At Carnegie Mellon University Libraries, we celebrate the many contributions of the faculty and staff who make the Libraries the destination for scholarly information, creative inquiry, and intellectual collaboration across disciplines, propelling the significance, reach, and impact of the university.
Carnegie Mellon University Libraries has received a national implementation grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), through its Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. Modeled after the IMLS-funded Open Science Primer led by Open Knowledge Librarian Emily Bongiovanni, the project will train 140 academic library professionals in coding and the responsible use of generative AI. This work will be led by STEM Librarian Kristen Scotti, with STEM Librarian Chasz Griego as Co-Investigator. The proposal was developed by Scotti and Griego together with key personnel from across CMU Libraries: Associate Dean for Academic Engagement Nicky Agate, STEM Librarian and Director of the Open Science Program Melanie Gainey, OSPO Community Manager Tom Hughes, Director of Library Services Joelen Pastva, and Social Sciences Librarian and Director of the Evidence Synthesis Program Sarah Young.
At the 2026 ASEE Annual Conference in Charlotte NC, Griego also presented a paper titled “Measuring the Impact of the NSF GRFP in Engineering: A Bibliometric Analysis Amid Program Uncertainty.” The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has been a critical mechanism for funding STEM graduate students. In the past two years, the program and its awarding standards have experienced significant dynamics, affecting many prospective fellows. This paper shared results of a bibliometric investigation of publications from NSF GRFP awardees in engineering from 2000 to 2025, quantifying the impact of this fellowship on engineering graduate education and scholarly output. This paper won best conference paper for the Engineering Libraries Division of ASEE.
STEM Librarian Haoyong Lan conducted a Congress Programme Session presentation titled "From Search to Scrutiny: AI Tool Assessment as an Emerging Reference Practice" at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress 2026 in Busan, South Korea.
Research Data Services Librarian Alfredo González-Espinoza published an article in open science journal PLOS One titled “Quantifying the evolution of harmony and novelty in western classical music.” The study uses an algorithm to identify musical trends and relationships between composers, and the data and code used in the research are publicly available.
Three Distinctive Collections projects have been recognized in the 2026 University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Design Awards. The UCDA supports designers and design educators working within educational institutions across North America and around the world through professional development, community, best practices and advocacy for the design profession and design education.
“Room to Imagine: 125 Years of Carnegie Mellon University,” the University Archives’ exhibition celebrating CMU’s 125th anniversary, was awarded a Silver Award. The exhibition’s accompanying newspaper was also recognized with an Award of Excellence. Both projects were created by Michael and Lonna Smith University Archivist and Associate Dean for Distinctive Collections Julia Corrin, Associate Director of Creative Heidi Wiren Kébé, Editorial Director Brad King, and Student Designer Amandia Qian.
“Rare Books & Ancestral Machines,” the Posner Center for Special Collections’ inaugural exhibition, received a Silver Award. Kébé and King were also involved in this project, along with Curator of Special Collections and Director of the Posner Center for Special Collections Sam Lemley, Special Collections Coordinator Catherine Blauvelt, and Designer Emily Wiggers.