Heinz College News

Lights, Camera — Cannes

Mon, 18 Jun 2013 10:58:00 GMT

This story originally appeared on CMU.edu.

When Taylor Grabowsky (A'06, HNZ'14) entered Carnegie Mellon University's Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) program last fall, he knew he wanted a career in the film industry.

He didn't know that within a year, he'd be premiering a short film at the 2013 Cannes International Film Festival.

"There aren't words to describe my experience in Cannes last month," exclaimed Grabowsky. "I had to continually ask myself, 'Is this really happening?' I attended red carpet premieres, lavish parties, met celebrities and networked with industry professionals at the most renowned international film festival in the world."

Grabowsky's whirlwind began when Maureen May, the MEIM Career Services representative, suggested he apply to the Creative Minds Filmmaker Institute, a program of filmmaking, networking and master classes held during the festival.

Not only was Grabowsky selected for the competitive program, he received an MEIM scholarship to attend. He also facilitated a new partnership between MEIM and the Creative Minds admission team to fund a yearly student through the program.

But that wasn't all. The Creative Minds staff alerted Grabowsky to the Cannes Court Metrage (Short Film Corner) competition. Fortunately, he had already begun developing his short film, "Donor Heart," with the CMU undergraduate film club and with their help, "produced the short in about a week and a half."

"It was an amazing experience and would not have been possible without the energy and enthusiasm from the undergraduate film club," he pointed out. "As the film's writer, director and producer, it was an extremely positive learning experience."

When Grabowsky first entered the MEIM program, he was no stranger to CMU. He'd earned an undergraduate degree as a CMU art major, and with significant residence life experience stayed on as a staff member, primarily as a coordinator of Student Activities.

Then the arts beckoned him back, and he enrolled in the MEIM program.

"I'm interested in filmmaking, both the creative and business aspects," he explained. "I'd like to become a producer and also work in some capacity with the creative side as a writer/director. The MEIM degree is very unique and just the right fit for me. It balances my artistic leanings with the more pragmatic skills that I acquired in higher education."

"During your first year in Pittsburgh," he continued, "the program emphasizes business courses, while your second year in Los Angeles is dedicated to coursework with entertainment industry executives. The best thing? It prepares you to be successful in the entertainment industry immediately upon graduation."

And the CMU community has been his support and his inspiration.

"The CMU network is tightly knit," he noted. "And the prior MEIM class has been extremely helpful. Because of their support, I was able to land my summer internship at CBS Films. In many ways, the entertainment industry is about who you know, and it is nice to know those people who have blazed a trail before us."

He added: "What I love about CMU is that everyone here — from the students to the faculty and administrators — is passionate about what they do. What I have been able to achieve is a true reflection of what everyone around me has inspired me to be. I think that Carnegie Mellon forces you to be the best version of yourself. It's the passion about what we do that drives us.

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah Keynotes Heinz College 2013 Commencement

Mon, 12 Jun 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Heinz Student Leaders Take Part in Informal Conversation with Shah Prior to Ceremony

May 18 marked the 2013 Commencement at Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College, which was held at the historic Carnegie Music Hall. Keynoting the ceremony was USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah who travelled from Washington DC to offer his words of encouragement and inspiration to the graduating students, their families and friends.

In his formal address to students, Administrator Shah talked about his work at the agency and the need for both scientific rigor and compassion when it comes to development work. He encouraged students to bring the energy and passion that they developed as Heinz students with them as they launch their public interest careers.

Prior to the ceremony, several Heinz student leaders had the unique opportunity to meet with Administrator Shah for an informal conversation and the chance to pose their own questions to the accomplished leader. In addition to learning about the innovative projects being led by Heinz students that includes 2013 systems projects with the Servir Program, a USAID and NASA collaboration and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Dr. Shah talked about the importance of performance metrics, partnerships and technology and innovation to the future of international development.

Ketaki Desai, a 2013 Master of Public Management alumna, found it inspiring to meet him. "Having been away from the non-profit/policy world for about five months since completing the program, the conversation made me want to start working on some projects with USAID in my spare time."

Desai was part of a Heinz College team that won a $1 Million Hult Global Case Challenge for building a business proposal for One Laptop per Child.

