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Masao Sako: Faculty Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Innovation

caption: Masao SakoProvost John L. Jackson. Jr. and Deputy Provost Beth A. Winkelstein announced the appointment of Masao Sako, the Arifa Hasan Ahmad and Nada Al Shoaibi Presidential Professor of Physics and Astronomy, as faculty co-director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, beginning April 1, 2024.

“Masao Sako is widely known and respected as one of our most dedicated, inventive, and inspiring teachers,” said Provost Jackson. “He is consistently at the forefront of bringing new educational ideas and methods to campus, which makes him an ideal leader to help us chart the future of teaching at Penn as part of the new Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Innovation.”

Dr. Sako, a professor at Penn since 2006, is an expert in observational cosmology and machine learning who has received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, the highest University-wide teaching award; the Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching, the highest school-wide teaching award; the Dean’s Award for Innovation in Teaching; the Dean’s Award for Mentorship of Undergraduate Research; and the student-led Charles Ludwig Distinguished Teaching Award in the School of Arts & Sciences, for “an extraordinary commitment to the engagement of students as active and interactive participants in the learning process.”  

He is a pioneer of Structured Active In-Class Learning at Penn, as well as the Summer Undergraduate Research Academy; the Penn Boot Camps, which train working professionals in new skills of web development, cybersecurity, and data science; and the Peer-Led Team Learning initiative, which provides first-generation, lower-income students with resources to succeed in introductory physics courses. He currently serves as a faculty co-director of the new data science and analytics minor, and he has served as undergraduate chair of the department of physics and astronomy, chair of the School of Arts & Sciences Committee on Undergraduate Education, and a member of the Online Learning Faculty Advisory Committee, among numerous other leadership roles. He earned a PhD, MA, and BS from Columbia University and was the KIPAC Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stanford University and the Chandra Postdoctoral Fellow at the California Institute of Technology.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Innovation was formed in 2023, through the merger of the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Online Learning Initiative, to promote teaching excellence and innovation, enhance the learning experiences of all students and learners at Penn, and extend the quality and reach of a Penn education.

Corinn Harrell: Vice Dean for Finance and Administration in the School of Arts & Sciences

caption: Corinn Harrell

On February 26, 2024, Corinn Harrell was named the vice dean for finance and administrationa in the School of Arts & Sciences. Ms. Harrell had served as interim vice dean since September 2023, after Matt Lane left to assume a position in the Provost’s Office. The position of vice dean for finance and administration is critical to the school’s operations, overseeing the areas of finance and budget, facilities, staff human resources, and computing.

Since 2014, and before her role as interim vice dean, Ms. Harrell was director of the School of Arts & Sciences Office of Financial Management, Planning and Analysis. She had earlier experience in that office and in budget roles at the University of Delaware and Duke University. She holds a master of public administration from the Fels Institute of Government.

Invitation to Join the Presidential Commission Listening Sessions and Complete a Survey

To the Penn staff community,

The Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community is tasked with addressing bias, discrimination, and hate on campus as Penn strives to be a community that leads with care and compassion. Staff perspectives are critically important to the Commission and would help us immensely as we develop our report, which will include recommendations for Interim President J. Larry Jameson.

We invite interested members of the Penn community to share their perspectives during in-person listening sessions on March 28 (12:30 p.m.) and April 1 (10 a.m.). At these sessions, staff will join Commission members in small groups to discuss Penn’s values and the strengths and challenges within the University community. We ask that those who wish to participate pre-register, as the meeting size is limited to allow an ideal environment for conversation.

We encourage those unable to attend an in-person session to join fellow staff members, as well as students, faculty, and postdocs, at a virtual session on March 29 (10 a.m.). This meeting will be similar in structure to the in-person gatherings, and we ask that anyone planning to attend pre-register.

We also welcome feedback through a new survey, which asks the same questions that will be discussed during the in-person and virtual listening sessions. Please note that the Commission’s listening sessions and surveys are distinct from those announced by the University Task Force on Antisemitism last month. We also hope members of the Penn community will continue submitting their ideas to presidential-commission@upenn.edu. To learn more about the Commission’s progress, visit Penn Today.

We thank you for your commitment to making Penn an even stronger, understanding, and inclusive community.

