President Subra Suresh is leading a Carnegie Mellon University delegation that includes Provost Farnam Jahanian and many of the academic deans on a trip to California this week to meet with CMU's vibrant West Coast community of alumni, parents, and friends of the university. The trip is part of a series of engagements that also included major events in New York and Pittsburgh this past fall.

Carnegie Mellon operates a branch campus in Mountain View and an office in Los Angeles, where students in the Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) program spend their second year in the city taking courses taught by top entertainment industry professionals.

Suresh and CMU's Dean of the College of Engineering Jim Garrett spent time on Monday meeting with students on CMU's Silicon Valley campus.

The state boasts the largest number of annual incoming CMU students and is second only to Pennsylvania, in the number of alumni who reside here whose support is critical to CMU's continued success.

Suresh is speaking to alumni, parents and friends in Menlo Park, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

He said the meetings are meant to give alumni, parents and friends a chance to meet with CMU's leadership, have meaningful dialogue and to share the vision for the future of the university.

While speaking to hundreds of CMU community members Tuesday in Menlo Park and Wednesday in San Francisco, Suresh said he hoped they would come away with a sense of university pride and excitement; an appreciation of the challenges and opportunities now facing CMU; and a renewed level of engagement with the university.

Suresh said CMU is uniquely positioned to address many of the world's most pressing challenges citing there are few aspects of people's daily lives that haven't been touched by CMU in areas including brain science, advanced manufacturing, the science of leadership, entrepreneurship, public policy and the fine arts. Suresh said CMU alumni in California are shaping the world we live in today.

The president spoke about the university's priorities of recruiting and retaining  top talent, enhancing the CMU Experience; and enhancing excellence across the university.

If it's done correctly, he said, the enhanced CMU experience would build a foundation for years of success.

By Jocelyn Duffy

The slider above shows the current districting map for Pennsylvania and the map produced by an algorithm using a series of small random changes.

Pennsylvania's congressional district maps are almost certainly the result of gerrymandering according to an analysis based on a new mathematical theorem on bias in Markov chains developed by Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh mathematicians. Their findings are published in the Feb. 28 online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
 
Markov chains are algorithms that can generate a random object by starting from a fixed object and evolving in a stepwise fashion, making small random changes at each step. Markov chains have numerous applications, and are used to model things like thermodynamic processes, chemical reactions, economic and financial phenomena, protein folding and DNA sequences.
 
To evaluate gerrymandering of congressional districts, a Markov chain can, in principle, be used to compare the characteristics of the current districting map with a typical districting of the same state by generating truly random districtings as points of comparison.
 
One of the limitations of Markov chains is there is often no way to determine how long the chains need to run in order to achieve a truly random sample. Without knowing the upper limit, researchers must assume that they have run the algorithm long enough for their resulting assumptions to be valid.
 
In the PNAS paper, University of Pittsburgh Assistant Professor of Computational and Systems Biology Maria Chikina and Carnegie Mellon Professor of Mathematical Sciences Alan Frieze and Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences Wesley Pegden prove a theorem that can use a Markov chain to show that a sample is nonrandom, without generating random samples from the Markov chain itself. This allows researchers to use the Markov chain to rigorously demonstrate bias in the congressional districting maps of the state of Pennsylvania without having to make unproven assumptions on the time required to generate samples from the Markov chain.  
 
The researchers began with a current map of Pennsylvania's congressional districts, and applied a Markov chain that incorporated geometric constraints on districts that would be used to create random districting maps. Those factors included ensuring roughly equal populations in each district, border continuity and constraining the ratio of perimeter to area.
 
The researchers ran the chain, which changed the map in random steps. Statistical properties of the map were found to change rapidly with small random changes to the initial map, which, according to their theorem, would be extremely unlikely to happen by chance.
 
"There is no way that this map could have been produced by an unbiased process," Pegden said.
 
While the new method doesn't provide a new tool for drawing congressional district maps, it does provide a rigorous test to detect that existing maps were created in a biased fashion, and researchers may find applications in the many other fields where Markov chains are used.
 
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (MH10900901A1, HG00854003), the National Science Foundation (DMS1362785, CCF1522984, DMS1363136), the Simons Foundation and the Sloan Foundation.

By Laura Kelly

Skyline of Austin Texas

Carnegie Mellon University faculty, staff and students will once again participate in South by Southwest (SXSW), the premier annual entertainment and technology festival, March 10-16 in Austin, Texas.

"SXSW is a forum for thought leaders in film, music and technology to meet every year," said Jon Nehlsen, associate dean of Partnerships and Communication Strategy at CMU's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. "At CMU, we have quite a bit to say about all three of those things, and it's important that we participate, both to alert the world to what we do and to help shape the ongoing dialog."

First-year students in the Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) Program, which is a joint partnership between the College of Fine Arts and the Heinz College, spend spring break networking with industry insiders, and SXSW is the destination of choice.

"SXSW is a positive experience to get familiar with what's happening in the industry," said MEIM Program Director Dan Green. "Students really enjoy being submersed in people eating, drinking and thinking entertainment."

Throughout their first year, MEIM students travel to industry destinations to meet executives at NBC Universal in New York City, and at National Geographic and the Discovery Channel in Washington, D.C.

Emily Ellis said she was pumped to attend SXSW.

"We're getting out of the classroom and getting to see the people in the industry and how it actually works," Ellis said. "With the Heinz program, we've learned the foundational skills like accounting and finance so we can go out and do anything in the industry."

MEIM student Jordan Hiebner owns the record label We're Trying Records in Austin, which is hosting a showcase on Wednesday, March 15. He said the MEIM program gives him options he wouldn't get anywhere else.

"I was able to take a class from Benjy Grinberg of Rostrom Records and he was really inspirational. These experiences and lessons from the MEIM program are things I can apply to my own record label," he said.

Students from the Master of Educational Technology and Applied Learning Science (METALS) Program attended SXSWedu earlier this week to inform members of the educational technology community about CMU's Simon Initiative.

"This helps the industry become more aware of what is possible when utilizing learning engineering which enables their products to demonstrate actual learning gains. The students also make critical contacts in the industry for employment opportunities," said Michael Bett, managing director of the METALS Program.

Norman Bier, executive director of CMU's Simon Initiative and director of the Open Learning Initiative, also will be in attendance.

"In our conversations, we explain that METALS graduates are learning engineers who are at the crossroads of software engineering and instructional technologies. Our graduates can apply the learning engineering processed pioneered at CMU and advocated through the Simon Initiative, making them able to research, design and apply evidence-based resources to develop and create effective instruction and educational technologies," Bett said.

Artificial Intelligence

Leaders from CMU's School of Computer Science (SCS) will spend their time at SXSW discussing the future of artificial intelligence.

SCS Dean Andrew Moore will give a talk at an Intelligent Future Presentation, "AI In America: Preparing Our Kids," at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 15, which will be livestreamed.

"When we look at K-12 education and we look at the pipeline, who's going to be studying computer science? We have to prepare our kids because if we don't, it could become a world of the haves and the have-nots," said Mark Power, SCS director of marketing & communications.

"Regardless of where these kids are, do they have access to computers, do they have access to the right STEM education to get them started? Students may be interested in AI, but not understand basics. Our goal is to get them to understand how it works," Power said.

Mark Stehlik, an SCS teaching professor and assistant dean for outreach, focused on ethics and problem-solving in AI during this week's SXSWedu, which focused on education issues.

