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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Dear Diary: What Analyzing a Century of Russophone Journaling Reveals About the Diary as a Genre

What do a Soviet soldier scribbling on scrap paper during wartime and a 1990s diarist typing on a computer have in common? According to research from Carnegie Mellon University scholars Tatyana Gershkovich and Simon DeDeo, far more than you might think.

Using computational humanities methods and traditional close reading, the researchers analyzed more than a thousand personal diaries written in Russian from the early 20^th century through the end of the Soviet era. They found that across vastly different historical, social and material contexts, diarists consistently returned to a familiar mix of themes, including introspection, routine cataloging and reflection on the diary as a literary object.

Read how Gershkovich and DeDeo used a novel computational reading technique to unlock the past.

Faculty Spotlight: Aydin Mohseni

Aydin Mohseni (DC 2015) is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy. His research focuses on science and formal and social epistemology. His work is informed by game and decision theory and Bayesian statistics.

"I’ve always wanted to understand the natural world as deeply as possible and to contribute, in some small way, to humanity’s collective understanding. That impulse led me to philosophy of science and, eventually, to mathematical modeling — first as a master’s student at Carnegie Mellon, then during my Ph.D. at UC Irvine," said Mohseni. "Both programs encouraged combining philosophical analysis with formal tools, and I was lucky to have mentors who valued both rigor and application. I like that mathematics forces you to make your assumptions explicit — it’s a kind of intellectual honesty that philosophy, at its best, also aspires to."

Bañuelos Receives Alumni Service Award

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences graduate Erika Bañuelos (DC 1996) is one of 10 Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Awards honorees for 2025. An Alumni Service Award recipient, Bañuelos is recognized for her dedicated and impactful service to the university and its students and alumni.

“This year is a double celebration — 125 years since CMU’s founding and 75 years of the Alumni Awards — so it’s the perfect time to honor where we’ve been and where we’re headed,” said Joanna D. Lovering, president of the CMU Alumni Association Board. “What a milestone year to cheer on this incredible group of Alumni Award honorees! Their drive, creativity and generosity light the way for every Tartan.”

Read about Bañuelos' nearly 20 years of service to the CMU Denver Alumni Network.

Faculty Spotlight: Jonathan Tsay

Jonathan Tsay is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology. His research focuses on cognitive neuroscience, computational modeling, neuropsychology and psychophysics. His work is informed and inspired by how the human body performs everyday movements.

"Our lab’s mission is to understand how humans master a seemingly limitless repertoire of movements -- from brewing coffee to parallel parking. To achieve this, we combine mathematical modeling, behavioral observations and neuropsychological studies of patients with brain disorders to identify the mechanisms of motor learning," said Tsay. "Ultimately, our goal is to translate these insights into practice: advancing physical rehabilitation, enhancing human performance and informing the design of next-generation brain-computer interfaces."

Read about how basketball and a knee injury set Tsay on his path toward motor learning.

Upcoming Events

Giving CMU Day (Hybrid): Show your support for CMU's people, places and programs this Dec. 2 with 24 hours of donation matches and challenges.

Festive Pizza Party (San Diego): Join fellow Tartans and friends for an evening of connection, conversation and community at LuckyBolt Lounge on Dec. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

125th Anniversary: The Power of Possibilities Tour (New York City): Join President Jahanian, university leadership and CMU faculty in celebration of Carnegie Mellon's 125th Anniversary on Dec. 4 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at The Times Center.

Family-Friendly Tree Cutting Event (Denver): Come join fellow Tartans and their families for fellowshipping and tree cutting on Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Buffalo Creek.

Chicago Alumni Holiday Luncheon (Chicago): Join fellow CMU Chicago Tartans to celebrate the holidays at Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurant on Dec. 12 from 12 to 2 p.m.

CMU Night at the Washington Wizards (Washington, D.C.): Join the CMU DC Alumni network and fellow Tartans for a night of basketball as the Washington Wizards take on the New Orleans Pelicans at the Capital One Arena on Jan. 9 from 7 to 10 p.m.

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.