“I never had the experience of meeting such top level administrators until I came to Heinz. That's certainly a benefit of the school,” said Emily Sale, a current Master of Public Policy Management student . “You could tell he read our bios before we met and that he really wanted to focus the conversation on our interests.”

Administrator Shah has been at the helm of the nation’s leading international development agency since 2009. Under his leadership, the Agency has emphasized the need for more effective technology solutions to aid in development and has pushed for expanded innovation to create new and better ways to help struggling countries around the world.

“Meeting Dr. Shah was an amazing experience,“ noted Kiran Punnilathil, a 2013 Master of Information Science Management alumnus who was part of the Sirvir systems systems team that resulted in the creation of a prototype knowledge management application for the program’s scientists in Nepal. “The thing that stuck with me the most after the discussion was the importance of how you measure success and leverage technology. We can easily get lost in the figures, like ‘cents per dollar’ and such, but what is really important is to measure the impact and the change that initiatives are bringing into the lives of the people, and this is often harder to measure than a number! Technology plays an important role here, as an enabler.”

“It was tremendously exciting to hear the new directions in which USAID is moving and making a difference in this world under the leadership of Dr. Shah," he said.

International Festival Expert Hosts Weekend-Long Masterclass for MAM Students

Mon, 05 Jun 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Paul Gudgin, an acclaimed international arts festival expert, led a weekend-long Masterclass for Master of Arts Management (MAM) students from Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College. The Masterclass included sessions on key tasks and challenges in festival management including programming, venues and infrastructure, sponsorship and fundraising, festival marketing, media relations, tourism management, impact and evaluation, and other critical areas.

“Paul gave life to the world of festivals for me through discussions about the role of festivals in the development of arts and culture within a community,” said Shannon Huang (MAM ’14).

Gudgin is currently the Senior Consultant at both the Edinburgh Institute for Festival and Event Management at Edinburgh Napier University and Festival and Events International consulting, as well as the Director of the City of London Festival this summer. Gudgin was Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, for eight years from 1999 to 2007. Paul has a strong track record of achieving considerable growth at the Festivals with which he has been involved, with the Fringe effectively doubling in size during his tenure. The 2006 festival featured 28,014 performances of 1,867 shows in 261 venues selling 1.5m tickets and generating £75m for Edinburgh’s economy. During his time at the Fringe he instigated a number of IT initiatives that now sees the Fringe sell over half its tickets online and the website achieve over 70 million hits in August. He was also responsible for developing the Fringe’s profile and coverage both internationally and within the UK.

“The weekend spent learning from Paul about festival management was enlightening and eye opening as to the realities of the business and how much fun and rewarding a career in that field can be,” said Jessie Bower, (MAM ’13).

Gudgin’s unique approach to the field of Arts Management is both innovative and refreshing. He went through the many obvious and not-so-obvious things one must consider in the field of festival management. Gudgin’s instruction covered the scope of festival management concerns, from marketing issues as well as the importance of technology in the arts. The Masterclass is also part of a new festival management course, led by MAM program director, Kathryn Heidemann.

Gudgin, who coincidentally comes from Dunfermline, Scotland, which was the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, is an ideal match with Heinz College’s MAM program, which is offered through a joint partnership between the Heinz College's School of Public Policy & Management and the College of Fine Arts. The MAM program’s multi-faceted approach to arts management is unlike other university’s degrees because it combines rigorous finance, marketing, technology and fundraising coursework with practical experience to prepare you to excel in a public, private or nonprofit arts environment.

“It was a great opportunity to hear from Paul Gudgin and the class was quite thorough to understand basic scheme of festivals from a management side,” said Yejin Kang (MAM ’13).

“I believe this class will be really helpful for me to apply to the real work environment after graduation.”

Learn more about the MAM program >>

Alumni Spotlight: Adam Landman, MISM 1999 & MSHCPM 2000

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Adam Landman, a Master of Information Science Management (MISM ‘99) and a Master of Science in Health Care Policy Management (MSHCPM ’00) alumni, currently serves as the Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) for Health Information Innovation & Integration at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. We caught up with Adam to talk to him about his time at Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College, his current roles and responsibilities and his recent experiences serving as a medical leader in Boston.

Heinz College:Please describe your current position as Director of Clinical Informatics. What roles and responsibilities do you perform on a regular basis?

