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International Connections in Pittsburgh
Updated: 6 min 20 sec ago
Duquesne University Researcher Aleem Gangjee Receives $1.6 Million Grant To Explore Nontoxic Cancer Fighter
Duquesne University cancer researcher Dr. Aleem Gangjee has received at $1.56 million, three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute to further develop his latest research into treatments that do not harm normal cells like most cancer-fighting compounds.
Dr. Aleem GangjeeIn his 30 years of research as a distinguished professor of medicinal chemistry in Duquesne's School of Pharmacy, Gangjee has developed compounds that target the basic building blocks of cancer cells' DNA. What sets his new research apart is that the compounds don't harm normal cells like standard treatments.
"There are several drugs that try to inhibit synthesis of DNA," Gangjee said. "But they are extremely toxic."
Gangjee, a native of India, wanted his compounds to be so selective that they would impact cancer cells alone, not normal cells. To do so, he focused on a specific system, called a transport system that is expressed only in select tumor cells. The system is not expressed in normal cells, so the mechanism itself avoids toxicity.
This transport system shuttles chemicals from outside cancer cells to the inside of the cells, carrying Gangjee's tumor-fighting compounds like a Trojan horse, fighting cancer from the inside out. These compounds hitch a ride on a transport system special to certain types of ovarian, breast, liver, lung and colon cancers. Once they gain entry to the cancer cells, they selectively block the signaling systems involved in synthesizing DNA.
"To our knowledge, this is the only type of targeted therapy that deals with transport into tumor cells using a folate transporter," Gangjee said. "The killing mechanism in these cells brings another advantage, that is, the compounds indirectly inhibit the signaling machinery" of cancer cells.
"It is wonderfully selective, exquisitely selective and very, very potent," said Gangjee, a native of India who previously had used a different transporter as his Trojan horse. "The beauty is we do this selectively in tumor cells only, because our drugs don't get into the normal cells."
Gangjee's lab employs 14 people, including graduate assistants.
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic research universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. The University is nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review for its rich academic programs in 10 schools of study for 10,000-plus graduate and undergraduate students, and by the Washington Monthly for service and contributing to students' social mobility.
Source: Duquesne University
Dr. Aleem GangjeeIn his 30 years of research as a distinguished professor of medicinal chemistry in Duquesne's School of Pharmacy, Gangjee has developed compounds that target the basic building blocks of cancer cells' DNA. What sets his new research apart is that the compounds don't harm normal cells like standard treatments.
"There are several drugs that try to inhibit synthesis of DNA," Gangjee said. "But they are extremely toxic."
Gangjee, a native of India, wanted his compounds to be so selective that they would impact cancer cells alone, not normal cells. To do so, he focused on a specific system, called a transport system that is expressed only in select tumor cells. The system is not expressed in normal cells, so the mechanism itself avoids toxicity.
This transport system shuttles chemicals from outside cancer cells to the inside of the cells, carrying Gangjee's tumor-fighting compounds like a Trojan horse, fighting cancer from the inside out. These compounds hitch a ride on a transport system special to certain types of ovarian, breast, liver, lung and colon cancers. Once they gain entry to the cancer cells, they selectively block the signaling systems involved in synthesizing DNA.
"To our knowledge, this is the only type of targeted therapy that deals with transport into tumor cells using a folate transporter," Gangjee said. "The killing mechanism in these cells brings another advantage, that is, the compounds indirectly inhibit the signaling machinery" of cancer cells.
"It is wonderfully selective, exquisitely selective and very, very potent," said Gangjee, a native of India who previously had used a different transporter as his Trojan horse. "The beauty is we do this selectively in tumor cells only, because our drugs don't get into the normal cells."
Gangjee's lab employs 14 people, including graduate assistants.
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic research universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. The University is nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review for its rich academic programs in 10 schools of study for 10,000-plus graduate and undergraduate students, and by the Washington Monthly for service and contributing to students' social mobility.
Source: Duquesne University
GlobalPittsburgh Co-Hosting International Night at Savoy May 15 With Pittsburgh Social Exchange and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
GlobalPittsburgh is teaming up with the Pittsburgh Social Exchange and the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (PMAHCC) to host the 3rd Annual International Night at the SAVOY Restaurant and Lounge in the Strip District on Wednesday, May 15 from 6-8 p.m.
Join us as we experience "The Good Life" and celebrate the international culture of our great city with food, drinks, fun, and business networking! Admission includes delicious cuisine from different lands across the world. Meet and mingle with members and friends of Global Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of other business people. Space is limited, and we have sold out in previous years, so register now by clicking HERE.
Admission for GlobalPittsburgh members (and PSE/PMAHCC members) is $15 in advance and $45 for non-members. Admission at the door (if tickets are available) is $50 per person. If you are not a GlobalPittsburgh member, now is the time to join. It's only $40 per year, or $50 per household. CLICK HERE for membership information. You can sign up and pay online, and then get member ticket price to this event.
Savoy is located at 2623 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. To register, please CLICK HERE.
The Pittsburgh Social Exchange is Pittsburgh's premier networking organization, with the goal of helping members build their business and professional career by connecting them with other local professionals. PSE specializes in high-caliber events that are designed to bring together local professionals and help them increase their professional opportunities through business networking. For more information, go to www.pittsburghsocialexchange.com.
Join us as we experience "The Good Life" and celebrate the international culture of our great city with food, drinks, fun, and business networking! Admission includes delicious cuisine from different lands across the world. Meet and mingle with members and friends of Global Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of other business people. Space is limited, and we have sold out in previous years, so register now by clicking HERE.
Admission for GlobalPittsburgh members (and PSE/PMAHCC members) is $15 in advance and $45 for non-members. Admission at the door (if tickets are available) is $50 per person. If you are not a GlobalPittsburgh member, now is the time to join. It's only $40 per year, or $50 per household. CLICK HERE for membership information. You can sign up and pay online, and then get member ticket price to this event.
Savoy is located at 2623 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. To register, please CLICK HERE.
The Pittsburgh Social Exchange is Pittsburgh's premier networking organization, with the goal of helping members build their business and professional career by connecting them with other local professionals. PSE specializes in high-caliber events that are designed to bring together local professionals and help them increase their professional opportunities through business networking. For more information, go to www.pittsburghsocialexchange.com.
Pittsburgh Deejay and Radio Host Carla Leininger Wins International Press Award for Promoting Brazil
Pittsburgh deejay and radio host Carla Andréa Leininger is among the 2013 Brazilian International Press Awards recipients for her efforts to celebrate Brazilian culture and Brazil’s positive image overseas.
Carla LeiningerLeininger, who was born in Brasilia, Brazil, and moved to Pittsburgh in the late 1970s, started the city's first Latin American radio program in 1999 -- now called the Brazilian Radio Hour or Cantinho Brasileiro no Radio -- and is creator and presenter of a world music series of events known as Global Beats.
“We like to think that we put the 'happy' in Pittsburgh’s Friday Happy Hour," Leininger said of the radio program, which airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on Carnegie Mellon University's radio station, WRCT 88.3 FM. "Folks are riding home in their car, listening to some soft samba music. That puts anyone in a good mood."
The Brazilian International Press Award ceremony takes place May 3 at the end of a seminar known as Focus Brasil, which has become an annual forum for leaders of the Brazilian communities abroad. It fosters issues of interest such as Brazilian culture and the teaching of the Portuguese language.
Leininger attended the Focus Brasil seminars for a few years to network with fellow Brazilians and to let everyone know that the Brazilian flag was waving high above the Pittsburgh skyline. It paid off.
Not only was Leininger recognized for her radio program this year, but a special edition of the Focus Brasil Conference was held in the city recently. The event caught the recognition of city of Pittsburgh officials, and April 13th was declared Focus Brasil Day in the city.
Global Beats was created to foster multicultural exchanges and to be an agent of social change through the sounds and fusion of world music. It features lounge and dance music from around the world, because quality music comes in all shapes, languages, colors, and sounds.
This summer, Global Beats and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust are collaborating and presenting Pittsburgh's first World Music Day at the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Two major world music acts are expected to debut at the festival, thanks to a grant from Vibrant Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization committed to attracting, retaining, elevating and educating people of all backgrounds, including new Americans, and creating an environment that is inclusive and welcoming.
Carla LeiningerLeininger, who was born in Brasilia, Brazil, and moved to Pittsburgh in the late 1970s, started the city's first Latin American radio program in 1999 -- now called the Brazilian Radio Hour or Cantinho Brasileiro no Radio -- and is creator and presenter of a world music series of events known as Global Beats.
“We like to think that we put the 'happy' in Pittsburgh’s Friday Happy Hour," Leininger said of the radio program, which airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on Carnegie Mellon University's radio station, WRCT 88.3 FM. "Folks are riding home in their car, listening to some soft samba music. That puts anyone in a good mood."
The Brazilian International Press Award ceremony takes place May 3 at the end of a seminar known as Focus Brasil, which has become an annual forum for leaders of the Brazilian communities abroad. It fosters issues of interest such as Brazilian culture and the teaching of the Portuguese language.
Leininger attended the Focus Brasil seminars for a few years to network with fellow Brazilians and to let everyone know that the Brazilian flag was waving high above the Pittsburgh skyline. It paid off.
Not only was Leininger recognized for her radio program this year, but a special edition of the Focus Brasil Conference was held in the city recently. The event caught the recognition of city of Pittsburgh officials, and April 13th was declared Focus Brasil Day in the city.
Global Beats was created to foster multicultural exchanges and to be an agent of social change through the sounds and fusion of world music. It features lounge and dance music from around the world, because quality music comes in all shapes, languages, colors, and sounds.
This summer, Global Beats and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust are collaborating and presenting Pittsburgh's first World Music Day at the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Two major world music acts are expected to debut at the festival, thanks to a grant from Vibrant Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization committed to attracting, retaining, elevating and educating people of all backgrounds, including new Americans, and creating an environment that is inclusive and welcoming.
CMU Alumnus Launches Cookstove Project Empowering Rural Women in Africa; Crowdsource Funding Underway
Carnegie Mellon University Graduate Lucas Belenky has launched a company in Africa selling a specialized cookstove that he says will empower rural women in developing countries and also have a positive environmental and public health impact by using less firewood and creating less smoke.
The Baker Cookstove on the
manufacturing floor in Kenya.Belenky, who received a graduate engineering degree from CMU in 2009, has spent the last four years working and living in Nairobi, Kenya. His company, Top Third Ventures Ltd., has developed the Baker Cookstove, which replicates the three-stone-fire system of cooking used in much of the developing world.
"It is basically three rocks that support a pot with an open fire in the middle," the company wrote on its Indiegogo crowdsourcing campaign page. "This cooking style is very inefficient and leads to many environmental and health problems."
