The University of Pittsburgh is a university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is frequently referred to simply as "Pitt".
The University of Pittsburgh campus is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh just west of Schenley Park. The main campus is roughly bordered by Robinson Street to the west and Boundary Street to the east; Forbes and Fifth Avenues traverse the campus from west to east. The university also has branch campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville. Carnegie Mellon University is almost adjacent to the campus, and many Pitt professors also hold adjunct professorships at CMU.
The University was founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787. In 1966 it was designated by Pennsylvania as a "state-related" university. Pitt receives public funds and offers reduced tuition to Pennsylvania residents, but it remains a private institution.
Arguably the most famous Pitt professor in history was Jonas Salk, inventor of the first polio vaccine.
Moreover, Pitt is considered to be the main international center of Philosophy of science.
Pitt is widely believed to be a key university in the development of a bioterrorism defense system, due to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. George W. Bush has, for this reason, visited the university twice during his presidency.
Pitt is home to the Cathedral of Learning, which at 42 stories and 535 feet makes it the second-tallest educational building in the world.
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