Talent : Pittsburgh Innovates

Each week Pop City reports on the latest in hiring news and company growth.
 
3D manufacturing company ExOne in North Huntingdon is hiring eight for a range of positions: accounts payable clerk, custodian, machine build/ mechanical technician, program manager in chemistry, program manager-FEA, QA inspector, research and development associate and research materials science scientist.
 
Oakland startup Walking Thumbs is looking for five people to take on leading roles in Android and iPhone development within our team. Under the radar to date, the startup is “stable and growing” as it builds its messaging platform and ecosystem of applications surrounding it, says founder John Feghali.
 
Positions include chief technical officer, android developers and iOS developers. For more details applicants may email Feghali at john@walkingthumbs.com.
 
In case you were under a rock and missed it last week, Dick’s Sporting Goods is expanding again on the heels of having opened a spanking new offices no less than two years ago. Naturally hiring is indicated. Dick’s has openings for 12 at present, including developers, analysts and a marketing content manager.

Attack Theatre is looking for a finance and development associate who can work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
 
Towercare, developers of a suite of products for nonprofits, is hiring a software developer.
 
Business Forward, a business process improvement consultancy, is looking for solutions analysts who are able analyze, design, develop and implement cross functional business solutions.
 
Bombardier in West Mifflin is hiring a technical writer and trainer to research and author technical manuals and corresponding training manuals to support Bombardier products. 
 
Pittsburgh-based Intermedix, providing technology-enabled solutions in health and safety, is hiring a technical writer to prepare and maintain assistance materials for several emergency preparedness software products. 
 
The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for a staff writer for a multimedia internship for the Fall of 2013. This position is unpaid and based at the Consol Energy Center.
 
Having hiring news? Email Pop City and include the career link.
 
Writer: Deb Smit

Each week Pop City reports on hiring and job news in the region.
 
Google Pittsburgh is expanding again and will hire between 100 to 200 people in the coming year. Google Inc. announced this week it is leasing another 50,000 square feet of office space in Bakery Square and will begin aggressively hiring for 75 open positions, many in the shopping and commerce division.
 
Google Pittsburgh has grown rapidly since establishing a presence in Pittsburgh, having hired 50 people in the last year alone. Positions include software engineers as well support staff.

Across the way, a new restaurant called Social will be holding open interviews on Thursday, June 13^th, from 12-8 pm for all positions: waitstaff, cooks, hosts, managers. Social is located at 6425 Penn Avenue.

ThoughtForm, a communication design consultancy working at the crossroads of business strategy and creative thinking, is currently recruiting people for six permanent positions and one contract position. The positions include designers, developers, writers, an image specialist and project manager.

The Congress of Neighboring Communities, better known as CONNECT, is hiring an outreach and program coordinator. CONNECT, part of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, works to bring the region’s urban municipalities together to enhance and deliver important public services.
 
MARC USA is hiring an advertising account executive and looking for a PR/social media apprentice. The ad exec/ new business development specialist will focus on many aspects of the agencies new business program.  The PR/social media apprentice is a paid position for a college grad in advertising, marketing business or a related degree.

Pop City is looking for a part-time person to size and load photos in Pop City's content management system every week. Deadline day is every Tuesday so availability is important on Mondays and early Tuesdays. Position requires approximately 7 hours every week. Previous online experience with photos is very helpful. Photoshop skills are a necessity.  Must have photo software.  For more info email info@popcitymedia.com. 

Quantum Theatre is looking for a part-time consultant to raise brand awareness and deliver traffic to the theatre’s website, social media destinations, live productions, and special events. 
 
KDKA-TV is looking for a commercial videographer with skills as a sound mixer and lighting director, able to support all studio and set productions in preparation for productions.
 
Think Through Learning is hiring a senior editor, K-2. The position is responsible for the production of web-based mathematics and instructional materials for elementary-aged students.
 