Belenky's company modeled its steel stove design on the three-rock-fire system so women (who do the vast majority of cooking in developing countries) would be more likely to use the new stove.
"The high thermal efficiency rating of the Baker Stove allows women to cook with only a third of the wood they used to use and in much less time," the company wrote. "This saves lives because less wood means less smoke"
Less smoke from cooking fires, which are often placed in poorly ventilated spaces, means improvements in health conditions, the company said.
"Indoor air pollution kills 4 million people every year," it said. "This is more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined."
"The company I built over the last 16 months is now launching its first product that will change the lives of rural women in Africa, while reducing deforestation, and combating climate change," Belenky announced on LinkedIn.
Top Third Ventures crowdfunding campaign is currently underway to raise enough money to achieve proof-of-concept and bring on board larger investors. More information can be found at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/baker-stove-an-energy-efficient-cookstove-for-the-developing-world
The Baker Cookstove on the
manufacturing floor in Kenya.Belenky, who received a graduate engineering degree from CMU in 2009, has spent the last four years working and living in Nairobi, Kenya. His company, Top Third Ventures Ltd., has developed the Baker Cookstove, which replicates the three-stone-fire system of cooking used in much of the developing world.
"It is basically three rocks that support a pot with an open fire in the middle," the company wrote on its Indiegogo crowdsourcing campaign page. "This cooking style is very inefficient and leads to many environmental and health problems."
Belenky's company modeled its steel stove design on the three-rock-fire system so women (who do the vast majority of cooking in developing countries) would be more likely to use the new stove.
"The high thermal efficiency rating of the Baker Stove allows women to cook with only a third of the wood they used to use and in much less time," the company wrote. "This saves lives because less wood means less smoke"
Less smoke from cooking fires, which are often placed in poorly ventilated spaces, means improvements in health conditions, the company said.
"Indoor air pollution kills 4 million people every year," it said. "This is more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined."
"The company I built over the last 16 months is now launching its first product that will change the lives of rural women in Africa, while reducing deforestation, and combating climate change," Belenky announced on LinkedIn.
Top Third Ventures crowdfunding campaign is currently underway to raise enough money to achieve proof-of-concept and bring on board larger investors. More information can be found at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/baker-stove-an-energy-efficient-cookstove-for-the-developing-world
Pittsburgh Picked As First Location For Web Video Series on Entrepreneurship Outside Silicon Valley
Pittsburgh has been picked as the first location for a web video series on entrepreneurship outside Silicon Valley by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which features Pittsburgh Region companies and startup support organizations like Innovation Works on its entrepreneurship.org website.
"Thirty years ago, Pittsburgh was given up for dead," the site reads. "City leaders realized that if the town were ever to recover it would need a more diversified economy and that entrepreneurship would be key. The stories below explore how Pittsburgh went about creating a new entrepreneurial ecosystem and the challenges it still faces."
View the series at http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/ID8/Pittsburgh.aspx
"Thirty years ago, Pittsburgh was given up for dead," the site reads. "City leaders realized that if the town were ever to recover it would need a more diversified economy and that entrepreneurship would be key. The stories below explore how Pittsburgh went about creating a new entrepreneurial ecosystem and the challenges it still faces."
View the series at http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/ID8/Pittsburgh.aspx
GlobalPittsburgh Member Heyl & Patterson Joins Initiative To Supply Mining Equipment In Southern Africa
Heyl & Patterson Inc., a world leader in thermal processing systems and bulk material handling, announced that it has joined the Pennsylvania Mining Export Program (PAMEX), an initiative that provides assistance to Pennsylvania-based companies to successfully penetrate the Southern African market.
Heyl & Patterson is one of 10 Pennsylvania companies participating in the program. PAMEX is part of the Pennsylvania Office of Trade Development, and is designed to promote and increase Pennsylvania mining and service equipment in the Southern Africa region, with assistance from the United States Department of Commerce.
The scope of PAMEX includes the nations of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These nations are also known as the Southern Africa Development Community. Implementation of the program will be conducted by the Pennsylvania Authorized Trade Representative (ATR) office based in Pretoria, South Africa. Heyl & Patterson has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of thermal processing systems and bulk material handling equipment since its founding in 1887.
“PAMEX provides us with mining representatives who are familiar not only with the nation of South Africa, but the entire Southern Africa market, and this gives us the ability to expand our reach geographically,” said John Edelman, President of Heyl & Patterson. “This business venture could have a significant impact on Heyl & Patterson, and is a significant step in our strategy to expand our presence in growing markets.”
The ATR will conduct market research and appointment setting in the Southern Africa markets. A Mining Marketing Representative (MMR) will attend initial business meetings scheduled on behalf of the Pennsylvania companies, and those companies are expected to follow up on the meetings with potential importers within three working days. This process will result in reportable sales.
Founded in 1887 in Pittsburgh, Heyl & Patterson provides high quality, custom engineered solutions for thermal processing and bulk material handling applications around the globe. Thermal processing products and services include some of the largest high-efficiency Dryers and Coolers in the world, as well as Calciners, Bulk Material Processors and Pilot Plant Laboratory Testing. Heyl & Patterson is the innovator the Rotary Railcar Dumper and offers a wide range of bulk material handling equipment, including Railcar & Barge Movers and Barge Unloaders.
For more information, go to www.heylpatterson.com.
Heyl & Patterson is one of 10 Pennsylvania companies participating in the program. PAMEX is part of the Pennsylvania Office of Trade Development, and is designed to promote and increase Pennsylvania mining and service equipment in the Southern Africa region, with assistance from the United States Department of Commerce.
The scope of PAMEX includes the nations of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These nations are also known as the Southern Africa Development Community. Implementation of the program will be conducted by the Pennsylvania Authorized Trade Representative (ATR) office based in Pretoria, South Africa. Heyl & Patterson has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of thermal processing systems and bulk material handling equipment since its founding in 1887.
“PAMEX provides us with mining representatives who are familiar not only with the nation of South Africa, but the entire Southern Africa market, and this gives us the ability to expand our reach geographically,” said John Edelman, President of Heyl & Patterson. “This business venture could have a significant impact on Heyl & Patterson, and is a significant step in our strategy to expand our presence in growing markets.”
The ATR will conduct market research and appointment setting in the Southern Africa markets. A Mining Marketing Representative (MMR) will attend initial business meetings scheduled on behalf of the Pennsylvania companies, and those companies are expected to follow up on the meetings with potential importers within three working days. This process will result in reportable sales.
Founded in 1887 in Pittsburgh, Heyl & Patterson provides high quality, custom engineered solutions for thermal processing and bulk material handling applications around the globe. Thermal processing products and services include some of the largest high-efficiency Dryers and Coolers in the world, as well as Calciners, Bulk Material Processors and Pilot Plant Laboratory Testing. Heyl & Patterson is the innovator the Rotary Railcar Dumper and offers a wide range of bulk material handling equipment, including Railcar & Barge Movers and Barge Unloaders.
For more information, go to www.heylpatterson.com.
Pittsburgh City Council Passes Resolution Supporting National Immigration Reform With Path to Citizenship
Pittsburgh City Council has passed a unanimous resolution urging lawmakers at the state and federal level to adopt comprehensive immigration reform measures that would include a path to citizenship for the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants.
In addition to reflecting the nation's core values of fairness and equality for all people, simplifying the citizenship process for undocumented immigrants would result in positive economic benefits for all American works, according to Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak, lead sponsor of the measure.
"The creation of a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans would improve wages and working standards for all workers by giving immigrant workers a voice in the workplace and halting employers who take advantage of failed immigration policies to exploit employees," the Council resolution stated. "Immigration reform is an urgent federal responsibility and must occur in a comprehensive, thoughtful manner guided by our nation's values of due process, civil and human rights, accountability, and proportionality."
At a press conference following the Council's action, Rudiak gathered together dozens of supporters, including representatives from labor, business, faith-based and other community groups, including the region's immigrant community.
"There is no reasonable system for people to become citizens of this country," she said. "That's why we have 11 million people living in the shadows. If we actually had a reasonable pathway to citizenship, people would not be doing that."
Rudiak, whose mother emigrated from Poland, said a Polish cousin of hers is now working in Spain because she was unable to find work in the U.S. even after graduating from Carlow University with honors.
"Not because she wasn't talented and not because they didn't want to hire her, because they did, but because the immigration process in this country is so absolutely onerous and literally takes years to get through," she said. "That's far too much red tape for any employer to be able to hire someone legally through the system."
Here is the text of the Council resolution:
"WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh has always been proud of its immigrant history, providing the backbone of industry and manufacturing and making Pittsburgh vital to the progress of the United States; and
"WHEREAS, immigrants from all over the world have been a significant portion of Pittsburgh’s growth over the past decade, bringing new life and investment to our City’s neighborhoods, educational systems, and commercial endeavors; and
"WHEREAS, each day thousands of immigrants work, own homes, open businesses, and contribute to the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the City; and
"WHEREAS, above all, we believe in the human dignity of all Pittsburgh residents; and
"WHEREAS, our country’s immigration system is fundamentally broken, holding back our economy and fostering a sense of divisiveness and fear in communities throughout America; and
"WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh recognizes that immigration reform must protect the rights of all workers and families and provide sufficient channels for migration in the future; and
"WHEREAS, the creation of a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans would improve wages and working standards for all workers by giving immigrant workers a voice in the workplace and halting employers who take advantage of failed immigration policies to exploit employees; and
"WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh recognizes the hopes of millions of immigrants to reunify their families and, as Pittsburghers have always held the core values of family and hard work, we recognize the dreams of young immigrants to get a quality education and contribute to our communities; and
"WHEREAS, immigration reform is an urgent federal responsibility and must occur in a comprehensive, thoughtful manner guided by our nation's values of due process, civil and human rights, accountability, and proportionality.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby urges the 113th Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform as outlined in this resolution that establishes a clear, fast, and reasonable pathway to citizenship, keeps families together, upholds our values as a nation, promotes economic growth, and creates a fair immigration system guided by respect for the human rights of all persons; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be delivered to the United States Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
SPONSORED BY COUNCILWOMAN NATALIA RUDIAK
CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARLENE M. HARRIS AND COUNCILMEMBERS REV. RICKY V. BURGESS, PATRICK DOWD, BRUCE A. KRAUS, R. DANIEL LAVELLE, COREY O’CONNOR, WILLIAM PEDUTO, AND THERESA KAIL-SMITH
In addition to reflecting the nation's core values of fairness and equality for all people, simplifying the citizenship process for undocumented immigrants would result in positive economic benefits for all American works, according to Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak, lead sponsor of the measure.
