Saturday, July 05, 2025, 6:21PM | 
MENU
Advertisement
Rep. Mike Doyle, left, shakes hands Wednesday with a two-handed robot made by re2 Robotics, one of Pittsburgh's robotics-based companies that was doing demonstrations as part of the first-ever RoboPGH Day. The event was put on by the Pittsburgh Robotics Network as a prelude to Thursday's Frontiers Conference at Pitt and CMU.
1
MORE

White House to award $300M in new initiatives at Pittsburgh conference

Sean D. Hamill/Post-Gazette

White House to award $300M in new initiatives at Pittsburgh conference

Pittsburgh robotics, tech spotlighted in pre-Frontiers Conference event

A White House official Wednesday said the administration will award $300 million for research initiatives, as well as announce a series of new partnerships, at the Frontiers Conference that kicks off today at University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.

John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told about 200 members of the Pittsburgh Technology Council at a meeting Wednesday that the new funding and partnerships will continue President Barack Obama’s ongoing effort of “pushing the boundaries of innovation.”

Later, in a telephone press conference, he said the $300 million would be awarded to areas that reflect the aims of the five “frontiers” that will be discussed today at the Frontiers Conference: $70 million in new brain research, $16 million for precision medicine initiatives, $165 million in public and private funds to support cities in using technology to solve issues and $50 million in federal funds for small satellite technology.

Advertisement

Mr. Holdren, who was born in Sewickley, was speaking with Megan Smith, the administration’s chief technology officer, at an afternoon gathering Wednesday at the Carnegie Science Center organized by the technology council, a regional trade association made up of more than 1,300 members.

President Barack Obama speaks at TechShop during one of his previous stops in Pittsburgh.
Sean D. Hamill
Frontiers Conference to draw Obama, top scientists and researchers to Pittsburgh today

It was part of a series of events taking place before and after today’s Frontiers Conference, a gathering of several hundred of the nation’s leading researchers, scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs and students. The speakers include Mr. Obama, who will speak during this afternoon’s plenary session with author and researcher Atul Gawande about health care research.

In an interview after talking with the council, Mr. Holdren said that while part of the reason for the Frontiers Conference was to reflect on Mr. Obama’s work with the science and research community over the last eight years, its larger goal is to “energize” the community.

“There will be a follow-up. The idea is to not have a conference and everyone goes away and forgets about it,” he said. “The idea is to energize folks to continue the kinds or progress that we’ve been able to make using science, technology and innovation, and using partnerships in these spaces.”

Advertisement

“So, we are hoping this is not an end, but that this is a milepost,” he added.

The technology council’s event was part of a larger effort by the broader robotics, technology and research community of Pittsburgh to open its doors today to the journalists, federal officials and speakers who started flowing into the city Wednesday.

Tonight after the conference, for example, the Allegheny Observatory has been designated as the host for the White House Frontiers Conference Astronomy Night. Some of the conference participants are expected to be in attendance, but the public is welcome to attend by registering at http://pi.tt/WhiteHouseAO.

Earlier Wednesday, the recently created Pittsburgh Robotics Network held its first RoboPGH Day, a demonstration day for 20 Pittsburgh-area robotics companies.

President Barack Obama speaks Thursday afternoon at the White House Frontiers Conference at Carnegie Mellon University.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
President Obama speaks at White House Frontiers Conference

Hosted by Carnegie Robotics — a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff that designs robotics systems for clients — the site of the demonstration itself spoke to why the Frontiers Conference was being held in Pittsburgh and not Silicon Valley.

The company’s location in Lawrenceville is in a former steel supply company building that had fallen into disrepair. But after the Regional Industrial Development Corp. renovated the massive building, in 2015 Carnegie Robotics moved there and its quickly expanding workforce continues to take up more and more of the space.

“We have 65 employees now and had 40 when we moved here, and we expect to grow even more quickly,” said Steve DiAntonio, Carnegie Robotics CEO.

The robotics network, which formed earlier this year, says that there are now 40 robotics companies in Pittsburgh with about 2,200 employees. That is twice as many companies and three times as many employees as there were four years ago.

“Southwestern Pennsylvania, which I’m proud to represent, has been and continues to be a leader in the world of robotics,” U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, who co-chairs the House Robotics Caucus, told the gathering. “That’s one of the reasons the president chose Pittsburgh for the Frontiers Conference.”

Attendance at today’s Frontiers Conference is by invitation only and there are no public tickets available, but the conference will be streamed lived and archived for later viewing at Frontiersconference.org. Also demonstration projects related to the conference will be on exhibit and viewable by the public from 9 to 11 a.m. today at the University of Pittsburgh’s Alumni Hall, 4227 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh.

Sean D. Hamill: shamill@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2579.

First Published: October 12, 2016, 7:52 p.m.
Updated: October 13, 2016, 9:57 a.m.

RELATED
President Barack Obama speaks at the White House Frontiers Conference on Thursday at Carnegie Mellon University.
Chris Potter
Obama: Science must keep progressing, advances bring social challenges
NASA Astronaut Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor, left, and Boeing representative Daniel Nelson, right, guide President Barack Obama as he tries out a spacecraft flight and docking simulator inside the exhibition hall at the University of Pittsburgh for the White House Frontiers Conference.
Sean D. Hamill
The Frontiers Conference: what did it accomplish?
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Dennis Santana of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds during the game at PNC Park on May 21, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1
sports
Pirates trade rumors: What the Post-Gazette is hearing as MLB’s deadline approaches
Students walk across the campus of the Community College of Beaver County in Center Township on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
2
news
Congress wrestled over Pell Grants in the big bill. These Pittsburgh-area colleges have the most Pell-eligible students.
Anti-ICE protesters in downtown San Antonio recently. Adriana Ramirez wonders if she leave America now, before she gets deported for getting arrested as a 19-year-old.
3
opinion
Adriana E. Ramírez: Maybe we should leave before I get deported
The Washington Wild Things and the Joliet Slammers play before a crowd of 1,500 people. The team offers several promotions to draw fans, including $1 beer nights and free tickets for people over 50.
4
business
Small ball? Pittsburgh's other professional baseball team isn't afraid to take shots over the bow
Edmonton Oilers head coach Todd Nelson watches his players during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul, Minn., Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015. The Oilers won 2-1.
5
sports
Todd Nelson is surprised he joined the Penguins, too, but the coach is excited to be back
Rep. Mike Doyle, left, shakes hands Wednesday with a two-handed robot made by re2 Robotics, one of Pittsburgh's robotics-based companies that was doing demonstrations as part of the first-ever RoboPGH Day. The event was put on by the Pittsburgh Robotics Network as a prelude to Thursday's Frontiers Conference at Pitt and CMU.  (Sean D. Hamill/Post-Gazette)
Sean D. Hamill/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST business
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story