MCSI Supports Novel Research and Education Programs

MCSI SUPPORTS NOVEL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE DISCIPLINARY SPECTRUM

2021 Faculty Awards in Sustainability

This program is designed to engage faculty who want to advance the University’s mission of interdisciplinary excellence in sustainability research and education. To read more about the faculty and their projects go here.

Leonard Peters Faculty Fellowships

Michael Blackhurst, UCSUR

Danielle Andrews-Brown, Geology & Env Science

Tony Kerzmann, Mechanical Engineering

John C. Mascaro Faculty Fellowships

International Development Policy (IDP) BADGE David Fraser, University Honors College Müge Kökten Finkel, GSPIA

A New Approach to Decision Making Under Uncertainty with Applications to Electric Grid Operation Oliver Hinder, Industrial Engineering

John C. Mascaro Faculty Scholarships

Development of a Digital Twin for Green Energy Management and Security in a Picogrid Laboratory Robert Kerestes, Electrical & Comp Engineering

Electric Motor Materials and Designs for a Sustainable Electrified Future Brandon Grainger, Electrical and Computer Engineering Paul Ohodnicki, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Introduction to Engineering for Humanity Ian Nettleship, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

John C. Mascaro Faculty Lectureships

Sustainable Food Systems Course Corey Flynn, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Writing Sustainability Steven LeMieux, Department of English

Citrus juices as an environmentally benign catalyst for chemical transformations. Manisha Nigam, Pitt Johnstown

Undergraduate Certificate

● 40 graduates with certificate ● 18 different departments

Certificate Core Courses

• Current Issues; 2 sections with 82 undergraduate and 10 graduate students

• Sustainability Capstone; 52 undergraduate and 5 graduate students

Transcription of Distinction

● MCSI led; approved Spring 2021 ● 19 students enrolled ● 1 awarded in April 2021

MS in Sustainable Engineering

● 15 students admitted ● 22 applications submitted ● 40 in progress

Enhanced MSSE Recruiting and Applications

Dave Sanchez led the transition of the MS in Sustainable Engineering (MSSE) to the new CAS Liaison admission system as well as worked with Stephanie Opalinski and Associate Dean Bob Parker to initiate the following recruitment programs for the MSSE: Pitt2Pitt (Pitt 2020 graduates), EAGr (Pitt SSOE juniors and seniors), and Compass (non-engineering students).

Designed “Central Eurasian Water Future” course supported by National Endowment for Humanities

Dave Sanchez designed a course in collaboration with Prof. John Camillus, “Central Eurasian Water Future” and drawing 19 undergraduate students, focused on Kazakhstan and incorporated analytic approaches from the Business of Humanity® Project (http://boh.pitt.edu). The course’s emphasis on Kazakhstan allowed students to explore contemporary issues relating to water in Central Eurasia. With guest lectures by Dr. Shanazarova (Religious Studies/History), Dr. Elissa Bullion (Anthropology), Dr. Vasili Rukhadze (Political Science), and Dr. Sanchez, they introduced students to the historical, cultural, and political complexity of Central Eurasia, the course advocated for emphasizing Kazakhstan on the grounds that this country not only provides a lens on challenges to water sustainability in the region but also has the largest economy in Central Europe.

Undergraduate Summer Research

Our undergraduate research program has supported nearly 300 students. Historically this program has engaged engineering students and projects. However, this academic year we expanded the scope of the program to include non-technical projects and students. This proved tremendously successful with 98 applications and 29 students supported for the summer of 2021. Read about all of our student project pairings.