Dietrich College News

Released at the beginning of each month, Dietrich College News is your chance to stay up-to-date on the latest news, events and accomplishments of Dietrich alumni, students, staff and faculty.

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Tool Helps Scientists Spot Source of Disease

Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed a statistical tool that could help pinpoint the genetic changes that cause diseases like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. While scientists have long identified genes associated with these conditions, confirming which changes actually cause disease has remained a challenge. The tool, causarray, offers hope.

CMU’s Kathryn Roeder, UPMC University Professor of Statistics and Life Sciences in the Statistics & Data Science and Computational Biology departments, said that causarray has already been proven effective at identifying significant genetic changes.

Read about Roeder's promising new statistical tool, co-created with CMU's Jin-Hong Du and Maya Shen.

Mo Fahad Explores Humanity in Northern Ireland Through Fulbright

This summer, Mo Fahad, a rising sophomore in Carnegie Mellon University’s

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, is studying abroad at Queen’s

University Belfast through the Fulbright UK Summer Institutes. As part of the

program, Fahad is delving into questions of identity, conflict and reconciliation in a

region with a complex history. Fahad, a member of the Humanities Scholars Program, discovered the Fulbright opportunity through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholar Development’s National and International Fellowships and Scholarships listing.

“I saw Northern Ireland and immediately knew I had to apply,” he said. “I have a

specific interest in Northern Ireland because I want to write a comparative paper

on South Asia and Northern Ireland — how both regions were raised under British

imperial rule and how that shaped their national identities and literature.”

Read about Fahad's experience abroad and how it's teaching him about what it means to be human.

Protecting Red Pandas

Sarah Glass (DC 1989) didn’t know much about Lincoln when they first met 12 years ago. Now, after years of working together, she can tell you all about his temperament, behavior, routine — and favorite place to nap.

Lincoln is the oldest of the zoo’s red pandas, and Sarah is the wild ambassador curator of red pandas at Zoo Knoxville in Knoxville, Tennessee. At 12, Lincoln has already outlived the ten-year lifespan typical for a red panda. Because of his age, he now has an important role to play in the species’ survival — with Sarah’s help.

Read about Glass's path from CMU's Psychology Department to the world of red panda conservation.

Faculty Spotlight: Hannah Bailey

Hannah Bailey is an assistant professor in the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology. Her research examines how authoritarian states develop and use emerging technologies, focusing on the goals and impacts of state-sponsored digital persuasion in the global public sphere.

"My work tries to understand how these political elites — whether authoritarian states, or even just individual political actors — are looking to use technology as a potentially manipulative communication tool. I think it's particularly important in the age of social media and increasing AI to understand how these tools can be used in the political context."

Upcoming Events

Dinner and Karaoke in Downtown Pittsburgh: On Aug. 7, 6:30 to 9 p.m., join other CMU alumni at Bae Baes Supper Club (951 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222).

Paddleboarding and Kayaking on Lake Lanier outside of Atlanta: Meet up with other Atlanta-area alumni for a Day on the Lake on August 10, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Exact address to be determined.)

Bike & Brew on the Fox River outside of Chicago: Visit with other Chicago-area alumni on the Island Park bike trail on August 16, 1:30 to 4 p.m. (14 E State St, North Aurora, Illinois 60542).

Alumni Events: From cherished, in-person Carnegie Mellon traditions to virtual learning experiences with researchers at the cutting-edge of their fields, CMU offers a variety of events for alumni to connect with each other and the university, expand their knowledge and networking opportunities, and make memories together. Explore alumni events.