"The creation of a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans would improve wages and working standards for all workers by giving immigrant workers a voice in the workplace and halting employers who take advantage of failed immigration policies to exploit employees," the Council resolution stated. "Immigration reform is an urgent federal responsibility and must occur in a comprehensive, thoughtful manner guided by our nation's values of due process, civil and human rights, accountability, and proportionality."
At a press conference following the Council's action, Rudiak gathered together dozens of supporters, including representatives from labor, business, faith-based and other community groups, including the region's immigrant community.
"There is no reasonable system for people to become citizens of this country," she said. "That's why we have 11 million people living in the shadows. If we actually had a reasonable pathway to citizenship, people would not be doing that."
Rudiak, whose mother emigrated from Poland, said a Polish cousin of hers is now working in Spain because she was unable to find work in the U.S. even after graduating from Carlow University with honors.
"Not because she wasn't talented and not because they didn't want to hire her, because they did, but because the immigration process in this country is so absolutely onerous and literally takes years to get through," she said. "That's far too much red tape for any employer to be able to hire someone legally through the system."
Here is the text of the Council resolution:
"WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh has always been proud of its immigrant history, providing the backbone of industry and manufacturing and making Pittsburgh vital to the progress of the United States; and
"WHEREAS, immigrants from all over the world have been a significant portion of Pittsburgh’s growth over the past decade, bringing new life and investment to our City’s neighborhoods, educational systems, and commercial endeavors; and
"WHEREAS, each day thousands of immigrants work, own homes, open businesses, and contribute to the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the City; and
"WHEREAS, above all, we believe in the human dignity of all Pittsburgh residents; and
"WHEREAS, our country’s immigration system is fundamentally broken, holding back our economy and fostering a sense of divisiveness and fear in communities throughout America; and
"WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh recognizes that immigration reform must protect the rights of all workers and families and provide sufficient channels for migration in the future; and
"WHEREAS, the creation of a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans would improve wages and working standards for all workers by giving immigrant workers a voice in the workplace and halting employers who take advantage of failed immigration policies to exploit employees; and
"WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh recognizes the hopes of millions of immigrants to reunify their families and, as Pittsburghers have always held the core values of family and hard work, we recognize the dreams of young immigrants to get a quality education and contribute to our communities; and
"WHEREAS, immigration reform is an urgent federal responsibility and must occur in a comprehensive, thoughtful manner guided by our nation's values of due process, civil and human rights, accountability, and proportionality.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby urges the 113th Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform as outlined in this resolution that establishes a clear, fast, and reasonable pathway to citizenship, keeps families together, upholds our values as a nation, promotes economic growth, and creates a fair immigration system guided by respect for the human rights of all persons; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be delivered to the United States Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
SPONSORED BY COUNCILWOMAN NATALIA RUDIAK
CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARLENE M. HARRIS AND COUNCILMEMBERS REV. RICKY V. BURGESS, PATRICK DOWD, BRUCE A. KRAUS, R. DANIEL LAVELLE, COREY O’CONNOR, WILLIAM PEDUTO, AND THERESA KAIL-SMITH
2013 Carnegie International Opening Oct. 4 in Pittsburgh With Weekend of Events & Celebrations; Longest-Running Survey of Contemporary Art
The 2013 Carnegie International -- the longest-running international survey of contemporary art at any museum -- will open with a weekend of events and celebrations Oct. 4–6, 2013.
Inaugurated in 1896, this year's International brings together 35 artists from 19 countries, including a series of large-scale commissions throughout the museum and beyond. Three major projects join what is, in essence, a conversation among artworks, the museum, and its visitors: an exchange of experiences and perspectives.
A playground, designed in 1972, and installed outside the museum entrance, will be contextualized by a richly illustrated exhibition of postwar playground architecture. (See photo above)
An ambitious reinstallation of Carnegie Museum of Art's permanent collection of modern and contemporary art will explore the International's legacy and unique history.
Finally, the 2013 Carnegie International amplifies its ongoing engagement with Pittsburgh's neighborhoods, inaugurated by the Lawrenceville Apartment Talks, which have been ongoing since 2011.
Artists participating in the 2013 Carnegie International include Ei Arakawa/Henning Bohl, Phyllida Barlow, Yael Bartana, Sadie Benning, Bidoun Library, The Collection, Nicole Eisenman, Lara Favaretto, Vincent Fecteau, Rodney Graham, Guo Fengyi, Wade Guyton, Rokni Haerizadeh, He An, Amar Kanwar, Dinh Q. Lê, Mark Leckey, Pierre Leguillon, Sarah Lucas, Tobias Madison, Zanele Muholi, Paulina Olowska, The Playground Project, Pedro Reyes, Kamran Shirdel, Gabriel Sierra, Taryn Simon, Frances Stark, Joel Sternfeld, Mladen Stilinovi?, Zoe Strauss, Henry Taylor, Tezuka Architects, Transformazium, Erika Verzutti, Joseph Yoakum.
Even as the Carnegie International brings the far reaches of the world to Pittsburgh, it remains firmly rooted in the city. At the Carnegie International apartment in the city’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, artists, curators, writers, and the interested public gathered throughout the last two years to discuss some of the ideas shaping the exhibition and the broader culture.
This engagement with the city of Pittsburgh will also take shape through related art projects outside the museum walls and as the curators continue to provide a window into the exhibition through Tumblr, Pinterest, and the 2013 Carnegie International blog.
For more information about the 2013 Carnegie International at http://ci13.cmoa.org/artists-projects.
Source: Carnegie International
Inaugurated in 1896, this year's International brings together 35 artists from 19 countries, including a series of large-scale commissions throughout the museum and beyond. Three major projects join what is, in essence, a conversation among artworks, the museum, and its visitors: an exchange of experiences and perspectives.
A playground, designed in 1972, and installed outside the museum entrance, will be contextualized by a richly illustrated exhibition of postwar playground architecture. (See photo above)
An ambitious reinstallation of Carnegie Museum of Art's permanent collection of modern and contemporary art will explore the International's legacy and unique history.
Finally, the 2013 Carnegie International amplifies its ongoing engagement with Pittsburgh's neighborhoods, inaugurated by the Lawrenceville Apartment Talks, which have been ongoing since 2011.
Artists participating in the 2013 Carnegie International include Ei Arakawa/Henning Bohl, Phyllida Barlow, Yael Bartana, Sadie Benning, Bidoun Library, The Collection, Nicole Eisenman, Lara Favaretto, Vincent Fecteau, Rodney Graham, Guo Fengyi, Wade Guyton, Rokni Haerizadeh, He An, Amar Kanwar, Dinh Q. Lê, Mark Leckey, Pierre Leguillon, Sarah Lucas, Tobias Madison, Zanele Muholi, Paulina Olowska, The Playground Project, Pedro Reyes, Kamran Shirdel, Gabriel Sierra, Taryn Simon, Frances Stark, Joel Sternfeld, Mladen Stilinovi?, Zoe Strauss, Henry Taylor, Tezuka Architects, Transformazium, Erika Verzutti, Joseph Yoakum.
Even as the Carnegie International brings the far reaches of the world to Pittsburgh, it remains firmly rooted in the city. At the Carnegie International apartment in the city’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, artists, curators, writers, and the interested public gathered throughout the last two years to discuss some of the ideas shaping the exhibition and the broader culture.
This engagement with the city of Pittsburgh will also take shape through related art projects outside the museum walls and as the curators continue to provide a window into the exhibition through Tumblr, Pinterest, and the 2013 Carnegie International blog.
For more information about the 2013 Carnegie International at http://ci13.cmoa.org/artists-projects.
Source: Carnegie International
Pitt Announces Partnership With China’s Sichuan University to Establish Joint Engineering Institute
The University of Pittsburgh and Sichuan University in China have announced a partnership that will establish an innovative joint engineering program to educate undergraduate students and foster collaborative research. The Sichuan University Pittsburgh Institute, as it will be named, expects to enroll its first class in the fall of 2014.
Sichuan University will initially invest nearly $40 million to support the construction and equipping of a new 100,000-square-foot building to house the institute on its campus.
Pitt is one of only five U.S. universities to have entered into a large-scale partnership agreement with a Chinese university; the others are Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University, New York University, and the University of Michigan. Sichuan University is the premier university in western China, located in Chengdu within Sichuan Province, and it is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in China.
“This extraordinary partnership marks a milestone in the history of the University of Pittsburgh, expanding the University’s influence as a force for educational and research innovation while allowing Pitt to benefit from an alliance with Sichuan University, one of China’s preeminent institutions of higher education,” said University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg. “We at Pitt are fortunate to partner with such an esteemed university, are grateful for the strong commitment it has made to this joint endeavor, and look forward to what we expect will be an enduring and fruitful relationship between our two leading research universities.”
“Pitt's partnership with Sichuan University creates a framework for students and faculty from both universities to share knowledge, culture, and experience,” said Pitt Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Patricia E. Beeson. “Because the universities are well matched in their overall academic strength and global commitments, the impact of this new partnership will extend beyond the field of engineering and beyond the U.S. and China, making it global in scope and presenting exciting possibilities for the future.”
“This partnership will enable our students to be much better prepared for practicing their profession globally,” said Gerald D. Holder, U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering and professor in Pitt’s Swanson School. “The large number of American companies that do work in China or sell products there will benefit from the intercultural education that the joint institute provides. And the American and Chinese students who participate in this program will be in great demand by employers. I hope the program will open many doors for future opportunities with Sichuan University.”
With emphases on advanced sustainable manufacturing and educational innovation, the institute will initially offer three undergraduate degree programs: industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and materials science and engineering. Students in the institute will be recruited from the United States, China, and possibly other countries, with the first class in fall 2014 expected to comprise 100 students. Within seven years, enrollment is projected to grow to a final total of 1,600.
Students will spend the first two years of the program immersed in the Pitt curriculum in China with the option of transferring to Pitt’s main campus during their third year in the program. Students who transfer to Pitt directly after their sophomore year will earn a bachelor’s degree from both Sichuan University and Pitt, and all students will receive an institute certificate upon completion of their studies. Qualified students will also be able to continue their graduate studies at Pitt.
Faculty from around the world will be recruited to teach at the institute, with 20 in 2014 and an expected total of 80 by 2018. All faculty will undergo rigorous training to ensure that they will provide appropriate course content in an active learning format. Pitt faculty interested in a semester or yearlong sabbatical to teach in the institute will be considered. All Pitt-curriculum-based courses will be taught in the English language. Sichuan University will cover not only the institute’s operating costs, but also faculty start-up funds.
