October 30, Vol. 25, No. 17                                                 
  
Open Enrollment Begins Monday;
Benefits & Fitness Fair is Nov. 5            
This year's Open Enrollment for health care benefits begins this Monday, Nov. 3, and ends at 5 p.m. ET, on Monday, Nov. 17. Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your benefit coverage options and make choices for the upcoming calendar year.

There are changes to domestic medical plan options and coverage levels for 2015. Information on these changes and detailed plan and rate information can be found online.

You also can learn more about your benefit options at the annual Benefits & Fitness Fair from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 5, in the Cohon University Center's Rangos Ballroom. Representatives from health care providers will be on hand to answer questions.

The fair also features flu shots, free health screenings, giveaways, raffles, free massages, and over 75 vendors, including fitness and nutrition experts and representatives from CMU's fitness and wellness programs.

Learn more about the Benefits & Fitness Fair.
  
CMU Robot Inspires Disney Film Character   
Baymax
An inflatable robotic arm made of a balloon-like material at CMU was the inspiration behind "Baymax," a pivotal character in Disney's latest animated feature film "Big Hero 6," set to premiere on Nov. 7.

In the comedy-adventure, Baymax, a gentle robot designed to care for humans, is transformed into a warrior and joins a band of high-tech heroes.

The inflatable robotic arm that proved inspirational was developed by Siddharth Sanan during his Ph.D. thesis research in Robotics Professor Chris Atkeson's lab. The arm of balloons was a project in CMU's Quality of Life Technology Center, which adapts robotic technology to meet the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities.

"The movie is a tremendous win for soft robotics," Atkeson said. He said mobile robots made from soft materials - fabrics, balloons, light plastics - offer advantages over metal robots, including lower weight, lower cost and greater safety when operating near people. "I think this movie will be inspirational for a lot of people," he added.


33 Genes Contribute to Autism Risk, Team Says
Bernie Devlin
Kathryn Roeder
The list of genes identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has expanded from nine to 33, according to a new study by an international research team, including Carnegie Mellon's Kathryn Roeder and the University of Pittsburgh's Bernie Devlin.

Published in Nature, the study examined data on several types of rare, genetic differences in more than 14,000 DNA samples from parents, affected children and unrelated individuals. It is the largest sample to date, and provides evidence that small differences in some of possibly 1,000 risk genes contribute to autism. In addition to increasing the number of definitive autism genes almost fourfold, the team pinpointed more than 70 other likely ASD genes.

The findings support the influential "Frontal-Posterior Underconnectivity Theory of Autism," in which CMU's Marcel Just and Pitt's Nancy Minshew first proposed and explained that the synchronization of activity between frontal and posterior brain areas is lower in autism.


Ecuadorian President Visits CMU-Q
Dean Ilker Baybars and Ecuador President Rafael Correa
During an official trip to Qatar, Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, visited Carnegie Mellon's Doha campus to tour the CMU-Q building, meet CMU-Q Dean Ilker Baybars and to hear about the quality of education at Carnegie Mellon.

Earlier this week, Ecuador opened Yachay University, a multi-university campus similar to Education City.

Baybars led the tour for Correa, which included about 40 government officials and journalists from Ecuador in addition to about 40 officials from Qatar and CMU-Q. He emphasized that the quality of education at CMU-Q was the same as a student receives in Pittsburgh.

Dean Baybars also talked about how the educational technology on campus allows students and faculty to instantly connect to lectures, talks, seminars and classes in Pittsburgh and around the world.

See photos of the visit.
 
And Last But Not Least . . .

Welcome to Your Workday! 59 Days and Counting
Workday is coming Dec. 29. Green time sheets are out; Workday is in! Beginning Dec. 29, non-exempt employees will no longer be filling out green time sheets. Your time will be entered and approved electronically through Workday. Learn more.

Subscribe to the project newsletter by sending email titled "subscribe" to cmu-works@andrew.cmu.edu.

Help the Hungry

Carnegie Mellon's 21st annual food drive, sponsored by Staff Council, begins Monday, Nov. 3, and runs through Monday, Nov. 17. Collection containers will be in many campus buildings, including the Cohon University Center (CUC). All donations go to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.

Bring donations to the One Day, One Can event at the Benefits and Fitness Fair in the CUC on Nov. 5 and be entered into a special raffle for great prizes. Cash donations also are accepted. Make checks payable to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.

Eat at the New Tartan Express

Carnegie Mellon's first-ever food truck, the Tartan Express, is parked near the Legacy Plaza between the Cohon University Center and West Wing.

The truck serves Asian fare, including Chinese noodles, dumplings, rice bowls, soups and more. Cash, Meal Blocks, DineXtra and Plaid Cash are accepted. Fall semester hours are 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Monday - Friday. See the menu.

See something? Say something. Help ensure the safety and well-being of the CMU community by calling:
University Police: 412-268-2323
Ethics Hotline: 1-877-700-7050

 Calendar Highlights 

TODAY
Flu Vaccine Clinic (No appt. necessary)

Concert:Pittsburgh Performance  Innovation Ensemble

November 3
MAM Speakers Series: Michael Mael

November 4
Professional Development: Good Survey Design

Professional Development: Creating An Exceptional Customer Experience

November 5
Benefits & Fitness Fair

Architecture Lecture: "Daylighting Frontiers"

November 5-7
Drama Performances: Fool for Love

November 6
New Hire Orientation

November 9
Concert: CMU Wind Ensemble

November 10
Recital: Andrew Heath, Trumpet

November 11
Bennett-McWilliams Lecture: "Lighting Up the Dark: Where is the Dark Matter?"

November 13
Professional Development: Enhancing Your Decision-Making Habits

November 13-22
Drama: The Trojan Women: A Love Story

November 14
Professional Development: How Do You Make Sense of Your Data?

Encountering the Unseen: Artist-Actualized Lectures in Microbiology

November 16
Concert: CMU Baroque Ensemble

November 18
Professional Development: Project Planning

Submit an Event
     This issue features:

Jonathan Malen
Shelley Anna
Justin Cranshaw
Anita Woolley
Kristina Straub
Elizabeth Finley

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