Events

Hands-on: Lunar New Year Celebration

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Hunt Library, IDeATe Studio A

Join us to kick off the Year of the Horse with origami, paper lantern crafts, and traditional Lunar New Year eats like dumplings and mandarin oranges.

Hosted by CMU Libraries

Hands at Work: Studying Scribal Practices and Participation in Medieval Manuscripts

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Baker Hall 254Q

In his presentation, “Hands at Work: Studying Scribal Practices and Participation in Medieval Manuscripts,” Dr. David Wrisley will discuss how AI-assisted readings of handwritten medieval texts allow scholars examine scribal practices in greater depth and at larger scales than was previously possible.

Join the Center for Print, Networks, and Performance (CPNP) as they host Dr. David Wrisley, Professor of Digital Humanities at NYU Abu Dhabi.

David Wrisley is a comparative medievalist and digital humanist. His research straddles the domains of late medieval court culture, Mediterranean studies, multilingual corpora analysis and the spatial humanities. He founded and organized the first digital humanities training institute in the Middle East in Beirut in 2015.

Hands-on: Discover the Building Blocks of Data with LEGO®

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 4 to 6 p.m., Hunt Library, IDeATe Studio A

Data isn’t just spreadsheets and code. As part of Love Data Week, the Libraries is using LEGO® bricks to visualize trends and explore data storytelling in a fun, collaborative environment.

Participants will engage in activities that represent their experiences working with data, the challenges they may encounter, and what responsible data management can look like.

This drop-in session will be facilitated by John Balash and Anthony Palyszeski from CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), who will guide discussion and reflection. No LEGO or data experience will be needed — just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to share ideas.

Crafternoon

Thursday, Feb. 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Well-being Lab (Room 104), Highmark Center

Join us for a monthly Crafternoon! Gather to make friendship bracelents, paint by numbers, and other delightful creations. Crafts/kits will be provided. No registration required. All are welcome!

Study Abroad Information Session

Thursday, Feb. 19, 3 to 4 p.m., Pake Room, CUC

Learn everything you need to know about Study Abroad at CMU, including destinations, timelines, academic and internship options, funding and scholarships. As well as insights from staff and returned students.

Get all the details about where and when you can go, what you can do (study, research, internships and more), how to pay for study abroad (and use your scholarships) and get your questions answered by the Study Abroad Team and returned students.

Register for the information session.

Photovoice Exhibition

Thursday, Feb. 19, 6 to 7 p.m., Frank Ratcheye Studio for Creative Inquiry (CFA 111)

Join student researcher Mo Fahad for a talk about the themes and future direction of the Photovoice Exhibition, a collection of photographs and reflections frm Arts & Humanities students examining mental health-related experiences at Carnegie Mellon University.

RSVP for the exhibition

Pittsburgh-London Film Program Info Session

Friday, Feb. 20, noon, Zoom

Spend your fall semester in London, studying film in the company of distinguished professors and world class film production professionals.

The Pittsburgh-London Film Programme aims to provide students with a uniquely rich academic and cultural experience, combining the highest level of academic expertise with the world class production skills of the Derek Jarman Lab. All the courses take London as their focus and seek to mix production with history and analysis. The program is composed of five core courses and one experiential learning course with the British Film Institute.

Interested? Learn more by attending a virtual info session with director Dr. Sarah Joshi on Friday, Feb. 20 at noon EST by visiting: https://pitt.zoom.us/j/96065173779 

Alternatively you can visit abroad.pitt.edu/plfp for more information.

The deadline to apply for fall 2026 is March 24.

FrIDeATe

Friday, Feb. 20, 5 to 6 p.m., Hunt Library Room A1

FrIDeATes are monthly casual gatherings at IDeATe in the basement of Hunt Library. Come meet other students, chat with faculty and staff, eat yummy food, learn something new about the program, or just hang out. 

Community Iftar

Saturday, Feb. 21, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Simmons Auditorium (Tepper Building)

Join the CMU Muslim Students Association and Wellness & Meaning-Making Programs for the Annual Community Iftar Dinner. Share an evening of connection, reflection, and community as we gather to break the fast at sunset during Ramadan. All are welcome, regardless of background or religious affiliation.

RSVP for Community Iftar

"Degenerate": The Saxophone and the Third Reich

Sunday, Feb. 22, 3 to 5 p.m., Alumni Concert Hall, CFA

“Degenerate: The Saxophone and the Third Reich” is a recital summarizing many years of continuing research into the Jewish composers whose lives and work were threatened or destroyed in the Holocaust.

Their music gives us fascinating insight into broader artistic and political movements, bringing to life the chaos of the time. We will hear how folk music inspired nationalist identities in regions pursuing independence from occupying powers, how experiments with jazz and atonality challenged the norms of rhythm, melody, and harmony, and how rising interest in socialism promoted change not just in governmental structure, but also in the way composers relate to their performers and audiences. In addition, we will see how all these artists dealt with displacement, each adapting to their new environment differently - some thrived in the worst circumstances imaginable while others crumbled despite earlier success. Through exploring themes of identity, censorship, and immigration, performing this music also draws many uncomfortable parallels to our present time.

Performers:

• Daniel Muller, saxophone
• Xuelai Wu, piano
• Introduced by Robbie Coleman, doctoral student, Dept of History

The Future is Now: Black History in the Making

Monday, Feb. 23, noon to 1:30 p.m., Gates-Hillman Center, Room 6115

Join the Office of Community Engagement and HCII for SCS's inaugural Black History Month panel discussion celebrating Black excellence in computer science. We’ll spotlight pioneering Black innovators who shaped the field, hear from five current Black SCS students about their experiences and perspectives, and engage with critical questions about technology’s impact on marginalized communities through the lens of scholars like Ruha Benjamin and Timnit Gebru. This event honors both the contributions of Black technologists throughout history and the ongoing work to build a more equitable tech future.

