From The Dean

Three years ago the College of Engineering set out to integrate Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley with the main university in Pittsburgh. The California campus had excellent graduate programs in software engineering and management. Local high-tech companies sent their employees to the school because of its problem-solving culture. The campus had a great reputation, and it is located in perhaps the most innovative place in the world. Yet something was missing, namely a strong sense of connection to Pittsburgh.

We asked ourselves, "How do we foster productive interaction between the two campuses? How do we steer a great enterprise, Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley, to the next level?" The answers focus squarely on our strengths—academics, research, and spirit of entrepreneurship. In this magazine we examine the role these factors play in extending the reach of the Silicon Valley campus and Carnegie Mellon as a whole.

Another area in which CIT is widening Carnegie Mellon's influence is in the area of energy. We intend to position the university as well as Western Pennsylvania as a major hub for enabling and managing the transition to a sustainable energy future. We will do this through a "systems" level approach—one that taps into the interconnections between technologies, economies and people. CIT will contribute much through educating engineers, policymakers and the general public. We contend that sharing the results of our research is critical if we are to instigate intelligent public discourse on energy.

There is a great deal of misinformation surrounding the production of power, regardless of its generation source: renewables, fossil fuels, nuclear, etc. The public's need for straightforward information on these matters has become sorely evident in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Dr. Aris Candris (E, '74, '78), the CEO of Westinghouse Electric Company, gives his perspective on what happened in Japan and the future of nuclear power (see page 18). Providing the world with safe, clean reliable energy will require innovations in technology and conservation. As we move ahead in these areas, we will keep you apprised of our efforts.

Sincerely,

Dean Pradeep K. Khosla

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