Campus News in Brief

Four students honored with Barry M. Goldwater scholarships

Four Carnegie Mellon students received Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships to encourage their pursuit of careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. The scholarships are also meant to be a gateway to future support for the honorees’ future endeavors.

Those students who received the honor were Samantha Spath, a junior in biological sciences; Jonathan Stahlman, a junior in physics; Lauren Thorpe, a junior in biological sciences; and Gregory Newby, a sophomore in biological sciences.

The program was established by Congress 20 years ago in memory of Arizona Senator Barry M. Goldwater. This year, 317 scholarships were awarded to college students across the country. Carnegie Mellon was one of only seven schools with four recipients, the maximum number of awardees allowed from one school. The other schools with this distinction were Stanford University, the University of Chicago, Harvard University, Kenyon College, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Texas.

Each Goldwater Scholar receives one- or two-year awards of up to $7500 annually to cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board costs.

Eiss awarded grant to study effects of performance arts

Paul Eiss, associate professor of history and anthropology, received a New Directions Fellowship to study the role of regional theater in the Yucatan in Mexico. Specifically, the grant will allow Eiss to study the effect of popular theater on shaping the region’s politics of memory, as well as provide funds for Eiss to receive training in theater and performance studies.

The New Directions Fellowship program was established by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to provide funds for faculty members in the humanities and social sciences to study topics outside of their chosen disciplines. Faculty members must have received their doctorates between five and 15 years ago in order to be eligible.

Eiss, who received his doctorate from the University of Michigan and came to Carnegie Mellon in 2000, studies labor, religion, and cultural and historical memory of Maya-speaking communities in collaboration with the Center for Arts in Society.

Eiss is the third Carnegie Mellon faculty member to earn the New Directions Fellowship. Previous awardees are associate philosophy professors Jeremy Avigad and Alex London. Avigad received the award in 2003; London was chosen in 2005.

Mundell earns teaching award

Anne Mundell, associate professor of design in the school of drama, was chosen as this year’s recipient of the university’s Henry Hornbostel Teaching Award.

The award honors Henry Hornbostel, the first dean of the College of Fine Arts and architect of original campus buildings.

The honor is awarded annually to faculty in the College of Fine Arts who exhibit excellence in undergraduate teaching and advising.