UCSUR Research Includes Variety of Programs

The University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR) is a hub for interdisciplinary exploration and collaboration and bases its research agenda on the social and economic issues most relevant to society, according to Richard Schulz, who was named center director of UCSUR in 1999, after serving four years as interim director.

“Through a combination of research, education, and outreach efforts, UCSUR unites Pitt faculty with representatives from federal, state, and local governments and community organizations and foundations in a coordinated pursuit of effective solutions to contemporary problems.”

Existing programs include:

• Urban and Regional Analysis

Directed by Ralph Bangs and Sabina Deitrick, this program promotes scholarly analysis of urban and regional problems. Its multidisciplinary research, which is local, national, and international in character, touches on issues that further understanding of the causes and consequences of economic and social change, enhances the analytical basis for policy decisions, and aids in the evaluation of policy alternatives.

Last year, UCSUR introduced the Pittsburgh Economic Quarterly (PEQ), a newsletter that highlights the important economic trends impacting the regional economy and the competitiveness of local industries. Citing a need to focus regularly on the evolving economy of the Pittsburgh region, PEQ was developed in collaboration with faculty from the Department of Economics. It targets local public and private stakeholders involved in regional economic development.

“We feel Pitt has a role in providing information in this region,” said Chris Briem, UCSUR research associate and PEQ editor. “There is a lot of change going on in this area, and economic development is a crucial part of that change. We are attempting to fill what we see as a void in economic information available.”

The types of issues to be explored in PEQ include out-migration of residents, the impact of the airline industry on the local economy, and the changing workforce in Western Pennsylvania.

• Gerontology

Schulz directs this effort, which acts as a catalyst and coordinator for the multidisciplinary study of aging. It aids communication and proposal development, and operates as a center for research, training, and age-related resources throughout the University. While the main focus of the program remains on the psychosocial and health policy aspects of aging, faculty also are involved in gerontology training, basic cognitive science research, and epidemiological studies of the elderly.

• Environmental Decision Support (EDS)

A new program directed by Stephen Farber and Kathi Beratan, EDS was established to meet a regional need for environmental resource management decision support. Researchers from a broad range of natural sciences, social sciences, and engineering disciplines focus on complex environmental issues using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool for data integration and modeling.

“One intent of this service is to meet the growing needs for spatially represented data and analysis in many disciplines,” said Schulz. “While there is a variety of GIS skills across the University, there is no single unit dedicated to meeting GIS research and teaching needs of the faculty. EDS seeks to offer services not available elsewhere on campus.”

Stephen Farber led an UCSUR-funded project, The State of the Environment in Allegheny County: Land, Water and Air, the first report of its kind for the region, and one scheduled to be updated every two years.

“We did this as a public service,” said Farber. “UCSUR has a deep interest in the quality of life in this region. This report should give us a better sense of the environment, and have great value to citizens, elected officials, foundations, and policymakers.”

• Generations Together

Led by Director Sally Newman, this intergenerational studies program furthers the development, training, evaluation, research, technical support, and information dissemination on intergenerational programs, and prepares multidisciplinary professionals for work in the intergenerational field.

• Office of Child Development (OCD)

Co-directed by Christina Goark and Robert McCall, OCD promotes interdisciplinary research and educational programs pertaining to children, youth, and families; stimulates and manages interdisciplinary and multi-institutional educational, research, service demonstration, and program evaluation projects; provides needs assessment research, background information, and policy analyses; and disseminates research and professional information on children, youth, and families.

“Studies conducted in these programs illustrate UCSUR’s commitment to enhancing scientific understanding of social phenomena while generating information for improved policymaking in both the public and private sectors,” said Schulz. “As new policy issues emerge, we are prepared to facilitate and coordinate the development of additional programs identified by interested faculty.”