Members from both universities comprise the project team responsible for spearheading this partnership. Led by Holder, key contributing members from Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering are Bopaya Bidanda, chair and Ernest E. Roth Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering; Minking Chyu, chair and Leighton and Mary Orr Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science; Larry Shuman, Distinguished Service Professor and senior associate dean for academic affairs; and Qing-Ming Wang, director of the mechanical engineering graduate program and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.
Provost Beeson played an instrumental role in moving the partnership forward and will continue to provide her leadership as the partnership develops. In addition, Lawrence Feick, Pitt’s senior director of international programs, director of the University Center for International Studies, acting codirector of the Asian Studies Center, and professor of business administration in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, has played and will continue to play a significant role in coordinating various entities within Pitt and the connection between Pitt and Sichuan University.
The project team members from Sichuan University are Guangxian Li, executive vice president; Shijing Yan, vice president of the International Affairs; Ping Guan, deputy director of the International Office; and Liying Yao, director of major projects in the International Office.
The University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering programs in the United States. The Swanson School has excelled in basic and applied research during the past decade and is at the forefront of 21st-century technology, including energy systems, sustainability, bioengineering, microsystems and nanosystems, computational modeling, and advanced materials development. Approximately 120 faculty members serve more than 3,200 undergraduate and graduate students in six departments, including bioengineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering and materials science. In 2011, the Swanson School was the top-ranked U.S. school in the percentage of doctoral degrees awarded to women in engineering, according to a ranking based on 2010-11 data from the American Society for Engineering Education.
Sichuan University is one of the oldest national universities in China and is ranked No. 8 among Chinese universities in Shanghai Jiaotong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities. It is a research university with a wide range of disciplines covering 11 categories: agriculture, economy, education, engineering, history, law, liberal arts, management, medicine, philosophy, and science. There are more than 40,000 undergraduate students, 20,000 master’s degree and PhD candidates, and 1,000 foreign students and students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Sichuan University has established contacts and cooperative relationships with more than 150 renowned colleges and universities as well as research institutes from 42 countries and regions.
Source: The University of Pittsburgh
Sichuan University will initially invest nearly $40 million to support the construction and equipping of a new 100,000-square-foot building to house the institute on its campus.
Pitt is one of only five U.S. universities to have entered into a large-scale partnership agreement with a Chinese university; the others are Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University, New York University, and the University of Michigan. Sichuan University is the premier university in western China, located in Chengdu within Sichuan Province, and it is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in China.
“This extraordinary partnership marks a milestone in the history of the University of Pittsburgh, expanding the University’s influence as a force for educational and research innovation while allowing Pitt to benefit from an alliance with Sichuan University, one of China’s preeminent institutions of higher education,” said University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg. “We at Pitt are fortunate to partner with such an esteemed university, are grateful for the strong commitment it has made to this joint endeavor, and look forward to what we expect will be an enduring and fruitful relationship between our two leading research universities.”
“Pitt's partnership with Sichuan University creates a framework for students and faculty from both universities to share knowledge, culture, and experience,” said Pitt Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Patricia E. Beeson. “Because the universities are well matched in their overall academic strength and global commitments, the impact of this new partnership will extend beyond the field of engineering and beyond the U.S. and China, making it global in scope and presenting exciting possibilities for the future.”
“This partnership will enable our students to be much better prepared for practicing their profession globally,” said Gerald D. Holder, U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering and professor in Pitt’s Swanson School. “The large number of American companies that do work in China or sell products there will benefit from the intercultural education that the joint institute provides. And the American and Chinese students who participate in this program will be in great demand by employers. I hope the program will open many doors for future opportunities with Sichuan University.”
With emphases on advanced sustainable manufacturing and educational innovation, the institute will initially offer three undergraduate degree programs: industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and materials science and engineering. Students in the institute will be recruited from the United States, China, and possibly other countries, with the first class in fall 2014 expected to comprise 100 students. Within seven years, enrollment is projected to grow to a final total of 1,600.
Students will spend the first two years of the program immersed in the Pitt curriculum in China with the option of transferring to Pitt’s main campus during their third year in the program. Students who transfer to Pitt directly after their sophomore year will earn a bachelor’s degree from both Sichuan University and Pitt, and all students will receive an institute certificate upon completion of their studies. Qualified students will also be able to continue their graduate studies at Pitt.
Faculty from around the world will be recruited to teach at the institute, with 20 in 2014 and an expected total of 80 by 2018. All faculty will undergo rigorous training to ensure that they will provide appropriate course content in an active learning format. Pitt faculty interested in a semester or yearlong sabbatical to teach in the institute will be considered. All Pitt-curriculum-based courses will be taught in the English language. Sichuan University will cover not only the institute’s operating costs, but also faculty start-up funds.
Members from both universities comprise the project team responsible for spearheading this partnership. Led by Holder, key contributing members from Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering are Bopaya Bidanda, chair and Ernest E. Roth Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering; Minking Chyu, chair and Leighton and Mary Orr Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science; Larry Shuman, Distinguished Service Professor and senior associate dean for academic affairs; and Qing-Ming Wang, director of the mechanical engineering graduate program and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.
Provost Beeson played an instrumental role in moving the partnership forward and will continue to provide her leadership as the partnership develops. In addition, Lawrence Feick, Pitt’s senior director of international programs, director of the University Center for International Studies, acting codirector of the Asian Studies Center, and professor of business administration in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, has played and will continue to play a significant role in coordinating various entities within Pitt and the connection between Pitt and Sichuan University.
The project team members from Sichuan University are Guangxian Li, executive vice president; Shijing Yan, vice president of the International Affairs; Ping Guan, deputy director of the International Office; and Liying Yao, director of major projects in the International Office.
The University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering programs in the United States. The Swanson School has excelled in basic and applied research during the past decade and is at the forefront of 21st-century technology, including energy systems, sustainability, bioengineering, microsystems and nanosystems, computational modeling, and advanced materials development. Approximately 120 faculty members serve more than 3,200 undergraduate and graduate students in six departments, including bioengineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering and materials science. In 2011, the Swanson School was the top-ranked U.S. school in the percentage of doctoral degrees awarded to women in engineering, according to a ranking based on 2010-11 data from the American Society for Engineering Education.
Sichuan University is one of the oldest national universities in China and is ranked No. 8 among Chinese universities in Shanghai Jiaotong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities. It is a research university with a wide range of disciplines covering 11 categories: agriculture, economy, education, engineering, history, law, liberal arts, management, medicine, philosophy, and science. There are more than 40,000 undergraduate students, 20,000 master’s degree and PhD candidates, and 1,000 foreign students and students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Sichuan University has established contacts and cooperative relationships with more than 150 renowned colleges and universities as well as research institutes from 42 countries and regions.
Source: The University of Pittsburgh
Join us April 4 for GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays International Networking Happy Hour at AVA Lounge. This Month's Partner: Pittsburgh Folk Festival
Join us April 4 for GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays international networking happy hour. If you are interested in meeting people from all over the world in Pittsburgh and learning more about different cultures, come to AVA Lounge in East Liberty from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Bring your friends, family and colleagues or come alone - you will make new friends!
In April, GlobalPittsburgh will partner with the Pittsburgh Folk Festival to celebrate "Unity in Diversity." For over 50 years, the Pittsburgh Folk Festival has been a member-based consortium of ethnic community cultural organizations that now celebrates the diversity of more than 30 countries and cultures around the Pittsburgh area. Their 56th Annual International Folk Festival will take place April 19-20, 2013. Come to our networking event on April 4 to learn more about the Pittsburgh Folk Festival.
GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays is a regular monthly night of networking and socializing with different themes and activities on the first Thursday of every month. It's an evening of friends, interesting conversation and good spirits with an international flair. Everyone is welcome.
AVA Lounge is located at 126 S Highland Avenue in East Liberty.
Admission is FREE for paid GlobalPittsburgh members. Admission is $5 at the door for everyone else. Membership information will be available at the event, but you may also join GlobalPittsburgh now at www.globalpittsburgh.org/membership and get in free on the night of the event.
If you have questions, please contact Nadya Kessler in the GlobalPittsburgh office at 412-392-4513 or by email at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org. Photos from past First Thursdays and a few other GlobalPittsburgh events, activities, and programs can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/globalpittsburgh. See you there!
In April, GlobalPittsburgh will partner with the Pittsburgh Folk Festival to celebrate "Unity in Diversity." For over 50 years, the Pittsburgh Folk Festival has been a member-based consortium of ethnic community cultural organizations that now celebrates the diversity of more than 30 countries and cultures around the Pittsburgh area. Their 56th Annual International Folk Festival will take place April 19-20, 2013. Come to our networking event on April 4 to learn more about the Pittsburgh Folk Festival.
GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays is a regular monthly night of networking and socializing with different themes and activities on the first Thursday of every month. It's an evening of friends, interesting conversation and good spirits with an international flair. Everyone is welcome.
AVA Lounge is located at 126 S Highland Avenue in East Liberty.
Admission is FREE for paid GlobalPittsburgh members. Admission is $5 at the door for everyone else. Membership information will be available at the event, but you may also join GlobalPittsburgh now at www.globalpittsburgh.org/membership and get in free on the night of the event.
If you have questions, please contact Nadya Kessler in the GlobalPittsburgh office at 412-392-4513 or by email at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org. Photos from past First Thursdays and a few other GlobalPittsburgh events, activities, and programs can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/globalpittsburgh. See you there!
Israel-Based Ness Technologies Announces Opening of New Software Development Center in Pittsburgh Employing 200; Veteran Employment Targeted
Ness Technologies, a global information technology and software development company based in Israel, has announced the opening of a new development center in the Pittsburgh area, creating as many as 200 jobs.
The Ness Pittsburgh Development Center will focus on mobility and business analytics, as well as a full spectrum of software engineering services, the company said in a statement.
Ness said the "strategically-desirable Pittsburgh location" provides proximity to U.S. corporate locations, offering the advantages of better collaboration and flexibility of resources across a smaller geography, fewer cultural barriers, availability of relevant technology and domain expertise, and less time zone disparity.
"The placement of a development center in Pittsburgh gives Ness access to a highly-educated talent pool that is constantly renewed from the area's major universities, including University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University, whose Computer Science, Information Systems and Engineering graduate programs rank in the top 10 in the U.S.," the company said.
Ness said Pittsburgh also will served as the pilot location for its Returning Veterans Career Development initiative.
"In addition to serving as the global headquarters of major corporations such as Heinz, PNC and U.S. Steel, the greater Pittsburgh area is also one of the six major regions in the United States where military veterans reside," the company said.
