Once known as a steel manufacturing hub, Pittsburgh has undergone a significant economic shift, evolving into a city anchored by education, healthcare, and innovation. In 2024, over 195,000 individuals in the Pittsburgh region were employed in education and health services, far surpassing the fewer than 7,500 working in the diminished steel sector. Local universities and medical centers have not only provided stable employment but also driven advancements in fields like robotics and artificial intelligence. This transition exemplifies the “eds and meds” economic model, which has helped revitalize post-industrial cities across the U.S. n nHowever, this progress faces potential disruption due to President Donald Trump’s campaign against so-called “woke” institutions, particularly universities. His administration is pushing to reduce federal research funding and redirect financial support toward traditional manufacturing industries as part of a broader re-industrialization strategy. Critics argue that such moves could undermine the very institutions fostering technological breakthroughs and future economic growth. As analyst Shawn Donnan notes, modern academic institutions are “where the country’s next industrial transformation is being created.” n nBy targeting university-led research and innovation, the current policy direction risks weakening a key engine of regional economic renewal. Pittsburgh’s success story may hinge on whether federal support continues to nurture knowledge-based industries or shifts back toward outdated industrial models. n— news from Bloomberg.com
— News Original —
How Trump’s War on ‘Woke’ Threatens Pittsburgh’s Economic Revival
Since its decline from a 20th-century industrial powerhouse, Pittsburgh has transformed into a city whose economy is now driven by universities, hospitals and research. In 2024, more than 195,000 people in the Pittsburgh area worked in education and health care, compared with fewer than 7,500 in the once-thriving steel industry. Local institutions have also fueled innovations, jobs and new industries such as robotics. The city is emblematic of the “eds and meds” model that has been instrumental in reorienting local economies amid the decline of manufacturing. n nPresident Donald Trump’s war on “woke” universities now threatens this model as he pushes to cut research funding and shift investments toward industries like manufacturing in an effort to re-industrialize America. Yet as Shawn Donnan writes, today’s universities are “where the country’s next industrial transformation is being created.” Today on Weekend: Trump Is Targeting an Economic Revival Story