INSIDE EU’s Barroso visits Pitt........................... 2 Lagasse, Banerjee get $5.1 million from NIH.... 4 Newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh Volume X • Number 25 • September 30, 2009 PittSPECIAL G-20 SUMMITChronicle ISSUE Strengthening the Ties Russian President Medvedev Visits Pitt, Discusses Changes in U.S.-Russian Relations—And Talks a Little Bit About Himself, Too PHOTOS BY JJOE KAPELEWSKI/CIDDE Russian President Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev and Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s Medvedev addressed the estimated since then. We are no As the son of visit last week to the University of Pitts- 300-plus people gathered in the Cathedral longer divided by the a professor and a burgh was in keeping with Pittsburgh and of Learning Commons Room. But before barriers of ideology former teacher, Med- Pitt’s long history with Russia. Medvedev he began the question-and-answer session, and values that existed vedev, when asked took a break from his G-20 Pittsburgh he made reference to former Soviet Premier then. We share practi- what a dv ice t he Summit duties on Sept. 25 to visit the Cathe- Nikita Khrushchev’s 1959 tour of the United cally the same views president of a major dral of Learning’s Commons Room for a States and his visit to Pitt’s Schenley Hall on global development country can offer Pitt late afternoon question-and-answer ses- ballroom (now the William Pitt Union). issues and respond in students, told them to sion with an audience “It is a great plea- the same way to prob- relish their years in composed predomi- sure to have this oppor- lems at home. academia. nantly of Pitt students Medvedev also visited the tunity to share with you “There are no “I have had all that also included Pitt Cathedral’s Russian my vision of events past doubt issues t hat sorts of experiences faculty, staff, trustees, and present in Russia, arouse in us different in my life: I was a and alumni, as well as Nationality Room, dedicated Russian-American rela- emotions, things on graduate student, a a flock of Russian and tions, the global chal- which we do not see teacher, a lawyer, I American reporters. in 1938, which pays tribute lenges, and problems eye-to-eye, but this worked in business, Medvedev also that we all face … It is is good, too, for this became a civil ser- visited the Cathedral’s to the presence of Russian particularly interesting is one of the driving vant, worked in the Russian Nationality to know that exactly forces that has been government,” he said. Room, dedicated in émigrés who came to Pitts- 50 years ago, one of helping humanity to “Now I am president 1938, which pays trib- burgh, bringing their culture the Soviet leaders vis- develop over thou- of a large country, ute to the presence of ited this very place. I sands of years. We but I can tell you that Russian émigrés who and traditions with them. cannot say that we are are all different, and those years when I came to Pittsburgh, close politically, or that this is good. At the was a law student bringing their culture I share his views, but it same time, we share were the happiest and traditions with them. Pitt Chancellor is interesting whatever the case to note this common values, and Dmitry Medvedev years of my life. It Mark A. Nordenberg, during his introduc- coincidence. Nothing is ever completely this is also good.” [your time in college] tion of the Russian president, said that today coincidence, after all,” Medvedev said. Medvedev then took unscripted ques- is also an important foundation for your Pitt promotes and preserves Russian culture “I hope, too, that you will not ask me tions from the students in the audience— future lives and should motivate you to seek through the University’s Center for Russian the same questions as were put to Nikita ranging from those who sought his advice learning every single day. So, my advice to and Eastern European Studies, the Depart- Khrushchev 50 years ago, because life has to college students, to those who pressed you is to treasure this time. I envy you.” ment of Slavic Languages and Literatures, gone on, and we have all changed since then. him on Russia’s relations with some of its A transcript of the question-and- and student exchange programs. “We hope Actually, I can’t say that I have changed neighbors. (Nordenberg noted that the presi- answer session with President Medvedev to elevate that sense of connection to newer since then because I was not even born 50 dent, a one-time instructor at St. Petersburg is available on the Kremlin Web site at heights as we listen to and learn from Presi- years ago, but there is no question that our State University, had declined a moderator, eng.kremlin.ru/speeches/2009/09/25/1932_ dent Medvedev,” Nordenberg said. countries have undergone great change preferring personal exchanges.) type84779_221858.shtml. 