Adam Landman: I am currently the Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) for Health Information Innovation & Integration at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Instructor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; and an Associate Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine. I feel very fortunate to have one of the best jobs in the world -- caring for patients in their time of need, working with great colleagues, teaching the next generation of medical professionals, and implementing and evaluating information technology tools that help make health care safer and more efficient.

After finishing my clinical training in 2010, I joined Brigham and Women's Hospital as the Director of Clinical Informatics for the Department of Emergency Medicine. In addition to providing patient care, and teaching students and residents, I led a three-year project to move the emergency department to electronic documentation. In May 2012, we moved to electronic patient discharge instructions and in March 2013, we moved to electronic provider documentation. I recently became the CMIO for Health Information Innovation and Integration where I will provide clinical oversight of the implementation and integration of a new hospital laboratory system, as well as multiple projects related to a new enterprise electronic health record implementation, and health information innovation programs.

HC: What was your experience in dealing with the recent tragic events in Boston?

AL: The Brigham and Women's Hospital cared for 39 patients from the Boston Marathon Bombings, many of whom arrived within the first hour of the incident. Our multidisciplinary trauma teams drew upon their training and worked closely together to deliver the highest quality care to all victims of this tragedy. Nine patients went directly to the operating room for open fractures, amputations, devascularized limbs, burns, and shrapnel removal. All patients survived. We are currently working to understand lessons learned, including how our information systems can better support mass casualty incidents.

HC: How is your Heinz College experience impacting your workplace performance?

AL: My Heinz College training in information systems and health care policy & management gave me the skills I needed to achieve my dream of transforming health care delivery by designing, implementing and evaluating novel health information technology solutions. I am constantly drawing on the technical, leadership, and management skills learned during my Heinz College training.

HC: What do you consider to be the most important aspects of your Heinz College education that continue to impact your professional career?

AL: One of the most important components of my Heinz College experience was the interdisciplinary nature of all the classes and projects. I gained an appreciation for the value of diverse teams with representation from seemingly disparate fields to creatively solve problems. I also learned to lead and work effectively in multidisciplinary teams. These skills have been tremendously beneficial as I now work on operational and research problems spanning medicine, information systems, engineering, and public policy. Carnegie Mellon prepared me well to succeed in these complex environments.

HC: Any advice for students looking to go into your field?

AL: The health care informatics field is blossoming as Federal policy incentivizes hospitals and ambulatory practices to adopt electronic medical records. There are lots of opportunities for Heinz College students interested in this field to lead implementations and to develop the next generation systems to further improve health quality, safety and efficiency. Career opportunities can be found in health care organizations, software companies and start-ups. Key to successful health care informatics projects is collaborating closely with subject matter experts, like patients, nurses, and doctors, and paying close attention to change management principles during implementation.

I often miss the talented, dedicated, and brilliant Heinz College faculty and staff. Spend as much time with your colleagues and faculty and really get to know them. They will be lifelong friends, colleagues, and professional collaborators.

CED Partners With the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia

Mon, 30 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia recently became the newest partner of the Center for Economic Development (CED) at Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College. The Economy League joins eleven other institutions from the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia regions with key roles in economic, community, and technology development in the Keystone State who have partnered with the Center. Steve Wray, the Economy League’s Executive Director, is now the eleventh Executive Fellow of the CED.

As noted by its website, The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia brings together regional leaders and organizations across all sectors to address the most pressing and challenging issues facing the Greater Philadelphia region. Built on its historic foundation of independent, high-quality analysis and practical insight, the Economy League sparks new ideas, develops strategies, and galvanizes action to make Greater Philadelphia a globally competitive region.

One example of its efforts is World Class Greater Philadelphia, a business- and civic-led initiative to develop and advance a shared agenda for regional growth and opportunity in the Philadelphia area. Facilitated by the Economy League, this initiative leverages the collective power of the region’s business, nonprofit, government, labor, and community leaders to focus and collaborate for lasting regional impact in three primary areas: education & talent development, business growth, and infrastructure. See this link for more about this initiative and the vision and strategies that have emerged from it.

The Economy League also regularly brings practical policy research to bear on important issues that have major implications for the Greater Philadelphia region and the Commonwealth at large. One example is a report that it recently completed on the statewide economic value of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority; the major public transit operator for the Greater Philadelphia region. A more widely publicized example is the Economy League’s assessment of the fiscal and economic impacts of expanding Medicaid to low-income Pennsylvanians as part of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). More information on both reports can be found here and here.

