Academic Accolades

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3 Pitt faculty honored by the American Association of Immunologists

Three faculty members in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine were recently honored by the American Association of Immunologists (AAI).

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2 Pitt people named 2026 American Council of Learned Societies fellows

Two faculty members in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences — Paula Kupfer and Michelle Granshaw — were awarded 2026 American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) fellowships.

Sanghamitra Das

Das won the 2026 Bluestone Rising Scholar Prize

Sanghamitra Das, assistant professor in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Anthropology, won the 2026 Bluestone Rising Scholar Prize from CASTE: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion.

Karen Arndt

Arndt was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Karen Arndt, professor in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Biology, was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Molly Warsh

Warsh received the Leopold-Hidy Award

Molly Warsh, associate professor in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, earned the Leopold-Hidy Award from the editors of the journal Environmental History.

Panther statue

4 Pitt students won DAAD RISE scholarships

Four Pitt students have earned scholarships to study at leading German universities and scientific institutes through the DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering program.

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12 Pitt students were named to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has named its 2026 class of Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) scholars, and several Pitt students are among the awardees and honorable mentions.

Fernando Tormos-Aponte

Tormos-Aponte earned an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant

Fernando Tormos-Aponte, assistant professor in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Sociology, earned a $500,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to study energy resilience in Puerto Rico. 

Karen Bursic

IISE recognizes Bursic with Fellow Award

The Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE) recognized Karen Bursic, professor in the Swanson School of Engineering, with a Fellow Award.

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2 Pitt students were selected as 2026 Roosevelt Network Fellows

Two Pitt students, Sahiti Kulkarni and Abbigayle Garvin, have been selected as 2026 Roosevelt Network Fellows. 

Ilknur Lider

Lider named president of the American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages

Ilknur Lider, instructor of Turkish in the Department of Linguistics, has been named president of the American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages.

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4 Pitt faculty won the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring

Four University of Pittsburgh faculty members earned the 2026 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring.

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16 faculty honored with 2026 Chancellor’s Distinguished Awards

Sixteen Pitt faculty members have earned the 2026 Chancellor’s Distinguished Awards for exemplifying excellence in public service, research and teaching.

Jason Deakings

Deakings made the New Pittsburgh Courier 40 Under 40 list

Jason Deakings, assistant professor in the School of Public Health, was named to the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40 Under 40 list for 2026.

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School of Medicine student made the Pittsburgh Business Times 30 Under 30 list

Benjamin Leslie, current student in the School of Medicine, was named to the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 30 Under 30 list.