Shelome Gooden (pictured above, center) plays many roles: teaming, researching, publishing, building community, as well as assistant vice chancellor for research in the Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Related Fields. She is now the co-editor of Language, the flagship journal of the Linguistic Society of America, the first woman of color in the role. It's a homecoming of sorts: she is the second editor from Pitt, succeeding linguistics professor Sarah Thomason.

“Shelome embodies Pitt’s ambitions for humanities research,” says Rob A. Rutenbar, senior vice chancellor for research. “Her work to create and communicate knowledge is valuable in a unique way that would be unlikely in science and engineering. She helps develop and further the kind of insight and respect for a human phenomenon, like a person’s accent, and the stories those phenomena tell.”

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Cheers for Pitt-CMU Team at 2022 AIChE in Phoenix

Brewing beer is among the oldest chemistry research carried out by humans throughout the world, beginning in Egypt, West Africa, Mesopotamia and China, among other places. This millennia-long struggle to brew the perfect beer recently advanced, thanks to the work of chemical engineers at the AIChE Beer Brewing Competition (American Institute of Chemical Engineering), at the 2022 AIChE Annual Meeting in Phoenix.

Teams flexed their chemical engineering muscles through a poster competition describing their processes and creative design of their brew. The Kilted Panther Brewing team, made up of researchers from the Swanson School’s Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, along with a colleague from CMU, took First Place Overall, as well as Best Poster and Biggest Beer ("big” refers to the brew’s original gravity, a measure of liquid density that influences a beer or wine’s potential for high alcohol by volume).

"Great team effort from all involved, and we're excited to defend our Grand Prize at the 2023 AIChE Annual Meeting in Orlando,” said Robert S. Parker, associate dean for graduate education in the Swanson School of Engineering and professor, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

We're Hiring!

There are a lot of world-changing projects happening at Pitt, and research is the backbone. If you’re looking for a new career path in the new year, consider jobs within Pitt’s research enterprise:

• Pitt Research Navigator (Hybrid)
• Senior Grant Writer (Remote or Hybrid)
• Contracts Officer (Remote or Hybrid)
• Office Administrator (Hybrid)
• Research Review Specialist, Exempt/Expedited (Hybrid)
• Research Review Analyst, Full Board (Hybrid)

Political Scientist Michael Colaresi now Associate VP for Data Science

Michael Colaresi, the William S. Dietrich II Professor of Political Science and research and academic director for the Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security, has been named associate vice provost for data science. His work applies computational tools like machine learning to examine issues of national security, political violence, human rights and disinformation.

Since arriving at Pitt in 2017, he has worked to improve access to data science and training across the humanities and social science communities, including developing computational and visual tools for domain specialists to work alongside computer scientists. He founded the interdisciplinary Pitt Disinformation Lab, as well as co-creating a new major in Computational Social Science. As associate vice provost, he will work with Pitt leadership to advance data science efforts and develop a strategy to implement the goals and actions of the Data Science Task Force.

Pitt Sustainability Challenge Offers $300,000 for Best Solution

For sustainability to work, it has to be practical, impactful and durable. Pitt is actively looking for that very solution to advance carbon neutrality to benefit the Pitt community. It’s part of Pitt’s commitment to sustainability strategies, including pursuing carbon neutrality for the Pittsburgh campus by 2037, as laid out in the Pitt Climate Action Plan.

The Pitt Sustainability Challenge -- open to Pitt faculty, staff, students, vendors and external entities -- will provide $300,000 in funding to implement the winning proposal. To begin, register no later than March 8, 2023.

The Pitt Sustainability Challenge seeks innovative solutions grounded in an understanding of local conditions; are ambitious, yet achievable; show the greatest potential to realize measurable improvements for the Pitt community; and will endure in their intended outcomes over time.

For more details >>

Pitt Earns National Recognition For Supporting Small Businesses

“At the Pitt Small Business Development Center (SBDC) we help clients from throughout the region export their products and services, from industrial chemicals and coatings to food items to camping trailers to gardening soil,” said Brent Rondon, Pitt SBDC Sr. Management Consultant for International Trade. “Through the Pitt SBDC’s International Trade services, companies get international business consulting as well as training seminars and webinars to help them with their exporting initiatives. Our goal is to assist Western PA companies that are new-to-export as well as those that are already exporting.”

Pitt’s SBDC was named Regional Export Promotion Program Member of the Year by the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) during its 2022 annual conference. The Pitt SBDC's mission is to grow the economy of western Pennsylvania by providing entrepreneurs with the education, information and tools necessary to build successful businesses.

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Rory Cooper Inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame

The 50th class of National Inventors Hall of Fame was announced on January 9 at CES®. In collaboration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), inductees show significant progress in patented technology. Rory Cooper, associate vice chancellor for STEM-health sciences collaborations, director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) and distinguished professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, has used his personal experience to fuel the progression of wheelchair technology, which includes a digital joystick to assist users with hand tremors.

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Bill Yates Explains Why Avatar Can Cause Motion Sickness

With attendees of Avatar 2 reporting headaches or illness, media lit-up with theories and information that made it a trending topic over the holiday season. Bill Yates, vice chancellor for research protections, talked to Inverse about the medical reasons for this physical reaction in the eyes to immersive, multimedia experiences.

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Catching Up with PQI2022 Conference Speaker

Nicole Yunger Halpern, author of “Quantum Steampunk,” attended the PQI 2022 Conference in Pittsburgh, and blogged about it for Caltech's Quantum Frontiers blog. Of the eight highlights, Pittsburgh captured two – the PQI conference, that included a speaker from the White House, and a quick visit to Phipps Conservatory where Halpern got to see a steam-driven train among flowers.

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10 Ways Pitt Researchers Tackle the World’s Biggest Problems

In our inaugural annual report, published in November 2022, ten researchers shared how they’ve used their research to improve the world around us. From credit scores and sustainability to virology and STEM education, the discoveries are tangible and useful findings to not only lead their respective fields, but to also elevate the profession.

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Common Award Terms and Conditions

Before an award can be accepted by Pitt, the Office of Sponsored Programs completes a comprehensive review of the award, which includes reviewing the terms and conditions. Check out these examples >>

CTSI Provides Services for Clinical Researchers

Pitt’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) provides a range of services to bridge the gap between innovative approaches to research and effective clinical and public health practice and policy. Learn more >>