Additionally, Mark White, a principal in Deloitte's Technology Services, will interview Moore at a March 15 CMU alumni event in Austin, titled "Between Two Thistles."

"We're happy to partner with CMU on this event," White said. "The talent we're able to draw out of Carnegie Mellon and the insights and relationships we have help us understand and respond to technology trends in the marketplace. We take digital, design and data to scale, and the School of Computer Science touches all of that."

Civic Innovation

Carnegie Mellon's Traffic21 Institute is a multi-disciplinary research center that is designing, testing, deploying and evaluating technology-based solutions to solve real-world problems facing the transportation system in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Last year, Traffic21 and the City of Pittsburgh teamed up for the Smart City Challenge.

"The partnership with Traffic21 was really instrumental in the Smart City Challenge and helped the city punch above its weight class," said Alex Pazuchanics, a City of Pittsburgh policy adviser and a student in Heinz College's Master of Public Management Program. He is among the presenters for the SXSW "Smart Cities Sound Off: The Future of Transportation" panel on Saturday, March 11.

"What's really important, and what I hope other cities get out of this is how to prioritize and operationalize how to address the unique challenges of their cities," Pazuchanics said. "Pittsburgh used to be known as a rust belt. Now, it's a smart belt." 

Pazuchanics also will participate in Smart City Day at SXSW on Sunday, March 12. In a related activity, the Civic.io Mayors Matchup pitch session will include CMU spinoff RoadBotics. Courtney Ehrlichman, chief commercial officer of RoadBotics and also the deputy executive director of Traffic21, will present.

"I will be pitching our crack and pothole detection AI that can give cities near-real time information about the quality of their road surfaces," Ehrlichman said. "This gives them the chance to move beyond citizen complaints to be proactive about budgeting, prioritizing and managing their road surfaces."

ETC students pictured from left are Jacob Rosenbloom, Brynn Gelerman, Jibran Khan and Prdnesh Patil during a recent improvisational class.

When diverse designers, artists and producers at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) work as a team to harness their skills, the frantic churn pushes innovative projects to new heights.

So it is no surprise that "Creative Chaos" is the title and focus of a new book from the ETC Press on best practices in teaching creative collaboration to the interdisciplinary groups in its interactive entertainment graduate program. Co-authored by ETC Director Drew Davidson and others, the book provides an overview of the ETC's work to foster an inclusive environment, welcoming constructive conflict in discussions and diversity in students' disciplines, worldviews, ethnicity and gender.

The ETC was founded in 1998 as a joint venture between the School of Computer Science and the College of Fine Arts. Most incoming students mirror that disciplinary mix. Now part of CMU's Integrative Design, Arts and Technology (IDeATe) Network, roughly 40 percent of first-year students in the ETC have technical backgrounds, such as computer science and engineering, and another 40 percent have artistic backgrounds, like graphics or visual effects, and the remaining 20 percent coming from a variety of areas (e.g. theater, creative writing, industrial design, business, audio, music, communications, etc.).

In the program, students collaborate on semester-long projects developing games, augmented reality, robotics, animation, mobile devices and location-based installations.

For Laurie Weingart, senior associate dean in the Tepper School of Business, the program was the perfect setting to study small group innovation among interdisciplinary teams. Between 2008 and 2011, Weingart and two doctoral students studied 60 ETC project teams to explore whether or not, and to what degree, more disciplinary diverse teams created more innovative work.

The study, which led to the book, found that "teams with more expertise diversity had more conflict about tasks in the form of disagreements and debates," but those disagreements ultimately led to final products that were "more innovative, useful, usable and desirable."

Specifically, Davidson said constructive conflicts — arguments that facilitate problem solving — become the "creative sparks."

"That's where the idea of creative chaos came about," Davidson said. "As you're working on these projects together, you're bound to have conflict because you're working with clients, faculty and people from different backgrounds. ... If you manage that known conflict well, it can be constructive and additive and you end up doing better work."

Weingart said that in order to be successful the group needs to work in an environment that supports constructive criticism and debate.

"The ETC is a perfect example of a living laboratory. They're using innovative processes to develop an innovative program to teach people how to drive innovation." — Laurie Weingart

"The ETC has that culture," Weingart said, noting that  "Creative Chaos" encapsulates it in an effort to teach other groups and organizations how to imbue and support that culture.

Through further analysis of the data, researchers found that gender diversity contributes to more innovations since mixed gender teams often have a better exchange of ideas. Also, while teammates appear to work well together when they have some familiarity, it can be detrimental if they have too much familiarity.

Now, researchers are collecting a second data set that could bolster the study's original findings or lead in a new direction.

"The ETC is a perfect example of a living laboratory. They're using innovative processes to develop an innovative program to teach people how to drive innovation," Weingart said. "It's a really rich place to further our knowledge."

Building Creative Collaboration

One of the main ways the ETC teaches creative collaboration is through an improvisational acting course that students take in their first semester.

Brenda Bakker Harger, an associate teaching professor at the ETC, calls improv a "pure form of creative collaboration" in which improvisers generate ideas with their minds, bodies and by working off of each other.

"Only when you understand what it takes to be creative at that level can you start throwing elements like technology in the mix to further realize those ideas," Harger said.

Students in Harger's class learn to commit to the idea of "yes, and" — the notion of being open to new ideas and building upon them. In addition, Harger said successful improvisers must be comfortable with risk-taking and focusing on the project at hand (or narrative, in improv's case) instead of their egos.

"It doesn't matter if you're a great artist, a great programmer or a great producer, your skills are irrelevant by themselves," Harger said. "They only count when they are put together with the others on a lateral basis."

That culture of collaboration has stayed with many ETC alumni who now work at Schell Games, a Pittsburgh game design and development company founded by ETC instructor and CMU alumnus Jesse Schell.

Roughly 60 percent of the Pittsburgh company's design department graduated from the ETC, said Harley Baldwin, the company's vice president of design. When she started at the company three years ago, she found many people who saw collaboration as a core value in game development. That was a pleasant surprise for Baldwin who, at previous jobs, had taught teams how to work well together.

Baldwin said she is always happy to see ETC alumni while recruiting. In addition to their experience and exposure to the ETC's challenging curriculum, she knows that they have an understanding of the benefits of collaboration.

"Very often they can provide a linchpin for a team that really helps the whole team gel around a concept or an idea," Baldwin said.

Like Baldwin, Sabrina Culyba, a principal game designer at Schell Games, said the students graduating from the program are prepared to be leaders who "roll with the team" and help it move toward its goals, whether that be solving a problem or creating something new.

With that training, Culyba said ETC alumni have landed in nearly every company in the entertainment space.

Neil Druckmann, creative director for the video game developer Naughty Dog, said he's used the ETC's best practices throughout his career, which has included co-creating award-winning games like "Unchartered 4: A Thief's End," "The Last of Us" and the upcoming "The Last of Us Part II."

When Druckmann came to the ETC, he said he was quickly humbled by the fact he couldn't operate alone, and he learned to work with teammates' strengths and weaknesses.

In Schell's game design course, Druckmann recalled Schell pushing designers to listen during the creative process. Schell taught his students that even feedback they disagreed with would contain some truth, and, instead of arguing, it is best to listen and find that truth.