2 • Pitt Chronicle • September 30, 2009 SPECIAL G-20 SUMMIT ISSUE An American Homecoming EU Commission President Barroso Returns To Pitt for Honorary Degree, Luncheon ALEXANDER DENMARSH From left, Newsweek Senior Editor Howard Fineman, Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon, University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, and UPMC CEO Jeffrey A. Romoff. MARY JANE BENT/CIDDE Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg (left), European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and Alberta Sbragia (right), director of Pitt’s European Union Center of Excellence, the Jean Monnet Professor ad personam, and Mark A. Nordenberg “We really are in it together.” University Chair. By Jane-Ellen Robinet Pitt, CMU, UPMC CEOs Discuss Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Barroso went on to say that he brought Mark A. Nordenberg conferred an honor- “three key messages” to Pittsburgh. The Region’s “Eds and Meds” Economy ary doctoral degree in public and interna- G-20 leaders must remain vigilant regard- By Jane-Ellen Robinet tional affairs upon José Manuel Barroso, ing the “fragile” global economic and president of the European Commission of financial situation, maintain pressure for With a huge photograph of Pittsburgh’s erate with one another for the betterment of the European Union (EU), during a Sept. 24 reform of financial markets, and retain the skyline as a stage backdrop, University of the region. by-invitation-only luncheon event in Alumni “momentum of the G-20.” He also called Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Norden- “In 2000, our Board of Trustees issued Hall’s J.W. Connolly Ballroom. for the U.S. and EU to work more closely berg, Carnegie Mellon a public statement that we Barroso was in Pittsburgh to represent to fight climate change. University President would demonstrate that the the EU during the Sept. 24-25 global G-20 The EU represents 27 European Jared L. Cohon, and Nordenberg, Cohon, and University of Pittsburgh Summit, and his visit to the University was nations with a population of almost 500 mil- UPMC CEO Jeffrey was one of the finest, most a homecoming of sorts. He first visited Pitt lion. It accounts for more than 30 percent A. Romoff discussed Romoff discussed their productive universities in on Feb. 10, 2006, when he toured the Univer- of the world’s gross domestic product and the Pittsburgh region’s the world. That has been sity’s European Union Center of Excellence 17 percent of the world’s trade. continuing transforma- institutions’ respective our goal ever since. ... But and European Studies Center and gave a Barroso, former prime minister of tion from a steel-based we really don’t think of our- lecture that attracted a Portugal, became presi- economy to one built contributions to the selves as detached, particu- standing-room-only audi- dent of the European on education and medi- region, including the larly from the institutions ence. “Pittsburgh has been Commission in 2004. cine. represented on the other The EU leader’s Earlier this month, the The Sept. 21 panel rapid rise of Pitt to a sides of me [today]. When affection for the Uni- transformed by stressing European Parliament discussion in the ball- you look at Jeff [Romoff], versity and Pittsburgh the importance of new approved his appoint- room of Soldiers & Top 5 ranking in terms Jerry [Cohon], and me, you was apparent. “Pittsburgh ment as Eu ropean Sailors Memorial Hall of federal funding to its probably would not find has been transformed by technologies, particularly Commission president launched a week of three guys who are more stressing the importance for a second term. foreign heads-of-state faculty researchers from competitive. But we are of new technologies, par- information technology, During Barroso’s and delegation visits good collaborators, and we ticularly information tech- first term in office, with related activities the National Institutes of know that in this age you nology; medical research; medical research, biotech- European lawmakers in Oakland that culmi- biotechnology; nanotech- and leaders reached nated in the Sept. 24-25 Health. Continued on page 4 nology; and robotics. The nology, nanotechnology, agreement on more global G-20 Summit University, led with great than 470 Commission held Downtown. News- skill and vision by Chan- and robotics. The proposals, including a week Senior Editor and Pittsburgh native cellor Nordenberg, has landmark package of Howard Fineman moderated the 45-minute played a vital role in that University, led with great laws to fight climate panel, which was attended by U.S. and effort, positioning Pitts- skill and vision by change and promote foreign journalists. Also present were PittChronicle burgh to capitalize on the clean energy.