The Dietrich Innovation Initiative, also known as DI2, has announced the winners of this year's competition. From the website, the initiative is "a transformative opportunity to empower faculty and staff to enrich research, student learning, and community engagement and foster a sense of future-oriented, constant development. It’s an invitation to our community of learners to take on the compelling questions at the school, the University, and in higher education that engage their interest and curiosity."
There are two awards available with the initiative:
Individual Innovation Awards, which facilitate project-based efforts in scholarship, artistic production, community engagement, or curricular development/change. And laboratory Innovation Awards, which bring people together to chart daring lines of inquiry within and between disciplines or roles.
This year’s winners are:
Seth Childers, associate professor, and Lingfeng Liu, teaching assistant professor, both in the Department of Chemistry. Illuminating Student Innovation Pathways through a Chemical Biology Research-Teaching Ecosystem. Moon Shot award of $100,000
Susan Maleckar, teaching professor, Department of Chemistry. Pitt Summer Chemistry Academy. Major Development award of $18,530
Patrick Shirey, assistant professor, Geology & Environmental Science, and Sarah Moore, teaching assistant professor, Film & Media Studies. Community-engaged outreach, research, and teaching in the Churchill Valley Greenway. Major development award of $19,571
Brock Bahler, teaching professor, Department of Religious Studies. “Uncovering the Legacy of Slavery in Pittsburgh's Religious Institutions & Built Environment.” Major Development award of $12,400
Michael Glass, director and assistant professor, Urban Studies Program. “Infrastructures of Innovation in 'Left Behind' Regions — Fayette County, PA & County Durham, UK.” Major Development award of $19,755
Erin Anderson, associate professor, Department of English. “Cement City (Season Two): A Documentary Podcast About ‘One Forgotten Town.’” Launch Support (up to $5,000)
Congratulations to all of our winners!