The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) is internationally recognized for the excellence and innovation of its research programs, spanning a wide range of health and rehabilitation disciplines and areas of focus.
SHRS Research Expenditures
Research at SHRS
SHRS research programs examine mechanisms, strategies and systems to improve the health, activity and wellness of people across the lifespan at risk for or experiencing chronic conditions or disabilities.
This research spans the full translational research continuum, comprising studies in basic science, clinical science, measurement and intervention research, health services research, implementation and dissemination research.
At SHRS, research groups and labs aim to address two major foci:
1. Health, Activity and Wellness
Research that examines how people execute meaningful activities and participate in community and social settings while examining domains of health and function:
- Mobility, Activity and Participation
- Cognition, Mental Health and Communication
- Personal and Caregiver Training, Health and Wellness
- Physiology of Injury, Repair and Function
- Assistive Technology and Adaptation
2. Health System Optimization
Research that examines how clinical and community systems can improve health care delivery to optimize outcomes for all populations:
- Learning Health Systems Research with a focus on Equity and Disparity in Access and Quality
- Care Provider Training, Health and Wellness
- Innovation and Commercialization
Innovation
Research Areas by Department
Communication Science and Disorders
- Aphasia
- Computer-based language rehabilitation
- Assessment and treatment of communication disorders secondary to hearing loss in pediatric and adult populations
- Assessment and treatment of hearing disorders in persons with brain injury
- Hearing loss across the age spectrum
- Hearing aid satisfaction
- Impact of swallowing disorders across the lifespan
- Language processing; psycholinguistics; neurolinguistics
- Differential diagnosis and treatment measures of amblyaudia; prevalence of auditory processing disorders in children at risk of academic failure
- Laryngeal and respiratory neuroanatomy; voice and stress psychophysiology; and voice and communication along the gender spectrum
Visit the department’s research page.
Counseling and Behavioral Health
- Resilience interventions for people exposed to psychological trauma.
- Innovative methods of supporting caregivers
- Training community members, peers and paraprofessionals in psychosocial intervention approaches for trauma and grief.
- Increasing mental health literacy and access in under-resourced populations.
- Self-delivered and AI-based tools to increase access and fill gaps in mental health care.
- Adapting and testing mindfulness-based behavior therapies for people exposed to trauma and those with acquired brain injuries.
- Improving functioning and reducing suicide risk in people with autism.
Visit the department’s research page.
Health Information Management
- Clinical Decision Support System utilizing the electronic health record
- Development of Clinical Alert systems
- Personal Health Record development in mobile applications
- Data Analytics in health care
- Development of best practices in Privacy and Security in telehealth
Visit the department’s research page.
Occupational Therapy
- Pediatrics – rare disease (early onset pediatric disorders); early oral motor and feeding difficulties; intellectual and developmental delay; family impact and quality of life, Pediatric health promotion, novel approaches to parent-training, intervention development
- Measurement – (quantitative and qualitative through focus groups and personal interviews) – clinic-based motor assessments; community-based outcomes; social participation and engagement; quality of life (child-proxy, parent)
- Frailty, Physical Activity (older adults), Aging in Place, Goal Attainment Scaling, Examining factors that influence independent living for older adults who are at-risk for disability, older adults with mood and cognitive changes as well as caregivers of older adults who are themselves vulnerable to poor health and disability
- Musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity, arthritis, ergonomics, particularly office ergonomics and dental ergonomics, computer use related to physical set up of the computer workstation, large dataset analysis and epidemiology
- Hand rehabilitation
- Complex intervention development to address cognitive impairments, mood disorders, disability
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Health policy
Visit the department’s research page.
Physical Therapy
- Health disparities
- Cost-effectiveness research
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Total knee replacement surgery
Visit the department’s research page.
Rehabilitation Science and Technology | Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Assistive Technology Innovation and Commercialization
- Product Performance, Standards and Clinical Usability
- Smart Technology for Accessibility, Aging and Independence
- Mobility, Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Technology
- Education, Training and Knowledge Translation
- Health care Policy, Equity and Systems Change
Visit the department’s research page.
Sports Medicine and Nutrition
- Knowledge discovery and predictive analytics in Sports Medicine and inflammation-related diseases
- Nutrition, Sports Nutrition
- Resistance Exercise Physiology; Programming; Aging; Biochemistry and Endocrinology
- Human Performance Optimization, Sports Science
- Military physiology
- Injury prevention
- Neuroendocrine physiology, neurophysiology, neuroimaging, brain stimulation
Visit the department’s research page.
Research Matters
Pitt Student Research
As part of a leading R-1 research University, SHRS offers Pitt undergraduate and graduate students a multitude of opportunities to engage in diverse research experiences across its departments and programs.
Participation in a research project complements a student’s classroom learning and allows them to develop mentoring relationships with faculty, gain critical skills, access resources to pursue their own research interests, clarify life goals and strengthen career aspirations.
Student Opportunities to Participate in Research
Pitt students have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by joining a faculty member’s research lab. Students are able to select their preferred departments and level of involvement, from paid student workers to academic study and unpaid internships.
Applications are reviewed by faculty members working in the student’s specified area of interest and matched to available opportunities.
Pitt Passport is required.
Student Research Funding Opportunities
SHRS students can benefit from several funding options to pursue their own research interests.
SHRS Undergraduate Student Summer Research Award
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences welcomes undergraduate students who are interested in conducting meaningful research that addresses a social or disability problem in the health, assistive technology and rehabilitation fields to apply for the SHRS Undergraduate Student Summer Research Award.
The application is open until March 14, 2025. See application instructions and FAQs below.
