News Briefs

Lights Out! CMU Joins Effort to Save Birds, Reduce Energy and Carbon Emissions

CMU is participating in Lights Out Pittsburgh, an effort to reduce unnecessary exterior lighting between midnight and 6 a.m. to save migratory birds, reduce energy costs and reduce carbon emissions. CMU is turning off the exterior, architectural lighting between 12 and 6 a.m. on and in several buildings and areas on campus, including:

• Hamerschlag tower;
• Walking to the Sky;
• Hunt Library;
• Gates bridge;
• Pausch bridge;
• Cohon Center fitness center;
• Cohon Center swimming Pool;
• Tennis courts;
• Football stadium;
• Soccer field; and
• Warner Hall façade lighting.

Other organizations joining the Lights Out Pittsburgh effort include BNY Mellon, BOMA Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the National Aviary and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

CMU’s participation is part of its commitment to sustainability and the 17 Global Sustainable Development Goals.

Five SCS Graduate Students Named Siebel Scholars

CMU Offers New Privacy Engineering Options for Working Professionals

Starting this fall, CMU is offering two flexible options for privacy engineering education and training. The first allows working professionals to pursue the master of science in Information Technology-Privacy Engineering (MSIT-PE) degree part-time and remotely. Depending on the number of courses taken per semester, the part-time degree program can be completed in between two and four years.

For working professionals who cannot commit to a part-time master's degree program, CMU offers an additional option: a privacy engineering certificate that can be obtained remotely. The certificate program comprises a combination of mini-tutorials, class discussions and hands-on exercises aimed at delivering the fundamentals of privacy engineering.

"The idea behind the privacy engineering certificate is that working professionals can learn the key concepts in privacy engineering on the weekend over the course of just two months," said Norman Sadeh, co-director of CMU's Privacy Engineering Program, a member of CyLab and a professor of computer science in the Institute for Software Research.

The certificate program is available to individual students as well as cohorts of 15-25 students from a single organization.

Learn more about the new options.

Save the Date for Tartan Community Day, Nov. 5

Tartan Community Day is a day for students, faculty, staff and alumni to take a break from the daily norm and to connect, restore and play, in ways that are most meaningful to you.

This year’s theme is connection, in all of its various forms, and the joy that comes from it. Connection can be big or it can be small, rambunctious or quiet, a moment or a lasting journey. It can be a connection to oneself, to a friend, to community and so much more.

During a time when change has been constant and life has presented challenges, we find joy through connection – by celebrating being on campus in a shared space whether in person or virtual, nurturing ourselves through self-care and self-exploration, and lifting each other up as we strengthen CMU’s diverse and strongly knit community.

On this third annual Tartan Community Day, we will come together, to discover the power that can come from promises made and kept, to play games and have fun, in person or in a remote setting based on personal preference, and to take the time to check in with ourselves and others so that we can restore, re-center and rejuvenate for all the days ahead.

CMU a Host Institution Sponsor for Virtual Sustainability Conference, Oct. 12-14

Carnegie Mellon is once again a host institution sponsor for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (ASHE) Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education, Oct. 12-14.  As a host institution sponsor, CMU students, faculty and staff can register for free.

The Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education brings together sustainability leaders from around the world in a virtual format to share effective models, policies, research, collaborations and transformative actions that advance sustainability in higher education and surrounding communities. This year’s theme is “The Future is … .”

Presenters and a diverse group of attendees, including faculty, students, sustainability staff, administrators, business partners, nonprofit representatives, government officials and community members, will examine:

• How does higher education need to change to effectively meet the grand challenges of our time?
• How can higher education institutions demonstrate the potential for a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future in the operation of their campuses?
• How can higher education support students and employees struggling with anxiety about the future and equip them to better navigate this future?
• How can higher education institutions help their communities prepare for future crises? 

There will be nine keynote presentations, live sessions and networking opportunities Oct. 12-14. Those sessions and additional pre-recorded sessions will be available on-demand and can be watched at any time through December 31.

To register, follow the directions on the Environment at CMU website.

Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month Film Series

In honor of Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month, the Department of Modern Languages and the Dietrich College’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are presenting the following film series in October:

Raising Victor Vargas
Saturday, Oct. 9 from 4 - 6 p.m.

The Infiltrators
Monday, Oct. 11 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Dolores
Sunday, Oct. 17 from 4 - 6 p.m.

All are welcome. The films will be shown in Posner Hall 153.

