The Pitt Research Annual Report is out now

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Between big advances, new corporate partnerships and a staggering international footprint, Pitt’s research enterprise has had another banner year. The latest Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research Annual Report gives a taste of that breadth, whether it’s pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, revealing the origins of agriculture in East Africa or taking leaps forward in space research.

“Our researchers and scholars have doubled down in publishing, applying for funding and advocating for research, while our leadership has remained steadfast in support of our research enterprise and continuing to build our life sciences ecosystem in Pittsburgh,” Senior Vice Chancellor for Research Rob Rutenbar wrote in his introduction to the report.

The Research Annual Report is organized into sections featuring areas where Pitt researchers excel. In “The Future is Digital,” readers can find stories about new advances in AI and computing, while “Understanding People and Culture” highlights varied research in the humanities and social sciences, from deep dives on business systems to examinations of the impact of social media on adolescent girls.

A drone shot of the University of Pittsburgh campus.

The report’s “Powering Progress” section highlights a variety of researchers exploring new ways to make energy and infrastructure more reliable. One example is Fernando Tormos-Aponte (pictured above), an assistant professor of sociology in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. He and his colleagues developed and improved measurements of vulnerability to disasters, inspired by the disaster caused by Hurricane Maria in his native Puerto Rico. The work provides a framework for energy restoration in a multifaceted and equitable way that involves both the community and government policies.

Tying the report together are sections exploring the scale of Pitt’s research enterprise and breadth of international collaborations through numbers.

“These combined efforts not only keep knowledge moving forward but also help to keep the United States — and the Pittsburgh region — competitive on the global stage,” Rutenbar wrote.

See more images of Pitt researchers from the report in the gallery below.