CIS Transdisciplinary Award Program
The Center for Industry Studies (CIS) at the University of Pittsburgh is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025–2026 CIS Transdisciplinary Award Program! The CIS Transdisciplinary Award Program is designed to foster collaborative and transdisciplinary research between scholars in engineering and the sciences. This funding opportunity is intended to support innovative research efforts that bridge disciplines and encourage cross-departmental collaboration.
By facilitating partnerships between faculty members from diverse academic backgrounds, this initiative seeks to generate new insights and solutions that have a tangible impact on industry practices, business strategies, technological advancements, and policy frameworks.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients!
A Novel Imaging System for Shoe-Ground Contact: Applications for Aging Falls and Sports Sciences
Principal Investigators: Kurt Beschorner (Bio Engineering), April Chambers (Education), Mark Redfern (Bio Engineering), and Andrea Rosso (Epidemiology)
Abstract: We propose to develop frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) technology as a novel imaging tool to capture shoe-ground contact pressures. FTIR offers benefits over existing methods of measuring ground contact pressures because of its superior spatial resolution and low cost. Pilot data from this project will enable grants to the National Institute on Aging, a technology transfer grant, and for securing industry-funded research from footwear companies.
Achieving the Holy Grail of Artificial Olfaction: Reaching Parity with Canine Noses
Principal Investigators: Christopher Wilmer (Chemical Engineering) and Alexander Star (Chemistry)
Abstract: Electronic noses (e-noses) are devices designed to mimic the sense of smell. If we could make e-noses that function as well as canine noses, non-invasive early cancer detection would be ubiquitous, detecting hidden explosives would be trivial, and monitoring our environment for dangerous chemicals and pathogens (whether in our homes or the skies above) would be routine. But at present we cannot, and we will not unless we radically change our approach to designing e-noses. We must understand the challenge as both a scientific problem and an engineering one.
Hydrate-Forming Block Copolymers for Smart Material Applications
Principal Investigators: Sachin Velankar (Chemical Engineering) and Tara Meyer (Chemistry)
Abstract: Polyoxacyclobutane (POCB) is a polymer that uniquely forms crystalline hydrate with water,1-4 offering transformative potential for smart material applications. This project aims to create a new class of triblock copolymers, PEO-POCB-PEO, in which the middle block is POCB and the outer blocks are water soluble polyethylene oxide (PEO). Based on our prior experience with pure POCB, we predict that when hydrated, these materials will exhibit dramatic shifts in mechanical, transport, and structural properties relative to the commercially successful triblock copolymers known as poloxamers or Pluronics®. which employ polypropylene oxide (PPO) as their hydrophobic block.
Assessing Glaucomatous Risk Using a 3D Printed and Personalized in-vitro Platform
Principal Investigators: Susana Isabel Morgado Mendes Antunes da Silva (Medicine) and Jonathan Pieter Vande Geest (Bio Engineering)
Abstract: Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease leading to irreversible vision loss. Vision loss in glaucoma is caused by the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that are responsible for transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain. The proposed research will be the first of its kind to directly link the mechanobiology of the complex and patient-specific LC biomechanical environment with RGC health. It therefore has significant potential to reveal new mechanisms that will improve future POAG patient risk assessment and treatment.
We will be accepting applications for the CIS Transdisciplinary Award Program during our next funding cycle in 2026-2027. We will be posting information about the next round of applications in Spring 2026.