"The value of our client partnership model goes beyond engineering excellence to focus on helping our clients achieve competitive advantage," said Joe Lagioia, President, Ness Software Engineering Services. "Today's business environment demands speed-to-market with the highest quality, and our clients are responding by looking for more personal and responsive service options, including domestic outsourcing services that enable seamless collaboration, more frequent face-to-face visits, and more effective development teams. Opening the Ness Pittsburgh Development Center is another step to address our clients' needs for speed, value and quality."
Pittsburgh Regional Alliance President Dewitt Peart applauded the Ness announcement, saying, "Innovation and technology are baked into the Pittsburgh region's economy. They influence all of our key industry sectors-including information and communications technology-the latter composed of 1,600 firms, which employ more than 26,000 individuals. The tech scene here is vibrant, professionally and academically. Our region's 35 colleges and universities are producing an abundance of top-rate IT talent.
"When compared to our benchmark regions, Pittsburgh ranks second to Boston in the total number of IT degrees conferred annually. When considering the total package that the region provides -- ample talent, low cost of doing business and high quality of life, to name a few -- I am confident that Ness will find the Pittsburgh region to be a location that more than meets expectations for its new world-class software development center," Peart said.
Ness Technologies is a global provider of IT and business services and solutions with specialized expertise in software product engineering and systems integration, application development, consulting, and software distribution. Ness delivers its portfolio of solutions and services using a global delivery model that offers the flexibility and efficiencies of on-site, on-shore, near-shore and off-shore sourcing. Its team of nearly 7,000 employees services customers in over 20 countries and partners with numerous software and hardware vendors worldwide. Visit http://www.ness.com for more information.
The Ness Pittsburgh Development Center will focus on mobility and business analytics, as well as a full spectrum of software engineering services, the company said in a statement.
Ness said the "strategically-desirable Pittsburgh location" provides proximity to U.S. corporate locations, offering the advantages of better collaboration and flexibility of resources across a smaller geography, fewer cultural barriers, availability of relevant technology and domain expertise, and less time zone disparity.
"The placement of a development center in Pittsburgh gives Ness access to a highly-educated talent pool that is constantly renewed from the area's major universities, including University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University, whose Computer Science, Information Systems and Engineering graduate programs rank in the top 10 in the U.S.," the company said.
Ness said Pittsburgh also will served as the pilot location for its Returning Veterans Career Development initiative.
"In addition to serving as the global headquarters of major corporations such as Heinz, PNC and U.S. Steel, the greater Pittsburgh area is also one of the six major regions in the United States where military veterans reside," the company said.
"The value of our client partnership model goes beyond engineering excellence to focus on helping our clients achieve competitive advantage," said Joe Lagioia, President, Ness Software Engineering Services. "Today's business environment demands speed-to-market with the highest quality, and our clients are responding by looking for more personal and responsive service options, including domestic outsourcing services that enable seamless collaboration, more frequent face-to-face visits, and more effective development teams. Opening the Ness Pittsburgh Development Center is another step to address our clients' needs for speed, value and quality."
Pittsburgh Regional Alliance President Dewitt Peart applauded the Ness announcement, saying, "Innovation and technology are baked into the Pittsburgh region's economy. They influence all of our key industry sectors-including information and communications technology-the latter composed of 1,600 firms, which employ more than 26,000 individuals. The tech scene here is vibrant, professionally and academically. Our region's 35 colleges and universities are producing an abundance of top-rate IT talent.
"When compared to our benchmark regions, Pittsburgh ranks second to Boston in the total number of IT degrees conferred annually. When considering the total package that the region provides -- ample talent, low cost of doing business and high quality of life, to name a few -- I am confident that Ness will find the Pittsburgh region to be a location that more than meets expectations for its new world-class software development center," Peart said.
Ness Technologies is a global provider of IT and business services and solutions with specialized expertise in software product engineering and systems integration, application development, consulting, and software distribution. Ness delivers its portfolio of solutions and services using a global delivery model that offers the flexibility and efficiencies of on-site, on-shore, near-shore and off-shore sourcing. Its team of nearly 7,000 employees services customers in over 20 countries and partners with numerous software and hardware vendors worldwide. Visit http://www.ness.com for more information.
Partnership Between GlobalPittsburgh and Holy Family Institute Expands Homestay Opportunities For International Students, Promotes Local Education Assets
A newly-signed cooperation agreement between GlobalPittsburgh and the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program (HFI-CPP) will expand homestay opportunities for international high school students and enhance efforts by both organizations to promote the region around the world as an education hub and attract more international students to the region, according to leaders of the two non-profit organizations.
“We are happy to enter into this partnership that will connect the GlobalPittsburgh network of host families and globally-minded individuals with the good work that Holy Family has been doing to expand Pittsburgh’s visibility around the world,” said Michael Malloy, Chairman of the GlobalPittsburgh Board of Directors. “It is in keeping with one of our core beliefs: that education is one of the Pittsburgh region’s major exports and top economic drivers, and we welcome the opportunity to promote our shared interests of helping and growing the community.”
Sister Linda Yankoski, Chief Executive Officer of Holy Family Institute, said “This partnership is vital to our vision of providing a global campus with a structured environment where intellectual, social and emotional learning are equally valued. We are grateful for this exciting cooperative effort to bridge education and cultural awareness within our community.”
Through the new Memorandum of Understanding, GlobalPittsburgh will promote homestay opportunities among its network of members and host families, and also promote the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program through its Study Pittsburgh initiative as a valuable opportunity for international students interested in attending high school, and eventually college, in the United States.
Anyone interested in hosting international students for a semester or a school year, with monthly compensation, should contact Nadya Kessler of GlobalPittsburgh at 412-392-4513 or nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.
GlobalPittsburgh also will provide enrichment programs to the students and their host families through its CONNECT membership program, which provides a year-round schedule of activities and events to engage newcomers and globally-minded residents.
GlobalPittsburgh, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, promotes the Pittsburgh region and its many educational assets around the world through its Study Pittsburgh initiative, which was formed in 2010. In addition, the organization has for the past 53 years hosted international delegations through the U.S. Department of State and other programming organizations, and connected a network of people and organizations in the region sharing a common vision of advancing the Pittsburgh region as a truly global community.
The mission of the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program is to provide international students with a comprehensive educational program which will lead to their development as young adults with proficiency in verbal and written comprehension of the English language; excellent academic credentials; and strong moral values.
Students enrolled in the HFI-CPP currently attend one of five private high schools in the Pittsburgh region: North Catholic High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Seton-La Salle High School Quigley Catholic High School and Vincentian Academy. The 2013-2014 academic year will add St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights. Many of the students live in residential facilities on the Holy Family campus while others stay with local families, who receive compensation for hosting the students.
In economic terms, international students make a significant positive impact in the region, contributing an estimated $270 million in tuition and living expenses to the regional economy, according to the Institute for International Education. More than 9,800 international students are enrolled in the Greater Pittsburgh region, IIE reported.
For information about GlobalPittsburgh and the Study Pittsburgh initiative, contact Thomas Buell, Jr., Director of Marketing & Study Pittsburgh, at 412-392-4513, by email at tbuell@globalpittsburgh.org, or go to www.globalpittsburgh.org.
For more information about the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program, contact Lynn Guerra, Home Stay Coordinator, HFI-CPP, at 412-766-9020 x304, or by email at guerra.lynn@hfi-pgh.org.
“We are happy to enter into this partnership that will connect the GlobalPittsburgh network of host families and globally-minded individuals with the good work that Holy Family has been doing to expand Pittsburgh’s visibility around the world,” said Michael Malloy, Chairman of the GlobalPittsburgh Board of Directors. “It is in keeping with one of our core beliefs: that education is one of the Pittsburgh region’s major exports and top economic drivers, and we welcome the opportunity to promote our shared interests of helping and growing the community.”
Sister Linda Yankoski, Chief Executive Officer of Holy Family Institute, said “This partnership is vital to our vision of providing a global campus with a structured environment where intellectual, social and emotional learning are equally valued. We are grateful for this exciting cooperative effort to bridge education and cultural awareness within our community.”
Through the new Memorandum of Understanding, GlobalPittsburgh will promote homestay opportunities among its network of members and host families, and also promote the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program through its Study Pittsburgh initiative as a valuable opportunity for international students interested in attending high school, and eventually college, in the United States.
Anyone interested in hosting international students for a semester or a school year, with monthly compensation, should contact Nadya Kessler of GlobalPittsburgh at 412-392-4513 or nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.
GlobalPittsburgh also will provide enrichment programs to the students and their host families through its CONNECT membership program, which provides a year-round schedule of activities and events to engage newcomers and globally-minded residents.
GlobalPittsburgh, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, promotes the Pittsburgh region and its many educational assets around the world through its Study Pittsburgh initiative, which was formed in 2010. In addition, the organization has for the past 53 years hosted international delegations through the U.S. Department of State and other programming organizations, and connected a network of people and organizations in the region sharing a common vision of advancing the Pittsburgh region as a truly global community.
The mission of the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program is to provide international students with a comprehensive educational program which will lead to their development as young adults with proficiency in verbal and written comprehension of the English language; excellent academic credentials; and strong moral values.
Students enrolled in the HFI-CPP currently attend one of five private high schools in the Pittsburgh region: North Catholic High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Seton-La Salle High School Quigley Catholic High School and Vincentian Academy. The 2013-2014 academic year will add St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights. Many of the students live in residential facilities on the Holy Family campus while others stay with local families, who receive compensation for hosting the students.
In economic terms, international students make a significant positive impact in the region, contributing an estimated $270 million in tuition and living expenses to the regional economy, according to the Institute for International Education. More than 9,800 international students are enrolled in the Greater Pittsburgh region, IIE reported.
For information about GlobalPittsburgh and the Study Pittsburgh initiative, contact Thomas Buell, Jr., Director of Marketing & Study Pittsburgh, at 412-392-4513, by email at tbuell@globalpittsburgh.org, or go to www.globalpittsburgh.org.
For more information about the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program, contact Lynn Guerra, Home Stay Coordinator, HFI-CPP, at 412-766-9020 x304, or by email at guerra.lynn@hfi-pgh.org.
International Women of Courage Honorees Start Their Tour of United States in Pittsburgh; Local Arrangements Made by GlobalPittsburgh
Four winners of the 2013 International Women of Courage award from the U.S. Department of State launched their tour of the United States in Pittsburgh Monday with two days of meetings and speaking events arranged by GlobalPittsburgh.
International Women of Courage
Honorees in Pittsburgh with
Thomas Buell, Jr. of
GlobalPittsburgh and Angela
Oatis-Ashby of the U.S.
