Nearly two full weeks of classes into the Spring Semester, it is clear that what we thought would be a well-paced start, has now become a sprint with students returning to residential life on campus on Friday, January 29. What is clear is that our annual Latin American and Caribbean Festival will once again be postponed until October 2, when we optimistically hope to be able to gather in celebration once again. CLAS will still sponsor virtual events on the original April date. A more detailed announcement is forthcoming.
China, Latin America and the Caribbean: Infrastructure, Connectivity and Everyday Life proved to be a successful, two-day conference (January 25, 26) including participants from far flung time-zones (in Asia and the Americas), with participation possible in various languages. Stay tuned to the CLARI page while recorded sessions are edited and updated for this important and pioneering conference on issues of recent and, certainly, future relevance.
Two important highlights for next week are Transnational Dialogues in Afrolatinidad (Friday, February 5), including Michele Vasquez-Reid and Keila Grinberg, as well as the continuation of our Film Seriesthe night before (February 4), with a superlative award-winning Brazilian film, Chuva é Cantoria na Aldeia dos Mortos (The Dead and the Others). Panoramas will have its first event of the semester, focused on Chicano Music and Identity on Friday, February 5. Charlemoson February 8 will add further considerations on China-Latin America. Looking further ahead, Crimes Against Humanity returns on February 25, centered on the aftermath and antecedents of the events of April 2018 in Nicaragua. Please join us on these exciting opportunities.
The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) and CLAS have had strong ties for many decades. They have compiled a comprehensive list of event videos hosted by different universities since the pandemic started and we are very glad to contribute to this great initiative.
You can search the digital event library by topic and date by clicking HERE.
Center for Latin American Studies Research Grant Application
CLAS Faculty Research Grants Application--Summer 2021, click “HERE”
CLAS Graduate Student Field Research Grants Application--Summer 2021, click “HERE”
Whether you are looking for a new job or a new hire, Pitt Commons is here to help.
Searching for a job?
Find the job of your dreams! The Pitt Commons job board is exclusively available to members of the Pitt community and features openings posted by Pitt alumni who are eager to hire fellow graduates or connect them to open positions.
Hiring Pitt talent is always a great investment and Pitt Commons makes it easy to find highly qualified applicants. Help fellow Pitt alumni and soon-to-be Pitt graduates by posting open positions and making sure they’re the first to know if your company has opportunities available.
Pitt Commons is an online network of alumni, students, faculty, and staff who are invested in helping one another succeed professionally. Job seekers enjoy the advantage of applying for positions that have been posted by Pitt alumni professionals. And hiring managers can easily scan a pool of applicants who share their connection to the University of Pittsburgh.
When you join Pitt Commons,you’ll also be able to explore mentorship opportunities, register for Pitt networking events, workshops, and training opportunities, and find other professional development resources in your field
Interested in becoming part of one of the largest student-run newsrooms in the country? The Pitt News is looking for its next team of reporters, photographers, videographers and copy editors to work at the award-winning newspaper.
Students who join TPN are paid for their contributions and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment where they can learn the skills of professional journalists. They communicate well and bring their own ideas to the table, while also agreeing to pick up necessary assignments.
All majors are welcome at TPN and no prior journalism experience is necessary. Our staff has gone on to work at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Vanity Fair, CBS Sports, Time Magazine and numerous other outlets.
Students can apply to work at The Pitt News by going to pittnews.com/application. If you have questions or run into trouble filling out the application, please email editor@pittnews.com.
December 8, 2020
Eric Beckman Named National Academy of Inventors Fellow
Beckman is the eighth Pitt faculty member to be named an NAI fellow, and the second with a primary appointment in the Swanson School. He has nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, 26 book chapters and receipt of 40 U.S. patents with more pending.
Beckman’s research group examines the use of molecular design to solve problems in green product formulation and in the design of materials for use in tissue engineering. He is currently leading a grant from the MacArthur Foundation and NineSigma, in collaboration with Think Beyond Plastic, to develop innovations to reduce the amount of plasticsthat end up being burned or buried in landfills, or make their way into the world’s waterways and oceans.