"It's not about having such a defined, specific vision where people find it suffocating," Druckmann said. "It's about finding the core truths of what this game is about and then letting people flourish and interpret and collaborate within that so they feel ownership of it.

"From 'The Last of Us' to 'Unchartered' and now to the sequel of 'The Last of Us,' when you're surrounded by talent, you want to make sure you leverage that talent," Druckmann said. "And that has stuck with me from the ETC."

By Shilo Rea

We live in an unprecedented "age of information," but we use very little of it. Dieters prefer not to look at the calories in their tasty desert, people at high risk for disease avoid screenings and people choose the news source that aligns with their political ideology.

Drawing on research in economics, psychology and sociology, Carnegie Mellon University's George Loewenstein, Russell Golman and David Hagmann illustrate how people select their own reality by deliberately avoiding information that threatens their happiness and wellbeing.

In a paper published in the Journal of Economic Literature, they show that while a simple failure to obtain information is the most clear-cut case of "information avoidance," people have a wide range of other information-avoidance strategies at their disposal. They also are remarkably adept at selectively directing their attention to information that affirms what they believe or that reflects favorably upon them, and at forgetting information they wish were not true.

"The standard account of information in economics is that people should seek out information that will aid in decision-making, should never actively avoid information, and should dispassionately update their views when they encounter new valid information," said Loewenstein, the Herbert A. Simon University Professor of Economics and Psychology who co-founded the field of behavioral economics.

"But people often avoid information that could help them to make better decisions if they think the information might be painful to receive. Bad teachers, for example, could benefit from feedback from students, but are much less likely to pore over teaching ratings than skilled teachers," Loewenstein said.

Even when people cannot outright ignore information, they often have substantial latitude in how to interpret it. Questionable evidence is often treated as credible when it confirms what someone wants to believe — as is the case of discredited research linking vaccines to autism. And evidence that meets the rigorous demands of science is often discounted if it goes against what people want to believe, as illustrated by widespread dismissal of scientific evidence of climate change.

Information avoidance can be harmful, for example, when people miss opportunities to treat serious diseases early on or fail to learn about better financial investments that could prepare them for retirement. It also has large societal implications.

"An implication of information avoidance is that we do not engage effectively with those who disagree with us," said Hagmann, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences. "Bombarding people with information that challenges their cherished beliefs — the usual strategy that people employ in attempts at persuasion - is more likely to engender defensive avoidance than receptive processing. If we want to reduce political polarization, we have to find ways not only to expose people to conflicting information, but to increase people's receptivity to information that challenges what they believe and want to believe."

Despite the consequences, information avoidance isn't always a mistake or a reflection of a lazy mind.

"People do it for a reason," said Golman, assistant professor of social and decision sciences. "Those who do not take a genetic test can enjoy their life until their illness can't be ignored, an inflated sense of our own abilities can help us to pursue big and worthwhile goals, and not looking at our financial investments when markets are down may keep us from selling in a panic."

The researchers believe understanding when, why and how people avoid information can help governments, firms and organizations reach their audiences effectively without drowning them in unwanted messages.

Related Links:

• Journal of Economic Literature: Information Avoidance
• I don't want to know: Why do we avoid certain information and what are the consequences for our society?
• George Loewenstein and the NEW New Economics of Information
• CMU Launches First-of-its-Kind Major in Behavioral Economics, Policy and Organizations
• Infinite Career Paths in Behavioral Economics

By Michael Cunningham

Ramayya Krishnan

Ramayya Krishnan, dean of the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, and the William W. and Ruth F. Cooper Professor of Management Science and Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon University, is a 2017 recipient of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Distinguished Alumnus Award.

IIT-Madras will present the award to Krishnan and his fellow honorees at a March 16 ceremony in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

"Professor Ramayya Krishnan joins an illustrious group of Distinguished Alumni of IIT Madras who are academicians," said Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director of IIT Madras. "Professor Krishnan is renowned for his seminal contributions to the field of Information Systems, and has made his alma mater proud with his accomplishments as dean of the College for Information Systems at CMU."

The Distinguished Alumnus awards are presented annually by the institute. Since their inception in 1996, 147 alumni have been selected for the award, including CMU President Subra Suresh.

"I am proud to represent my alma mater in all that I do, and humbled that the Institute has honored me with this award," Krishnan said. "I look forward to visiting campus and having an opportunity to catch up and share stories with my fellow alumni honorees."

Krishnan received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Madras in 1981, and his master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Texas in 1983 and 1987, respectively.

A faculty member at CMU since 1988, Krishnan was appointed dean when the Heinz College was created in 2008. He was reappointed in 2014.

As dean, Krishnan oversaw the creation of the School of Information Systems and Management at Heinz College, complementing the existing School of Public Policy and Management. This confluence of information technology, public policy and management brings together a multidisciplinary faculty consisting of engineers, social scientists and information technologists dedicated to educating "men and women of intelligent action."

Krishnan led the establishment of funded research centers focused on data-driven decision-making in key societal domains, including transportation, smart cities, living analytics, the innovation of risk and regulatory services Innovation, and the future of work. He also led a successful fundraising campaign that is transforming the learning spaces, classrooms, offices and labs in Hamburg Hall, home of the Heinz College.

In 2016, under Krishnan's leadership, INFORMS, the global Operations Research and Management Science Society, recognized the Heinz College with the UPS George D. Smith Prize for Educational Excellence in Analytics. The Heinz College is the only academic institution that is home to both the Von Neumann Theory Prize and the UPS George D. Smith Prize.

Krishnan has compiled an outstanding research record in operations research and management science and its applications to information systems. His contributions have been recognized by INFORMS through its fellow Award, and in 2015, he was conferred with the Y. Nayudamma Award for his contributions to information technology and telecommunications management. He has been president of INFORMS Computing Society and INFORMS Information Systems Society, and has edited premier journals in the fields of operations research, management science, and information science research.

Krishnan has a worldwide reputation for his expertise in data sciences, with many papers and book chapters to his credit. He was invited to speak on data analytics at the World Economic Forum in 2011. As U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton appointed him to serve as a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) expert to the U.S. Delegation to APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Consortium) in 2012. In September 2014, he provided a briefing on "big data" to the 10 ICT Ministers of ASEAN. He is a former member of the Global Agenda Council on Data Driven Development at the World Economic Forum. Currently, he works on the IT and Services Advisory Board chaired by Governor Tom Wolf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Learn more about Ramayya Krishnan >>

By Amanda King

Carnegie Mellon University boasts more than 130 energy experts — many of whom will tackle issues facing all of us as part of Energy Week, March 27-31.

Hosted by CMU's Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, each day of Energy Week, which is open to the public, will focus on one of the following themes: The Future of Energy, Innovation, Research, Policy and Education.

"Making energy more efficient, affordable and sustainable is one of the biggest challenges of this century, and the Scott Institute and Carnegie Mellon have a lot to contribute. We're looking forward to the conversations and interactions during Energy Week," said Jared L. Cohon, president emeritus and director of the Scott Institute.

Keynote speakers include National Academy of Sciences (NAS) President Marcia McNutt; Tesla Motors Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel; Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Browning, a 1990 alumnus of the College of Engineering; U.S. Energy Information Administration Acting Administrator and former CMU Professor Howard Gruenspecht; Pennsylvania Public Utilities Chair Gladys Brown; and Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Colette Honorable.

