On today’s episode of The Confluence:
A new report shows that Pittsburgh’s science and tech sector is growing but challenges remain
(0:00 - 8:58)
The Pittsburgh region’s science and technology sector is larger than the national average. But a new study by the Rand Corporation shows if officials want that to continue, the area needs to address some major challenges, including workforce shortages.
To help address these concerns, Melanie Zaber, an economist at Rand and the lead author of the study, said reaching out beyond Pittsburgh is one way to ensure the growth of these industries.
“So to ensure the region's economic competitiveness, both in attracting employers and in generating innovation, being able to expand that diversity by going outside of the region, outside of the state would be really helpful for securing our future,” says Zaber.
The report also found that pathways into the science and technology workforce are not always clear and that employers had a harder time retaining workers of color.
“Revolving Doors” exhibit from the Holocaust Center shows persistence of antisemitic beliefs across history
(9:02 - 17:07)
Tomorrow, the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s newest exhibit “Revolving Doors” will open. The multimedia installation uses recent acquisitions and artifacts from the center’s collection, including items from the Holocaust and artist responses to the Tree of Life attack.
“We're really grappling in this exhibit with Jewish assimilation in the United States and yet the ongoing undercurrent of anti-Semitism, and we see that as something that just goes around and around,” says Lauren Bairnsfather, executive director of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.
Bairnsfather explains that this will be a living installation, meaning some pieces of the exhibit will change, offering visitors new experiences. Starting tomorrow, members of the public will be able to schedule tours of the exhibit, which is housed at Chatham University and will be open through spring of 2024.
For sale: a pair of bridge piers on the Monongahela River
(17:14 - 22:30)
In Pittsburgh, you’ll find “for sale” signs on houses, vacant land and commercial buildings. But as 90.5 WESA’s Katie Blackley reports, a sign recently went up on a pair of historic bridge piers right on the Monongahela River.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