A.C. Coy Company in Pittsburgh is hiring a technical writer for its technical writing department to work on a complete overhaul of their documentation and must have experience with Doc-to-help and authoring tools.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is opening a customer service center in Greentree that will create 150 jobs. The servicing operation offers services and counseling to student loan borrowers. Many of the positions are related to loan counseling and human resources. A recruitment event will be held on June 25. 

Still looking for the perfect job? The Allegheny Conference this week unveiled a re-imagined Imagine Pittsburgh website, a gateway to more than 30,000 jobs in the region. New features take the site beyond that of a mere job board, including  stories about the people who work and live in our region.
 
Have hiring news? Email Pop City. Sign up for Pop City on our homepage and receive hiring news each week.
 
Writer: Deb Smit

Each week Pop City reports on the latest in company hiring news:
 
The big news at Duolingo, the CMU  language translation spinout, was the release of its Android app. The Shadyside-based startup is busting at the seams and plans to move next door to its current digs on Walnut Street to make room for more people. Major hiring is planned. Jobs currently posted include an infrastructure engineer, UI/UX designer and UI/UX design intern.  
 
Financial services firm Hefren-Tillotson will be moving from its Upper St. Clair branch office in the South Hills to a new 7,339 square foot office space in Southpointe. Major hiring is expected to follow. The firm is currently hiring for four positions: financial assistant, junior accountant, investment advisory administrative support supervisor and portfolio analyst.
 
Baby product maker Thorley Industries recently announced plans for a $1 million expansion of its Strip District operation and major hiring. Thorley—which goes by the name 4Moms—employs 97 and will add 75 positions this year in sales, engineering, marketing and supply chain. 

Thorley is on a fast track for major growth with the popularity of its techy baby gear. It’s power-folding stroller collapses with the touch of a button and its popular mamaRoo infant seat imitates the gentle rocking sway of a parent’s arms.
 
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is posting seven new positions, among them a guest services manager, finance assistant, greenhouse technician and event sales supervisor.
 
BEA of Belgium, makers of automatic door technology, is hiring a marketing coordinator, staff accountant, information systems manager and outside sales position.  Pittsburgh is the headquarters of Bea’s American operation.

Chester Engineers, an industry leading engineering firm, has 3 openings in Pittsburgh.  Chester provides energy, water and wastewater solutions to public and industrial clients across the United States and internationally.  

Meakem Becker Venture Capital is hiring a financial systems analyst in its downtown office.
 
Highmark is hiring a communications consultant to work on human resources communications programs.

The SMC Insurance company is hiring an account manager/ client specialist.
 
Finally, The Moving the Lives of Kids Community Mural Project, which has create murals from the city to Larimer to the Strip District and the East Busway, is hiring for its summer program. Artists and youth are paid by stipend.

Have hiring news? Email Pop City and include the links!

Writer: Deb Smit

IKM Incorporated—Architects, Planners & Interior Designers is a Pittsburgh firm that offers architectural, planning and interior design services to companies in the mid-Altantic region. The firm has three staff position openings: architect I, project manager and architectural intern III & Illustrator.
 
The architect position is a full-time registered position and requires a professional with experience on institutional-type projects. The project manager should have 8-12 years of project management experience and a degree or master’s degree in architecture. The intern, full-time, is for an architecture grad on the path to licensure with three to five years of experience.
 
Social Media Information(SMI), developers of B2B information solutions for companies, is hiring two: a lead software developer and sales executive for their office on the North Shore. The firm is looking for a programmer to lead its development team on day-to-day coding for the front and backend systems that power SMI’s data-gathering and analysis systems.
 
The ideal sales professional will generate leads and new customer revenue targeting small and medium-sized business customers. Inside sales or field-based selling experience is required, plus a B.A. or B.S. degree.
 
West Penn Allegheny Health System is hiring a senior data analyst, quality and patient safety. The job entails facilitating activities to improve patient safety and the best clinical outcomes within the hospital setting. The provider seeks at least five years of data/business analysis experience.
 
