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Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences  ›  News  ›  News Stories  ›  2017  ›  June
Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Highway Safety: National Academies Committee Recommends Implementation Improvements

The committee, co-chaired by CMU's Joel Greenhouse, found that while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Safety Measurement System (SMS) used to identify vehicles at high risk for future crashes is conceptually sound but should develop a more statistically principled approach based on item response theory (IRT) to measure the "safety fitness" of each carrier.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Alumna's Double Life is One for the Books

A technical director at Hexagon PPM, Kristina Chess spends her days managing a diverse group of departments in user experience, documentation and development services. In the evenings, Chess meets her husband at their Alabama home, they eat dinner, and she sleeps for a few hours before waking up in what most people would consider the middle of the night. These are Chess's most creative hours.
Monday, June 26, 2017

Second Verse: Jones Plays On After Teaching

French Teaching Professor Christopher Jones is retiring June 30 to spend more time at home pursuing his other profession. He will continue writing, playing, producing and marketing his own music in his soundproof, fully equipped recording studio in his backyard.
CMU Delegation at World Economic Forum in China
Monday, June 26, 2017

CMU Delegation at World Economic Forum in China

Timothy Verstynen, assistant professor of psychology, has been named a 2017 Young Scientist for the Word Economic Forum.
Beyond Bananas: CMU Scientists Harness “Mind Reading” Technology to Decode Complex Thoughts
Monday, June 26, 2017

Beyond Bananas: CMU Scientists Harness “Mind Reading” Technology to Decode Complex Thoughts

This latest research led by CMU's Marcel Just builds on the pioneering use of machine learning algorithms with brain imaging technology to "mind read." The findings indicate that the mind's building blocks for constructing complex thoughts are formed by the brain's various sub-systems and are not word-based.
Economists Discuss How Desire to Shape Beliefs Influences Behavior
Friday, June 23, 2017

Economists Discuss How Desire to Shape Beliefs Influences Behavior

Believe it-or not-the extent of how much our personal beliefs and morals influence decisions is spurring academic inquiry. Two recent events brought top minds to CMU to discuss moral influence, self-image and sense-making and their implications for economics and much more.
'Mind Field' Aims To Raise Awareness of Subtle Racism
Thursday, June 22, 2017

'Mind Field' Aims To Raise Awareness of Subtle Racism

A student-created interactive film explores the potential for subtle racism in questions as commonplace as, "Where are you from?" CMU students produced "Mind Field" to raise consciousness about race, stereotyping and inadvertently offensive comments that can occur even among friends.
RoboTutor Advances to Global Learning XPRIZE Semifinals
Wednesday, June 21, 2017

RoboTutor Advances to Global Learning XPRIZE Semifinals

XPRIZE is attempting to address the acute shortage of teachers in developing countries by funding an international competition to create open-source Android tablet apps that enable children ages 7-10 to learn basic reading, writing and math skills without requiring adult assistance. Apps were created in both English and Swahili.
2017 Staff Recognition Lunch and Ceremony
Tuesday, June 13, 2017

2017 Staff Recognition Lunch and Ceremony

The Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences recently celebrated its extraordinary staff and recognized those who have spent many years working with great commitment and loyalty to the college.
Children of Separated Parents Not on Speaking Terms Are More Likely to Develop Colds as Adults
Monday, June 05, 2017

Children of Separated Parents Not on Speaking Terms Are More Likely to Develop Colds as Adults

Previous research has indicated that adults whose parents separated during childhood have an increased risk for poorer health. However, exactly what contributes to this has been less clear, until now. A team led by CMU psychologists wanted to better understand if specific aspects of the family environment following a separation better predicted children's long-term health outcomes.
Sounds of Success
Friday, June 02, 2017

Sounds of Success

Alumnus Steve Martocci is splicing together quite a career. His latest endeavor is a cloud-based music creation platform with a library of more than two million sound samples, which can be used by anyone.
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