This summer, Dean Adam Liebovich announced the Dietrich Innovation Initiative (DI2), which provides resources for faculty and staff to explore innovative ideas and ambitious projects. This initiative focuses on collaboration, allowing full-time faculty and staff in the Dietrich School and College of General Studies to create and fund projects that propel pedagogy, research, outreach, student services, and most importantly, engage their interests and curiosity.
 
The first round of proposals was submitted this fall, and the DI2 Review Committee received and evaluated 39 impressive project proposals from across the School.

Pitt-Cosmic Ray Tracker Experiment (Pitt-CoRTEx): A Modular Detector Experiment for Educational Outreach and Undergraduate Training
Pranava Teja Surukuchi and Tae Min Hong, Physics and Astronomy

Pittsburgh-Cosmic Ray Experiment (Pitt-CoRTEx) is a modular particle physics experiment designed for educational purposes. Pitt-CoRTEx plans to leverage the advances in recent detector technologies to build a detector that will enable hands-on undergraduate research experience. The outcome of this project is a stand-alone detector that provides a visually compelling display of cosmic rays and offers a wide range of public outreach and K—12 student engagement opportunities.
 
Launch Support
Daydreams: Database of Early Films and a New Research Lab Course
Anna Kovalova, Slavic Languages and Literatures
 
Pitt-Myanmar Education Project
Carey Treado, Economics; William Lychack, English; Veronica Dristas, Global Studies Center (UCIS); Emily Rook-Koepsel, Asian Studies Center (UCIS)
 
A Signal Transducing Covalently Bound Peptide Coating for Titanium Spine Implants
Haitao Liu, Chemistry
 
Major Development
Advancing Latinx Studies at Pitt
Belkys Torres, English; David Tenorio, Spanish and Portuguese; Angie Ocampo-Roland, Political Science; Lisa Ortiz-Guzmán, School of Education; Allyson Delnore, UCIS
 
Enhancing DRS Accessibility and Resource Standardization in Film Production Coursework and Training Workshops
Sarah Joshi and Tony Balko, Film and Media Studies
 
Expanding Pitt’s DELF Exam Center: Strengthening Francophone Communities at Pitt and in Western PA
Kaliane Ung, David Pettersen, Brett Wells, Chloé Hogg, and Naty Clark, French and Italian
 
The Overlooked Ecology of Pittsburgh’s Public Stairways
Castilleja Olmstead, Rory Carroll, and Kevin Kohl, Biological Sciences
 
Moon Shot

Transforming Humanities Education in a Time of Gun Violence
Jennifer Waldron, English; Chloé Hogg, French and Italian; Christopher Nygren, History of Art and Architecture; Pernille Røge, History