Undergraduates Collaborate on Plants and Pollution Study
Biologists in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences — with the help of 836 undergraduates — recently published a paper showing how doubling plants' genomes can help them survive in harsh environments.
Vaughn Cooper Elected to National Life Sciences Board
Vaughn Cooper, professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in Pitt’s School of Medicine, was elected to the board of directors of the Coalition of Life Sciences (CLS) following five years on the board of the American Society for Microbiology. Additionally, as co-founder and current director of Pitt’s Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, Cooper looks forward to advocating for Pitt and fellow microbiologists to impact and shape science policy.
Pitt's Healthy Home Lab has New Director
Pamela Toto, professor of occupational therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, has been named director of the Healthy Home Laboratory, a living laboratory in the Oakland neighborhood that supports interprofessional research to help aging adults, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations remain in their homes.
Pitt Research Strategist in AAAS Leadership Role
Michael Holland, Vice Chancellor for Science Policy and Research Strategies, was elected Chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Section on the Societal Impacts of Science and Engineering for a term through the end of 2026. As Section Chair, Mike is responsible for overseeing the Section’s symposium proposal for the AAAS Annual Meeting, coordinating nomination and review of Fellow nominees, and working with other Section Chairs to share experiences and discuss interdisciplinary opportunities.
Swanson School Team Develops Chemical ‘Nose’
A team led by the Swanson School’s Anna Balazs, John A. Swanson Chair of Engineering and Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, designed a small-scale “chemical nose” that forms three-dimensional patterns, or "fingerprints," to identify different chemicals.
Momentum Funds Continue to Catalyze Discoveries Throughout the Pitt Community
Since 2019, the Pitt Momentum Funds have offered internal funding to faculty representing fields and disciplines across the University to catalyze high-quality research and creative endeavors.
Student Recreates “Awe-Inspiring” Marie Antoinette Dress with the Help of Honor College Grant
Maya Jones, a 20-year-old Pitt junior who is studying French culture, history and theatrical costume design was able to use a Creative Arts Fellowship grant of $4,000 from the David C. Fredrick Honors College to research and design a ball dress in the style of Marie Antoinette.
Graham Hatfull Discusses Phages, Superbugs
Graham Hatfull, the Eberly Family Professor of Biotechnology, gave CNN's Sanjay Gupta an inside look at the Hatfull lab which stores 23,000 bacteria phages that could potentially be used to treat antibiotic resistant infections.
Distinguished Faculty Elected to National Academy of Inventors
Since its inaugural class of fellows in 2015, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) fellows program has awarded 12 Pitt faculty for facilitating innovative discoveries and stimulating economic activity.
Water Collaboratory Report Links Industrial Development and Pollution
Daniel Bain, associate professor of geology and environmental engineering, and a team at the Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory, released findings from a study investigating the rivers and tributaries in and around the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers.
School of Social Work Appoints Associate Dean for Research
Jaime Booth, associate professor in the School of Social Work, has been named associate dean for research in the school.
Jamelle Price Selected to Participate in Appalachian Leadership Prog
Jamelle Price, external relations manager of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, joins 39 fellows from 423 counties and 13 states across the Appalachian Region in the 2023-2024 Class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a federal leadership development program focused on economic development in the Appalachian region. The nine-month program will conclude with a graduation in Washington, D.C., in July 2024.
SVCR Welcomes Five New Associate Deans for Research
This fall, five schools at Pitt appointed new associate deans for research (ADRs). The ADR committee meets with the senior vice chancellor for research regularly to discuss and review policies and procedures related to research, large research initiatives and programs, and ideas and insights from their respective schools to contribute to institutional research strategies.
“The ADRs as a group are the key connectors between Pitt Research and the wide and vibrant universe of research across all of the schools at Pitt,” says Rob A. Rutenbar, senior vice chancellor for research.
Chancellor Signs Interim Policy on Research Data Management
Chancellor Joan Gabel signed an interim policy on Research Data Management on Oct. 16, 2023, to ensure that the University complies with evolving data security requirements mandated by the National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33) issued by the White House and a new federal law, the CHIPS and Science Act.
Pitt's BE STEM Proving Success of Pre-college Programs
Developing data to prove that the programs work is now one of several projects Slinskey Legg oversees as the director of Pitt’s Broadening Equity in STEM (BE STEM) Center, a unit in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences that supports STEM students from underrepresented groups. The center includes the STEM PUSH (Pathways for Underrepresented Students to Higher Education) Network, which is funded by the National Science Foundation’s NSF Includes initiative.