Staff Council Offers Discounts to Idlewild and Kennywood Fall Events

Carnegie Mellon Staff Council is offering the CMU community discount tickets to Idlewild’s Hallowboo and Kennywood’s Phantom Fall Fest.

Hallowboo at Idlewild
Purchase your group tickets and save $17 on the regular admission price ($39.99) for any weekend through October. To purchase your discount tickets online:

• Visit: idlewild/com/plan-a-visit/group-sales
• Select BUY NOW
• Enter the number of tickets you wish to purchase and click NEXT
• Select your DATE in October, then click NEXT
• Click either CONTINUE SHOPPING or CHECKOUT and finish the transaction
• Print out your ticket vouchers and bring them with you to the park

Phantom Fall Fest at Kennywood
To purchase your ticket at 10% off:

• Go to https://www.kennywood.com/
• Click PROMO CODE at the top of the landing page
• Enter PROMO CODE: cmu
• Enter the number of tickets you wish to purchase at the discounted price and click ADD TO CART
• Click either CONTINUE SHOPPING or SECURE CHECKOUT and finish the transaction by providing your credit/debit card information
• Print your tickets and redeem them at Kennywood’s main gate.

Questions? Visit the Staff Council website.

Want to be a Better Communicator? Attend the MAPW Information Session Oct. 27

The English Department’s master’s degree in professional writing has been a popular choice for many CMU staff seeking to become more effective communicators. If you’re interested to learn about the Master in Professional Writing (MAPW) program, the English Department is hosting a virtual information session at 12 p.m., Wednesday, October 27. The MAPW teaches professional students to create and execute verbal and visual information strategies (including for print, online, social media and multimedia) and develops their skills for careers as writers, communication specialists and information designers.

The first and preferred master’s degree application deadline is Wednesday, January 5, 2022. The English Department is waiving the GRE requirement for applications submitted for fall 2022 and fall 2023. RSVP here to receive the zoom invitation.  Find out more about the MAPW program.  

MPM to Host Series of Information Sessions for CMU Employees

Heinz College's Master of Public Management (MPM) program will host a series of virtual information sessions on Zoom for CMU staff members from 12 – 1 p.m., October 12, 19 and 26. A popular course of study for CMU staff, the MPM imparts management skills and policy understanding, forging leaders of the future with the same Heinz College formula used in its full-time programs: Technology + Analytics + Leadership Practice = Career Impact.

The part-time curriculum is flexible and accessible to busy professionals, allowing you to earn your master’s degree in the evening in as little as two years. The on-campus program allows you to enjoy the vibrancy of learning with seasoned professionals from CMU and Pittsburgh's major sectors, and to build diverse networks.

Is MPM the right fit for you? Join the relaxed information sessions to learn more about the program curriculum, admissions process and more. RSVP.

Who's New at CMU?

Carnegie Mellon welcomes the following new staff members this week.

• Aamir Suleman, Director of Knowledge Creation and Education Network, Rwanda - ICT;
• Brenda Gitonga, Executive Assistant, Rwanda - ICT;
• Brandon Pusateri, Allocations Coordinator, PSC - Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center;
• Cole Jester, Desktop Support Technician, ISR: Institute for Software Research;
• Irene Munene, Human Resources Officer, Rwanda - ICT;
• Junjie Ma, Research Associate II, Biological Sciences;
• Monica Sumbi, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, Rwanda - ICT;
• Patricia Musiime, Career Services Officer, Rwanda - ICT;
• Sean Johnston, Software Engineer, NREC: National Robotics Engineering Center;
• Vicky Mugisha, Operations Support Coordinator, Rwanda - ICT;
• Yvette Murph, Director of Enrollment & Student Success, Rwanda - ICT;
• Isabelle Glassmith, Project Manager - CyLab Partnerships, Cylab;
• Christina Blough, Temporary Employment Service, HR Operations;
• Cathleen Kisak, Institutional Research Designer and Analyst, Office of the Provost;
• Francis Smith, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer, SEI Cybersecurity Assurance;
• John Zucca, Associate Machine Learning Engineer, SEI ETC Leadership;
• Kenneth Brown, Assistant Cybersecurity Engineer, SEI Cybersecurity Assurance;
• Robin Na, Pre-Doc Research Specialist, SDS: Social and Decision Sciences;
• Shoshana Oryol, Research Associate, Computer Science Department; and
• Jody Madala, Teaching Assistant – Educational Instructor Staff, Tepper School of Business Masters Program.