Carnegie Mellon University
Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
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In this preview of an upcoming episode, we journey into space with AI – which is revolutionizing astrophysics, uncovering the mysteries of the cosmos and shaping the future of space exploration. We’ll show you how AI is helping to discover new galaxies, new exoplanets and black holes that hold the secrets to the origins of the universe.
Stay tuned, and stay curious.
The President’s Lecture Series, hosted by Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian, is designed to engage and inspire the Carnegie Mellon community on issues of emerging and preeminent relevance to society. The series brings a curated list of thought leaders and world leaders to campus over the academic year.
Carnegie Mellon University welcomed General Laura Richardson,
Commander, U.S. Southern Command and
First Army Female Combatant Commander, for the inaugural President's Lecture Series event "Partnering in the Western Hemisphere — Challenges and Opportunities."
The President’s Lecture Series, hosted by Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian, is designed to engage and inspire the Carnegie Mellon community on issues of emerging and preeminent relevance to society. The series brings a curated list of thought leaders and world leaders to campus over the academic year.
Carnegie Mellon University welcomed Steven Pinker, the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. He conducts research on language, cognition, and social relations, writes for publications such as the New York Times, Time and The Atlantic, and is the author of twelve books.
The President’s Lecture Series, hosted by Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian, is designed to engage and inspire the Carnegie Mellon community on issues of emerging and preeminent relevance to society. The series brings a curated list of thought leaders and world leaders to campus over the academic year.
Automated science is where AI and hands-on robotic experiments power automated research and self-driving labs, while pushing the boundaries of science altogether. Automated science represents a new way to speed up the scientific research that could lead to the discovery of new therapeutic drugs and find answers to questions about disease and DNA.
By taking on the tedious task of replicating and sequencing experiments while working 24/7, automated science and self-driving labs allow researchers to spend more time on the important stuff – analyzing conclusions, searching for breakthroughs and designing new experiments. These self-driving labs can be operated remotely by researchers around the country or around the world. They allow for more collaboration and data-sharing among researchers, while providing access to sophisticated lab equipment and processes for those scientists who may have limited resources.
However, automated science doesn’t come without risks. With data and experiments being stored and run in the cloud, there are dangers of hacking and bad actors hijacking or corrupting self-driving labs. And there are ethical questions as to whom should have access to automated science, and which kinds of experiments should be allowed in the cloud.
Join host Jeanine Herbst and her guests Subha Das, an associate professor in chemistry, and Andreas Pfenning, an associate professor in the Ray and Stephanie Lane Department of Computational Biology, both at Carnegie Mellon University.
Companies are using AI to reduce costs and improve sustainability in delivering products to customers. Robotic delivery vehicles, like Refraction AI's Rev One robot, are being used to deliver food from restaurants and grocery stores. The use of AI in last mile delivery has the potential to create new jobs that are sustainable and offer greater economic opportunities. Safety is a top priority, with measures in place to ensure the safe operation of robotic vehicles. Drones may play a role in last mile delivery especially in rural areas, but face challenges such as weight limitations and landing points. The future of AI in last mile delivery is expected to be transformative and exciting.
Join host Jeanine Herbst and her guest Matthew Johnson-Roberson, Director of the Robotics Institute and a professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. He's also the co-founder of Refraction AI, an AI-powered last mile delivery company.
To download CMU’s “A Responsible Voter’s Guide to Generative AI in Political Campaigning,” please go to this link: cmu.app.box.com/s/uyuzcrwx8qpuh8ep3bzdej5ydk99fg38
How can you get the chance to douse your favorite Dean? Easy! The Deans and the Carnegie Mellon University Campus Police are accepting donations for Special Olympics PA at give.specialolympicspa.org/event/2024-spring-carnival-douse-a-dean-supporting-special-olympics/e569343 The dean with the most support wins that lovely trophy! Will Provost Garrett win it or will Dean Richard Scheines pull off a repeat of 2023? How cold will the water be? Come to Spring Carnival week and find out!
(No donation is necessary to be in the audience, only to participate in dousing.)
Deep fakes have already started to appear in this election season. There have been deep fake videos on social platforms, fake images on news outlets, and fake robo calls for candidates from small to big races. They can sound or look like well-known politicians starting at the top with President Biden, former President Trump or former President Obama, or even your favorite singer encouraging you to vote or not vote a certain way.
The accessibility, affordability and ease of AI technology have contributed to the proliferation of deep fakes and disinformation. But who’s doing them, and what’s at stake? A fair election process, and perhaps democracy itself.
What can be done? Watermarking AI-generated content is one piece of the puzzle in identifying deep fakes but it will require collaboration among industry, academia, and governments – as well as citizens themselves – to take action against deep fakes.
Join host Jeanine Herbst and her guests Matt Brown, National Race and Politics reporter for the Associated Press; Kathleen Carley, Director, Computational Analysis of Social and Organizational Systems, Carnegie Mellon University; and Ramayya Krishnan, Dean, Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and the Faculty Director of the Block Center for Technology and Society, Carnegie Mellon University.
To download CMU’s “A Responsible Voter’s Guide to Generative AI in Political Campaigning (cmu.app.box.com/s/uyuzcrwx8qpuh8ep3bzdej5ydk99fg38) ,” please go to this link: cmu.app.box.com/s/uyuzcrwx8qpuh8ep3bzdej5ydk99fg38
Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Stan Waddell discusses the importance of integrating AI into technology at CMU -- in operations, research and academics.
