Laurel began her career as a nurse at a long-term care facility before eventually transitioning into the field of neurology, caring for head injury and stroke patients. Her experience with research eventually led to her current role as executiv

Getting the Diagnosis Right: Sarah Wheeler

Feb 17th, 2021 24m 43s

Sarah’s interest in clinical chemistry and diagnostic testing brought her back to Pittsburgh, where today she is both a translational researcher at the University of Pittsburgh and the medical director for multiple UPMC testing laboratories. He

Improving LGBTQ+ Health: Robert Coulter

Nov 18th, 2020 26m 48s

Robert is designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions aimed at reducing violence and substance use inequities for sexual and gender minority youth. But before becoming a professor and researching the dynamics of LGBTQ+ health inequiti

Science for Social Good: Tamar Krishnamurti

Oct 21st, 2020 25m 34s

Tamar is a behavioral scientist and decision making expert applying her unique skill set and experience to better engage patients in their clinical care. She initially set out to study both classical music and biology. However, a life changing

Rhythms of Life: Daniel Buysse

Sep 16th, 2020 28m 10s

Dan Buysse has spent nearly forty years studying circadian rhythms and has become one of the most impactful thought leaders in sleep medicine. He has made significant contributions in advancing circadian science, translating research into pract

Designing the Digital Future of Health Care: Ravi Patel

Aug 19th, 2020 27m 4s

Ravi is a teacher, a researcher, and an innovator who is full of questions: how do different people interact with health care? What can we learn from their experiences? How can that be used to inform and design better health care? Ravi is const

Fostering Innovation: Nehal Bhojak

Apr 15th, 2020 23m 2s

In 2001, Nehal moved to Pittsburgh and had been working as a consultant when she decided to go back to school for a second master’s degree. A decision that set her on a trajectory to becoming a prolific figure in the Pittsburgh innovation eco

From Surviving to Thriving: Carla Chugani

Mar 18th, 2020 29m 41s

In 2016, Carla arrived at the University of Pittsburgh as a postdoctoral scholar. As the daughter of academic parents, it’s no surprise that Carla decided to pursue a similar path. Today, as an assistant professor, Carla is conducting resear

Regenerative Medicine: Bryan Brown

Feb 18th, 2020 22m 44s

In 2001, Bryan Brown came to Pittsburgh to study mechanical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh where he would go on to obtain his PhD in bioengineering and become a faculty member at the university. From winning multiple awards to c

Leading with Love: Ellen Beckjord

Jan 21st, 2020 27m 40s

Ellen Beckjord returned to Pittsburgh in 2007 after years of training as a clinical psychologist and behavioral scientist. It didn’t take long before Beckjord established herself as an innovator at the intersection of digital and population he

Emergency in Mind: Clifton Callaway

Dec 3rd, 2019 23m 11s

Clifton Callaway came to Pittsburgh in 1993 to begin his medical residency and would go on to become a prominent researcher, physician, and leader in emergency care. However, before becoming a doctor, Callaway was a student majoring in psychol

Future Law: Michael Madison

Nov 5th, 2019 26m 34s

Michael Madison is training lawyers to succeed in the 21st century as leaders and collaborators in the legal profession, in their communities, and in the innovation economy. He’s always been on the cutting edge, whether it be the internet in t

Tenacious Inventor: Rory Cooper

Oct 8th, 2019 27m 49s

Rory Cooper and his team at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories have developed over 100 inventions related to wheelchairs, robotics, and wearable instruments designed to improve the lives of people with disabilities and military veteran

Community Connector: Lina Dostilio

Sep 10th, 2019 29m 32s

Moving around a bit in their early life has connected Lina Dostilio to the concept of space and place, particularly as it relates to community engagement and Dostilio’s work within that framework. A self-described hard worker, Dostilio thinks d

Blazing a Trail: Erricka Hager

Aug 20th, 2019 19m 14s

A lifelong love of books about science and history, coupled with a family of generations of strong black women, has led Erricka Hager to a space of community and health advocacy. Hager’s goal of representation in the field of science will not o

Critical Care: Cameron Dezfulian

Jul 30th, 2019 21m 28s

Being a doctor isn’t easy. Sure there are the long hours, but there can also be difficult situations as well as tough conversations with patients and their families. As a critical care medicine doctor, Cameron Dezfulian has had his fair share

The Art of Building: Bill Strickland

Jul 9th, 2019 37m 3s

Bill Strickland has spent over half a century teaching kids and training adults. It started on the North Side of Pittsburgh, the neighborhood where he grew up and would name the organization he built: Manchester. In 1968, Bill was a student

Finding a Rose in the Concrete: Richard Garland

Jun 11th, 2019 17m 13s

In 1992, Richard Garland graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, a year after being released from the Western Penitentiary. Since then, Garland has become a leader for Pittsburgh’s anti-violence initiative. He is leveraging his unique li

From Bench to Bedside: Maliha Zahid

May 21st, 2019 23m 5s

As a young girl, Maliha Zahid knew what she wanted to do – become a doctor. Yet, after becoming a doctor Maliha decided she also wanted to become a scientist and began translating discoveries from the lab to the clinic. And between conductin

Startup Science: Phil Brooks

Apr 30th, 2019 19m 37s

From a research scientist to CFO, COO, and CEO, Phil Brooks has experience in all facets of business. Today, Phil uses his technical knowledge and range of experience to help faculty and students navigate the commercialization pathway of innova

Moving Through Trauma with Love: Rev. Paul Abernathy

Apr 9th, 2019 21m 22s

Reverend Paul Abernathy has learned that when serving others, love and opportunity are quite the weapons for positive and impactful changes. In and around Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Father Paul works to break down silos that perpetuate trauma

Caring about Research: Kerri Jackson

Mar 19th, 2019 20m 47s

As a teenager, Kerri Jackson left home in McKeesport, Pennsylvania to attend the University of Pittsburgh and essentially stayed ever since. From library systems to research, Kerri has made a career out of helping others learn.

Being an Advocate: Bee Schindler

Feb 26th, 2019 18m 56s

Bee Schindler is a Pittsburgh native who spent a decade split between California and New York studying journalism and social work before returning to the Steel City in 2009. Today, Bee is leading efforts to bring together local communities and

Global Health at Home: Mara Leff

Feb 5th, 2019 19m 56s

In 2013, Mara Leff moved from Washington, D.C., back to her hometown of Pittsburgh to study global health at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research took her across the world, although after graduating, Mara would find herself leading progra

Chancellor Patrick Gallagher

Jan 15th, 2019 24m 24s

Patrick Gallagher never planned on leading a university, let alone becoming a physicist. As a child, Gallagher envisioned becoming a roller-coaster, yet as a teenager, he would find himself in Latin America managing well- and latrine-digging pr