The Pitt Alumni Association seeks your assistance in nominating qualified candidates for the position of director-at-large on the Pitt Alumni Association Board of Directors. Directors-at-large serve for one term of two years, with the option to be reappointed to serve a second term. The board term will begin on July 1, 2021 and be effective until June 30, 2023.
Nominations for the 2021-2023 term are now open and must be submitted by Friday, January 22, 2021.
The Pitt Alumni Association Board of Directors is an advisory board that works closely with the staff of the Pitt Alumni Association who are responsible for the day-to-day operations. Board members serve a critical role by providing strategic direction, resources, and professional expertise to help carry out the Pitt Alumni Association vision and mission.
Directors-at-large are voting members who must have received one or more academic degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and who must be willing to adhere to the board member responsibilities and duties.
Please plan to provide a professional summary (resume, C.V., LinkedIn Profile, etc.) for the nominee and a letter of support from someone other than the nominator.
We appreciate your assistance in this important endeavor for the University of Pittsburgh. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Stacy McLinden atstacy.mclinden@pitt.edu.
OTHER VOICES. OTHER WALLS:
DISRESPECTING THE BORDER
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27TH @ 6:30PM (ZOOM WEBINAR)
Presented in collaboration with Hemispheric Conversations Urban Art Project (HCUAP) at the University of Pittsburgh, this month’s program will focus on the collaborative mural project, Disrespecting the Border,that was created for the Latinx community of Pittsburgh in October 2019. We’ll join a conversation about the role of mural art as a resource to think through migration and border politics between visiting artist Gil Rochaand local artists Leah Patgorskiand Max Gonzalesorganized by Camilo Ruiz and Marisol Vilella Balderrama. The talk will be facilitated by Dr. Caitlin Bruce. Join us to hear about the dialogues, motifs, and collaborations that came out of the project and their salience today.
The program is free but registration is required. Donations to support the Vanka Murals mission including this program are greatly appreciated and may be added to your registration.
Request for Proposals:
Year of Engagement Funding Opportunity
The first of three deadlines for proposals for
the 2020-2021 academic year is October 1, 2020.
The Year of Engagement is an unprecedented opportunity to position the University of Pittsburgh as a global leader in engagement. The Funding Committee invites students, staff and faculty to build partnerships that confront challenges and co-create solutions at the institutional, local, regional, statewide, national or international levels in the 2020-21 academic year and beyond. Applications for up to $8,000 to support new programs, events, productions, curricula, convenings, experiments, operational improvements, practices, research, product development and other possibilities toward reaching this goal are invited. The Funding Committee encourages the submission of applications throughout the month of September to kick start the year with exciting engagement activities! During September the Funding Committee will be reviewing proposals as they are submitted.
For some time now, Pitt has been working hard to respond to amplify resources related to racial and ethnic disparities. In 2020, following events that made the urgency of related issues clearer to people around the world, additional efforts and resources have been made available. It is then relevant to highlight some useful links to enhance understanding and contribute to an increasingly equitable and prosperous world for everyone.
The Student Emergency Assistance Fund is a joint venture led by the Office of the Provost, Office of Philanthropic & Alumni Engagement, Student Government Board, the Graduate & Professional Student Government, and the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. The health and safety of our Pitt community, particularly our students, is paramount.
The fund, to be administered at the direction of the Provost, will be used to provide financial support for degree-seeking students of the University of Pittsburgh with unanticipated and insurmountable expenses related to emergency situations that may result in students facing financial hardship. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students may apply for funds when they experience a financial barrier based on an emergency situation, and when they have exhausted all other available resources.
Chancellor Patrick Gallagher called upon the University to acknowledge our role in the response during this time of great challenge… Join us in Pitt’s Pandemic Service Initiative: expanding staff, faculty, and student service; contributing to drives and collections; and forging innovative partnerships. We are rolling up our sleeves.
PANDEMIC RESPONSE SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
As part of the Pitt Pandemic Service Initiative, faculty, staff, and students are coming together to meet critical community needs. You can make a difference with even just a small amount of time. Priority needs identified by community partners include care and connection calls and IT support.