"Affordable, clean, sustainable sources of energy are so important to the future well-being of humanity that energy topics constitute nearly one quarter of the Grand Challenges set by the National Academy of Engineering to inspire innovation," McNutt said. "I personally look forward to Energy Week as an additional opportunity to encourage the brightest young minds in the nation to tackle this important problem."

In addition, Super Hero Film Writer and Producer Zack Stentz, who has written screenplays for "X-Men," "Thor" and "The Flash;" will discuss "Science and Engineering on Screen: Hollywood Loves Energy!"

Stentz is part of the Science & Entertainment Exchange (The Exchange), a program of the NAS that connects entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers. Rick Loverd, the director of The Exchange, will host the event, which also includes a panel discussion with CMU Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Costa Samaras, and two Science Ambassadors — Kate Jackson, former senior vice president and chief technology officer at Westinghouse Electric Co., and Emmanuel Taylor, senior electricity consultant at Energetics Incorporated.

Eight CMU faculty members will present their research through a series of 20-minute presentations called "Andy Talks" on Innovative Research, with subjects ranging from how energy choices affect drinking water to how jobs, energy and national security are dependent on manufacturing.

The Center for the Arts in Society and the School of Drama are offering an "augmented reality" tour of Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood, which was electrified in 1886 by the East End Electric Company to promote nighttime shopping and industry. Visitors will be able to download an app to their phones to guide them through several experiences highlighting its history of electrical infrastructure development, nickelodeon movie theaters and broadcast radio.

Carnegie Mellon also is partnering with Pittsburgh's Energy Innovation Center on the E3 (Energy, Environment and Equity) Technology Investor Conference to connect investors looking for opportunities with established energy and environmental technology companies.

"We will have a unique opportunity during Energy Week to explore how we can increase our contributions to energy innovation in the region, the nation and beyond," Cohon said.

Additional programming will include:

• Roundtable discussions on regional energy innovation and entrepreneurship; the energy workforce; and technical innovation, policy and shale gas development.
• A talk by Timothy Mitchell, author of "Carbon Democracy," at the "Contesting Energy: Labor, Culture and Politics" symposium hosted by CMU historians and literary and culture experts.
• Tours of CMU labs and research centers and regional energy facilities.
• Four student competitions: Innovation Talks about novel ideas in low-carbon energy; a Dramatic Monologue Competition; a Research Poster/Multimedia Competition; and the Allegheny Region Cleantech University Prize (CUP) Collegiate Competition. Students from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland will compete for the $50,000 grand prize, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.
• An Energy Career Fair for students from all institutions to discuss job and internship opportunities.

Registration for Energy Week events is required at cmuenergyweek.org. Participants should register for lunchtime keynote presentations by Tuesday, March 21.

Related Links:

• Carnegie Mellon Names Jay Whitacre New Director of Scott Institute

By Pam Wigley

Dara Birbaum speaking at the Whitney Museum. Photograph by Tiffany Oelfke, curtesy of the Whitney Museum of American Art

Carnegie Mellon University's School of Art has created the Birnbaum Award in honor of renowned feminist artist and alumna Dara Birnbaum, a trailblazer and pioneer in the media arts since the 1970s. The Birnbaum Award will be presented annually to a graduating senior whose work exemplifies art at the intersection of media and technology.

The award was announced during a reception at the Sky Room at the New Museum in New York City by Charlie White, the Regina and Marlin Miller Professor and Head of the School of Art.

"Dara's contribution to contemporary art's discourse is fundamental to how we understand the effects and influence of media in mass culture today," White said. "It is our honor to create this award, which will serve to recognize a graduating senior each year who carries on Dara's tradition of creating exemplary work that bridges art, media and technology."

Birnbaum's work is featured at CMU's Miller Gallery in an exhibition titled  "Hacking / Modding / Remixing." Curated by Angela Washko, a visiting assistant professor in CMU's School of Art, the exhibition features 22 female artists, designers and developers, and showcases their technology-driven and sometimes humorous work, channeling feminist voices from the 1970s to today. The show runs through Feb. 26.

"Kiss the Girls, Make them Cry," the 1979 seminal video work by Birnbaum, manipulates off-air imagery from the television game show "Hollywood Squares" (1966-1981). The work, she said, is "amongst the very first media art works to address the language of popular television and Top 10 songs. Its unusual and bizarre repetition of that television banality still rings as true today."

Birnbaum, a 1969 graduate of CMU's School of Architecture, said while a new generation of artists is providing commentary on contemporary mass media, a more critical social commentary - especially in regard to women - has yet to be confronted.

"Voices from a younger generation of women artists will, hopefully, again select and dissect those images that now dominate the mass media. The challenge remains to gain control of the imagery, revealing its hidden agendas and to formulate alternative voices and visions," she said.

White said Birnbaum's work serves as a catalyst for CMU students.

"They will be honored to carry this award with them from Carnegie Mellon, just as we at the university are honored to call Dara Birnbaum an alumna who truly serves as an inspiration to us all," White said.

By Shilo Rea

Early detection is critical for improving treatment for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). And often, those closest to a child notice the first signs.

New research reveals that children who had frequent interaction with grandparents or older siblings were diagnosed earlier with ASD. Published in the journal Autism, the study was the first to ask not only parents, but also friends and family members who had contact with the child about their early observations.

In the study from Columbia Business School, Carnegie Mellon University and the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mt. Sinai, parents reported family members were integral catalysts in diagnosing children with ASD. Approximately 50 percent of friends and family reported they suspected a child had a serious condition before they were aware that either parent was concerned. Maternal grandmothers and teachers were most often the first to raise concerns.

"Many parents avoid seeking help to find a diagnosis for their child, even though they sense something might be wrong," said Nachum Sicherman, the Carson Family Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. "They often ignore signs of a larger problem and look the other way, making the role of close family members and friends vital to accelerating diagnosis and helping a child's condition."

The researchers found frequent interaction with a grandmother reduces the age of ASD diagnosis by 5.18 months, and frequent interaction with a grandfather reduces the age of diagnosis by 3.78 months.

While interactions with grandparents play an important role, family structure also impacts the age of diagnosis. Children with no siblings are diagnosed with ASD on average six to eight months sooner than others. Additionally, the presence of older siblings, especially when the youngest child is in question, reduces the age of diagnosis by 9.5 to 10 months, compared with children who only have younger siblings. Hence, it appears older children serve as a reference point, helping parents calibrate whether younger siblings are on-target developmentally.

"This study is unique because we asked multiple friends and family members about the factors that may contribute to age of diagnosis of autism. We were troubled that about half of the friends and family who were concerned about a child were reluctant to share their concerns. Importantly, frequent interaction with a grandparent, and particularly a grandmother, was associated with earlier diagnosis," said Joseph D. Buxbaum, professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and genetics and genomic sciences at the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mt. Sinai.

Carnegie Mellon's George Loewenstein said, "The study provides new evidence of the occurrence of information-avoidance, and of its consequences."

Prior research by Loewenstein, the Herbert A. Simon University Professor of Economics and Psychology, and Sicherman examined information avoidance and documented an "ostrich effect" among investors, who are more likely to avoid looking up the value of their portfolio when the market is down.

The findings in "Grandma Knows Best: Family Structure and Age Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder" suggest there are opportunities to achieve an earlier diagnosis by tapping into wisdom from friends and family. Accelerating the age of diagnosis can have long-term effects on a child's behavior and improve overall treatment, social behavior and IQ.