Department of State (right).Stopping in Pittsburgh were (from left in photo) Fartuun Adan, Executive Director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre (Somalia); Malalai Bahaduri, First Sergeant, Afghan National Interdiction Unit (Afghanistan); Dr. Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin, President, Campaign for Democracy (Nigeria); and Samira Ibrahim, Coordinator, Know Your Rights (Egypt).
Since their visit, it has been announced that Ibrahim will not be honored due to apparent anti-semitic remarks on her Twitter feed. Read more at http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/egyptian-activist-subjected-to-virginity-test-dropped-from-u-s-honors-list-for-tweets/?ref=world.
The other winners, announced Monday by the State Department, are:
Julieta Castellanos, Rector, National Autonomous University of Honduras (Honduras)
Elena Milashina, journalist, human rights activist (Russia)
Tsering Woeser, human rights activist (China) *
Razan Zeitunah, human rights lawyer and Founder, Local Coordination Committees (Syria) *
Ta Phong Tan, blogger (Vietnam) *
* Will be awarded in absentia.
To read biographies and see pictures of all the International Women of Courage honorees, go to http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/programs/iwoc/2013/bio/index.htm.
While in Pittsburgh, the group met with representatives of the Women & Girl's Foundation, Chatham University, the University of Pittsburgh Law School and Gwen's Girls. Chatham University and GlobalPittsburgh partnered together on an invitation-only event for the group Monday night.
The International Women of Courage awards event, held on International Women’s Day on March 8, annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored 69 women from 45 different countries.
In addition, Secretary Kerry will posthumously recognize the courage of Nirbhaya (Braveheart), the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape in Delhi has inspired a popular movement to end violence against women in India.
Following the award ceremony in Washington, the honorees will travel separately to cities across the United States to engage with the American people through the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. They will visit Indianapolis, Portland, OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and Jackson Hole, WY. The women will reconvene in San Diego to reflect on their visit and discuss ways to work together to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.
The group's national itinerary was developed by Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C.
Read an article about the group's visit in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/4-international-women-of-courage-make-pittsburgh-stop-677789/
International Women of Courage
Honorees in Pittsburgh with
Thomas Buell, Jr. of
GlobalPittsburgh and Angela
Oatis-Ashby of the U.S.
Department of State (right).Stopping in Pittsburgh were (from left in photo) Fartuun Adan, Executive Director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre (Somalia); Malalai Bahaduri, First Sergeant, Afghan National Interdiction Unit (Afghanistan); Dr. Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin, President, Campaign for Democracy (Nigeria); and Samira Ibrahim, Coordinator, Know Your Rights (Egypt).
Since their visit, it has been announced that Ibrahim will not be honored due to apparent anti-semitic remarks on her Twitter feed. Read more at http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/egyptian-activist-subjected-to-virginity-test-dropped-from-u-s-honors-list-for-tweets/?ref=world.
The other winners, announced Monday by the State Department, are:
Julieta Castellanos, Rector, National Autonomous University of Honduras (Honduras)
Elena Milashina, journalist, human rights activist (Russia)
Tsering Woeser, human rights activist (China) *
Razan Zeitunah, human rights lawyer and Founder, Local Coordination Committees (Syria) *
Ta Phong Tan, blogger (Vietnam) *
* Will be awarded in absentia.
To read biographies and see pictures of all the International Women of Courage honorees, go to http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/programs/iwoc/2013/bio/index.htm.
While in Pittsburgh, the group met with representatives of the Women & Girl's Foundation, Chatham University, the University of Pittsburgh Law School and Gwen's Girls. Chatham University and GlobalPittsburgh partnered together on an invitation-only event for the group Monday night.
The International Women of Courage awards event, held on International Women’s Day on March 8, annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored 69 women from 45 different countries.
In addition, Secretary Kerry will posthumously recognize the courage of Nirbhaya (Braveheart), the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape in Delhi has inspired a popular movement to end violence against women in India.
Following the award ceremony in Washington, the honorees will travel separately to cities across the United States to engage with the American people through the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. They will visit Indianapolis, Portland, OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and Jackson Hole, WY. The women will reconvene in San Diego to reflect on their visit and discuss ways to work together to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.
The group's national itinerary was developed by Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C.
Read an article about the group's visit in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/4-international-women-of-courage-make-pittsburgh-stop-677789/
Pittsburgh Region to Host 2015 Professional Disc Golf World Championships in Summer 2015
The Pittsburgh region will host the Professional Disc Golf Association 2015 World Championships, hosted by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), organizers announced today.
Scheduled for July 25 – August 1, 2015, the tournament will be held on four courses in the region: Deer Lakes Park, Knob Hill Community Park, Moraine State Park Lakeview and Slippery Rock University, with the final day’s events being hosted by Slippery Rock University.
“We are really excited to host the PDGA World Championships here,” said J. Gary Dropcho, 2015 PDGA Pro Disc Golf World Championships Tournament Co-Director, who also serves as Course Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society. “In addition to having an opportunity to showcase our region to the competitors and visitors, the event will have a significant financial impact. The 2005 Championships, held in Allentown, resulted in spending totaling $1.5 million.”
Representatives from the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) – Moraine State Park, the Allegheny County Parks Department, the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau (VisitPittsburgh), Slippery Rock University, the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, and Marshall Township Parks & Recreation were all on hand for the announcement. Following the press conference, the partners also demonstrated disc golf and made the first tee shot of the Throwdown tournament. The “Throwdown and Hoedown” celebrates 25 years of accomplishments by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society.
“After much hard work, we are proud to announce that this exciting event is coming to our region,” said Jack Cohen, President of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau (BCTCB). “The proposal process began in 2009 and, due to the growth of disc golf in our area, it is finally ours to share with our residents, as well as the athletes, their families, fans and spectators that will travel to enjoy it with us.”
BCTCB partnered with The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) on the bid. PFDS is the host club for the Championship. An unincorporated charitable non-profit, the group is an association of flying disc enthusiasts which has organized and run clinics and leagues, as well as local and regional tournaments since 1988. The organization hosted 200 of the best professional and amateur players in the country at Scholl’s Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open National Tour event in August 2011, and has consistently ranked in the top 25 PDGA tournaments in payout value and field sizes for 24 years.
Allegheny County Parks Director Andy Baechle spoke to the unique partnership that resulted in the selection of the region for the Championship, “This group of partners really focused on what we could do as a region. Rather than working against each other, we were able to cooperate to bid on, and now host, this event where participants will compete at sites in both Allegheny County and Butler County. We are really proud that Deer Lakes Park is one of those courses.”
Deer Lakes Park (Tarentum Borough, Allegheny County) is a par-66 course with an even mix of tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens that feature elevation changes, open air grass and mature forest corridors, a lake hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Knob Hill Park (Marshall Township, Allegheny County) is a par-59 course with elevation changes, grassy and tree lined fairways, fast greens, creek hazards and other out of bounds challenges. Moraine State Park Lakeview (Portersville Borough, Butler County) is a par-66 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, open grass fairway approaches and putting greens with deciduous and conifer defined corridors, a creek hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Slippery Rock University (Slippery Rock Township, Butler County) is a par-64 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens with a front 9 that is open, airy and grassy with two ponds, a creek hazard as well as other out of bounds challenges.
Scheduled for July 25 – August 1, 2015, the tournament will be held on four courses in the region: Deer Lakes Park, Knob Hill Community Park, Moraine State Park Lakeview and Slippery Rock University, with the final day’s events being hosted by Slippery Rock University.
“We are really excited to host the PDGA World Championships here,” said J. Gary Dropcho, 2015 PDGA Pro Disc Golf World Championships Tournament Co-Director, who also serves as Course Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society. “In addition to having an opportunity to showcase our region to the competitors and visitors, the event will have a significant financial impact. The 2005 Championships, held in Allentown, resulted in spending totaling $1.5 million.”
Representatives from the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) – Moraine State Park, the Allegheny County Parks Department, the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau (VisitPittsburgh), Slippery Rock University, the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, and Marshall Township Parks & Recreation were all on hand for the announcement. Following the press conference, the partners also demonstrated disc golf and made the first tee shot of the Throwdown tournament. The “Throwdown and Hoedown” celebrates 25 years of accomplishments by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society.
“After much hard work, we are proud to announce that this exciting event is coming to our region,” said Jack Cohen, President of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau (BCTCB). “The proposal process began in 2009 and, due to the growth of disc golf in our area, it is finally ours to share with our residents, as well as the athletes, their families, fans and spectators that will travel to enjoy it with us.”
BCTCB partnered with The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) on the bid. PFDS is the host club for the Championship. An unincorporated charitable non-profit, the group is an association of flying disc enthusiasts which has organized and run clinics and leagues, as well as local and regional tournaments since 1988. The organization hosted 200 of the best professional and amateur players in the country at Scholl’s Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open National Tour event in August 2011, and has consistently ranked in the top 25 PDGA tournaments in payout value and field sizes for 24 years.
Allegheny County Parks Director Andy Baechle spoke to the unique partnership that resulted in the selection of the region for the Championship, “This group of partners really focused on what we could do as a region. Rather than working against each other, we were able to cooperate to bid on, and now host, this event where participants will compete at sites in both Allegheny County and Butler County. We are really proud that Deer Lakes Park is one of those courses.”
Deer Lakes Park (Tarentum Borough, Allegheny County) is a par-66 course with an even mix of tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens that feature elevation changes, open air grass and mature forest corridors, a lake hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Knob Hill Park (Marshall Township, Allegheny County) is a par-59 course with elevation changes, grassy and tree lined fairways, fast greens, creek hazards and other out of bounds challenges. Moraine State Park Lakeview (Portersville Borough, Butler County) is a par-66 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, open grass fairway approaches and putting greens with deciduous and conifer defined corridors, a creek hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Slippery Rock University (Slippery Rock Township, Butler County) is a par-64 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens with a front 9 that is open, airy and grassy with two ponds, a creek hazard as well as other out of bounds challenges.
Entrepreneurs Invited to Conference in Pittsburgh March 12-13 to Learn About Services Available From U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a free two-day conference on March 12-13 at the University of Pittsburgh on ways that entrepreneurs and small businesses can make the most of government programs with the SBA's Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Winslow Sargeant, and representatives of local business development organizations.
Winslow SargeantTitled Small Business and Government: Maximizing Entrepreneurship, Driving Innovation, the conference will include sessions on a wide variety of topics, including:
· Engaging entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, government officials, angel investors, funding innovators and academics in a public-private forum.
· Generating bold ideas to advance the innovative entrepreneurial community.
· Identifying how to foster sustainable growth in Life Sciences, Health Care, Manufacturing, Energy, Young Entrepreneurship, High Tech Innovation, Information Tech and Urban Entrepreneurship, Advanced Materials, Women and Minority Entrepreneurship.
