With each global health crisis, the interconnectedness of populations around the globe becomes more pronounced. Diseases not only affect the health of communities, but they have a profound impact on political, economic, and social stability within countries and regions. This course engages the interdisciplinary nature of global health by approaching the issue through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) developed by the United Nations. The SDGs range in focus from good health and well-being to gender equality to clean water and sanitation to affordable, clean energy. By engaging the ways that health has a stake in these goals, the course will bring the expertise of faculty from the University of Pittsburgh and CMU as well as practitioners to understand and address the issue surrounding global health from a myriad of perspectives and avenues. With an applied focus, the course will assist students in engaging and advocating for a community on a global health issue through a policy memo. This iteration of the course will examine gender equality and SDG #5.

Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in the Central Mediterranean continue to be the subject of extensive debate in Italy and in Europe, even as the number of sea arrivals have significantly declined. A multitude of actors engaged in rescuing migrants and refugees at sea has created an increasingly complex situation in the waters south of Sicily all the way to the Libyan coast. Based on previous and on-going research by Dr. Marolda and her Ford Institute working group, this lecture addresses the following questions: 1) What is the migration challenge Europe is facing in the Central Mediterranean? How have state and non-state actors responded to this challenge? 2) How have the EU’s and Italy’s migration policies and practices changed since October 3, 2013, when 368 migrants tragically lost their lives at sea off the coast of Lampedusa? 3) Why have NGOs rescuing migrants at sea been recently forbidden to dock to Italian ports? What has driven the EU and its member states to restrict NGOs’ operations at sea?

The Caribbean is a privileged place to think about Latin America, as it embodied many of the cultural, social, political, and economic theories that emerged in the context of Twentieth Century Postwar - Cold War era. The maelstrom of those years in Latin America helped configure much of the academic knowledge of that era. However, taking on many of the challenges and transformations in Latin America during the first two decades of the 21st century requires us to adopt a global perspective. Integrating local and transnational ideas and fostering awareness of new cultural, social, political and economic movements allow us to fully comprehend Latin Americas’ past and present. Working with issues in the realm of the environment, gender, indigenous peoples, technology, religion, and the Latinx diaspora have opened doors for new voices and scholar whose voices we have begun to hear from.

Although aware that planning processes in an organization are a cooperative effort of all its members, envisioning Pitt’s Center for Latin American Studies towards its 60th anniversary provides me a base for sharing my vision and goals as roadmap to guide the Center to fulfill Pitt's Global Path. We will promote new knowledge and life changing research by tackling the most pressing issues of current Latin America and the growing Latinx transnational communities.

This presentation will address issues aimed at showing my vision and goals for the Center such as: 1) interdisciplinary experience and across disciplinary programs as a key driver of the strategic approach to Latin American issues and its transnational communities; 2) experiential learning and research opportunities in Latin American and with Latinx communities to advance new knowledge and life changing research; and, 3) partnerships that deepen the Center's offerings and financial resources.

Eliseo R. Colón Zayas is a professor and researcher at the School of Communication of the University of Puerto Rico, which he chaired from 1999 to 2013. He holds a B.A. from Duquesne University, earning his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. He has been a visiting professor and lecturer at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de São Paulo (Fulbright Research-Scholar), the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, the ITESO (in Guadalajara, Mexico), the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, the Universidad de La Plata in Argentina and the Universities of A Coruña, Sevilla and Málaga in Spain. Some of his books include: Matrices culturales del neoliberalismo: una odisea barroca (2013) and Medios Mixtos: Ensayos de Comunicación y Cultura (2013) .

Archaeological looting occurs when unauthorized individuals or groups illicitly dig at cultural heritage sites in order to locate valuable antiquities for sale on the black market – or even the legitimate art market. While many authors from various disciplines have written on the extensive damage this does to our understanding of ancient cultures, the influence of archaeological looting runs much deeper. In addition to affecting the ability to study these objects in the future and destroying evidence present at their origin sites, archaeological looting also has the potential to alter the art historical canon, affects the role of museums, and calls attention to issues of ownership. Just as the creation of art alters the cultural understanding of the concept, so does its destruction. While much of the current conversation has revolved around the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, it is equally vital to keep in mind that this continues to be a problem in all source countries.

As a fast-growing, privately-owned company, Addev Materials is regularly changing, growing and responding to trends in its sector. Starting as a distributor, they have since become a converter of high-performance materials, strengthening their strategic partnerships, investing in manufacturing capacities, developing converting technologies, and widening the services they offer. Undergraduates from any discipline are welcome to come and learn about opportunities through Addev Materials in the US and abroad. Information will also be presented regarding their summer 2020 internship opportunity (which can be viewed in the Career Center's database).

Please RSVP with Steve Lund at slund@pitt.edu

Students, considering career options or a paid summer internship in Europe? Attend the upcoming info session with ADDEV, a fast-growing company with multiple opportunities and locations in Pittsburgh and throughout Europe, to learn more about how you can grow in their company. ADDEV provides high performance materials for aerospace, defense, and transportation industries. They also serve energy, electronics, and the healthcare field. ADDEV is seeking students with backgrounds in business, engineering, finance, project management, economics, and HR.

ADDEV Info Session
Tuesday, February 4th
4:30-6:00pm
Posvar Hall, Global Hub

Please note this language table has been canceled. Please contact upittgerman@gmail.com with any questions.

Join the Pitt German Club for an hour of German conversation practice and cultural activities.

Please note this event has been canceled. Contact Shayan Jalali (shj55@pitt.edu) with any questions.

Practice your Persian language skills at our bi-weekly language table!