Teresa Tavassoli of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mt. Sinai also participated in the research.

The Organization for Autism Research and the Seaver Foundation funded this study.

Related Articles:

• Even With 24/7 Access, Investors Tend To Put Their Heads In The Sand When Expecting Bad News
• Information Avoidance: From Health to Politics, People Select Their Own Reality
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"Don't Call Me Son" screens at 7 p.m., March 29, in CMU's McConomy Auditorium.

Identity is something people from every walk of life grapple with in some way.

Carnegie Mellon University’s 2017 International Film Festival will explore the complex subject through different languages and cultures by bringing 16 award-winning films to various locations in Pittsburgh. “Faces of Identity” runs March 23 through April 9.

Fifteen of the films will be making Pittsburgh premieres, and following the festival’s 11-year tradition, each screening will feature a special event, such as appearances by the director or someone else associated with the film, panel discussions, presentations and culinary displays relevant to the films’ themes.

On why identity was chosen as the festival’s focus, festival director and assistant director of the Humanities Center Jolanta Lion, echoed the opinions of the directors of the 2017 Oscar-Nominated Best Foreign Films. 

The directors’ statement said, “The fear generated by dividing us into genders, colours, religions and sexualities as a means to justify violence destroys the things that we depend on — not only as artists but as humans: the diversity of cultures, the chance to be enriched by something seemingly ‘foreign’ and the belief that human encounters can change us for the better. These divisive walls prevent people from experiencing something simple but fundamental: from discovering that we are all not so different.”

“Are we? Let’s meet each other at the festival and discuss this question,” Lion said.

The festival opens with “I, Daniel Blake” at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 23, in CMU’s McConomy Auditorium. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and Best British Film at the 2017 British Academy Film Awards, “I, Daniel Blake” has been making headlines in Britain and around the world for its honesty and subtle humor. From famed director Ken Loach, the film depicts the harsh and cumbersome bureaucracy standing between individuals in need of support from the government. It is told through the eyes of a middle-aged carpenter who requires state assistance for the first time in his life and his resulting friendship with a single mother trying to escape the burdens of the welfare system.

“‘I, Daniel Blake,’ from one of the world’s greatest living filmmakers, does exactly what our mission strives to accomplish,” Lion said. “We want to use film to discuss difficult and controversial conversations happening all over the world, through personal stories that force us to confront them. The film makes the struggles of the less fortunate real for audiences who would otherwise not think about it, care, or even notice. Politically and socially this film is very important and relevant today, and that's why we have selected it for opening night.”

After the screening, the University of Pittsburgh's Roger Rouse will moderate a discussion. A British-style reception will follow, featuring music by local pianist Antonio Cruise.

Other festival highlights include “Don’t Call Me Son,” a Brazilian film that will screen at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, in McConomy Auditorium. The film follows 17-year-old Pierre, a bisexual member of a band, who finds out that the woman he thought was his biological mother actually stole him from the hospital when he was born. The New York Times described the character as “a haughty, willful powder keg of conflicting drives in a film whose subject is teenage identity in an age of bewildering choices.”

“Between Fences,” an Israeli and French documentary, follows African asylum-seekers being held in a detention center in the Negev desert by Israel. The asylum-seekers and two Israelis who are appalled at the situation use “Theatre of the Oppressed” techniques to explore the personal stories behind the word “refugee.” The film screens at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at the Regent Square Theater and will feature a Q&A with director Avi Mograbi.

For the first time in its history, the film festival has partnered with a local artist to help visualize the meaning behind “Faces of Identity.” Work by Baron Batch, an entrepreneur and former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, will be displayed around CMU’s Pittsburgh campus to give students, faculty and staff a closer look at themselves, the university and what art can mean to them in today’s world. At 7 p.m. Friday, March 31, in McConomy Auditorium, Batch will be on hand to answer questions and discuss his art.

The festival also will continue its tradition of holding a Short Film Competition. The competition will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 1, in the Melwood Screening Room.

“El Futuro Perfecto,” an Argentinian film about a Chinese immigrant who shifts from present to future perfect in both language and outlook, will close the festival at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 9, in McConomy Auditorium. Variety said the film “disarmingly grants deeper life to the immigrant experience than what’s usually seen in much more dramatic affairs.”

Lauralei Kraski, assistant director of the film festival, said she loved “how the film shows how we learn about language and how we orient ourselves in our culture based on what we say.”

Closing night will include a Q&A with director Nele Wohlatz, a screening of CMU English Professor Jim Daniels’ short film, “The End of Blessings,” and a reception.

General admission tickets to the film and reception on opening night (March 23) are $15 ($10 for seniors and students). General admission tickets for all other screenings are $10 ($5 for seniors and students). A full-access festival pass can be purchased for $50 ($25 for seniors and students).

The CMU International Film Festival is organized by the Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon and is dedicated to and inspired by the life and work of the late Paul Goodman, a world-renowned filmmaker, psychologist and Carnegie Mellon professor.

The 2017 International Film Festival is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and sponsored by Carnegie Mellon, The Fine Foundation, J Street Pittsburgh, Disney Research, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York, the Polish Cultural Institute New York, the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York, FOSNA, the University of Pittsburgh, Point Park University, Carlow University, Carnegie Nexus, Studio AM, 31st Street Studios, American Ark Films, WYEP & WESA and Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

View the festival schedule, watch the film’s trailers and reserve tickets.

Artist Puts a Face on CMU Film Festival

This year’s International Film Festival, titled “Faces of Identity,” has a face of its own.

Commissioned by festival director Jolanta Lion, local artist Baron Batch has created a piece of artwork that portrays this year’s festival theme. In four weeks the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back produced a sculpture of an elongated, curved face about six feet tall that he thinks will be somewhat of a mirror to those viewing it.

“How you respond to what you see is actually a reflection of you,” Batch said.

The sculpture’s surface is painted to look like the universe with a web of colorful string carefully stretched over its features. The eyes are circular mirrors, silver candle tops with a new reflective purpose.

“When I was asked to make a piece of art that reflected my views on what identity is, as an artist, that was something I took very seriously,” Batch said.

"As I kept searching for what I believe identity to be I realized that I didn’t know.I came to the conclusion that identity is a certain amount of the unknown," he said.

Batch’s creation has been moved to different public spaces on campus and has intrigued students to take a closer look. Some have discovered the message on the back: “identity is a self reflection of chaos.”

Lauralei Kraski, assistant director of the festival, called the sculpture an “inspiration of thoughtfulness.”

Batch will host a viewing of his artwork and a Q&A at 7 p.m. Friday, March 31, in the Cohon University Center’s McConomy Auditorium.

View the festival schedule, watch the film’s trailers and reserve tickets.

"Faces of Identity" Brings 16 Award-Winning Films to Pittsburgh

By Laura Kelly

Master of Entertainment Industry Management class of 2018 student Jordan Hiebner captures his record label's showcase during SXSW. We're Trying Records is the name of the label. Image courtesy of Laila Archuleta.

At times, South by Southwest seemed like southwest Pennsylvania.

"I love the Pittsburgh connection. It's a great town and Carnegie Mellon [University] is probably the best university for robotics."

That's what Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and CEO of The Rise of the Rest, said to CMU's Courtney Ehrlichman after her company, RoadBotics, a Carnegie Mellon spinoff that uses technologies to monitor and assess the need for roadway maintenance, took second place in the Mayors' Meetup Pitch Competition.