UPMC on the South Side is hiring a systems analyst, intermediate report writer who will help support the Acceleration Epic Initiative Dept. This involves experience in analytical and or programming and IT experience.
 
The Resumator, which helps companies with their hiring needs, is hiring a director of customer success, director of product management and a sales intern.
 
Pittsburgh life sciences company Omnyx is advertising four positions: regulatory affairs specialist, principal scientist, principal quality engineer and project compliance and purchasing.
 
Wrtier: Deb Smit

Each week Pop City reports on the latest in company and hiring news.
 
Safaba, a tech company that uses machine translation to help global enterprises localize and transcend the language barrier, is hiring four in leading product development, project delivery, marketing and sales. The positions include: sales lead, research scientist, senior software engineer and senior MT software engineer.
 
Carnegie Speech, developers of software that assesses and improves the pronunciation of non-native English speakers, is looking for a software engineer to help develop and maintain its language teaching products.
 
The Environmental Charter School in Regent Square has openings for 20 positions, many for teachers. ECS especially needs a bookkeeper and office manager. Note that applicants are urged to apply by May 15, which is today! Click here for further information.
 
Powercast is developing radio wave energy, harvesting technology that is breaking new ground in the remote and wireless power industry by increasing the efficiency of converting radio waves into DC power over a wide operating range. Powercast is hiring an electrical engineer.

Bossa Nova Robotics, a Carnegie Mellon spinoff, which recently pivoted its focus from robotic toys to personalized robotic products for the world, has three openings in R&D for an embedded software developer, localization/ navigation scientist and software engineer.

Aethon, a leader in autonomous mobile robot delivery technology in healthcare, is looking for an electrical design engineer to help develop advanced robotic vehicle electronics, controls and systems for autonomous mobile robotic vehicles. 
 
EDMC, a provider of post-secondary education across a wide range of careers, is hiring a director of business analysis and reporting, someone with strong computer literacy skills and experience with financial software programs.

Think Through Learning, a provider of online math tutoring for students, is hiring two math editors and a content development intern.

Have hiring news? Email Pop City and include the career links. Check previous Pop City listings too!

Writer: Deb Smit

Each week Pop City reports on the latest in company hiring news.
 
What began with creative inspiration—and the purchase of Pittsburgh-based Freemarkets—is Ariba today, a software and IT company with an office in Pittsburgh. Ariba is hiring 12 in a range of positions, including a customer support specialist who can speak Mandarin Chinese.
 
The positions include: IT support positions and engineers, tax analysts, electronic supplier integration manager, staff accountant and several internships in IT support, technical support and customer support.
 
Branding Brand on the South Side, creators of mobile apps that power major retailers in the country, is looking for six people: account manager, director of sales, iOS developer, project manager, software engineer and web developer.
 
Premier Innovations Group, the Strip District importer of private label liquors, including Clique vodka, is looking for web developer to enhance the fast-growing company’s online presence.
 
Oakland-based Wombat Security Technologies is seeking five people for an array of jobs, with immediate need of an experienced product manager to strategically and tactically manage their products. Other positions include a channel manager, technical support rep. software developer and sales associate.
 
SMC Business Council, an organization that pools resources to assist smaller businesses, has two open positions at its Pittsburgh office: a director of the SMC Insurance Agency and a staff accountant for the council. The director job requires a BS in business or related field plus seven years of relevant work experience.
 
And finally, radio station WESA is looking for a general assignment multimedia reporter and weekend host, someone who is well informed in a wide range of topics and current events, especially as it pertains to Pittsburgh.

Have hiring news? Email Pop City!
 
Writer: Deb Smit

Each week Pop City reports on the latest in company in hiring news.

Interactive tech company Songwhale is hiring developers, engineers and product managers. Check it out!

