About LRDC

Mission

The mission of the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC) at the University of Pittsburgh is to advance the science of learning by bringing together leading researchers in the cognitive, social, and educational sciences. This mission has guided LRDC in its programs of basic and applied research, its demonstration projects, and its direct support of school improvement and reform. In LRDC’s multidisciplinary setting, scientists study learning in its cognitive, neural, social, and organizational aspects, making research and development links to formal education practice, policy, and out-of-school settings.

Although the general mission of LRDC has remained constant, the center has pursued this mission by promoting research that evolves over time, informed by varied perspectives across multiple disciplines. LRDC’s research portfolio includes large programs of extended duration as well as single-investigator projects that are generally of smaller scope and shorter length.

Contact

Learning Research and Development Center
3939 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15260*

Phone: 412-624-7020
Fax: 412-624-9149

Director: Charles Perfetti
Associate Director: Mary Kay Stein

Director of Administration: Patsy Guzzi

For information, contact the Director of Communications: Elizabeth Rangel

*15260 is the zip code designated for the University of Pittsburgh. 15213 is the zip code for the area of Pittsburgh where the University is located.

Map


Click the map to go to Google Maps for additional options including Traffic Details.

See LRDC on
Google Earth

(Download Google Earth plug-in here.)

Visitor Parking

Port Authority Transit System (PAT bus) is a publicly owned mass transit system operated by Port Authority of Allegheny County. For bus routes and times call (412) 442-2000.

University Connections

In addition to participating in the collaborative work that takes place within the Center, LRDC scientists are part of other multidisciplinary organizations at the University of Pittsburgh, including the following:

  • The Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center (PSLC) brings together researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University to study robust learning—learning that is retained and transfers to new situations—in the areas of science (physics, chemistry), mathematics (algebra, geometry), and language learning. 
  • The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC), housed in Pitt’s Department of Psychology, is a joint project of Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition is dedicated to the investigation of the neural mechanisms that give rise to human cognitive abilities.

LRDC researchers also connect with many other schools and departments across the University of Pittsburgh through joint appointments and collaborative research. These connections currently include the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, the School of Arts and Sciences (Departments of Computer Science, English, Linguistics, Physics and Astronomy, and Psychology), School of Education, School of Law, Swanson School of Engineering.

Another way that LRDC promotes connections across disciplines is through appointments to University of Pittsburgh faculty as LRDC Center Associates.  These currently include the following faculty members:
Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Swanson School of Engineering
James Greeno, School of Education
Carrie Leana, Katz Graduate School of Business
Anthony Petrosky, School of Education
Chandralekha Singh, Department of Physics and Astronomy