Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania news and analysis from The Conversation

Highlighting emerging research and expert analysis on issues important to the Pittsburgh area.

Part of a pilot project funded by the R.K. Mellon Foundation.

A neighborhood of older homes surrounded by a hill and trees.

A neighborhood of older homes surrounded by a hill and trees.

Can development happen without displacement? Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood is a test case

Ira Goldstein, University of Pennsylvania

At an old steel site in Pittsburgh, bacteria evolved to survive – and eat – industrial pollution

Catherine Armbruster, Carnegie Mellon University

Gloved hands working on a soil sample.

Gloved hands working on a soil sample.

How libraries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania communities evolved from subscription clubs to vital public institutions

Bernadette A. Lear, Penn State

Woman in black coat pulls book from shelf in library

Woman in black coat pulls book from shelf in library

Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy

Rebecca Smullin Dawson, Allegheny College

A clipboard holds an info sheet titled 'Measles.'

A clipboard holds an info sheet titled 'Measles.'

A wide shot of the point of a city and rivers merging.

A wide shot of the point of a city and rivers merging.

Should you swim in Pittsburgh’s rivers? A water researcher breaks down the answer

Daniel Bain, University of Pittsburgh

People walking along a river on a sunny day with a city view in the background.

People walking along a river on a sunny day with a city view in the background.

Most Pittsburgh-area communities are losing residents – here’s why that might be OK

Christopher Briem, University of Pittsburgh

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Healthcare

HBO’s ‘The Pitt’ nails how hospital cyberattacks create chaos, endanger patients and disrupt critical care

Jeffrey Tully, University of California, San Diego and Christian Dameff, University of California, San Diego

Medical staff from the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center stabilize a patient.

Medical staff from the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center stabilize a patient.

Pittsburgh nurses are fighting for better staffing ratios — and the research backs them up

Anna Mayo, Carnegie Mellon University

A group of nurses in black scrubs hold signs that read 'Elevating women's and family health for our region.'

A group of nurses in black scrubs hold signs that read 'Elevating women's and family health for our region.'

Nearly half of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occur more than 6 weeks after giving birth

Yenupini Joyce Adams, University of Notre Dame

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

New dietary guidelines prioritize ‘real food’ – but low-income pregnant women can’t easily obtain it

Bethany Barone Gibbs, West Virginia University and Alex Crisp, University of Iowa

A pregnant woman in overalls carries a red shopping basket in a grocery store.

A pregnant woman in overalls carries a red shopping basket in a grocery store.

Tech and industry

Pittsburgh wants to tax skill games – but the real question is whether to limit them

Jonathan Caulkins, Carnegie Mellon University

A chair reads "Pennsylvania Skill" in front of a lit-up machine.

A chair reads "Pennsylvania Skill" in front of a lit-up machine.

How Pennsylvania towns are protecting themselves from the noise, heat and utility costs of massive data centers

Michael Helbing, Penn State

Man stands on front porch above yellow sign that says 'No Data Centers'

Man stands on front porch above yellow sign that says 'No Data Centers'

AI’s growing appetite for power is putting Pennsylvania’s aging electricity grid to the test

Shixiang (Woody) Zhu, Carnegie Mellon University

Smoke puffs out of a power plant with an American flag in the foreground of the photo.

Smoke puffs out of a power plant with an American flag in the foreground of the photo.

Abandoned Pennsylvania mines and waste-heat recycling could make the state’s massive new data centers far more sustainable

Wangda Zuo, Penn State

Aerial view of industrial area

Aerial view of industrial area

Environment

A close-up image of a dark brown tick crawling on human skin.

A close-up image of a dark brown tick crawling on human skin.

Ticks are the backyard threat southwestern Pennsylvania homeowners keep ignoring

Danielle Tufts, University of Pittsburgh and Emily Bache, University of Pittsburgh

Three people are fishing in a creek.

Three people are fishing in a creek.

Microplastics are everywhere in Pennsylvania’s water – but the tide may be turning

Nathaniel Warner, Penn State; Lisa Emili, Penn State, and Raymond Najjar, Penn State

History and culture

Pittsburgh’s new romance bookstores sell more than happily-ever-afters

Katelyn Frey, Kent State University

A closeup of books on a pink display table.

A closeup of books on a pink display table.

Pittsburgh’s post-steel economy is a success – and a warning for other cities

Christopher Briem, University of Pittsburgh

A city along the river at sunrise.

A city along the river at sunrise.

Lüften sounds simple – but ‘house-burping’ is more complicated in Pittsburgh

William Bahnfleth, Penn State

An open window in winter.

An open window in winter.

How a 22-year-old George Washington learned how to lead, from a series of mistakes in the Pennsylvania wilderness

Christopher Magra, University of Tennessee

George Washington depicted as a young surveyor.

George Washington depicted as a young surveyor.

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