We’re committed to being a University of the community. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pitt students, faculty, and staff are volunteering to provide technology support, well-checks, and a host of other forms of support.
For community members, this means access to resources and information.
CLAS' community engagement programs play a pivotal role in sharing information and expertise on Latin America to educators both at the college/university level and kindergarten through secondary (K-12) level, the professional community, and general public as part of its Educational Public Service (Outreach) mission.
Community Engagement programs are offered throughout the academic year. These include but are not limited to: professional development workshops, study abroad opportunities, faculty development seminars, summer research fellowships, curriculum development projects, school visit program, lecture and film series, resource lending library, list of Latin American Organizations in Pittsburgh, and newsletters, including CLASicos and a weekly newsletter.
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books (GPFB) is being created and organized by the Pittsburgh region’s literary community and civic leaders in recognition of the value to the Pittsburgh region of a festival celebrating and promoting our literary heritage and vibrancy. The GPFB— which will be free to the public—can benefit all area citizens and improve our literary standing on a national level.The first GPFB is planned for 2021. Fundraising has been delayed due to COVID-19. Seed money will kickstart our efforts to hire a part-time employee to concentrate on fundraising efforts and initial programming.
The festival will be a weekend of author appearances, readings, book signings, writing and publishing workshops, and the sale of books and related merchandise. Bookstores and local literary organizations such as Reading Is Fundamental and the Carnegie Library will have information booths.
We are targeting a combination of venues in East Liberty for the Festival site.
Virtual Diversity Book Club The Distance Between Us: A Memoir and UPMC Dept. of Pediatrics Grand Rounds: Igniting Health Equity: Children in Immigrant Families
On Wednesday February 17 at 6pm we will be holding our Virtual Diversity Book Club. This month’s book is The Distance Between Us: A Memoir by Reyna Grande. We have chosen this book in preparation to our Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds on February 18th at 8am: Igniting Health Equity: Children in Immigrant Families- Julie M. Linton, MD, FAAP Chair American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health (COICFH)
To receive a complimentary copy of the book please email Pam Orr orrp@upmc.edu or Colleen Kelly Colleen.Kelly@pitt.eduBooks can be pick up either in Oakland from Pam Orr or in Lawrenceville from Colleen Kelly. Complementary copies will be provided first come first serve basis, until supplies last.
For more information about the Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds on February 18th at 8am: Igniting Health Equity: Children in Immigrant Families- Julie M. Linton, MD, FAAP
We are excited to participate in The City Game Virtual Trivia Bowl. Each university will hold multiple rounds the week of January 25 to get to the final team on 6-10 players. The top 2 teams will be combined to represent their university on February 4.
You can join us by:
Registering your team of 3-5 faculty or staff. Read more about the game rules here. Registration deadline January 20.
The Housing Assistance Resources Portal (HARP) for the City of Pittsburgh is a guide that offers housing-related resources whether you are interested in renting, currently renting, interested in buying a house, a current home-owner, a landlord, or currently experiencing homelessness. This tool is meant to be representative and inclusive of all City of Pittsburgh residents, in every neighborhood, from every income level and every community.
"Housing, especially affordable housing, will always be a premier issue of my administration and staff as long as there are City of Pittsburgh residents who are impacted by housing concerns. Housing is a human right." -Mayor William Peduto
Events List:
To see the latest events happening in our community, please"CLICK HERE". You will see a list of events by date.
We are creating a list of local Latin American and Caribbean cuisine offerings to support and promote your business. Please complete the included survey to help us identify you and find out what services you offer (delivery, takeout, hours, menu, etc.).
We plan to share this list with other local organizations, and promote it in our newsletter and email list. We hope that you take the time to answer this questionnaire. Thank you!
ClickHEREto see the list of local Latin American and Caribbean Cuisine you can order!
(Call for papers, training, conferences, academic, research, and resources opportunities)
For call for papers, training and conferences: Call for papers, training and conferences opportunities are listed by deadline dates and are updated as information is available.
