Retaining tech talent main goal for new Carnegie Mellon initiative

BYLINE: Patty Tascarella

Carnegie Mellon University is launching a new initiative in the Pittsburgh region's campaign against brain drain.

Project Olympus, which officially debuts June 7, aims to retain more graduating talent by creating better career opportunities at tech giants' local operations, as well as paving the gate for startups, said director Lenore Blum.

"We're really trying to create a community that will enable a lot of our talent to stay in Pittsburgh and to develop their ideas here," said Blum, CMU professor of computer science.

Funded by a $400,000 grant by the Heinz Endowments, Olympus is building on inroads by CMU's Aladdin Center, a multidisciplinary group Blum co-directs. Aladdin, launched in 2001, stands for algorithm adaptation, dissemination and integration.

Its innovations include CAPTCHAs, a test involving distorted letters and numbers used by Web sites such as Yahoo to block malevolent computer programs.

Olympus will use groups of students, faculty and industry researchers focused on particular areas, such as how to develop and verify control software for medical devices like drug infusion pumps.

It also will bring CMU researchers together with innovators at major companies such as Google, Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc. and Intel Corp., with a goal of moving research into job creation.

Christina Gabriel, The Heinz Endowments director of innovation economy programs, said Olympus may encourage companies based outside Pittsburgh to spend more money here through hires and research.

"We're excited about helping to make Olympus happen because it has in it some of the best world-class work that's going on in the region," Gabriel said. "The researchers, at the same time, are interested in building job creation programs and opportunities. What they've discovered is a lot of students who graduate from CMU would love to stay in the region."

The additions of Pittsburgh operations for tech giants, most recently Google, offer some opportunities, but not enough yet, she said.

"They end up taking huge signing bonuses to go to Boston or the West Coast," Gabriel said.

Blum, whose academic career spans more than 30 years and who joined CMU's faculty in 1999, wants to create a nurturing network. Pittsburgh lacks the sense of community that exists in other tech centers and serves as a "safety net" if a job or project doesn't succeed, she said.

Her outside perspective, plus her access to companies via Aladdin and to students and faculty, position Blum to "get a group together easily," she said.

Although there is an ever-growing cadre of economic development entities operating in Pittsburgh, Blum acknowledged, "they're not all tied together."

Olympus' kick-off is a two-hour reception starting at 3:30 p.m. June 7 at the Intel Lab of CMU's Collaborative Innovation Center that will convene researchers, companies and investors and initiate "buzz," Blum said.

Catherine Mott, managing partner of Wexford-based BlueTree Capital Group LLC, said Olympus can help fill a gap in the market.

"What's missing is there's no central place for anyone to go to tap talent," she said.

She also believes Olympus eventually will help to create companies in which her angel network may invest.

"We can't invest in a cool idea because it's a cool idea," Mott said. "It has to have the right person driving it. If it doesn't, forget it; it won't get investments from us or from others.

"Talent is key to execution," she said. "Execution is key to success. Being able to foster this talent and keep it here is important."