In the news

University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Patrick Gallagher brings up the challenge of climate change and defends the history of our city in a Science article entitled "Pittsburgh myth, Paris reality".

When announcing his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, President Trump reminded the world that, “I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” In doing so, he repeated a tired trope: that Pittsburgh is a rusty urban relic—a manufacturing city of steel that has fallen on hard times, held back by unfair global competition and onerous environmental regulation. But such a nostalgic version of Pittsburgh, and of many other communities across the country, is a myth. If the president truly wants to represent the interests of Americans, he would learn from the real histories of these regions and promote economic and environmental progress through research, education, and innovation.

Subra Suresh will resign as president of Carnegie Mellon University on June 30, making his tenure the shortest in the school’s 117-year history and placing it in uncharted waters as it seeks a new leader for the second time in less than five years.

In a letter Thursday to the CMU community, he wrote, “My wife Mary and I have reflected on the long-term commitment needed to implement the university’s strategic plan, and we feel Carnegie Mellon would be best served now by a president who is ready to make that extended commitment to generating resources and guiding the university toward reaching these objectives.”

Mr. Suresh has been at CMU for four years.

Research from Giannis Mpourmpakis' group was recently featured on the inside front cover of the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Catalysis Science & Technology. The team’s investigations into a more energy-efficient catalytic process to produce olefins--the building blocks for polymer production--could impact potential applications in diverse technology areas from green energy and sustainable chemistry to materials engineering and catalysis. 
 

Jennifer Laaser has been selected to participate in the Cottrell Scholars Collaborative (CSC) New Faculty Workshop that will take place in Washington, DC in the ACS National Offices on August 3- 5, 2017.

The CSC, in partnership with the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) and the American Chemical Society, is implementing a New Faculty Workshop program to improve the penetration of research-validated pedagogies in chemistry departments around the country.

This program is designed to aid newly-hired faculty in the Chemical and Physical Sciences at research intensive universities to develop strong research and teaching programs. The workshop will focus on effective time management, new teaching practices, and integrating teaching and research.

Federal agencies funding research and development activities in nanotechnology under the auspices of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), with support from the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), are working to highlight the accomplishments of and build community around the NNI, and to educate the general public about nanotechnology. 

Share your thoughts and ideas on nanotechnology by submitting a short video for the Nano Film contest or an image for the EnvisioNano contest.

THE PQI VIDEO TEAM CAN HELP YOU!

National Science Foundation (NSF) Director France A. Córdova today publicly presented President Donald J. Trump's Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 NSF budget request to Congress.

The FY 2018 NSF budget request of $6.65 billion reflects NSF's commitment to establishing clear priorities in areas of national importance and identifying the most innovative and promising research ideas that will yield the highest return on investment for the nation. It supports fundamental research that will drive the U.S. economy, support our nation's security, and keep the U.S. a global leader in science, engineering and technology.

NSF expects to evaluate over 50,000 proposals in FY 2018 and, through its competitive merit review process, make nearly 11,000 awards, including 8,000 new research grants. 

Marking the culmination of more than two decades of leadership, Gerald D. Holder, the U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering in the Swanson School of Engineering, has announced his intention to vacate his position and return to the faculty in the fall of 2018. Holder, a distinguished service professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, has served as dean of the Swanson School since 1996 and been a member of the faculty since 1979.

“Two words come to mind when I look back on Jerry’s incredible career as dean of our Swanson School of Engineering: tremendous growth,” said Chancellor Patrick Gallagher. “Under Jerry’s leadership, our Swanson School has seen record enrollment levels, and total giving to the school has topped $250 million. The school has also expanded academically to support new knowledge in areas like energy and sustainability — and also new partnerships, including a joint engineering program with China’s Sichuan University. And while I will certainly miss Jerry’s many contributions as dean, I am grateful that he will remain an active faculty member and continue to strengthen our Swanson School’s bright future,” Gallagher said.

Paul R. Cohen is the founding dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information. The first new school or college established at Pitt since 1995, the School of Computing and Information is a multidisciplinary environment that supports discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship driven by data and technology. It is a key element in Pitt’s strategy to support research in data and computation-intensive fields across the University. The school will begin operations on July 1 and will enroll its first students in the fall 2017 term.Cohen’s deanship begins on Aug. 1, 2017.

“Paul is a visionary leader who will quickly drive our School of Computing and Information to the forefront of academic excellence,” said Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher. “He is also an expert collaborator and a leading authority on utilizing data, technology and information in new ways to solve some of the most challenging and complex issues facing society today.”

Peng Liu has been selected to participate in the 2017 Mentoring Workshop that will take place in Kansas City, MO, June 6-8, 2017.

The Mentoring Workshop for New Faculty in Organic and Biological Chemistry has been held annually and sponsored by National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) since 2005. Currently the workshop has trained around 330 new investigators. The workshop aims to mentor assistant professors at the early stage of their careers in NIH proposal preparation, establishment of unique and productive research programs, and development of skills for success in other academic and professional activities other than classroom teaching.

Kathleen M. Blee has been named the Bettye J. and Ralph E. Bailey Dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the dean of the College of General Studies. She currently is the Dietrich School’s associate dean and a distinguished professor in the school’s Department of Sociology. Blee’s deanship will commence on Aug. 15, 2017.

Of her appointment, Blee said: “The continued excellence of the Dietrich School and College of General Studies is essential to maintaining Pitt’s position as a world-class university. I’m humbled and honored by this opportunity to partner with the provost, chancellor and our outstanding community of faculty, students, staff and alumni to ensure that the school’s future builds on our long tradition of exemplary education, impactful research and scholarship, and significant service to the wider community.”