The University of Pittsburgh Press is hiring an editorial director, a creative person with at least 10 years of experience in scholarly publishing. A bachelor’s degree is required and graduate degree is a plus. This is a senior executive position.
 
DeepLocal is posting seven jobs including four internships: a part-time copywriting summer intern, visual design intern, mobile development intern and a software engineering intern. Other open positions include: android mobile developer (intermediate), iOS mobile developer (intermediate) and web developer (intermediate).
 
Lunametrics in the South Side is hiring an online media strategist, a content manager to create link bait and other SEO-related content for customers.  The job will involve working with the client’s social media in order to enhance rankings, but also involves several other skill sets. It requires someone who can embrace variety and flourish in it.
 
The World Affairs Council is hiring a program coordinator. The ideal candidate should be interested in international affairs. The position involves planning of education programs for middle school and high school students and teachers on a range of global issues.
 
Calgon Carbon Corp. is hiring an associate field service engineer for its Coraopolis office. The company manufactures and services products that generate high power Ultraviolet (UV) light used in disinfection and Oxidation processes (OX).
 
Point Park University is hiring a marketing and public relations coordinator with experience in marketing, arts marketing or working in higher education. Familiarity with social networking and social media marketing practices is a plus.

Carnegie Mellon University is looking for a media tech specialist for its Academic Technologies Services group, a person who specializes in video production and post-production. Qualified candidates are those able to coordinate all aspects of video production in capturing academic courses and special events.
 
The Pittsburgh’s Mayors Office of Service and Civic Engagement has extended the application deadline for Americorps Vista to May 17th. All positions are a one year service commitment to serve the city’s neighborhoods and youth. 

Have hiring news? Email Pop City and send the online link to the job.
 
Writer: Deb Smit

The 2013 Data Awards return to the Grand Hall at the Priory, one of the biggest innovation celebrations of the year in honor of the coolest design and tech projects in the region.

Nearly 50 companies are in the running for the region's highest (and only) honor for great art, entertainment and design technology, sponored by The Pittsburgh Technology Council.

New this year, the general public, that's you dear reader, will get a vote on the top projects. 

From now until the polls close on May 1st, readers may vote once for a project in each category. The public vote will be tabulated and weighted along with the decisions made by a industry professionals, says Kim Chestney Harvey of the Tech Council, 

Also new this year, tickets are offered at two price points. The early evening will be dedicated to the awards ceremony and presentations, which will end at 7 p.m. After that, the interactive exhibition party begins. The public, and non-PTC members, will be admitted for $25.

“It’s all about engaging the public and pulling interest from beyond the business community this year,” says Chestney Harvey. "It’s really important to keep the community element, which is what the DATAs are founded on.”

As for the contenders, there are many new names and technologies. While a few favorites from years past are back—Schell Games and Lightwave—many are new. There’s SloGo. An intriguing entry from Slippery Rock called “God Particle.” Walking Thumbs’ Blab Cake.

The student category, also new this year, has eight entries from CMU.

The evening’s presenter will be Bill Stankay,  journalist, author, filmmaker and former CNN Bureau Chief. Pittsburgh’s own Chip Walter will host the Awards Gala, drawing on his own explorations of human creativity and curiosity.

Cast your vote today!  Polls close May 1, 2013.

Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Kim Chestney Harvey, Pittsburgh Technology Council

Each week Pop City reports on the latest in company hiring news.
 
Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD), the region’s new nonprofit coalition of shale companies, nonprofits and environmental organizations, is seeking an executive director.  
 
Based in the EQT building downtown, the CSSD hopes to improve and innovate shale practices through performance standards and third-party certification. The ideal candidate will be responsible for directing all aspects of the Institute’s operations.
 
Pittsburgh-based AllFacilities Energy Group, an energy efficiency analytics company serving businesses, government agencies, municipalities and school districts, is hiring a drupal developer. The candidate should be a junior or intermediate drupal developer able to work on web-based applications for energy efficiency management.
 