Loved hearing @SteveCase speak so highly of Pittsburgh and @CarnegieMellon, while pitching at @sxsw https://t.co/TaJmRgsYjp

— Courtney Ehrlichman (@c_ehrlichman) March 13, 2017

Companies like RoadBotics and a strong partnership with Carnegie Mellon were among the reasons Alex Pazuchanics, public policy adviser for the City of Pittsburgh, was invited to speak about the Smart City Initiative, an effort that aims to leverage advanced technologies to improve and enhance transportation and energy systems.

"[Pittsburgh's] challenge is two-fold. We are now growing and we're seeing an influx of population as a result of a transition to a technology-based economy anchored by the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University as world-class institutions for cybersecurity, robotics, advanced technology and advanced manufacturing," said Pazuchanics, who is also a student in the Heinz College's Master of Public Management program.

"Pittsburgh is small enough to get everyone in the room, but with our strong partnerships with CMU and Pitt, when we do, the world takes notice," he said.

Carnegie Mellon's Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) program participated and hosted several events throughout the week (March 10-16). Carnegie Mellon-specific programming included talks from industry leaders, such as 20th Century Fox, CBS Films and AOL.

"The sessions were really great," said Emily Ellis, a MEIM first-year student. "They pulled together people from different aspects of the film industry. We talked to people who did more of the analytical side of things looking at numbers and ratings, but we also heard from producers. One of them was Richard Gladstein who produced 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Pulp Fiction.' It was amazing!"

On the interactive side of the festival, Carnegie Mellon hosted "Between Two Thistles," a takeoff on Zach Galifanakis' "Between Two Ferns," with Dean of the School of Computer Science Andrew Moore and Deloitte's Chief Technology Officer Mark White. Their conversation focused on artificial intelligence.

@CarnegieMellon thanks for having me. Love this program and these students.

— michael j lambie (@mjlambie) March 11, 2017

Anok Yerdi, a 2005 Heinz College alumnus and former Deloitte employee, was among the CMU alumni in attendance.

"Primarily, I came back to reconnect with everyone. Also, I wanted to learn about artificial intelligence. Look who spoke! It doesn't get better than this - the dean of Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science and the CTO of Innovation of Deloitte Consulting!"

What happens when you ask your phone a question? @CarnegieMellon @asms_edu @asmssusan @ASMS_Jayne @CareerPlanAU #SXSW #NVIUS2017 pic.twitter.com/ot0AgovksI

— Wendy Perry (@waperry) March 15, 2017

Moore also gave a talk, "AI in America: Preparing Our Kids," in which he emphasized computer science and programming can, and should, be accessible to all.

Moore said at the rate technology was advancing, a million current middle school students could each invent amazing new applications.

By Shilo Rea 

Despite major brain differences, many species from spiders to humans can recognize and differentiate relative quantities. Adult primates, however, are the only ones with a sophisticated cortical brain system, meaning the others rely on a subcortex or its evolutionary equivalent.

Carnegie Mellon University scientists wanted to find out whether the adult human subcortex contributes to number processing at all. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, their study found that the adult subcortex processes numbers at the same level as infants and perhaps other lower-order species, such as guppies and spiders.

"This study tells us a great deal about the human subcortex, most importantly that it does not appear to improve from its number abilities in infancy, while the cortex, which is more developed in humans than in any other species, does continuously develop," said Elliot Collins, who is studying for his  Ph.D. in psychology in CMU's Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a medical  degree in the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

Because the subcortex's location and small size make it hard to observe in humans using imaging techniques, the researchers conducted a series of experiments using a stereoscope. The stereoscope allowed them to present two consecutive visual stimuli either sequentially to one eye at a time or sequentially to both eyes. This was crucial since signals that enter one eye remain separated in the subcortical part of the visual system.

One hundred adults made decisions about two groups of dots to the same eye or different eyes. The results showed that numerical judgments in the one eye trials were better under one key condition: when the first and second stimuli's quantity differed greatly, such as having a ratio of 4:1 or 3:1.

"The subcortex is not good at making fine grain number discriminations, and these findings support that," Collins said. "Our results suggest, however, that adults with a fully operational cortex still have a subcortex with the ability to distinguish number, yet it operates on a similar level to what is found in babies, other primates and lower level species who can make coarse computations of large ratios such as, for example, which shoal of fish is bigger and should be joined. This provides evidence of a potential evolutionary bridge between the human adult subcortex and the brain of lower order species."

CMU's Marlene Behrmann, the Cowan University Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, and the University of Massachusetts' Joonkoo Park, who received his master's degree in human-computer interaction from CMU, also participated in the study.

Grants from the National Science Foundation, the Temporal Dynamics of Learning Center, the NIH Medical Scientist Training Program and the NIH Predoctoral Training supported this research.

Understanding how the subcortex processes numbers is one example of Carnegie Mellon's strengths in combining cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience with big data and analytics. The university's BrainHub initiative is designed to leverage these strengths further and focuses on how the structure and activity of the brain give rise to complex behaviors.

Carnegie Mellon University School of Art first- and second-year graduate students present “The Very Best Deserts on Planet Earth,” an annual Master of Fine Arts program exhibition, April 2-23, at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s 937 Gallery.

The exhibition showcases new work by a diverse group of 11 emerging artists working in a range of methodologies, conceptual frameworks and media. A soft opening is scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m., Sunday, April 2, and a closing reception will be held from 5:30 - 10 p.m., Friday, April 21, in conjunction with the Cultural Trust’s monthly Gallery Crawl.

About the Artists:

Shobun Baile revives design histories and buried institutions. 

Katie Rose Pipkin produces printed material as books, as well as digital work in software, bots and games. They also make drawings by hand, on paper. 

Nick Crockett makes games with bodies. 

Gray Swartzel works collaboratively with an artist he found through craigslist who serves as his surrogate mother. The documentation of their constructed mother/child exchange investigates biopolitics and the state of global currency in regard to the degradation of the patriarchal order. 

Paper Buck utilizes interdisciplinary approaches to traditional visual art media to critically engage contemporary social movement discourses, investigate the intersections of familial and national mythologies, and make visible the perpetuities of colonial processes within neoliberal capitalism. 

Erin Mallea is currently advocating for the ethical memorialization and representation of a local oak tree. 

Jisoo Yeo renders floors floorless by focusing on the idea of the impermanence of time-space. http://yeojisoo.com/contact

Joy Poulard Cruz fuses pop-cultural, Afro-Caribbean and Western mythologies to cultivate unity between the familiar and unfamiliar. 

Alex Lukas examines the quasi-sacral figure within a secular, souvenir-centric society. 

Lee Webster makes work on American mourning and the perpetual pop-culture nostalgia machine. 

Shohei Katayama explores the relationship between nature, technology and the scientific forces that shape the human experience.

Learn more about the April 21 reception.

Following extensive testing, Carnegie Mellon University has determined that drinking water supplies throughout its campus facilities are safe and free of elevated lead levels.

In August of 2016, The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), which supplies CMU’s water, notified residents of elevated levels of lead in some local homes. In an ongoing commitment to safety and security, Carnegie Mellon University proactively and voluntarily decided to test the drinking water for lead in all facilities constructed prior to 1986 on the Pittsburgh campus (lead piping in plumbing was banned after this date).