“We are tremendously excited to have both the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia on board as a partner and Steve Wray on board as an Executive Fellow,” said Greg Lagana, Director of Projects at the CED, “this is our first partnership with an EDO outside the Pittsburgh region, and it represents an important evolutionary step for us. The fact is that the economic and equitable progress of both the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia regions are going to increasingly depend on mutual recognition, illumination, and cooperation on the policy challenges that they and other regions of the Commonwealth face together. I can’t think of a better organization to partner with so that our students can engage those challenges”.

MSPPM Student Named 2013 David Lingren Social Innovation Fellow

Mon, 24 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Elena Gutierrez , a Master of Public Policy Management (MSPPM ’14) student at Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College, has been selected as this year’s David Lingren Social Innovation Fellow. The Fellowship was established in 2007 to support students who are dedicated to social innovation. Lingren is a graduate of the Tepper School who is committed to using social entrepreneurship to address many of the challenging issues facing society.

“It was a great honor to receive the David Lingren Fellowship,” said Gutierrez. “It motivates me to move forward and enhances my confidence in my new venture.”

Elena will use the fellowship in the 2013-2014 academic year to explore business models for a new social enterprise that will provide scientific and technological education to Mexican children.

“Currently, most of the organizations are trying to improve technological access for the most disadvantaged communities in developing countries,” explained Gutierrez. “However, just a few of them are concerned about providing the scientific knowledge that the future generations will need to create new technologies and make significant contributions that would expand the production possibility frontier and enhance economic development. My social enterprise will offer a sustainable solution to this problem.”

“Being a social innovator means thinking outside the box,” said Gutierrez on the subject of her new role in public policy. “Most of the ideas that cross our minds have already been thought by someone else.”

“The real challenge is to improve those ideas in a creative way.”

Gutierrez credits her time and education at Heinz College for opening her imnd to array of possibilities in the policy field. “The education we receive as graduate students goes beyond a simple dichotomy between quantitative and qualitative skills. It prepares us for a new world in which technological skills will be fundamental for solving social problems.”

“Heinz College has given me the tools, the support and the courage to believe that I can become whatever I want to be to turn my ideas into feasible projects.”

Her advice to future social innovators? “Keep a good sense of humor because no one gets it right the first time. The real entrepreneur is the one who is capable of failing until he succeeds.”

Heinz College Takes Part in Loyal Scot Program

Mon, 22 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

As a university, Carnegie Mellon works to help alumni stay engaged and involved with their alma mater. Alumni involvement in the daily life of Carnegie Mellon proves vital as the university ensures that the educational experience remains world-class.

To recognize alumni for their dedication to the university, a few years ago, Carnegie Mellon launched the Loyal Scot program. Loyal Scot alumni and students demonstrate their total commitment to the university’s success each year by staying informed, getting involved, giving back and showing their pride.

And this year, in order to play on the competitive spirit of CMU alumni, the university’s Board of Trustees issued a challenge: the Loyal Scot College Challenge. The college with the highest percentage of Loyal Scot alumni by the end of June 2013 wins $100,000 in endowed student support.

So far, this year’s Loyal Scot challenge is proving to be a quite the race. With the colleges within the university vying for the endowment price, Heinz College finds itself in the lead (as of May 2013.) This would not have been possible without support from alumni such as Jesse Horan, MSPPM 2012, and Caroline Alexander, MAM 2011. Both are Loyal Scots. Both became Loyal Scots because they wanted to “pay it forward” and help future generations of students have similarly amazing experiences at Heinz College.

Jesse remembers how Heinz helped him professional and personally, saying, “Heinz graduates are known for their technical expertise, and I have seen firsthand how useful these types of skill are to employers. The public policy program at Heinz offers enough structure that all graduates gain important skills, but it also allows students to explore multiple concentrations and specialties that are unique to their goals and interests.”

Caroline academic experience resonates the same. She remembers, “My Heinz experience gave me a new set of skills that I apply daily in my work as a fundraiser for a non-profit theatre company. I feel much more confident as an arts manager thanks to my MAM studies, and I’ve had the opportunity to connect with other alums in the field.”

