News
Dietrich School Researchers Head to Texas to Follow the Eclipse
This month a team of researchers from the Dietrich School's Department of Physics and Astronomy will collect atmospheric data for NASA as part of the agency’s Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning project. They’ll launch one weather balloon every hour for 31 hours, giving them a clear sense of conditions before, during and after the eclipse.
New Co-Director Joins Dietrich School Faculty Member to Head Up PQI
Michael Hatridge, associate professor in the Dietrich School's Department of Physics and Astronomy and co-director of the Pittsburgh Quantum Institute (PQI), just welcomed a new partner to PQI: Benjamin Hunt, associate professor of physics at Carnegie Mellon, has been named PQI's co-director.
A Message from Chancellor Joan Gabel
Like many of you over the past several days, I have continued to watch the horrific and heartbreaking scenes resulting from Hamas’ unprecedented terrorist attacks against Israel and innocent civilians. In no uncertain terms, we condemn these unconscionable, barbaric acts. Over these same days, I’ve listened to our community’s voice, which, for so many, includes the heaviness of unthinkable loss. My heart goes out to all those pained by these events, and those tragically lost in these atrocious attacks, which include hundreds of young people — the age of our students — at a music festival with their whole lives ahead of them.
Dietrich School Researchers Receive $3.3 Million Grant from the NIA
A team of researchers from the Dietrich School and Pitt's School of Medicine received a five-year, $3.3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging. The three principal investigators — Assistant Professor of Neurobiology Amantha Thathiah and Associate Professors from the Department of Biological Sciences Kirill Kiselyov and Andrew VanDemark — will investigate a mitochondrial target and whether it protects cells from the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Dietrich School Faculty Member Featured in Juxtapoz Magazine
Melissa Catanese, Teaching Associate Professor in the Dietrich School's Department of Studio Arts, is featured in the October 4 online edition of Juxtapoz magazine. The article focuses on her photobook based on the Shirley Jackson short story, "The Lottery."
Dietrich School Post-Doc Leads Team Studying Volcanic Activity on Venus
Spotting volcanic activity on another planet could give scientists insight into what’s going on under the hood. But that’s only if they recognize what they’re looking at.
Recent research led by Ian Flynn, a postdoctoral fellow in the Dietrich School's Department of Geology and Environmental Science, aimed to model how lava flows might look on Venus, work that will inform three upcoming missions to the planet from NASA and the European Space Agency. Their paper was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.
Dietrich School Team Will Play Key Role with NASA's Next Space Telescope
Pitt people helped get the Hubble telescope into space. We were among the first to use the James Webb Space Telescope when it launched in 2021. Now, four Dietrich School researchers will play an integral role in developing the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, which aims to better understand the nature of dark energy and of the dark matter that shapes the structures we see in it.
Dietrich School Faculty Member Awarded Sculpture Space Residency
Omid Shekari, Assistant Professor in the Dietrich School's Department of Studio Arts, was awarded a two-month residency in October and November at Sculpture Space in Utica, New York. A prestigious, international residency, Sculpture Space is invitational with small cohorts of artists - no more than six at a time. Sculpture Space provides specialized space for professional artists to focus on sculpture and connect with other artists, curators, and professionals in the field.
Dietrich School Faculty Member Featured in Pitt Research Newsletter
“Books are the material form in which ideas move around,” says Adam Shear. “If we know one individual’s reading, we can see a micro-history. If we aggregate the data of what books were owned by many individuals where and when, we can see broader trends.”
Dean Adam Celebrates Long-Time Staff
On Wednesday, September 27, Dietrich School and College of General Studies Dean, Adam Leibovich, hosted a celebration at the University Club to recognize staff members from both units who’ve reached service milestones of five, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 years.
Dietrich School Faculty Member and Assistant Dean Joins AGU LANDIng Co-hort
Rosemary Capo, associate professor in the Dietrich School's Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences and Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies, has joined the second-ever cohort of the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Leadership Academy and Network for Diversity and Inclusion in the Geosciences (LANDInG) Academy.
Applications Invited for Provost's Diversity in the Curriculum Awards
The Provost’s Award for Diversity in the Curriculum recognizes faculty who have taught a modified course or revised curricula to strengthen diversity and inclusion, resulting in changes of impact. Any full-time or part-time Pitt faculty member at the University may apply for this award. An information session will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 21. The session will include an overview of the goals of the award, eligibility, application process, and selection procedures. Attendees can participate in a Q&A session at the end of the information session. A recording of the information session will be available.
Dietrich School Faculty Member Receives NEH Grant
Alison Langmead, director of the Visual Media Workshop in the Dietrich School's Department of History of Art and Architecture, received a $66,329 NEH grant for her project Teaching Art History with AI, which will convene college and university educators and develop open education resources on the topic.
Dietrich School Professor Awarded $1.5 Million from Air Force
W. Vincent Liu, a professor in the Dietrich School's Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been awarded $1.5 million from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to develop models in orbital physics.
Distinguished Professor Receives $260,000 Templeton Foundation Grant
Edouard Machery, distinguished professor in the Dietrich School's Department of History and Philosophy of Science, and director of Pitt’s Center for Philosophy of Science, was awarded a grant for $260,000 from the John Templeton Foundation.