—Vijay Kumar and Katharine Strunk, Co-Chairs, Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community

Middle States Reaccreditation Open Sessions with Evaluation Team

Penn is in the process of reaccreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The evaluation process consists of two interrelated phases: a self-study conducted by the institution and a peer review conducted by an evaluation team. The evaluation team will visit Penn on March 24-27, 2024 and conduct a series of open sessions for the Penn community:

  • Monday, March 25: 5-5:45 p.m.: Open forum for Penn students with the evaluation team at Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall
  • Tuesday, March 26: 3-3:45 p.m.: Open forum for Penn faculty with the evaluation team at Hall of Flags, Houston Hall
  • Tuesday, March 26: 4-4:45 p.m.: Open forum for Penn staff with the evaluation team at Hall of Flags, Houston Hall

Please email pennmsche2024@pobox.upenn.edu if you have any questions.

Consultative Review Committee on the Reappointment of Mark Wolff as Dean of the School of Dental Medicine

Interim President J. Larry Jameson and Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. announce the formation of an ad hoc Consultative Review Committee to advise them on the reappointment of Mark Wolff as dean of the School of Dental Medicine. Dean Wolff’s initial term as dean will end on June 30, 2025. University policy requires that a Consultative Review Committee be established to advise the President and the Provost whenever the reappointment of a dean is contemplated. In addition, each member of the standing faculty of the dean’s school is given the opportunity to give confidential advice and views directly to the President and the Provost.

The members of the Consultative Review Committee are:

Chair

Sara S. Bachman, Dean and Professor, School of Social Policy and Practice

Faculty

Sunday O. Akintoye, Associate Professor and Director of the Master in Oral Health Sciences Program, School of Dental Medicine
Gary H. Cohen, Professor of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine
Evlambia Hajishengallis, Professor of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry and Division Chief of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine
Kelly L. Jordan-Sciutto, Professor and Associate Dean for Organizational Effectiveness, School of Dental Medicine
Peter D. Quinn, Schoenleber Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine
Frank Setzer, Associate Professor of Endodontics and Director of the Predoctoral Endodontics Program, School of Dental Medicine
Kathleen J. Stebe, Richer and Elizabeth Goodwin Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science

Students

Karam Alyashooa, DMD candidate and Class President, Class of 2025
Stephanie Ng, DMD candidate, Class of 2024

Alumni

David Tai-Man Shen, D’79, GD’81, Chair, Penn Dental Medicine Board of Advisors

Ex Officio

Joann Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer

Staff to the Committee

Lynne A. Hunter, Associate Provost for Administration
Margie Chavez, Special Assistant to the Provost

The Consultative Review Committee welcomes and encourages input from all members of the Penn community. Communications may be directed by April 15, 2024 to dentaldeanreview@upenn.edu.

Consultative Review Committee on the Reappointment of Andrew M. Hoffman as Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine

Interim President J. Larry Jameson and Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., announce the formation of an ad hoc Consultative Review Committee to advise them on the reappointment of Andrew M. Hoffman as dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. Dean Hoffman’s initial term as dean will end on June 30, 2025. University policy requires that a Consultative Review Committee be established to advise the President and the Provost whenever the reappointment of a dean is contemplated. In addition, each member of the standing faculty of the dean’s school is given the opportunity to give confidential advice and views directly to the President and the Provost.

The members of the Consultative Review Committee are:

Chair

Antonia M. Villarruel, Professor and Margaret Bond Simon Dean, School of Nursing

Faculty

Angela Brice, Associate Professor of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine
Zhengxia Dou, Professor of Agricultural Systems, School of Veterinary Medicine
Julie Engiles, Professor of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine
Michael May, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine
Alain Plante, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, School of Arts & Sciences
Deborah Silverstein, Professor and Section Chief, Emergency and Critical Care, School of Veterinary Medicine
Elizabeth Woodward, Clinical Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine

Students

Jamie Burke, VMD candidate, Class of 2026
Alexis Massey, VMD candidate, Class of 2026

Alumni

Mark D. Spitzer, W’71, Chair, Board of Advisors, School of Veterinary Medicine

Ex Officio

Joann Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer

Staff to the Committee

Pierce E. Buller, Associate Vice President and Advisor to the President
Margie Chavez, Special Assistant to the Provost

The Consultative Review Committee welcomes and encourages input from all members of the Penn community. Communications may be directed by April 15, 2024 to vetdeanreview@upenn.edu.

