Swanson School of Engineering

10/27/2026

Kaye Baron was one of ten master’s students worldwide to receive an IEEE Power & Energy Society Outstanding Student Scholarship this past May. That same month, the engineer and singer-songwriter jumped back on stage, playing in front of an audience for his first time in over a decade. He’s been playing live shows ever since. As Baron prepares to defend his master’s thesis on November 3, his story reflects the importance of making a difference and pursuing important endeavors.
https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/news/2026/an-outstanding-student-jumps-back-on-stage/

10/23/2026

Civil engineering student Sophia Russo and MPH Emily Bradley, both student sustainability ambassadors at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, are turning sustainability into action. Check out this great article about how they’re making a difference! https://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/news/pitt-students-turn-sustainability-action-0

10/22/2026

The Society of Women Engineers has recognized the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh section for its exceptional member retention in 2026. SWE also celebrated the SWE Pittsburgh Professional Section for its mission recognition. 🎉 https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/news/2026/society-of-women-engineers-recognizes-pitt-and-pittsburgh-section/

10/19/2026

Congratulations to Piervincenzo Rizzo! He received a $234,017 grant through the Federal Railroad Administration supporting his new rail-monitoring technology designed to stop heat-related train derailments before they happen. https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/news/2026/federal-railroad-administration-supports-piervincenzo-rizzos-new-rail-monitoring-system/

10/15/2026

In the Pitt course Innovating for Public Impact, students leave the classroom to find answers and develop professional and problem-solving skills. They learn how to understand real-world challenges before rushing to solve them.

Last spring, students partnered with the Pennsylvania National Guard, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and the City of Pittsburgh to improve emergency communications, strengthen technology ecosystems, and reimagine green spaces. One team even got to travel to Hawaii to engage with first responders there!

This spring, new challenges await for our students to help solve. https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/news/2026/where-a-classroom-meets-community/

10/14/2026

Pitt researchers Paul Ohodnicki, Khurram Naeem, and Yang-Duan Su recently traveled to the Idaho National Laboratory to field-test a new fiber-optic ultrasonic acoustic-sensing system designed to keep spent nuclear fuel canisters safe. The technology was developed through a partnership with Pitt and Pittsburgh startup Sensible Photonics, and the team successfully demonstrated its feasibility. https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/news/2026/listening-for-trouble/

10/13/2026

While researching ways to make better stainless steels for the U.S. Navy, John Keith and his PhD student Barbaro Zulueta began collaborating with Kay Carter-Fenk, Abdul Zamani, and Andrew Ricciuti. The cross-disciplinary team found a way to make computer predictions about hard-to-model metals more accurate, which could give scientists more reliable data as they work to design new materials and train machine-learning tools. Their research is published in the journal Nature Communications! https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/news/2026/finding-the-right-starting-place-for-chemistrys-most-difficult-molecules/

10/12/2026

REMINDER: There is still time to register for this Friday's Gerald D. Holder Endowed Distinguished Lecture featuring National Academy of Engineering Member Paulo Monteiro, the Roy W. Carlson Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, who will present "2,000 Years of Concrete Technology: From Roman Concrete to Plasma Cement." The Department is honored to host Dr. Monterio and Dean Emeritus Holder! https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dgmq9IJ36EafgGi

10/05/2026

Our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of our Swanson School (2018) and CEE (2010) Distinguished Alumnus Wesley C. Pickard, BSMIN ’61, retired Chief Financial Officer of Synergy, Inc.

He also served as a Board Member of the Pitt Alumni Association (2007-2011) and on the Executive Committee (2007-2008), received the Pitt Volunteer of Excellence Award in 2012, and was named a “Significant Sig” in 2017 by Sigma Chi Fraternity. Lastly, because of his strong philanthropic support for the University of Pittsburgh, Mr. Pickard was inducted into the Cathedral of Learning Society in April 2016.

View Wesley C. Pickard's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

10/05/2026

Pitt’s Lei Fang and his research into turbulence have been featured in Quanta Magazine. Check out this great article: https://www.quantamagazine.org/sea-monkeys-show-scientists-how-to-rewrite-a-rule-of-turbulence-20261002/