Cohon earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent 19 years at Johns Hopkins University, where he rose from the faculty ranks to become associate dean of engineering and vice provost for research.
Cohon came to CMU from Yale University, where he was dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and professor of environmental systems analysis.
On this episode, we explore how Artificial Intelligence – including robotics and drones – can help keep our nation’s bridges standing. And how AI can perhaps revolutionize the way bridges are designed and built so they are more cost-efficient, smarter, more durable and eco-friendly.
Additionally, our guests explore the broader applications of AI in transportation infrastructure and Smart Cities, including an experimental project that uses AI sensors on buses to map out potholes as they drive. Finally, the conversation emphasizes the need for responsible use of AI as a tool to assist human decision-making, not replace it.
Join host Jeanine Herbst and her guests Dr. Norma Jean Mattei, past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); Jim Garrett, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Carnegie Mellon University and former head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Troy Demmer, Gecko Robotics; and Karen Lightman, Executive Director of Metro21: Smart Cities Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.
Open Science Program Director/Librarian
Melanie Gainey develops and support open science initiatives for the CMU community, and as a trained neuroscientist, brings research expertise to her role as library liaison to Biological Sciences, Computational Biology, Biomedical Engineering, and the Neuroscience Institute.
The Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University, recognizes a K-12 theatre educator in the U.S. who has demonstrated monumental impact on the lives of students and who embodies the highest standards of the profession.
With a little help from their friend – Peter Jackson’s AI machine – the Beatles rescued John Lennon's voice from a 1970s demo, allowing them to remix and release their last new song - “Now and Then” – nearly 50 years after Lennon first sang it at the piano.
However, AI has been used in pop recording sessions for years. Tools like AudioShake can separate vocal and instrumental stems. AI can also clean up and enhance vocals, as demonstrated with a 1923 Bessie Smith recording. AI is used in various ways in music production, from recommending songs to enhancing live performances. However, the use of AI in music raises ethical and legal issues, such as copyright ownership and the fair use of deceased musicians' work. What’s next for AI in music includes spatial audio and new opportunities for collaboration.
Join host Jeanine Herbst and her guests Drew Thurlow, founder of Opening Ceremony Media; Jessica Powell, CEO, AudioShake.ai; Dan Green, Professor and the Director of the Entertainment Industry Management Program at Carnegie Mellon University; and Brett Crawford, Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and Director of the Arts and Entertainment Management programs.
Audrey Kurth Cronin
Trustees Professor of Security and Technology Director, Carnegie Mellon Institute for Security and Technology
Audrey Kurth Cronin's research explores how governments and private actors use accessible technologies.
Connor Colombo earned a Bachelors and Masters from Carnegie Mellon University in mechanical engineering and robotics and is the chief engineer of the Iris rover team.
Professor, School of Computer Science
Kathleen M. Carley's research combines cognitive science and computer science to address complex social and organizational problems.
Nikolai Stefanov is a senior studying physics and computer science and mission control lead for the Carnegie Mellon University Iris rover team.
Nicholas Acuna earned a degree in mechanical engineering and is the mechanical lead of Carnegie Mellon University's Iris rover team.
Divya Rao is a senior pursuing a major in statistics and machine learning, and the systems lead of Carnegie Mellon University's Iris rover team.
Raewyn Duvall, a robotics PhD candidate, is the mission commander of Carnegie Mellon University's Iris rover team.
Ivy He, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering and robotics, is the media and creative lead for Carnegie Mellon University's Iris rover team.
Ramayya Krishnan is the W. W. Cooper and Ruth F. Cooper Professor of Management Science and Information Systems at Heinz College and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. A faculty member at CMU since 1988, Krishnan was appointed as Dean of the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy in 2009.
Professor, Machine Learning
Aarti Singh's research lies at the intersection of machine learning, statistics and signal processing, and focuses on designing principled interactive algorithms for learning and decision-making.
Florent Letronne is the Director of Laboratory Operations at the Carnegie Mellon University Cloud Lab, the world’s first academic cloud lab that allows you to remotely control a complete life sciences and chemistry laboratory from your computer.
Rayid Ghani
Distinguished Career Professor, Machine Learning Department
Rayid Ghani is a reformed computer scientist who wants to increase the use of large-scale Machine Learning in solving large public policy.
On September 20, 2023, Governor Josh Shapiro visited Carnegie Mellon University to sign an Executive Order to govern generative artificial intelligence proactively and responsibly within the Commonwealth. The Executive Order outlines a strategy to take advantage of generative artificial intelligence as a tool to assist employees in serving Pennsylvanians, keeping our communities safe, and growing our economy.
The first year CMU students of the Class of 2027+ gathered for their class photo on the Cut.
First-year students perform their talents for their classmates at Carnegie Mellon University.
At Community Collage, CMU students put on performances and weave narratives, highlighting the diversity of Carnegie Mellon University's campus for first-year students.
The Class of 2026+ gathered to mark the formal start of their academic journey at Convocation, with inspirational words from CMU leaders, faculty and fellow students.
Carnegie Mellon University welcomed the Class of 2027 to campus with a week of activities and events during First Year Orientation.
www.cmu.edu/first-year-orientation
Incoming first year students of the Class of 2027 + and their families welcomed to Carnegie Mellon University by university leadership.
www.cmu.edu/graduate
www.cmu.edu/first-year-orientation