The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related research university, founded as the Pittsburgh Academy in 1787. Pitt is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), which comprises 63 preeminent doctorate-granting research institutions in North America.
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Pitt's Legacy
Pitt researchers led by Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine in 1955.
Pitt surgeons have performed 17,000+ organ transplants, making Pittsburgh the world’s transplantation capital.
Pitt medicine professor Peter Safar pioneered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Research by Pitt’s Maud Menten laid the groundwork for modern drug therapy and biochemistry.
A Pitt team led by P.G. Katsoyannis was the first to synthesize insulin.
Pitt established the first critical care department in a U.S. medical school.
In 1932, a Pitt team led by Charles Glen King isolated and identified the chemical structure of vitamin C.
The first heavier-than-air powered aircraft to make a sustained flight was created by Pitt astronomer Samuel Langley.
Pitt’s Yuan Chang and Patrick Moore isolated the virus that causes epidemic cancer among HIV/AIDS patients.
Pitt's writing program is one of the oldest and largest in the United States.
Achievements & Honors
Pitt students, alumni, and faculty members have won Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, Rhodes Scholarships, and NCAA championships, among many other honors.
The University's administration is led by Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and overseen by a Board of Trustees with input from faculty, staff, and student shared-governance organizations and support from various offices.
Pitt's regional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville offer the advantages and environment of liberal arts colleges along with the resources and prestige of a major research university.
History
Founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Pitt people have defeated polio, unlocked the secrets of DNA, lead the world in organ transplantation, and pioneered TV and heavier-than-air flight, among numerous other accomplishments.