The Penn Hills School District is looking for a secondary mathematics teacher.  Appropriate certifications are required, along with a working knowledge of mathematical concepts, common core standards and an ability to design and teach engaging lessons to middle school students.
 
Pine-Richland School District is advertising several openings including an assistant principal of the middle school and a world language and reading teacher for Eden Hall Upper Elementary.
 
The Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania is hiring a development associate. The ideal candidate is a veteran with honorable discharge with an undergraduate degree in communications and marketing experience.Send resume, cover letter (with salary requirements), and writing sample to employment@vlpwpa.org by May 1, 2013.
 
Downtown advertising company Brunner is hiring a copywriter, someone with at least five years experience working in advertising or a similar environment with the ability to write engaging copy and work across several areas, account service, creative and media.
 
North Side Smith Brothers Advertising is looking for a social media copywriter with a portfolio full of digital samples, including provocative, well-drafted copy. Accomplished wordsmiths who appreciate the power of social media need apply.
 
American Eagle Outfitters on the South Side is looking for an assistant buyer, online, with at least two years experience in retail merchandising. The position involves assisting the buyer to develop all aspects on online strategies. 
 
The Frick Art & Historical Center is hiring an executive assistant, someone with five years of experience. Knowledge of the arts is desirable, along with Windows computing experience, word processing, spreadsheets and email skills. The Frick is also looking for a director of finance and administrative services.
 
Pittsburgh startup FutureDerm, an online beauty health products firm, is looking for scientific writing interns to add to the production of daily, high quality content for a website that receives 250,000 views per month.

And lastly, kayak season is upon us and Venture Outdoors is looking for a Kayak program supervisor for the summer. 
 
Have hiring news to report? Contact Pop City and send the link to the posting.
 
Writer: Deb Smit

Each week Pop City reports on the latest company and hiring news.
 
Global transportation company Bombardier is posting eight jobs and two internships at its West Mifflin operation. The positions range from an assortment of engineering jobs to project management. The firm is also looking for project management intern and software engineering intern.
 
Luma Institute is hiring a senior program director, a position that seeks world-class designers, innovators and teachers to run Luma programs around the world. The ideal candidate should have at least seven years experience as a design or innovation professional.

Flying Cork Media, a strategic marketing communications firm, is seeking a full-time creative writer. This position will assist in all client campaign writing, ensuring all initiatives are strategically and creatively aligned to clients’ needs, while being delivered on time and on budget. 

The Pittsburgh’s Mayors Office of Service and Civic Engagement is hiring for four Americorps Vista positions in July. All positions will involve the development, expansion, and streamlining of various servePGH programs.
 
PULSE, the Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Experience, seeks a part-time, high energy person to coordinate the office and help the small non-profit as it grows.  PULSE cultivates a community of young servant leaders who are working to transform Pittsburgh.
 
Metro Family Practice is looking for a triage nurse for its family practice located in Wilkinsburg. The ideal candidate should be flexible and able to work both evenings and weekends.
 
Carnegie Mellon University seeks a senior writer/editor for national media outreach. As part of the public relations team, this position contributes to strategic public relations and internal communications in support of CMU’s Software Engineering Institute.
 
WPXI-TV and Cox Enterprises is looking for an experienced hard news reporter with energy, the skills and a passion for breaking news. Multiple talents are required and being a star on social media is a must.

Have hiring news? Email Pop City and include the link to the job on your company website.

Writer: Deb Smit

The 3 Rivers Venture Fair kicks off at PNC Park this week, bringing investors together with emerging new companies in the region.
 
New this year is a comprehensive report of trends and highlights in Pittsburgh during the last five years, 2008-2012. 
“Optimizing Opportunities, Investment in Pittsburgh’s technology sector” is sure to spark the interest of any stakeholder considering an investment in the region, says Rich Lunak, CEO of Innovation Works, the largest seed-stage investor in the region.
 