Wharton to Launch Online People Management for Emerging Leaders Program in Fall 2024

Are all managers adequately prepared to do their jobs? Unfortunately, no, statistics indicate. “Across organizations of all types, manager training is broken,” asserted a 2023 Forbes article, which noted that 59 percent of those supervising one to two people, and 41 percent of those supervising three to five people, receive no training at all. LSA Global reports that 60 percent of new people managers underperform in their first year, and only 25 percent of employees surveyed believe their companies are good at helping individuals transition into supervisory roles.

A new Wharton Executive Education program aims to close this competency gap. People Management for Emerging Leaders, a live online program running from September 3–October 15, 2024, provides current and future managers with the critical preparation they need for success. Through weekly live online sessions with accompanying self-paced content, this program offers a practical, guided, personalized approach to both the timeless and timely basics and the more challenging aspects of assuming a supervisory position.

“How are you going to advance to the next level if your employer’s not providing you opportunities to learn how to be a manager—if there’s nothing inside your company that’s going to help you?” said the program’s academic director, Peter Cappelli, also the director of the Wharton Center for Human Resources. He pointed out that a lack of management training, in addition to holding back individuals, has a negative impact on today’s companies: “Bad supervising really hurts the organization because employees aren’t just going to take it—they’re going to leave. It’s a tight labor market now, so people can quit if they want.”

The program helps participants understand the paradigm shift from individual contributor to manager—from achieving personal success to succeeding through a team. It guides them through every aspect of that transformation: psychological, interpersonal, and practical. The fundamentals of management are also covered, including hiring and retention, legal and ethical issues, and motivating your people day to day. The program puts a special emphasis on managing performance problems and difficult employees, using methods such as peer coaching and feedback, role playing, and self-assessments.

Program sessions will be led by prominent Wharton faculty and management thought leaders, including Peter Cappelli, Amy Wrzesniewski, Jennifer Feldman, and Lisa Warshaw. Participants will have the unique opportunity to directly engage with each faculty member as well as peers during weekly live online sessions.

Sessions include Stepping Up: The Imperatives, Succeeding Through Others, Out of Trouble: Legal Boundaries, Managing a Distributed and Diverse Team, Exploring the Key Pillars of Projects’ Success, Communication Strategies for Challenging Situations, and Reflection and Integration.

Current, new, and aspiring managers in all sectors can gain invaluable supervisory preparation, boosting their skills and confidence. So can managers in a variety of other situations—for example, existing managers transitioning to a new team or to a new balance of in-person versus remote work. Entrepreneurs expanding their businesses can benefit as well.

“This program is for first-time managers for sure, but it’s not limited to that,” Dr. Cappelli said. “It’s for anybody who is trying to get better at managing people.”

People Management for Emerging Leaders is now accepting applications. Prospective participants can learn more and apply at executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu.

Governance

University Council Agenda

Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 4-6 p.m.
Hall of Flags, Houston Hall

  1. Welcome.
  2. Approval of the minutes of February 21, 2024.
  3. Follow up comments or questions on Status Reports.
  4. Responses to the Open Forum and New Business topics raised at the February 21, 2024 University Council meeting.
  5. Interim President’s Report.
  6. Provost’s Report.
  7. New Business.
  8. Adjournment.

Policies

Of Record: Policy on Workday Learning as the Administrative System of Record

Workday Learning is the administrative learning management system of record of the University of Pennsylvania.

Effective March 6, 2023, Workday Learning serves Penn’s population as the single system of record for required, risk-related or regulatory compliance training at the University. The University of Pennsylvania Health System maintains a separate learning management system with which the University and Workday Learning closely collaborate. If training is offered through a third-party system or managed ad hoc at the local level, uploading the training history to Workday Learning is recommended for consistency and data security. This facilitates auditing for compliance tracking as well as providing a better experience for faculty, staff, postdocs, students, and others who have University positions requiring on-the-job training.

For answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the Workday@Penn website.

Workday Executive Sponsors:

  • Mark Dingfield, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer
  • Jack Heuer, Senior Vice President for Human Resources
  • Matt Lane, Associate Provost for Finance and Planning, School of Arts & Sciences
  • Trevor Lewis, Vice President for Budget and Management Analysis
  • Chris Masotti, Vice Dean for Finance and Operations, Perelman School of Medicine
  • Tom Murphy, Senior Vice President for Information Systems and Computing and Chief Information Officer

Honors

André Dombrowski: Penn Alumni Faculty Award of Merit

André Dombrowski, the Frances Shapiro-Weitzenhoffer Associate Professor of 19th Century European Art, has been selected as the 2024 honoree of the Faculty Award of Merit presented by Penn Alumni. This award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to alumni education and engagement at Penn by sharing their unique scholarship work with the alumni community. Dr. Dombrowski will receive the award at the Alumni Award of Merit Gala on November 15, 2024, hosted by the Penn Alumni president. For more information about the award, please visit the website: https://www.alumni.upenn.edu/facultyawardofmerit.  