· Tools that optimize small business innovators / entrepreneurs and government relationships (eg. accelerators, emerging capital strategies etc.)
Where: University of Pittsburgh Joseph Katz Graduate School of Business
Mervis Hall Classrooms: 104 and 115 Mervis Hall
335 Mervis Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
When: Tuesday, March 12 – Wednesday, March 13; 8:30am – 6:15pm
*Please register at http://www.showclix.com/event/SBAOfficeofAdvocacy
Schedule Sector/ Panel Facilitator Room Assignment Time Life Sciences Lynn M. Bruscolbrusco@plsg.com MH 104 March 129:45 -11:45A Healthcare Lynn M. Bruscolbrusco@plsg.com MH 104 March 121:15 – 3:15P Energy Dr. Anthony Cujini, Thomas Feeleythomas.feeley@netl.doe.gov MH 115 March 121:15 – 3:15P Young Entrepreneurship Jerry Cozewith and Dave Lishegojerryc@youthamerica.org, dlishego@tepper.cmu.edu MH 104 March 123:30 – 5:30P Advanced Materials Leone Hermans-Blackburnleonehb@pananocenter.org MH 115 March 123:30 – 5:30P High Technology and Innovation Terri Gluecktglueck@innovationworks.org MH 104 March 139:45 – 11:45A Manufacturing / AdvancedManufacturing Steve Shivaksteve@smc.org MH 104 March 131:15 – 3:15P Women and MinorityEntrepreneurship Rufus Idris, Ann Schlicht, Linda Handleyridris@usaceed.org, aschlicht@chatham.edu, handleyl@verizon.net MH 115 March 131:15 – 3:15P Information Technology and Urban Entrepreneurship Rhonda Carson Leach, Robert Stein, Linda Handleyrastein@katz.pitt.edu, rcleach@katz.pitt.edu MH 104 March 133:30 – 5:30P Social Entrepreneurship Richard Overmoyerovermoyer@fourtheconomy.com MH 115 March 133:30 – 5:30P
Winslow SargeantTitled Small Business and Government: Maximizing Entrepreneurship, Driving Innovation, the conference will include sessions on a wide variety of topics, including:
· Engaging entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, government officials, angel investors, funding innovators and academics in a public-private forum.
· Generating bold ideas to advance the innovative entrepreneurial community.
· Identifying how to foster sustainable growth in Life Sciences, Health Care, Manufacturing, Energy, Young Entrepreneurship, High Tech Innovation, Information Tech and Urban Entrepreneurship, Advanced Materials, Women and Minority Entrepreneurship.
· Tools that optimize small business innovators / entrepreneurs and government relationships (eg. accelerators, emerging capital strategies etc.)
Where: University of Pittsburgh Joseph Katz Graduate School of Business
Mervis Hall Classrooms: 104 and 115 Mervis Hall
335 Mervis Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
When: Tuesday, March 12 – Wednesday, March 13; 8:30am – 6:15pm
*Please register at http://www.showclix.com/event/SBAOfficeofAdvocacy
Schedule Sector/ Panel Facilitator Room Assignment Time Life Sciences Lynn M. Bruscolbrusco@plsg.com MH 104 March 129:45 -11:45A Healthcare Lynn M. Bruscolbrusco@plsg.com MH 104 March 121:15 – 3:15P Energy Dr. Anthony Cujini, Thomas Feeleythomas.feeley@netl.doe.gov MH 115 March 121:15 – 3:15P Young Entrepreneurship Jerry Cozewith and Dave Lishegojerryc@youthamerica.org, dlishego@tepper.cmu.edu MH 104 March 123:30 – 5:30P Advanced Materials Leone Hermans-Blackburnleonehb@pananocenter.org MH 115 March 123:30 – 5:30P High Technology and Innovation Terri Gluecktglueck@innovationworks.org MH 104 March 139:45 – 11:45A Manufacturing / AdvancedManufacturing Steve Shivaksteve@smc.org MH 104 March 131:15 – 3:15P Women and MinorityEntrepreneurship Rufus Idris, Ann Schlicht, Linda Handleyridris@usaceed.org, aschlicht@chatham.edu, handleyl@verizon.net MH 115 March 131:15 – 3:15P Information Technology and Urban Entrepreneurship Rhonda Carson Leach, Robert Stein, Linda Handleyrastein@katz.pitt.edu, rcleach@katz.pitt.edu MH 104 March 133:30 – 5:30P Social Entrepreneurship Richard Overmoyerovermoyer@fourtheconomy.com MH 115 March 133:30 – 5:30P
GlobalPittsburgh Co-Sponsoring Career & Immigration Symposium for International Students March 20
GlobalPittsburgh will co-sponsor a career and immigration symposium for international students in the Pittsburgh region on Wednesday, March 20 from noon to 6 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh. Admission is free.
A collaboration between Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and Vibrant Pittsburgh, the Symposium is designed to help international students understand the transition from F-1 to OPT to H-1B visa status, how to participate in interviews in the U.S., how to prepare a resume for an American audience and culminating with a Networking session.
Agenda:
Noon - Registration Begins
12:30 PM - Keynote Speaker Moussa Coulibaly, Vice President of Strategic Planning and Treasurer, Dick's Sporting Goods
1:00 PM - Immigration Workshop guiding students from F-1 through OPT to H-1B
2:30 PM - Regional Employment Trends
3:00 PM - Resumes and Interviewing Preparation
4:00 PM - Networking Reception (Refreshments will be provided)
The Symposium will take place in the O'Hara Student Center Ballroom, second floor, on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The address is 4024 O’Hara Street (corner of University Place), Pittsburgh, PA 15213
There is no cost to attend, but registration is requested. To register, go to http://intlcareerseminar.eventbrite.com.
Other co-sponsors include the Allegheny Conference for Community Development, Imagine Pittsburgh, the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Technology Council.
For more information, contact your campus Career Center or International Student Office.
A collaboration between Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and Vibrant Pittsburgh, the Symposium is designed to help international students understand the transition from F-1 to OPT to H-1B visa status, how to participate in interviews in the U.S., how to prepare a resume for an American audience and culminating with a Networking session.
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Agenda:
Noon - Registration Begins
12:30 PM - Keynote Speaker Moussa Coulibaly, Vice President of Strategic Planning and Treasurer, Dick's Sporting Goods
1:00 PM - Immigration Workshop guiding students from F-1 through OPT to H-1B
2:30 PM - Regional Employment Trends
3:00 PM - Resumes and Interviewing Preparation
4:00 PM - Networking Reception (Refreshments will be provided)
The Symposium will take place in the O'Hara Student Center Ballroom, second floor, on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The address is 4024 O’Hara Street (corner of University Place), Pittsburgh, PA 15213
There is no cost to attend, but registration is requested. To register, go to http://intlcareerseminar.eventbrite.com.
Other co-sponsors include the Allegheny Conference for Community Development, Imagine Pittsburgh, the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Technology Council.
For more information, contact your campus Career Center or International Student Office.
GlobalPittsburgh Arranging Area Meetings for Group of International Women Being Honored For Activism by U.S. State Department
GlobalPittsburgh has been invited to arrange two days of programming in March for a group of five highly distinguished women who will be honored for their activism by Secretary of State John Kerry as International Women of Courage at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Two of last year's Women
of Courage honorees
during their 2012 visit
to Pittsburgh.GlobalPittsburgh has arranged meetings for the group at the Women & Girl's Foundation, Chatham University, the University of Pittsburgh Law School and Gwen's Girls. Chatham University and GlobalPittsburgh are partnering together on an invitation-only event for the group.
The International Women of Courage awards event, held on International Women’s Day on March 8, annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored 69 women from 45 different countries.
In addition, Secretary Kerry will posthumously recognize the courage of Nirbhaya (Braveheart), the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape in Delhi has inspired a popular movement to end violence against women in India.
The names of the six women to be honored have not yet been released. However, the general themes of the honorees’ work include: women, peace and security, support for victims of gender-based violence; engaging women in the political process and in politics; journalism; prevention of gang/drug violence; empowering young women; capacity building for women; and human and women’s rights organizations.
Following the award ceremony in Washington, the honorees will travel separately to cities across the United States to engage with the American people through the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. They will visit Indianapolis, Portland, OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and Jackson Hole, WY. The women will reconvene in San Diego to reflect on their visit and discuss ways to work together to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.
Two of last year's Women
of Courage honorees
during their 2012 visit
to Pittsburgh.GlobalPittsburgh has arranged meetings for the group at the Women & Girl's Foundation, Chatham University, the University of Pittsburgh Law School and Gwen's Girls. Chatham University and GlobalPittsburgh are partnering together on an invitation-only event for the group.
The International Women of Courage awards event, held on International Women’s Day on March 8, annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored 69 women from 45 different countries.
In addition, Secretary Kerry will posthumously recognize the courage of Nirbhaya (Braveheart), the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape in Delhi has inspired a popular movement to end violence against women in India.
The names of the six women to be honored have not yet been released. However, the general themes of the honorees’ work include: women, peace and security, support for victims of gender-based violence; engaging women in the political process and in politics; journalism; prevention of gang/drug violence; empowering young women; capacity building for women; and human and women’s rights organizations.
Following the award ceremony in Washington, the honorees will travel separately to cities across the United States to engage with the American people through the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. They will visit Indianapolis, Portland, OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and Jackson Hole, WY. The women will reconvene in San Diego to reflect on their visit and discuss ways to work together to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.
Join Us For GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays International Networking Happy Hour March 7 at AVA Lounge
Join us for the next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays international happy hour on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. (or later) at AVA Lounge in East Liberty.This month we will be partnering with our friends at the Pittsburgh Turkish American Association, and food will be catered by Daphne Cafe in Shadyside. Come learn more about the region's Turkish community and eat some delicious Mediterranean food. GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays is a regular monthly night of networking and socializing with different themes and different activities - but always with an international flavor - on the first Thursday of every month. It's an evening of friends, interesting conversation and good spirits with an international flair.AVA Lounge is located at 126 S. Highland Avenue in East Liberty.
Admission is FREE for paid GlobalPittsburgh members. Admission is $5 at the door for everyone else. Membership information will be available at the event, but you may also join GlobalPittsburgh now at www.globalpittsburgh.org/membership and get in free on the night of the event.
Many thanks to support from Vibrant Pittsburgh, whose mini-grant program helps make these events possible.
If you have questions, please contact Nadya Kessler in the GlobalPittsburgh office at 412-392-4513 or by email at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org. Photos from past First Thursdays and a few other GlobalPittsburgh events, activities, and programs can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/globalpittsburgh. See you there!