The report provides fresh content and insights on investment trends in the region’s growing technology sector. The data is culled from both IW and Venture Source and Ernst & Young compiled and validated the figures. It will become a staple offering at the 3RVF beginning this year.
 
Among the most noteworthy highlights was the total scale of the regional impact and the value of the exit transactions, says Lunak.
 
In the last five years, 217 technology companies attracted more than $1.3 billion in investment from venture capital firms, angel investors, strategic investors, accelerators, seed funds and other sources.
 
At the same time, Pittsburgh saw 28 companies make successful exits for a value of $2 billion, remarkable numbers considering the country was in a recession, he adds.  
 
Many of those exits involved deals estimated at more than $95 million, including the acquisitions of Vocollect ($190), M*Modal ($130) and Carnegie Learning ($97 million).
 
“It was also nice to see that Pittsburgh bucked the national trend that saw number of total deals and dollars go down,” Lunak adds. “Pittsburgh deals were up significantly.”
 
“The sheer number of firms making investments was eye opening to me,” adds Lynette Horrell, managing partner, Ernest & Young. “Our firm is focused on trends; looking at this data in a comprehensive manner is very beneficial to us.”
 
The report also identified several challenges. Indigenous venture capital funding decreased steadily from 2006 to 2011, meaning entrepreneurs have had to work harder to raise capital here, Lunak says.
 
Several new funds have been launched, the largest being a $40 million fund in 2012, which has helped to reverse this trend.
 
Lunak and Horrell will introduce the report at the 3 Rivers Venture Capital Fair at 2 p.m. this Thursday, April 11^th.
 
Among the other takeaways:
 
Despite a slowing on a national level of both the number of investment deals and amount of funding, the Pittsburgh region saw a 54% increase in the number of fundraising rounds. The overall amount of funding, however, increased only slightly from 2011.
 
In 2012, there were 190 deals in the region totaling $329.1 million in funding. In 2011, there were 123 deals totaling $326.9 million in funding.
 
Software companies, including consumer and enterprise software, received the largest portion of VC funding in the region in 2012, followed by medical devices, energy technology and health care IT.
 
The diversity of these sectors speaks to the broad base of technical talent in the Pittsburgh region. The breakdown is as follows: enterprise software (24%),  consumer software (22%), medical devices (14%), energy (8%), biotech (7%), healthcare IT (7%) and electronics (5%).
 
Of the funding received by the tech sector during the last five years, three-quarters of the total came from VC firms. The second largest share was provided by angel investors followed by corporate investors and seed funds and accelerators.
 
Nearly two-thirds of all the funding received consisted of smaller rounds featuring angels or seed funds and accelerators as the lead investor.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Rich Lunak, IW; Lynette Horrell, Ernst & Young

A record crowd attended the annual luncheon held at the Fairmont yesterday to hear highlights of the Allegheny Conference's 2012 annual report with speakers ranging from PNC's Jim Rohr to Acquion Energy's CEO Scott Pearson.
 
David Malone, vice chair of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, reported on wins and current areas of focus. "If the last 30 years were focused on job creation," said Malone, the next 30 years will be focus on education, training and re-training for jobs.

The number of "wins" reported this year "underscore the confidence companies have in this region," and underscored the fundamental strengths of the diverse economy, said Malone in his introduction."I know you will find these numbers exciting," he said then cracked, "along with my presentation."

In the wrap up, Dennis Yablonsky reported on 2013 priorities, which include the dual infrastructure challenges of sewage problems and transportation.

Among the takeaways:
·       The 10-county Pittsburgh region is one of only three U.S. metros to have fully recovered from the recession, according to the Brookings Institution.
 
·       The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA) reports 269 economic development deals (or wins) in terms of investment and development projects. The deals are expected to create 8,388 new jobs in the region over the next few years and retain 3,422 jobs to a total employment impact of 12,000 jobs.
 