Ning Jenny Jiang: CZI Grant

caption: Ning Jenny JiangTDP-43 may be one of the most dangerous proteins in the human body, implicated in neurodegenerative conditions like ALS and Alzheimer’s disease. But the protein remains mysterious: how TDP-43 interacts with the immune system, for instance, is still unclear.

Now, Ning Jenny Jiang, the J. Peter and Geri Skirkanich Associate Professor of Innovation in Penn Engineering’s department of bioengineering, has been selected for the Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards, sponsored by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), to investigate the relationship between TDP-43 and the immune system.

Launched in 2018, the Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards support pairs of investigators to explore “innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to address critical challenges in the fields of neurodegenerative disease and fundamental neuroscience.” Dr. Jiang will partner with Pietro Fratta, a MRC senior clinical fellow and MNDA Lady Edith Wolfson Fellow at the University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

The TDP-43 protein is associated with neurodegenerative diseases affecting the central nervous system, including ALS and Alzehimer’s disease. While the loss of neurons and muscle degeneration cause the progressive symptoms, the diseases themselves may be a previously unidentified trigger for abnormal immune system activity.

One possible link is the intracellular mislocalization of TDP-43 (known as TDP-43 proteinopathy), when the protein winds up in the wrong location, which the Jiang and Fratta labs will investigate. Successfully proving this link could result in potentially game-changing new therapies for these neurodegenerative diseases.

The Jiang Lab at Penn Engineering specializes in systems immunology, using high-throughput sequencing and single-cell and quantitative analysis to understand how the immune system develops and ages, as well as the molecular signatures of immune related diseases. Dr. Jiang joined the department of bioengineering in 2021.

Since arriving on campus, Dr. Jiang has teamed with the recently formed Penn Anti-Cancer Engineering Center (PACE), which seeks to understand the forces that determine how cancer grows and spreads, and engineers in the Center for Precision Engineering (CPE4H), which focuses on innovations in diagnostics and delivery in the development of customizable biomaterials and implantable devices for individualized care.

Dr. Jiang was elected a member of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows in 2021, and has previously won multiple prestigious awards, including the NSF CAREER, a Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old STAR Award, and a CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network Ben Barres Early Career Acceleration Award.

Dr. Jiang is a leader in high-throughput and high-dimensional analysis of T cells, a type of white blood cell crucial to the functioning of a healthy immune system. A recent study in Nature Immunology described the Jiang lab’s TetTCR-SeqHD technology, the first approach to provide a multifaceted analysis of antigen-specific T cells in a high-throughput manner.

The CZI Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards will provide $200,000 of funding over 18 months with a chance to advance to the second phase of $3.2 million in funding over a four-year period.

Daniel Rock: AI2050 Early Career Fellow

caption: Daniel RockSchmidt Sciences has announced that Wharton professor Daniel Rock will join the second cohort of nineteen AI2050 Early Career Fellows, who pursue bold and multidisciplinary research in artificial intelligence (AI) for societal benefit across four countries, six disciplines, and seventeen institutions. The AI2050 Early Career Fellows are a part of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing Institute at Schmidt Sciences, which supports fundamental research in AI, the application of AI and data science across a wide variety of disciplines, and the creation of high-impact research platforms that can speed discovery.

Conceived and co-chaired by Eric Schmidt and James Manyika, AI2050 advances Eric and Wendy Schmidt’s $125 million commitment over five years to identify and support talented individuals seeking solutions to ensure society benefits from AI. The AI2050 Early Career Fellowship encourages young researchers to pursue bold and ambitious work on difficult challenges as well as promising opportunities in AI, which often involves research that is multidisciplinary, risky, and hard to fund through traditional means. 15-20 early career researchers around the world are selected annually through a rigorous process. Early Career Fellows receive an award to support a two-year project as well as non-monetary support, such as connections to stakeholders to help them amplify impact.

