Carnegie Mellon University: CMU Hosts U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Meeting at Hazelwood Green

Today, Carnegie Mellon University played host to the inaugural United States-European Union Trade and Technology Council Meeting at CMU’s Mill 19 facility at Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh. The selection of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon as the host was intentional, as the city continues to gain momentum as a hub for technology and cutting-edge industry, and CMU thought leaders are contributing to all topics of discussion at the meeting.

Decades ago, local workers produced more than 1 million tons of metal per year at Jones & Laughlin Steel Company’s Mill 19, which helped to power Pittsburgh’s economic engine. The region also produced much of the steel used by the United States during World War II.

Now, Mill 19 is a hub for advancing discoveries to revitalize manufacturing and build a bridge to expand economic opportunities in Western Pennsylvania and beyond. With recent support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Hazelwood Green will now be home to a new robotics innovation center, a new translational research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence at Carnegie Mellon.

“This ecosystem reflects what Carnegie Mellon does best,” said Carnegie Mellon Provost James H. Garrett Jr. “Our faculty and students excel at innovating and creating — making things in a whole new way. Our commitment to furthering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including creating an economic future that works for everyone, is at the core of our everything we do at Hazelwood Green.”

Topics discussed at today’s meeting included: technology standards, supply chain security, information and communications technology security and competitiveness, data governance, the use of digital technologies by small and medium enterprises, and workforce development.

U.S. officials in attendance included Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Attending EU officials included EU Commissioner & Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager, EU Commissioner & Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, and EU Ambassador to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis. CMU Provost Jim Garrett attended the opening session and CMU Special Advisor to President Farnam Jahanian, J. Michael McQuade, participated in a panel related to workforce development.