Application Materials and Instructions
1. SHRS Undergraduate Student Summer Research Award Application Form
2. Project Proposal
The project proposal is the key element of the application. The proposal must include the following sections:
- General introduction that provides a context for the project in language accessible to a diverse audience
- Research question and purpose of the project
- Brief background information (literature review)
- Specific aims/hypotheses that the project aims to address
- Outline of the method(s) that will be used to carry out the project
- Timeline for completing the project
- If the project is part of a larger group effort, clearly identify the aspect(s) of the project for which you will be responsible.
Note: Please use common language accessible to the non-scientific community.
Formatting requirements: The proposal must be no more than five (5) pages in length typed (double spaced, in 12 pt. Calibri style font, with 1-inch margins), have a title, numbered pages and show your name on the top of every page.
3. Current CV/Resume
4. Current Academic Transcript
This need not be an official transcript issued by the Registrar’s Office, but please make sure it is up-to-date and shows your name, declared major(s)/minor(s)/certificate(s), and current GPA.
5. Letter of Support from faculty research mentor
Applicants must secure a letter of support from a faculty research mentor who can comment on the applicant’s qualities and personal characteristics that will contribute to a successful research project, or towards completion of a research project already in progress. The letter of recommendation should address:
- In what context and for how long the mentor has known this student?
- Have the mentor and student applicant discussed the proposed project?
- Is the student prepared to carry out the proposed project?
- Can the mentor provide the student with the resources needed to carry out the project?
- What degree of independence will the student have in carrying out the project? Moreover, to what extent was the student involved in developing the idea for the project?
The mentor must be a SHRS faculty member. Students are encouraged to request the letter of support from the mentor well in advance of the application deadline.
Submit the entire application by email to Kevin Conley (kconley@pitt.edu), Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, before the March 14 deadline.
FAQs
- Who is eligible to apply?
- Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at the University of Pittsburgh with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, and be available to complete full-time research activities with an SHRS faculty researcher over the summer. Applicants must also be continuing students for the 2025-2026 academic year (graduating seniors are not eligible). It is expected that the student will prepare an abstract and poster at an internal University of Pittsburgh research event, or at a regional or national conference.
- What is needed to apply and when will the application be available?
- There are 2 stages of the application process. Stage 1: All applicants must complete the application which can be found here along with the following:
- A current CV/resume
- An original and coherent project proposal
- A letter of support from a faculty research mentor
- An up-to-date academic transcript
- Stage 2: If selected by the committee, applicants will be invited for an interview.
- There are 2 stages of the application process. Stage 1: All applicants must complete the application which can be found here along with the following:
- When is the deadline to apply? When will I know if I have been awarded?
- The application deadline is Monday, March 14, 2025.
- Committee members comprised of SHRS faculty will review the applications and select students based on the strength of the research proposal, letter of support from faculty research mentor, and academic record and accomplishments. Applicants will be notified of their status by Monday, March 17.
- For those applicants who will proceed to Stage 2, interviews will be scheduled during the week of March 24.
- The recipient will be selected by March 28.
- How are students matched with a faculty mentor and research project?
- Students are expected to discuss their interest in applying for the SHRS Undergraduate Student Summer Research Award with their academic advisor. Students must identify a research mentor, discuss a research plan, and project in depth prior to submitting an application.
- When can research be conducted?
- It is expected that research will be conducted during the summer while the awardee is a student at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Is there a financial component to the award?
- The recipient will receive $5,000 for the summer to ensure that s/he can devote themselves full-time to their project. Funds may be used toward living expenses and research-related travel.
- Who should I contact if I have questions?
- Your academic advisor.
SHRS Student and Trainee Research Fund
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences has a Student and Trainee Research Fund. The primary purpose of the fund is to encourage research activity and defray the expenses associated with this research for SHRS students and postdoctoral trainees while they are engaged in SHRS programs. Since funds are very limited, grant awards are a maximum of $1,000 for a maximum of 12 months.
Current SHRS students can review eligibility, criteria and application procedures for this scholarship on the Current Student Hub.
SHRS Doctoral Student Award
The SHRS Doctoral Student Award provides funding to PhD students who have passed a written comprehensive examination to support their research projects that are related to their dissertation research. Students can apply for up to $7,500. There will be two (2) application/review periods per year, early October and end of March.
Current SHRS students can review eligibility and criteria for this scholarship on the Current Student Hub.
Innovation Challenge
Working with the University’s Innovation Institute, SHRS’ Innovation Challenge allows faculty, staff and students to compete for funds to assist with the translation of technology. The challenge is a multi-step process involving an educational program and development activities. We are leveraging the knowledge and experience of Pitt’s Innovation Institute to conduct the challenge.
Research Resources
Current research investigators and staff have access to a myriad of tools and resources to advance their research.
Internal Funding Opportunities
- University of Pittsburgh Office of Sponsored Programs
- Internal grants sponsored by various Pitt research centers
- UPMC Rehabilitation Institute Pilot Grant
- Specifically for rehabilitation scientists (co-funded by SHRS and PM&R)
- Pitt Momentum Funds
- A range of one- and two-year interdisciplinary grants providing different funding levels tailored to help early career investigators, to pilot data collection, and to scale up to large-scale funding (sponsored by Pitt Research)
- Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE) KL2
- Mentored training and resources for junior faculty interested in translational research.
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
- Multiple funding mechanisms supporting a wide range of research efforts
SEARCH Research Resource
Check out the SEARCH SharePoint site, an internal SHRS intranet, with helpful guides, resources and forms to propose and manage research projects.
Pitt Passport is required.