Personal Mention

CMU President Farnam Jahanian wrote an op-ed for The Hill last week, titled “The U.S. must invest in research and innovation to broaden economic opportunity.” The op-ed comes on the heels of President Jahanian’s April 15 Congressional testimony during a House Science, Space and Technology Committee virtual hearing on increasing federal support for research. It also follows his support of the National Science Foundation for the Future Act proposed in the House and the Endless Frontier Act introduced in the Senate, which aim to improve global competitiveness and advance innovation as a force for broad economic and societal prosperity. President Jahanian wrote that the United States’ research and development ecosystem is now at a critical moment, shaped by three major trends: major leaps in data-enabled, technology-driven research that are reshaping businesses and markets and changing the nature of discovery itself; the rise of global competition; and a widening opportunity gap and rising economic inequality. “As we consider how to respond to this pivotal moment, doubling federal investment in research over the next several years is an urgent need,” he writes. He also calls for the U.S. to invest in key emerging technologies, build a broad-based science and technology workforce that is inclusive of all Americans, and create bolder strategies for transitioning discoveries from lab to market. Read the op-ed.

Jenn Joy Wilson has been promoted to Assistant Dean for Research Development and Sponsored Projects in the College of Fine Arts (CFA). Wilson has been with CFA since 2016 when she joined the Dean’s Office as the Manager of Grants Administration. In 2018, she was promoted to Senior Manager of Sponsored Projects. During her time at CFA, Wilson has been focused on furthering a culture of support for research and creative practice via infrastructure, professional development and networking opportunities to further collaboration among faculty. She has worked closely with the Research and Creative Practice Team to accomplish these goals. Examples of the ideas that she has brought to the table are the implementation of the summer Grant Development Award and the transition to utilize the Fund for Research and Creativity as a training ground for grants management. Following architecture school at the University of Cincinnati, Wilson’s first encounter with grant writing came when she helped to found a grassroots community arts organization in Wilkinsburg, Pa. She later went on to work with the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and the College of Engineering at Boston University. She believes that her role at CFA is a “beautiful example of things coming full circle.” She brings the skills that she had learned working in research-heavy environments back to the arts – her true passion. Outside of CMU, Wilson is a Reiki Master and is currently studying to be a yoga teacher in a program geared toward ‘skill in action,’ highlighting the social justice aspects of the practice.

Senior Jason Folker of the men's golf team was named University Athletic Association (UAA) Men's Golf Athlete of the Week following his performance earlier this month at the Wynlakes Intercollegiate tournament. Folker was the individual winner at Wynlakes Golf & Country Club in Montgomery, Alabama, with a 36-hole score of 138 (71 in the opening round, 67 in the second round). He carded six birdies and posted a five-under-par 67 during the final round to seal his first individual medalist honor in the field of 71 golfers. He also helped the Tartans place second in the 15-team field tying the school record for the lowest 36-hole tournament score of 570 (287 in the opening round, 283 in the second round). During the 2019-20 season, Folker earned All-UAA honors and was named to the PING Honorable Mention All-America and Mid-Atlantic All-Region teams.