UCSUR 50th Anniversary Celebration

"Housing in the 21st Century:  Challenges and Solutions"

The University Center for Social & Urban Research (UCSUR) was established in 1972 with the mandate to "bring together, in an organized and integrated fashion, the many research activities and some of the service activities of the University of Pittsburgh which focus on the urban phenomenon."  Brian Vargus and Clyde McDaniel served as the founding codirectors.

You can read the rest of UCSUR's history here.

For our 50th celebration we wanted to highlight a very important theme of our current work and collaborations.  The following agenda was prepared and executed resulting in an intellectually engaging afternoon of presentations, discussion, and fraternity.  We would like to send a special thank you to our presenters and a very warm thank you to all that attended this historical celebration. 

Agenda, History, & Videos

  50th Anniversary Flyer with Agenda and Presenter Bios

  UCSUR History

 Video recording - Side view with slides, Entire Conference

 Video recording iPad Recording - Part 1, Welcoming Remarks, Brief History, and Affordable Housing Challenges & Opportunities

 Video recording iPad Recording - Part 2, Aging and Housing: Strategies for Aging in Place

 Audio Podcast, UCSUR Radio on Buzzsprout

Slide Presentations

Affordable Housing Challenges and Opportunities

  Achieving Housing Stability, Andrew Aurand, PhD, Senior Vice President for Research, National Low Income Housing Coalition

  Maximizing Resources to Support Public Housing Residents , Jennifer Bert, PhD, Program Analyst, Office of Public Housing, Pittsburgh and Buffalo Field Offices, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Aging and Housing: Strategies for Aging in Place

  State of Aging in Pittsburgh and What it Means for Housing, Christopher Briem, MPA, Regional Economist, Urban and Regional Analysis Program, UCSUR, University of Pittsburgh

  Overview of Pitt Healthy Home Lab & Mobility & Safety Technology in the Home, Jon Pearlman, PhD, Professor & Chair, Department of Rehab Science & Technology, Director, IMPACT Center on Assistive Technology Translation, Technical Director, Pitt’s Health Home Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh

  Home Environmental Hazards, Steven M. Albert, PhD, MS, FGSA, FAAN, Professor and Hallen Chair, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh

  Implementing Aging in Place Programs and Technology in the Community, Pamela Toto, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA, Professor and Director, CScD in Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh

Poster Presentations

  Corporate Investments in Single-Family Residential Properties in Allegheny County:  Recent Impacts, Sabina Deitrick, PhD & Chris Briem, Urban & Regional Analysis Program, UCSUR

 Specialization of Urban Activity Centers, Donald W. Buckwalter, PhD, Urban & Regional Analysis Program, UCSUR

 Spatial Similarity Between Objective and Perceived Measures of Age-Friendly Community, Ellen Kinnee, Urban & Regional Analysis Program, UCSUR

  CAPABLE Home Modifications to Promote Aging in Place, Ava Giatras, OTS, Kayla Valente, OTS, Beth Fields, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, Kate Perepezko, PhD, MSPH, Pamela Toto, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA

  Mold Matters:  Developing a Simpler & Cost-effective Mold Assessment Tool to Enhance Home Safety for Vulnerable Populations, Alexis Cathey, Jemmima Ohwobete, and Sarah-Jane Haig, Ball State University;  Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh;  Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh

  Western Pennsylvanian Regional Data Center, UCSUR

Photos

  Conference Photos

In the News

  Rick Dayton Show, KDKA-AM, Tuesday, November 28, 2023 - featuring Sabina Deitrick, PhD

  University Times, Friday, December 1, 2023 - By Shannon O. Wells