IT News for Pitt Faculty & Staff (Sept. 2024)
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PASTA: Savoring AI Innovation at Pitt
By Prof. Michael J. Madison, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Since October 2023, a growing group of faculty and senior staff interested in Generative Artificial Intelligence has gathered monthly for lunch to brainstorm research ideas and teaching projects focused on critical perspectives on GenAI systems. How, when, why, and where should they be built and used, both in and out of the University setting?
The group emerged out of the University Senate plenary in April 2023, spurred by energetic, multi-disciplinary conversations and a spirit of grassroots inclusion. It now goes by the acronym PASTA, which stands for Pitt Artificial [Intelligence] Scholar-Teacher Alliance. Over the year, entirely by word of mouth, the group has grown from an initial core of six people to an invitation list of roughly 50.
No school or department houses PASTA; there’s no formal research program or teaching or service agenda. Instead, PASTA is entirely a conversational community built from an unusually broad range of individual contributors and contributions, including members from multiple departments at the Dietrich School, the Schools of Computing and Information, Law, Medicine, and Education, the Swanson School of Engineering, the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC), the University Library System (ULS), the Innovation Institute, the Teaching Center, Pitt Cyber, and Pitt Information Technology.
Over the course of the year, a number of research and teaching ideas have emerged from the cross-pollination, along with possible University/community collaborations and University/industry partnerships. Mark Henderson and the Office of the CIO have been generous hosts for PASTA meetings and helpful guides to Pitt's emerging ambitions relative to research and teaching around AI and adjacent topics, such as data.
PASTA is novel and young, and the group is still charting its own directions. The future promises exciting developments in AI research and education, driven by the diverse perspectives and ideas fostered within this vibrant community. To learn more about the group or become part of this exciting journey across the evolving landscape of AI at Pitt, visit pasta.pitt.edu.
Tech Considerations When Working Off Campus
Technology enables us to work or meet wherever we happen to be. While remote or hybrid arrangements offer next-level convenience, it is crucial to ensure your setup is optimized for productivity and security. Review five essential steps for working off-site.
Protect Yourself From the National Database Hack
A global background check company was recently hacked, exposing the SSNs and other personal info of 2.9 billion people to hackers on the dark web. Learn more about the breach and how to safeguard your data.
Women of the Cloud,
Presented by AWS and Pitt IT
Friday, Sept. 15, at 1–5 p.m.
University Club, Ballroom B
Women professionals in IT are invited to participate in interactive networking, round table discussions, and mentorship opportunities. Register now.
CIO Mark Henderson Selected for 2024 Men of Excellence
Vice Chancellor and CIO Mark Henderson has been selected as one of New Pittsburgh Courier's 2024 Men of Excellence. The award celebrates local African American men who inspire others through their vision and leadership, exceptional achievements, and community service. Well done!
PittNet Wi-Fi Upgrades
Pitt IT worked hard over the summer to implement a number of significant enhancements to support students, faculty, and staff. Work was completed to help improve PittNet Wi-Fi network reliability and stability across the Pittsburgh campus. 250 additional access points were installed to improve service in areas with lagging connectivity, as well as enhancements in the most-used Nationality Room classrooms to enrich the learning and teaching experience in these unique cultural spaces.
Desktops Added to Computer Purchasing Program
You spoke, and we listened. Several units across campus had expressed the need for desktops in permanent locations and shared spaces. Working with campus stakeholders and Dell, Pitt IT identified three core desktop models for the Computing Equipment Purchasing and Standardization Program. These offerings provide the same standardized experience as laptop options, with easy deployment and out-of-the-box setup, while offering significant savings.
Panther Bytes to Nibble On
Check out these bite-sized blogs about tech topics you should know.
LinkedIn Learning: Bite-Sized Courses with a Big Impact
Every Pitt staff and faculty member has access to the full range of LinkedIn Learning courses at no cost. Here are some of the newest and most popular courses on the platform.
- Microsoft Teams Tips and Tricks
- Cultivating Cross-Functional Partnerships: Internal Marketing Strategies
- Power BI for Beginners: Analysis of Data
- How to Budget on a Starting Salary
- Setting Up Psychological Safety in One-on-One Meetings
- Ethical, Human-Centric AI Design
- Data-Informed Strategic Thinking for Senior Analysts and Data Scientists