·       A total $3.2 billion in capital investment was reported in 2012, the highest amount since 2007 when the record-keeping began. Investment projects were $1.8 billion, $750 million more than 2011. Development projects totaled $1.4 billion.
 
·       2012 marked a year of record-high employment and Pittsburgh position as a national leader for job growth in high-wage industries.
 
·       Existing regional businesses that are expanding remain the backbone of the economy and account for the majority of announced deals. In 2012, 72 percent of the deals (151) involved the expansion or retention of existing companies. Expansions on average account for two-thirds of investment wins over the past five years.
 
·       Manufacturing was the biggest winner last year. In 2012, there were 59 deals in this sector, an increase from 53 in the previous year, making the industry sector the strongest. 
 
·       In other sectors, energy had 53 wins, 21 of which were in the coal and natural gas sector. 60% of energy wins came from outside the natural resources sector.
 
·       Financial and business services is the largest contributor to the region’s gross regional product.

Writers: Tracy Certo and Deb Smit

The first atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945.
 
Inspired by survivor testimonials and actual photography of the bomb site, CMU Entertainment Technology Center grad students have created an interactive documentary video that recreates the explosion site and depicts the deadly aftermath that killed more than 100,000 people.  
 
Atomic Zone might be the first post nuclear Hiroshima educational tool on the effects of nuclear weaponry, says Rodrigo Cano, one of six students who worked on the project as part of a class with Professor Scott Steven last fall. The other students are Nick, Noreen, Anabelle, Eric, Jason.

The video game was created for the Dept. of Defense to prepare military personnel for the realities of radiation during the aftermath of a nuclear war. It was funded by the Army’s Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC).

Atomic Zone is a 3-D simulation of both the natural and human destruction that occurs after a nuclear blast. Visitors walk through the blast zones and listen to stories told through photographs and haunting music of how so named “Little Boy” nuclear bomb wiped out the inhabitants of the city.  
 
The animation is graphic; the students rendered the landscape using historical materials and maps to tell the story authentically. It is not recommended for anyone under a high school age.
 
“This is something that people are slowly forgetting about,” explains Cano. “Especially the younger generation. Maybe this will help them to remember.
 
“Most of the feedback has been positive,” he adds. “Many people were surprised by the imagery we used. Some were surprised by the different effects of fallout.. We tried very hard to stay a political of the issue.”
 
Many ETC class projects have gone on to become game simulations, such as PeaceMaker, a simulation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Rodrigo Cano, Atomic Bomb
 

A new consortium of companies in Pittsburgh are joining forces to establish the region as a major hub for "big data" with the official launch of Pittsburgh DataWorks this week.
 
In stealth mode since last fall, DataWorks surfaced two weeks ago at the MIT Forum held at IBM in Squirrel Hill. IBM initiated the idea and is joined by five founding members: Carnegie Mellon University, Google, Management Science Associates, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Medical Center.
 
A long list of private companies and economic development organizations are on board as well.
 
Pittsburgh companies and universities are already working and established in this space, explains Bob Monroe, associate professor at the Tepper School of Business at CMU and member of the DataWorks advisory board.
 
This is the logical next step, bringing everyone together and unifying the effort to establish southwestern Pennsylvania as a leading region for this industry. By 2014, big data will gain an $81 billion foothold in the market and create 1.9 million jobs in the U.S.
 
“The opportunities are huge,” says Monroe. "As a region, we have many of the assets that will help us to become a capital for big data.”
 
DataWorks will share space in the business incubator Rev Oakland. In addition to promoting the region as a leading destination for big data education, the initiative will develop research, entrepreneurial and regional economic development opportunities.
 
The coming out party will be held Thursday, March 21, at the University Club on Pitt’s campus from 6 to 8 p.m.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Bob Monroe, Saman Haqqi, Pittsburgh DataWorks