Pittsburgh Asked by U.S. Olympic Committee About Interest in Hosting 2024 Summer Olympics
Could Pittsburgh host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games? The U.S. Olympic Committee wants to know.
The Associated Press news service is reporting that the USOC sent letters to the mayors of Pittsburgh and 34 other U.S. cities this week to gauge interest in a potential bid to bring the Summer Olympics back to the country for the first time since 1996.
"Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the IOC and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership," USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said in the letter.
Following failed bids by New York and Chicago for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the USOC is taking a measured approach before moving ahead with a new campaign and wants to be sure it has a good chance of winning.
"This letter does not guarantee that the USOC will bid for the 2024 Games, but rather is an initial step in evaluating a potential bid," the committee said.
The letters were sent to mayors of the country's 25 largest cities — including New York, Chicago and former Olympic host cities Los Angeles, Atlanta and St. Louis — and 10 others.
The USOC has also said it would consider whether to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, although the bigger and more prestigious Summer Games would seem to be the preference.
The U.S. hasn't hosted the Summer Olympics since Atlanta in 1996; Salt Lake City was the last American city to stage the Winter Games in 2002.
Los Angeles, Dallas and Tulsa, Okla., are among the cities that have expressed interest in hosting the 2024 Games. New York, Chicago and San Francisco have either bid or expressed interest in bidding in the past and could also get in the mix.
New York finished fourth in the international bidding for the 2012 Olympics, which went to London. Chicago suffered a stinging first-round exit in the vote for the 2016 Games, which were awarded to Rio de Janeiro.
Chicago's defeat was blamed partly on the revenue-sharing feud between the USOC and IOC. The two sides have since resolved the dispute and signed a new agreement that clears the way for a U.S. bid. USOC leaders have also worked hard to improve the committee's standing in the international Olympic community.
"Now more than ever, we need to use the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage our youth to be active and engaged in sport," Blackmun wrote.
Other cities around the world that have expressed interest in bidding for the 2024 Games include Paris; Rome; Doha, Dubai; and Durban, South Africa. The IOC vote on the 2024 Games will be held in 2017.
The USOC is skipping the bidding for the 2020 Olympics. The three candidates for those games are Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo, with the IOC to vote Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The USOC said Tuesday it has 2½ years to decide whether to submit a 2024 bid and would do so in an "economically efficient way."
While New York and Chicago were selected by the USOC after a domestic bid process that cost up to $10 million, the USOC said it would embark on any new bid through "a thoughtful but more efficient process."
The USOC letter sought to remind the mayors of the huge undertaking involved in hosting the Olympics. Blackmun noted that the operating costs would be in excess of $3 billion, a figure that does not include venue construction and infrastructure costs.
The city would also require 45,000 hotel rooms, an Olympic village for 16,500 athletes and officials, an international airport and a workforce of up to 200,000, the letter said.
"The games have had a transformative impact on a number of host cities, including Barcelona, Beijing and London," Blackmun said.
The Associated Press news service is reporting that the USOC sent letters to the mayors of Pittsburgh and 34 other U.S. cities this week to gauge interest in a potential bid to bring the Summer Olympics back to the country for the first time since 1996.
"Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the IOC and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership," USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said in the letter.
Following failed bids by New York and Chicago for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the USOC is taking a measured approach before moving ahead with a new campaign and wants to be sure it has a good chance of winning.
"This letter does not guarantee that the USOC will bid for the 2024 Games, but rather is an initial step in evaluating a potential bid," the committee said.
The letters were sent to mayors of the country's 25 largest cities — including New York, Chicago and former Olympic host cities Los Angeles, Atlanta and St. Louis — and 10 others.
The USOC has also said it would consider whether to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, although the bigger and more prestigious Summer Games would seem to be the preference.
The U.S. hasn't hosted the Summer Olympics since Atlanta in 1996; Salt Lake City was the last American city to stage the Winter Games in 2002.
Los Angeles, Dallas and Tulsa, Okla., are among the cities that have expressed interest in hosting the 2024 Games. New York, Chicago and San Francisco have either bid or expressed interest in bidding in the past and could also get in the mix.
New York finished fourth in the international bidding for the 2012 Olympics, which went to London. Chicago suffered a stinging first-round exit in the vote for the 2016 Games, which were awarded to Rio de Janeiro.
Chicago's defeat was blamed partly on the revenue-sharing feud between the USOC and IOC. The two sides have since resolved the dispute and signed a new agreement that clears the way for a U.S. bid. USOC leaders have also worked hard to improve the committee's standing in the international Olympic community.
"Now more than ever, we need to use the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage our youth to be active and engaged in sport," Blackmun wrote.
Other cities around the world that have expressed interest in bidding for the 2024 Games include Paris; Rome; Doha, Dubai; and Durban, South Africa. The IOC vote on the 2024 Games will be held in 2017.
The USOC is skipping the bidding for the 2020 Olympics. The three candidates for those games are Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo, with the IOC to vote Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The USOC said Tuesday it has 2½ years to decide whether to submit a 2024 bid and would do so in an "economically efficient way."
While New York and Chicago were selected by the USOC after a domestic bid process that cost up to $10 million, the USOC said it would embark on any new bid through "a thoughtful but more efficient process."
The USOC letter sought to remind the mayors of the huge undertaking involved in hosting the Olympics. Blackmun noted that the operating costs would be in excess of $3 billion, a figure that does not include venue construction and infrastructure costs.
The city would also require 45,000 hotel rooms, an Olympic village for 16,500 athletes and officials, an international airport and a workforce of up to 200,000, the letter said.
"The games have had a transformative impact on a number of host cities, including Barcelona, Beijing and London," Blackmun said.
Nigerian Governor Visits Pittsburgh to Discuss Potential Partnerships & Opportunities; Connect with Local Programs
Government officials, business and community leaders from Allegheny County and Osun State, Nigeria gathered recently to strategize about ways the two areas can work together and learn from each other.
Gov. AregbesolaGovernor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and high-ranking members of his delegation met in late February with Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Marie C. Johns, SBA Deputy Administrator who also will be visiting the region, as well local business representatives, faith-based groups and community organizations.
The governor visited Manchester Bidwell Training Center and the Braddock Pot Shop, a ceramic water filter factory, and met with representatives of area universities. The visit ended with a Black History Month Celebration and dinner at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty.
A highlight of the visit was a Roundtable Business Forum on Feb. 21 also at the Kingsley Center. Co-hosted by Christian Evangelistic Economic Development (CEED) and the Allegheny County Department of Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, the Forum will provide the opportunity to discuss current business opportunities in Nigeria and possible international trade partnerships, and investment opportunities for small businesses.
"The Roundtable is the second in our series of meetings to connect Southwestern Pennsylvania small businesses and institutions to the dynamic global market," said Rufus Idris, Executive Director of CEED.
The governor's visit was preceded by visits from high-ranking members of his administration to explore ways to learn from Pittsburgh’s transformation from a heavily polluted smoky city to a city now globally recognized as a green leader that has successfully managed to improve its economy and environmental stewardship.
Gov. Aregbesola plans to continue establishing partnerships in the areas of transformational leadership practices, business-to-business partnerships and win-win investments opportunities, educational exchange programs, import and export relationships, green technology and environment, health care, agriculture and cultural exchange and tours.
A rising star in Nigerian politics, Gov. Aregbesola is an engineer and political activist who between 1999 and 2007 led the bold beginnings of the infrastructural transformation of Lagos, one of the world’s largest megacities. Widely acknowledged as an exceptional grassroots campaigner and mobilizer, he has served as Governor of Osun State since 2010.
As Governor, he has focused on strengthening the state in the areas of agriculture, economic development, youth employment, education and security. His vision for the state is encapsulated in a Six Point Integral Action Plan to banish poverty, hunger and unemployment; to restore healthy living; to promote functional education and to enhance communal peace and progress. His plan seeks to ensure that the fruits of economic development positively impact as many lives as possible. The various meetings and events throughout the two days are hosted by CEED, Allegheny County MWDBE Department, the Kingsley Association, Union of African Communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Osun State Government.
CEED is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides free micro-enterprise and small business start-up support to area businesses, both in the City of Pittsburgh and the ten surrounding counties. The organization
works to create opportunities for community growth and economic sustainability throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania using a small business assistance program called SKILLS TO WEALTH.
- Diane I. Daniels
Gov. AregbesolaGovernor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and high-ranking members of his delegation met in late February with Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Marie C. Johns, SBA Deputy Administrator who also will be visiting the region, as well local business representatives, faith-based groups and community organizations.
The governor visited Manchester Bidwell Training Center and the Braddock Pot Shop, a ceramic water filter factory, and met with representatives of area universities. The visit ended with a Black History Month Celebration and dinner at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty.
A highlight of the visit was a Roundtable Business Forum on Feb. 21 also at the Kingsley Center. Co-hosted by Christian Evangelistic Economic Development (CEED) and the Allegheny County Department of Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, the Forum will provide the opportunity to discuss current business opportunities in Nigeria and possible international trade partnerships, and investment opportunities for small businesses.
"The Roundtable is the second in our series of meetings to connect Southwestern Pennsylvania small businesses and institutions to the dynamic global market," said Rufus Idris, Executive Director of CEED.
The governor's visit was preceded by visits from high-ranking members of his administration to explore ways to learn from Pittsburgh’s transformation from a heavily polluted smoky city to a city now globally recognized as a green leader that has successfully managed to improve its economy and environmental stewardship.
Gov. Aregbesola plans to continue establishing partnerships in the areas of transformational leadership practices, business-to-business partnerships and win-win investments opportunities, educational exchange programs, import and export relationships, green technology and environment, health care, agriculture and cultural exchange and tours.
A rising star in Nigerian politics, Gov. Aregbesola is an engineer and political activist who between 1999 and 2007 led the bold beginnings of the infrastructural transformation of Lagos, one of the world’s largest megacities. Widely acknowledged as an exceptional grassroots campaigner and mobilizer, he has served as Governor of Osun State since 2010.
As Governor, he has focused on strengthening the state in the areas of agriculture, economic development, youth employment, education and security. His vision for the state is encapsulated in a Six Point Integral Action Plan to banish poverty, hunger and unemployment; to restore healthy living; to promote functional education and to enhance communal peace and progress. His plan seeks to ensure that the fruits of economic development positively impact as many lives as possible. The various meetings and events throughout the two days are hosted by CEED, Allegheny County MWDBE Department, the Kingsley Association, Union of African Communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Osun State Government.
CEED is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides free micro-enterprise and small business start-up support to area businesses, both in the City of Pittsburgh and the ten surrounding counties. The organization
works to create opportunities for community growth and economic sustainability throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania using a small business assistance program called SKILLS TO WEALTH.
- Diane I. Daniels