During the period of October – December 2016, a total of 393 water samples were collected and sent to an accredited testing facility. Three samples showed elevations of lead above regulatory limits; the related fixtures were promptly taken out of service or replaced with a new unit. 

The department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), a unit in the Division of Operations at Carnegie Mellon, reports that previous tests and subsequent tests of the new fixtures reveal a safe water supply, pursuant to standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. EH&S will continue to conduct water testing on an annual basis.

For more information on lead in drinking water, visit:

• PWSA website at: www.pgh20/lead-facts
• Environmental Protection Agency website at: www.epa.gov/lead
• Center for Disease Control website at: www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/water.html

If you have any questions regarding water testing on the Carnegie Mellon University campus, please contact Mark Banister at markb2@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-1493.

Softball is coming to Carnegie Mellon University. The university has announced its intention to add softball as an intercollegiate sport, beginning with the 2019 spring season. Like Carnegie Mellon's other intercollegiate programs, softball will compete in the University Athletic Association.

"The addition of softball as an intercollegiate sport is historic for our university, and I am grateful to our administration for making it a reality," said Director of Athletics Josh Centor. "Our student-athletes have made a significant impact on the culture of Carnegie Mellon University, and it is a tribute to the Tartans of past and present for helping provide this opportunity for our program to expand."

Softball will become the 19th varsity sport at Carnegie Mellon, and second intercollegiate program added in the past four years. Women's golf began intercollegiate play in the fall of 2014, and has excelled in its first three seasons at the intercollegiate level. The women's golf program is currently ranked 26th nationally.

"It is an exciting time to be at Carnegie Mellon as we build on our outstanding intercollegiate athletic program," said Vice President of Student Affairs Gina Casalegno. "This expansion offers the opportunity to recruit a new profile of students who are eager to study at an institution of Carnegie Mellon's caliber while bringing their talent and love for softball to the university experience."

Student-athletes have made a significant impact on the university community, as they have excelled athletically and academically across rigorous disciplines. During the 2015-16 academic year, varsity athletes posted a cumulative GPA of 3.37, and 77 student-athletes had 4.0s during this past semester. Athletically, the program has made its mark on a national level, as each fall and winter program was represented in postseason competition this year.

"I am exceptionally proud of what our student-athletes accomplish in their sports and through their contributions to the life of the campus," Casalegno said. "Adding softball to Carnegie Mellon expands that contribution and creates meaningful experiences for our students as they represent the university in a well-established softball program among our UAA peers."

Carnegie Mellon will begin a national search for the first head coach of its softball program this spring. The 2017-18 academic year will be spent recruiting the first class of players.

"We believe we have the infrastructure in place that will allow us to be successful in softball at a national level," Centor said. "We expect to be competitive quickly."

Related:

• Student-Athletes Embrace Full CMU Experience

The Carnegie Science Center will recognize eight Carnegie Mellon University faculty members and students at its 21st annual Carnegie Science Awards celebration on May 12at Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh.

Presented annually, the Carnegie Science Awards recognize outstanding science and technology achievements in western Pennsylvania. Since 1997, they have honored the accomplishments, contributions and regional impact of more than 500 individuals and organizations in the fields of science, technology and education. 

Award Winners

Neil Donahue, Environmental Award

Neil Donahue, the Thomas Lord Professor of Chemistry and professor of chemical engineering and engineering and public policy, is being recognized for his "outstanding achievements in the fields of environmental protection and restoration that benefit the economy, health and quality of life in the Pittsburgh region." A leading expert in atmospheric chemistry, Donahue is working to address air quality issues on a local and national scale. He is director of the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research and a member and founding director of the Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies.

Leonard Kisslinger, Leadership in STEM Education Award

Physics Professor Leonard Kisslinger is being honored for his dedicated educational outreach efforts in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In 1998, Kisslinger started Carnegie Mellon's Physics Concepts Outreach Program, now the CMU/Colfax Physics Concepts Outreach Program, which has successfully reached more than 500 students in underserved schools and disadvantaged families in the Pittsburgh region. The program teaches students science through  hands-on projects , while improving their self-confidence.

Brett Slezak, Middle Level Educator Award

Brett Slezak, a teacher in the Allegheny Valley School District and an active member of both the Arts and Bots program and the Fluency Project in the Robotics Institute's CREATE Lab, will receive the 2017 Carnegie Science Award for Middle Level Educator.

Jessica Trybus, Corporate Innovation Award

Jessica Trybus, a CMU graduate and special faculty member at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center, is leading the way in combining education and gaming technology. Her leadership of "games-for-learning" development has contributed to Carnegie Mellon's recognition as a pioneer in using game-based learning to improve student outcomes. She is founder of the CMU spinoff Simcoach Games, which develops game-based software for workforce training. Simcoach Games software is being used by Fortune 500 companies.

Kathryn Whitehead, Emerging Female Scientist Award

Kathryn Whitehead, assistant professor of chemical engineering, was selected for her groundbreaking  work at the interface of chemical engineering, molecular biology and medicine. The Whitehead Lab is working to create drug delivery systems for next-generation gene therapy. The lab's nanomedicine research will revolutionize how we treat diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and hereditary disorders. Whitehead received the 2016 Young Faculty Award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and was named by Popular Science as a 2015 "Brilliant 10" young researcher.

Genoa Warner, University/Post-Secondary Student Award

Genoa Warner, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry, is a researcher in Theresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry Terry Collins's research lab, where she applies her aptitude for scientific research to her passion for sustainability and environmental protection. She is producing a new series of oxidation catalysts that will remove pollutants from water and can be used in water treatment plants. She is chair of the Environmental Group of the Pittsburgh section of the American Chemical Society, participates in the Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology's DNAZone outreach program and oversees a community supported agriculture drop site at the Mellon Institute to bring fresh, local produce to the Carnegie Mellon community.

Honorable Mentions

Conrad Zapanta, University/Post-Secondary Educator

Conrad Zapanta, professor and associate department head of Bbiomedical Eengineering, is being honored for his significant contributions in biomedical engineering education. He teaches courses in biomedical design and professional issues and oversees undergraduate curriculum and advising. Zapanta co-leads the Carnegie Heart Program, a collaborative effort between Carnegie Mellon and the Allegheny Health Network to give summer fellowships to undergraduates pursuing degrees in biomedical engineering.

Neil Carleton, University/Post-Secondary Student

Neil Carleton is majoring in biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering, while dedicating numerous hours on research. His research focuses on the development of an artificial lung as a permanent respiratory support for patients who cannot receive a lung transplant. His work has included building lungs and testing them in various settings. This work will form the basis of his Honors Research Thesis. Carleton l is planning to continue his studies in an M.D.-Ph.D. program to become a clinician-scientist.

Alexandra To, University/Post-Secondary Student

Alexandra To's research focuses on supporting youth to consider career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM). She has shown remarkable depth and sophistication in bringing together theory, research and design, and has been an exceptional mentor to high school students and university undergraduates from underrepresented groups. In her first year as a Ph.D. student, she had three papers accepted, and won two awards.

By Adam Dove

A new index that will measure carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. electric power producers has been created by Carnegie Mellon University and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems.

The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index will track the environmental performance of U.S. power producers and compare current emissions to historical data collected nationwide for more than two decades. A quarterly press release will inform interested parties of power sector carbon emissions trends. Carnegie Mellon will unveil the new index March 28 during Energy Week at CMU's Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. More than 700 energy research, policy, industry and academic leaders are expected to attend.

