University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Division of Natural Sciences

Congrats to Dr. Manisha Nigam on winning one of the 2026 Pitt Sustainability Awards! From the announcement lined below: "Dr. Nigam is a Professor of Chemistry at Pitt's Johnstown campus whose work in green chemistry spans teaching, research, and institutional change. She was instrumental in leading Pitt-Johnstown to sign Beyond Benign's Green Chemistry Commitment, establishing UPJ's formal commitment to embedding green chemistry principles across the campus. Her curriculum includes multiple lab experiments that replace hazardous reagents, minimize waste, and emphasize safer chemical design, modernizing the undergraduate organic chemistry program while demonstrating that sustainability and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive."

https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/get-involved/pitt-sustainability-awards/2026-pitt-sustainability-awardees

Maura White, a Biology Major with a Chemistry minor (BS '26) was accepted into the physicians assistant masters programs at Carlow University and Seton Hill University. She will be attending Seton Hill University in the fall! Congrats Maura!

We are proud to announce the launch of The Pitt Regional Campus Tuition Pledge, a new tuition-free program for eligible Pennsylvania residents at our Johnstown campus, as well as the Bradford, Greensburg, and Titusville Nursing program. This pledge reflects a deep commitment to our regional campuses, as well as a sustained commitment to opening doors of opportunity and supporting student success across our communities. Click the link to learn more: https://pitt.ly/4eUuvV3

On Friday the 17th, coordinated by Dr. Julie Wagner and Dr. Matt Sernell, UPJ was host to the Path Forward Conference in partnership with Senator Dush. The conference welcomed over 100 attendees, including Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, to campus to discuss and learn about Human Trafficking and what can be done to help prevent such a horrible crime.

Luka Hodgson, from the Geosciences Department, was selected to sing the national anthem to kick off the day’s discussions. Luka is an Environmental Sciences Major with a Professional Environmental Concentration.

Julia Mooney (BS '25) a Biology Major with a chemistry minor has been accepted into and will be attending Indiana University School of Dentistry in the fall. Congrats Julia!

Eli Updyke, a rising senior Chemistry major, was offered and accepted an REU (research experience for undergraduates) at Alabama University to work on Tungsten deposits in sugar electrolytes. Congrats Eli!

Chad Weist, an Enivornmental Science major will be working in Lake Clark National Park out of Port Alsworth, Alaska for the Student Conservation Association. For this internship, he will be assisting biologists and natural resource managers with a wide variety of field work projects. Minor projects may include Lake Trout sampling, dragonfly and mercury sampling, fish inventories, aquatic and terrestrial vegetation surveys, and trail maintenance. However, the main projects are geared towards two salmon monitoring projects. One of the salmon monitoring projects uses a counting tower to estimate the sockeye salmon escapement of the Newhalen River. The other salmon monitoring project uses a fixed picket weir to sample and count passing fish on the Telaquana River. Maintenance and regular checkups of the weir will be conducted through snorkeling. There will be many opportunities for backcountry camping for up to ten days while conducting these projects. It is also important to note that the only means of getting to and from Port Alsworth is by aircraft. Congrats Chad!

Sam Allshouse, a rising senior Chemistry major, was offered and accepted an REU (research experience for undergraduates) at the University of Pittsburgh MCSI (Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation) to work on sustainability research. Congrats Sam!

Cecilia Bean a Biology Major with chemistry and psychology minors (BS anticipated '27) has been accepted early into and will be attending Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine next fall. Congrats Cecilia!