The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the College of General Studies proudly celebrated the dedication and accomplishments of their staff at the 2025 Staff Recognition event on Thursday, Sept. 18.
The University of Pittsburgh’s 2025 Alumni Award winners are changing what’s possible here in Pittsburgh, around the globe and everywhere in between.
From literacy education, financial leadership and meaningful cultural change improving lives worldwide, to creating a culinary institution beloved by generations while also giving back to their community and showing their profound Pitt pride, these six leaders are making a difference through professional, philanthropic and volunteer accomplishments.
Brad Dicianno (A&S ’97, MED ’01), vice chair for research in the School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, won a Community Heroes Award from Community Living and Support Services (CLASS).
Mohammad Shedeed, a junior in the University of Pittsburgh Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and David C. Frederick Honors College, received a 2025-26 Newman Civic Fellowship. This national honor from Campus Compact recognizes student leaders who are making a difference in their communities.
George Reid Andrews, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of History, has been honored with the Conference on Latin American History (CLAH) Distinguished Service Award.
Timothy Nerozzi (A&S ’17) was honored with a 2025-26 Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship award.
The annual The Fund for American Studies award empowers promising young journalists to partake in research and long-form content creation. Its name honors the late Robert D. Novak, who worked as a columnist, broadcaster and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, CNN and the Associated Press.
A member of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg faculty, and Dietrich School Alumnus, was recognized with two of the most prestigious prizes in American literature.
Dave Newman (UPG ’93, A&S ’96G, SOC WK ’13G), assistant professor of creative and professional writing, was awarded a Pushcart Prize for his story, “The Last Thing That Happened Before I Became A Med Tech.”
The American Chemical Society announced this week that Professor Alexander Deiters will receive a 2026 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award. The award is given to recognize and encourage excellence in organic chemistry. It consists of $5,000, a certificate, and a $40,000 unrestricted research grant. Deiters is being recognized for his work at the interface of synthetic organic chemistry and biology. He is a pioneer in the field of optochemical biology, which uses light to activate or deactivate cellular processes with exquisite selectivity.
Graham Hatfull, an Eberly Family Professor of Biotechnology and HHMI Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Dietrich School, was interviewed for Drug Discovery World. The interview discusses everything from his career and current research to his recent election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society.
