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November 10, 2011 · Vol. 22, No. 19
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Face Time With Facebook
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Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made his first CMU visit on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
"We have a lot of Carnegie Mellon alums at Facebook and a lot of them are actually some of our best engineers," Zuckerberg said. "So when we decided to organize this trip to go see a few colleges, Carnegie Mellon was at the top of the list."
Read the full story. | Watch Zuckerberg's press briefing.
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Scientists Use Science To Fight Hunger in Africa
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 Mechanical Engineering Professor Phil LeDuc and Mary Beth Wilson, a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering, are taking a scientific approach to fighting hunger in Africa.
With support from a Grand Challenges Exploration Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, LeDuc and Wilson are adjusting the cell mechanics of certain leafy vegetables in Africa to make the vegetation more palatable for malnourished infants and children.
Read the full story. |
Instruction and Experience Influence Action |
 Until now, most psychology and neural imaging research have focused on how humans learn behavior through trial and error. However, CMU neuroscientists Matthew M. Walsh and John R. Anderson have found that this view is incomplete.
In a new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Walsh and Anderson show how the brain uses both instruction and experience to select actions. This identification of separate neural systems that control behavior also suggests that damage to one may not impair the other.
Read the full story. |
Nov. 20 is Randy Pausch Day in Pittsburgh |
 Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has signed a proclamation declaring Sunday, Nov. 20 Randy Pausch Memorial Day in Pittsburgh.
The proclamation praises the late CMU professor for raising awareness of pancreatic cancer and urging Congress to increase research funding for it; for helping to found the Entertainment Technology Center; for advocating the collaboration between technology and the arts; and more.
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Still Time To Donate: Food Drive Ends Friday | |
 There's still time to contribute to CMU's 18th annual Food Drive, sponsored by Staff Council. Look for collection containers in your building. The drive ends Friday, Nov. 11.
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Reminder: Benefits Open Enrollment Ends Nov. 14 | |
 Employees can use HR Connection to review their benefit options and rates, and make their elections for 2012. If you don't actively make new elections, many of your 2011 benefits will carry over to 2012. However, active enrollment is required to participate in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Spending Accounts for 2012.
Couldn't attend Benefits Specialist Lori Bell's presentation at the Benefits Open Forum Sessions sponsored by Staff Council? Her slides are available online at the Staff Council website.
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10 New Members Elected to Board of Trustees | |
Ten new members have been elected to Carnegie Mellon's Board of Trustees for three-year terms through 2014.
They are Jeanne Cunicelli (HSS'88), James Gianopulos, Candace Matthews (E'81), David McCormick, William Meaney (TPR'86), Attila Molnar, Roy Shanker (TPR'73'76), Ajit Shetty (TPR'76), Lip-Bu Tan and Thomas Tull.
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Global Entrepreneurship Week Begins Monday |
 CMU, one of the fastest growing entrepreneurial universities in the U.S., celebrates Global Entrepreneurship Week with a series of talks, panel discussions and presentations geared for the budding entrepreneur.
The week kicks off with a talk by Peter Stern, CEO of bitly, and a Project Olympus Show & Tell featuring faculty and student startups. |
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