"The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index will provide a snapshot of critical data regarding energy production and environmental performance," said Costa Samaras, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at CMU.

In addition, CMU will provide an online resource for a wide variety of power sector emissions data and forecasts.

"Launching the index during Carnegie Mellon's Energy Week will expose the data to a wide range of industry leaders and should prompt a useful discussion about the progress being made by the power sector," said Inês Azevedo, associate professor of engineering and public policy at CMU.

The U.S. electricity sector is rapidly changing with construction of renewable and natural gas power projects, retirements of coal and nuclear power plants, the addition of air and water emission control devices, and improvements to the efficiency and emissions of existing power plants. The index will provide policymakers, regulators, utilities, industry analysts and the public with a source of objective information on overall emissions across the U.S. electric power grid.

"As older, inefficient coal-fired power plants have been replaced with renewables and highly efficient natural gas power plants, our industry has made significant progress in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and other emissions during the past decade," said Paul Browning, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems MHPS Americas and a 1990 alumnus of CMU's College of Engineering.

"As the power sector continues to evolve, the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index will provide useful insights into progress the power sector is making to safeguard the environment while meeting the nation's energy demand. As a leading provider of products and services that power a brighter future, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems is proud to support this important work by Carnegie Mellon," Browning said.

Energy Week to focus on innovation, workforce and culture March 27-31.

Although they may seem worlds apart, drama students and student-athletes are performers, and at Carnegie Mellon University they are connecting now more than ever.
 
Thanks to a suggestion by the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), a program evolved that helps these two student groups see how similar they really are. At a SAAC meeting in late 2016, Joshua Centor, director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation, and CMU Provost Farnam Jahanian were inspired by student-athletes’ comments about attendance at their games.
 
Centor said the students wanted to see more people there, so they started brainstorming ways to see greater school spirit within the university community. That led to the idea about other student groups attending sporting events if the student-athletes returned the gesture. The idea grew into “Tartan Night at the Theater” and, eventually, became a ticket exchange between the School of Drama and the Department of Athletics.
 
“The motivation is simple. There are incredible things happening on this campus, and the ambition is to expose our students to as much of that richness as possible,” Centor said.
 
Working with School of Drama Head Peter Cooke, Centor planned for the athletes and the drama students to take turns attending each other’s “performances,” in this case, a basketball game (CMU vs. NYU) and a production of the spring musical, “Ragtime.” At each event, students, faculty and staff had time to interact, helping them to develop a greater understanding of each other’s hard work and dedication to their practice.
 
“I think doing this sort of exchange is awesome,” said Jason Cohen, a senior stage management major. “We spend a lot of time in the theater, and it’s good to get out and see other things.”
 
Prior to the basketball game the groups gathered for a pizza party, and they quickly found common ground. Before “Ragtime,” students and staff gathered for a group picture in the Purnell Center lobby, and many athletes stayed after the show for a talkback with cast and crew. 

“I haven’t had time to get out to a lot of the drama productions, so I was really looking forward to this,” said Ryanne Ege, a freshman business major on the women’s soccer team.
 
“The athletes are trapped in the gym like we are in our work. So it’s great to share our experiences, which, when you look at them, are very similar,” said Alexis Chaney, a graduate student in costume design. “I hope this sort of thing happens more often.”
 
Cooke also recognized the similarities and was very happy with the exchange.
 
“Athletics and theatrical practice are both highly disciplined activities that, in turn, share a raft of traits including exemplary stamina, skill, determination and personal courage,” he said. “This was a wonderfully like-minded collaboration.”

By Pam Wigley

Arts Greenhouse participant Destiny Calloway works on a song in the lahakis Recording Studio.

Shad Ali may not have a green thumb, but things are thriving in his greenhouse.

Ali is the head instructor/music mentor for Arts Greenhouse, an organization dedicated to changing the lives of young Pittsburghers by enabling them to tell their stories through creative expression. Using poetry, hip-hop, the humanities, drama and music — among other art forms — Ali is helping students to fine-tune their talents and find ways to share their gifts with each other and the community.

"The program is about trying to get these kids to bring out their artistry," said Ali, a Pittsburgh native who has been in his mentorship role since fall 2016. "Creative self-expression is something being looked at in school systems across the country. It expands minds and learning capacities, and this program allows that to happen."

"I've seen firsthand the power of art and music. It means a lot to the kids to find their own great gifts and share them, whether they're performing or behind the scenes as producers and engineers in the studio." — Shad Ali

Originally a program within Carnegie Mellon University's Center for the Arts in Society, the Arts Greenhouse has grown since its founding in 2002. Students in grades 6-12 from throughout Pittsburgh gather in CMU's College of Fine Arts every Saturday from 1-5 p.m. They participate in workshops that focus on social issues and the arts, taught by visiting professors from within the university, student volunteers and professional artists from Pittsburgh's burgeoning hip-hop community.

Perhaps their favorite part of the program, though, is when they hit the Vlahakis Recording Studio and work toward producing an album that's the culmination of their time within the program. They also perform on campus and in the community.

Shad Ali

Riccardo Schulz, a teaching professor in the School of Music, also works with the Arts Greenhouse and manages the recording studio, which is used by musicians from the CMU community and the broader Pittsburgh region.

"The Recording Studio at Carnegie Mellon is a wonderful resource for creative musicians," Schulz said. He said over the years the Arts Greenhouse participants have formed friendships and their own community to support each other.

"They get to express themselves and show rapid progress in developing their thoughts and ideas. To work in a professional recording studio is a huge benefit for them as they take part in this process, and a source of pride, because they can share their art with friends and family through the recordings they make," he said. "I'm constantly amazed to see their individual strengths in character, their outlooks on life, their interest in social issues, and how inspiring they are as young people the challenging world of today."

Stefano DiDonato, a senior at Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts School, started at Arts Greenhouse when he was in eighth grade. He mostly records students performing and found his love for the art of engineering and mixing a couple years after coming to the program.

"Arts Greenhouse is a great program for anyone who wants to explore their talents and work on them because there are a lot of artists in Pittsburgh and people necessarily don't know about them," he said. "This is a great outlet for them to express themselves."

DiDonato said he has learned a lot from Arts Greenhouse's instructors, and he'll miss that knowledge base when he graduates.

"We go really in-depth with these conversations that you usually don't get anywhere else," DiDonato said.

The program introduces students to the arts, although Ali said it's sometimes hard for students to travel to Carnegie Mellon on a weekend when public transportation services are running on a limited schedule. To be more accommodating, he said, there's been talk about moving the meeting to a weekday to make it easier for more students to participate.

Ali works hard to introduce students to the Arts Greenhouse, cultivating new members by contacting school representatives and meeting students at the hip-hop classes he teaches at the Obama Academy of International Studies on Tuesday afternoons. A rapper, Ali performs throughout Pittsburgh and says his work is inspired by "life happenings," which he calls "the driving force behind my work." It doesn't hurt that he was born into the arts; his father was a painter, sculptor and "all-around artist."

"I've seen firsthand the power of art and music," he said. "It means a lot to the kids to find their own great gifts and share them, whether they're performing or behind the scenes as producers and engineers in the studio."

Interested people can learn more by e-mailing Ali at shadali320@gmail.com or by visiting the Arts Greenhouse website.