Both Caroline and Jesse had fond moments interacting with alumni while as students. Whether it was interacting with alumni who provided career advice or doing advocacy work in D.C., Heinz exposed them to different realms that made their experience here at CMU that much richer.

Are you a Loyal Scot? If not, please consider becoming one this year. It’s easy, and will help future Heinz students to succeed.

Heinz College's Master of Arts Management Program Hosts Americans for the Arts Convention Emerging Leaders Preconference

Mon, 21 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Carnegie Mellon's Master of Arts Management Program Hosts Americans for the Arts Convention Emerging Leaders Preconference

National Event To Culminate 25th Anniversary Celebration of MAM Program

This story originally appeared on CMU.edu.

PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University will wrap up the yearlong 25th anniversary celebration of its Master of Arts Management (MAM) program by hosting the Americans for the Arts Convention Emerging Leaders Preconference on Thursday, June 13, at the Purnell Center for the Arts and College of Fine Arts.

The preconference, which takes place as part of the larger Americans for the Arts Annual Convention in downtown Pittsburgh later that weekend, focuses on current trends faced by emerging leaders in the arts field. It features keynote speaker Richard Evans, president of EmcArts, a social enterprise for learning and innovation in the arts, as well as a series of innovative lectures and workshops led by national arts leaders and distinguished Carnegie Mellon alumni.

"Change is happening all around us — in the way audiences are interacting with arts and culture, and how we as arts administrators are managing organizations to respond to the fluctuating needs of our communities," said Mara Walker, chief operating officer of Americans for the Arts. "The 2013 Emerging Leaders Preconference will help participants learn to adapt to change within the arts world at the individual level, so they can lead change in their communities."

Preconference sessions will discuss change management theory, leadership practices, and skills to work more effectively with internal organizational staff and external partners to move individual, organizational and community visions forward.

In addition to Evans' keynote addresss, the program features Carnegie Mellon Heinz College alumni Germaine Williams of The Pittsburgh Foundation and Justin Laing of the Heinz Endowments. Other national speakers include Margie Johnson Reese of Big Thought, Laura Zabel of Springboard for the Arts, Camille Schenkkan of Centre Theatre Group, Javier Torres of Boston Foundation and Terence McFarland of LA Stage Alliance.

Advanced registration for the preconference is $200, or $150 if purchased with an Americans for the Arts Annual Convention registration. More information is available at www.convention.artsusa.org/schedule/emerging-leaders-preconference.

The event also marks a critical outcome of the recently established partnership between Americans for the Arts and Carnegie Mellon University. This partnership includes the creation of the Heinz College-Americans for the Arts Scholarship for incoming Master of Arts Management students who are also members of Americans for the Arts. More information about the partnership can be found at www.heinz.cmu.edu/afta.

More about the MAM Program >>

MSPPM Students Get Involved in Town Planning

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Collier 10-year plan gets boost from CMU

Part of Collier Township's recently adopted 10-year plan involves enriching the township's existing systems, and township officials got a helping hand in planning for that from a group of Carnegie Mellon University students.

Matthew Mehalik, an assistant professor of environmental policy at Carnegie Mellon, tasked his students with completing sustainable-needs studies on various communities throughout the area. The students who studied Collier focused on energy-efficient street lighting and yard-waste management programs.

“I was very pleased at the presentation of the study,” Collier manager Sal Sirabella said. “Commissioner [Robert] Schuler and I were impressed with the understanding of the issue and the analytical work done on the cost side.”

The students looked at the feasibility of the programs, the time frame in which they would be implemented, and the potential cost and return. They also completed a cost-benefit analysis.

“As a result of the analysis, we may very well move forward on the next parts necessary to put these into action,” Sirabella said.

Read the rest of the story on TribLive >>

Learn more about the MSPPM Program >>

An Interview with Dany Díaz Mejía, Student Speaker at Heinz College’s 2013 Commencement

Mon, 17 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

This Saturday, May 18^th, marks the 2013 Diploma Ceremony at Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College. Dany Díaz Mejía, a recipient of the Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM ’13) degree, has been selected as the student speaker for the event. Dany was chosen as speaker after winning an online poll where interested students submitted a video of themselves delivering a portion of their speech.

Dany, who is originally from a small rural town in Honduras called Nueva Esperanza, has been a stand out student during his time here at Heinz. Some of his writings for the Heinz Journal can be found HERE. Other accomplishments Dany achieved during his time at Heinz include coursework with CMU’s Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) as well as an internship with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in South Africa.

