education. CFA expanded under Martin by creating maker spaces for exploration and collaboration across the arts and media technologies. He led efforts to expand support for the Miller Institute for Contemporary Art, the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, and for faculty and staff in the Drama and Design schools. “I am grateful to Dan for his service as dean for the last decade,” said Provost Jim Garrett. “His dedication has served to highlight and celebrate the impactful work of the remarkably diverse and high-ranking programs housed within the College of Fine Arts, increasing the visibility and reputation of CFA.” A national search to find Martin’s successor will be announced later this fall. Find out more.

Erica Cochran Hameen, an assistant professor of architecture and CMU alumna, recently received the Presidential Leadership Award at the National Organization of Minority Architects’ 47th National Conference for her dedication and leadership in conference planning and architecture-related social justice work. Cochran Hameen, who has spent her career working to build bridges among architects and architecture work to advance social justice, is co-director of the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics, track chair of the Doctor of Professional Practice program, track co-chair of the Master of Science in Architecture–Engineering–Construction Management program, and track chair of the Architecture–Engineering–Construction Management Ph.D. program at CMU. Her architectural experience includes more than 50 educational, media and broadcast, residential, community and transportation facilities. Her previous honors include Best Proposal in a Department of Energy Competition, a Pittsburgh Courier Woman of Excellence Award, and an American Institute of Architects Diversity Recognition Program Award for the UDream program at CMU. Find out more.

Joseph Mertz has been named director of Carnegie Mellon’s Information Systems program (IS). A joint unit administered by the Dietrich College and Heinz College, IS is a unique blend of technology, business, humanities and social sciences. Mertz, a teaching professor in IS, was named interim director last July. He succeeds Randy Weinberg who led the program for 18 years and retired in December 2018. Mertz’s teaching focuses on two threads: developing technical-professional leadership skills and using technology for sustainable development. In 1998, he developed and taught “Technology Consulting in the Community,” an experiential service-learning course that engaged students as technology consultants with local nonprofits. The course was adapted into the IS capstone class, “Information Systems Consulting Project,” and the courses have engaged more than 500 students in helping more than 300 nonprofit organizations, schools and businesses in the Pittsburgh region. Find out more.