RSVP to attend The Future is Now

Please contact Michelle Lane, SCS Community Engagement Manager, with questions at michelle@andrew.cmu.edu. 

STRANDS: Black Scholars Who Shaped Us

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 5 to 6:30 p.m., PNC Foundation Room (Tepper 2nd floor)

Explore how Black scientists have shaped research. Join the MCS Office of Community of Engagement for faculty lightning talks exploring how Black scientists have shaped research pathways and scientific thinking in STEM. This event will feature MCS faculty, followed by Q&A and informal networking with light refreshments.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Register for STRANDS by Feb. 16

Study Abroad Drop-in Advising

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Zebra Lounge, CFA

Drop in for informal, no-appointment-needed advising with Study Abroad advisors who can answer your program questions, help with your SATC and support you as you plan your next international adventure.

Do you have questions about study abroad programs? Not sure how to fill out your SATC? Just need a break and want to dream up your next international adventure?

Drop by for informal advising, no appointment needed! Your Study Abroad advisors will be there to chat, answer questions and support you through the process.

ICOR Series on K-Pop with Mathieu Berbiguier

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 4 p.m., Posner Grand Room (Posner 340)

LCAL’s Informal Conversations on Research (ICOR) Series provides a welcoming forum for faculty and graduate students to share and discuss their most recent research in an engaging, accessible format.

Mathieu Berbiguier, visiting assistant professor of Korean studies, will present on PLAVE: “Virtual Idols” as Best Representatives of K-pop’s Humanity.

His talk looks at the virtual K-pop group PLAVE to explore what authenticity and connection mean in today’s pop culture. Using fan comments from YouTube alongside close readings of fan discussions, Dr. Berbiguier’s research shows how audiences form strong emotional bonds with PLAVE — even though the group exists as digital avatars. Rather than focusing on physical presence, fans value sincerity, storytelling and shared interpretation. His talk further argues that PLAVE doesn’t break from K-pop traditions but highlights what has always mattered most: emotional connection, visibility through narrative and collective fandom.

About Informal Conversations on Research (ICOR) Series: LCAL’s ICOR Series provides a welcoming forum for faculty and graduate students to share and discuss their most recent research in an engaging, accessible format. Designed to spark dialogue across disciplines, these sessions highlight emerging ideas and foster collaboration. ICOR encourages researchers at all stages to present their work in a collegial environment that values curiosity, conversation and community-building.

The World Affairs Institute: The AI Effect - How AI Is Shaping Our World and Region

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cohon University Center

The 55th Annual World Affairs Institute invites high school and college students, educators, and community members to explore The AI Effect: How AI Is Shaping Our World and Region. Through expert talks and interactive sessions, participants will examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, governance, and global relationships and what this transformation means for Pittsburgh’s future.

Cost: A fee of $75 for each participant covers the cost of all conference sessions, a light breakfast and lunch, and resources.

Scholarships: Cost shouldn't hinder changemakers. If you are a college student in need of a scholarship, apply at the link.

Register for the conference

8th Annual Soup Crawl

Thursday, Feb. 26, 4 to 6 p.m., Rangos 1, 2 and 3, CUC

Join Dining Services for the 8th Annual Soup Crawl in Rangos 1, 2 & 3 on Thursday, Feb, 26, from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.! Rangos 1, 2 & 3 are located on the second floor of the Cohon University Center.

Stop by the front table to pick up a ballot, sample a variety of delicious soups, and cast your vote for your favorite.

This event is FREE and open to the entire CMU community!

CMIST Scientists and Strategists: Geopolitics of AI Supply Chains

Thursday, Feb. 26, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Posner Grand Room (Posner 340)

Artificial intelligence may shape the future, but the real contest is happening behind the scenes in the global supply chains that make AI possible.

From high-bandwidth memory chips to rare materials essential for advanced computation, every link in this chain has become a site of geopolitical tension and technological ambition. As major powers turn supply chains into tools of strategic leverage, the competition over who controls the world’s digital infrastructure is intensifying.

Join the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology for a dialogue with New York Times bestselling author, Chris Miller, who will discuss how global politics, innovation, and economics now intersect in the making of AI and what this struggle means for the technologies and societies of tomorrow. CMIST University Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Chair of the Graduate Committee, and Provost Emeritus, Mark Kamlet will join Miller as a discussant, and CMIST Director Audrey Kurth Cronin will moderate.

Register for Geopolitics of AI Supply Chains

Seating in the Grand Room is reserved for registered guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Once registration is full, walk-ins will be accommodated as space becomes available. Five minutes before start time, any unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins. An overflow room will be available for viewing, also first-come, first-served. Late-arriving registered guests may be directed to overflow seating.

Artificial Intelligence: Tool? Idol? ...Other?

Thursday, Feb. 26, 8 to 9 p.m., Lutheran University Center, 4515 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Join us for this public talk by Dr. Noreen Herzfeld, the Director of Benedictine Spirituality and the Environment at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary. No registration is required to attend the talk. All are welcome.

Co-sponsored by Lutheran Campus Ministry of Greater Pittsburgh, PSALM, and Commonwealth of Oakland.

Student Dinner: Restorative Reflections

Thursday, March 12, 5 to 6 p.m., Center for Shared Prosperity (Baker 131A)

Come and join your fellow Dietrich College students for a lovely light dinner filled with engaging conversation! We’ll be discussing both local and global social challenges and opportunities. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn, listen and collaborate with others on efforts to address these important issues.

RSVP for Restorative Reflections by Feb. 26