Heinz College: How did you feel when you found out you were going to be the student speaker?

Dany Díaz Mejía: It took a little while for it to register and feel it was real. I felt very excited, nervous, and energized. I felt very happy and grateful.

HC: Overall, what has your experience been like here at Heinz?

DM: My experience at Heinz has been a journey of growth. I have come to feel comfortable in who I am and encouraged to bring my voice to the public policy debate. I have felt very challenged but also nurtured by the community at Heinz.

HC: What has been your favorite part about Heinz College?

DM: My favorite part of Heinz College has been Heinz Forum. During these discussions I was constantly reminded of how gifted my classmates were and how diverse their own journey had been. Those were the moments when I felt happiest to be in public policy school and felt my desire to better the world was renewed by knowing what motivated my classmates.

HC: What's next for you after graduation?

DM: After graduation I will be working for a local non-profit in Pittsburgh called Family Resources. They work to prevent child abuse and I will be helping them evaluate their programs. Eventually I want to return to Honduras and be involved in the policy making process.

HC: Any advice for people interested in applying to Heinz?

DM: Do it! It’s a decision for which you will always be grateful to yourself. You will be given the tools to create policies that are sustainable while also being challenged to look beyond the numbers. You become part of a community of determined men and women who also want you to succeed.

The Heinz College Diploma Ceremony is on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Carnegie Music Hall.

More information about the MSPPM Program >>

MSPPM Alumna Turns Heads for Food Policy Work

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Pop Star: Leah Lizarondo of The Brazen Kitchen

Leah Lizarondo is enjoying an iced coffee at Lawrenceville's Espresso a Mano, the loft-style, rustic coffee shop where your dog can nap underfoot and artwork by tattoo artists Jason and Cara Lambert lines the brick walls. It serves as Leah’s “office away from home.”

A colorful silk headscarf wraps around her head, tucking back her dark hair. There’s a tattoo—that roughly translates into her older kids’ names in Philippine—swirling around her left shoulder. At five-foot-nothing, with a calm walk that’s more like glide, Leah takes time to stop and talk to several patrons in the coffee shop. They may or may not know that she happens to be one of Pittsburgh’s busiest writers and most fervent food activists. And her journey to the kitchen was anything but expected.

“By all accounts, I’m a business person,” the former tech marketer and venture capitalist says of her New York City background. “I was good at it and liked it, but it was getting stressful. It was getting unhealthy.”

Leah was just in her twenties, but already “popping pills for some autoimmune disease doctors couldn’t diagnose.” She attributes what thought might have been fibromyalgia to the work-first lifestyle of New York.

While living in Brooklyn, she heard about people curing themselves by changing their eating habits. Since she was a young girl in the Philippines, Leah had an indiscriminate palate. “My father would bring us everywhere and we’d eat everything.” And like most people, she was a big meat eater—“breakfast, lunch and dinner, I had meat.” She thinks it began to catch up with her.

She and her husband, Bill Shannon, a skateboard phenom and artist (see Pop City article on him here) returned to Pittsburgh just when she was having her second child.

Now the mother of three, Leah has been at the forefront of the food revolution in Pittsburgh. She chronicles her work every step of the way at the heavily trafficked Brazenkitchen.com, a food blog she started with a simple question: Why can’t healthy food taste great?

Read the read of the story at PopCity >>

Photo by Brian Cohen

USAID Administrator Shah to Deliver 2013 Heinz College Commencement Address

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:48:00 GMT

Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College will welcome Dr. Rajiv Shah, the 16th Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to deliver the 2013 Commencement address.

Dr. Shah serves as the 16th Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and leads the efforts of more than 8,000 professionals in 80 missions around the world.

Since being sworn in on Dec. 31, 2009, Administrator Shah managed the U.S. Government’s response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, co-chaired the State Department’s first-ever review of American diplomacy and development operations, and now spearheads President Obama’s landmark Feed the Future food security initiative. He is also leading “USAID Forward,” an extensive set of reforms to USAID’s business model around seven key areas, including procurement, science & technology, and monitoring & evaluation.

Before becoming USAID’s Administrator, Dr. Shah served as Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics and as Chief Scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At USDA, he launched the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a new scientific institute that significantly elevates the status and funding of agricultural research.

Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Shah served for seven years with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where his positions included Director of Agricultural Development in the Global Development Program, and Director of Strategic Opportunities.

Originally from Detroit, Shah earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and his Master of Science in health economics at the Wharton School of Business. He attended the London School of Economics and is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Shah previously served on the boards of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Seattle Public Library, and the Seattle Community College District.

Dr. Shah is married to Shivam Mallick Shah and is the father of three children. He lives in Washington D.C.

MISM Alum Selected as 2013-2014 Anne and Edward Lewis Post-Graduate Fellow in Social Innovation

Mon, 10 May 2013 10:00:00 GMT

Varun Arora, a Master of Information Science Management (MISM ’12) alum from Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College, was selected asthe 2013-2014 Anne V. Lewis, HNZ 1990, and Edward J. Lewis Post-Graduate Fellow in Social Innovation. Arora will be using the fellowship for OpenCurriculum, an online platform hub for textbooks where communities can collaboratively create and share K-12 curricula material. By applying open source software principles, it strives to ensure the highest quality of free K-12 textbook content on the web.

Thanks to a gift from Anne V. Lewis, MPM alumna, the Institute for Social Innovation (ISI) at the Heinz College offers a one-year post-graduate fellowship in social innovation. The fellowship provides an opportunity for the fellow to build the framework, business and strategic plans for a venture that addresses an important social problem. The Lewis Fellowship provides the necessary physical space and overhead costs to allow recent Heinz College graduates to launch their ideas and create organizations that address social needs.

“It means responsibility. It means people placing their trust in me,” said Arora about being labeled a “social innovator”. “More than anything, it means that I wholeheartedly pledge to channel my skills, abilities and energy towards solving social issues by being a change agent and nothing else. It is an honor which comes with accountability and commitment.”

Arora’s venture, OpenCurriculum, started a little more than a year ago as a project to bring openness to K-12 education around the world, specifically curriculum.

“Curriculum is the basis for all educational thought and activity in society and industry, and must not continue to be mandated by poor state and national standards, especially in K-12, but rather be something that actively involves community,” said Arora.

Today, OpenCurriculum is an online platform that allows teachers to create, access and share K-12 learning material, but there are already plans for expansion.

“I see the site become the Wikipedia for K-12 education, and becoming the biggest hub for all curricula content such as lesson plans, syllabi, worksheets, textbooks, etc. on the web,” said Arora.

Arora credits his education at Heinz for helping him get to where he is today. “Heinz has given me the tools to execute on a grand vision and ideas,” said Arora. “It has helped understand all the perspectives to the problems at hand, and tackle them in the smartest way possible.”

As far as advice for future social innovators goes, “Don't solve fictitious problems,” said Arora. “Don't run behind where the money is. Persevere, under all circumstances. Believe in yourself and your dreams, and go to any extent to make the world believe in your idea of a better world.”

Previous ventures that have been initiated by the Lewis fellowship include:

GTECH Strategies that looks to reclaim idle land to create both energy and jobs.
Talk, The New Sex Ed, a program that distributes the practical knowledge and skills to effectively navigate the complexity of teenage life, the opportunity to ask “real questions,” and the support necessary to make informed, responsible choices.
ePanacea, a venture aimed at solving the growing e-waste crisis.

Learn more about ISI >>

Heinz College Australia Students Design Water Quality App

Mon, 09 May 2013 10:24:00 GMT

Seven students from the Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program have developed Water2Mobile, a mobile/tablet app designed to help the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources record groundwater samples in remote areas.

The Mobile Groundwater Monitoring Pilot Project is part of student's capstone project in their program and part of the collaborative program aimed at delivering practical software applications for government and private enterprise.

Water2Mobile allows staff to record and carry detailed information on water quality, which can be passed on to agricultural and mining industries on a mobile tablet.

DEWNR Chief Executive Allan Holmes says it’s a great result.

“Our department is responsible for reporting the state and condition of groundwater resources across South Australia and with so many sectors of the community, including mining and agriculture, relying on accurate groundwater information, it’s crucial we get it right,” he said. “We welcome any new technology which makes it easier for our on-the-ground staff to do that and it’s particularly exciting to play a role in developing new approaches.”

Read the rest of the story at CMU Australia >>