Dr. Rock, an assistant professor of operations, information and decisions at the Wharton School, researches the economic effects of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. His work focuses on information systems, the future of work and automation, productivity, and intangible assets. 

Dr. Rock will build a new tool kit for measuring the impact of AI on work. Through analyzing unstructured economic data, such as job postings, he will measure the impact of AI on job creation and technological dissemination, which will lead to the creation of an open-sourced large language model for future economic research.

AI2050 has allocated up to $5.5 million to support the 2023 cohort of Early Career Fellows in their multidisciplinary efforts to advance work on the Hard Problems in AI. Fellows are eligible to receive up to $300,000 over two years and will join the Schmidt Sciences network of experts to advance their AI research in fields including computer science, economics, political science, and philosophy. 

Catherine Seavitt: AIA College of Fellows

Catherine Seavitt, professor and chair of landscape architecture in the Weitzman School of Design and co-executive director of the Ian L. McHarg Center for Urbanism & Ecology, has been elevated to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows. A registered architect and landscape architect, Ms. Seavitt was named a fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2021.

Fellowship is AIA’s highest honor, reserved for architects “who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.” Only 3 percent of AIA members have this distinction.

Announced by AIA on March 1, the new cohort of fellows also includes four Weitzman alums:

  • Ann Marie Borys, PhD’98, Professor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator, University of Washington
  • Matthew Krissel, MArch’05, Founder and Director, Creative Lab 3
  • Sameer Kumar, MArch’01, Principal, Techne
  • Mark J. Sanderson, MArch’00, Principal, DIGSAU

Selected by a jury of fellows, fellows must have at least 10 years of AIA architect membership and demonstrated influence in at least one of the following areas:

  • Promoted the aesthetic, scientific, and practical efficiency of the profession 
  • Advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of practice
  • Coordinated the building industry and the profession of architecture
  • Ensured the advancement of the living standards of people through their improved environment
  • Made the profession of ever-increasing service to society 
  • Advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education and training

New fellows will be honored at the AIA Awards Gala on June 7, 2024, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

Penn Announces Nine 2024 Thouron Scholars

Six Penn seniors and three recent graduates have each received a 2024 Thouron Award to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom. Each Thouron Scholar receives tuition for up to two years, as well as travel and living stipends.

Penn’s 2024 Thouron Scholars are seniors Maya Brawer-Cohen, Lynn Larabi, Crystal Marshall, Ellie McKeown, George Morcos, and Emma Søndergaard Jensen and 2023 graduates Sheil Desai and Joshua Yang; and 2022 graduate Sonali Deliwala.

Established in 1960 and supported with gifts by the late John Thouron and his wife, Esther du Pont Thouron, the Thouron Award is a graduate exchange program between Penn and U.K. universities that aims to improve understanding and relations between the two nations.

Maya Brawer-Cohen, from Los Angeles, is majoring in neuroscience with minors in healthcare management and chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. As a Thouron Scholar, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in global health management at a university in London to study the healthcare landscape and to advocate for vulnerable populations.

Sonali Deliwala, from Yardley, Pennsylvania, graduated from the College with a political science and economics double major and a minor in creative writing. As a Thouron Scholar, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in economic policy for international development at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Sheil Desai, from Voorhees, New Jersey, graduated from the College with a philosophy, and economics (PPE) major, with minors in chemistry and environmental studies. As a Thouron Scholar, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in planetary health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with a goal of going to medical school. 

Lynn Larabi, from Philadelphia, is majoring in political science with a concentration in international relations with a minor in anthropology in the College. As a Thouron Scholar, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in policy evaluation and social intervention, or education policy and international development. 

Crystal Marshall, from Miami Gardens, Florida, is majoring in communications with a minor in cinema and media studies in the College. As a Thouron Scholar, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in film programming and curating at the University of London, Birbeck, to advance her studies of Black film archival histories, film pedagogy, and film festival curation. 

Ellie McKeown, from Philadelphia, is a triple-major: in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies with a concentration in health and disability; in biology; and in English in the College. As a Thouron scholar, they plan to pursue a master’s degree in social research at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. 

George Morcos, from Rochester, New York, is majoring in biology with a concentration in molecular and cell biology, with minors in classical studies and nutrition in the College. As a Thouron Scholar, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in pathology, conducting basic and translational research on therapeutic toxicities in cancer, at the University of Cambridge in England.

Emma Søndergaard Jensen, from Newton, Massachusetts, is a philosophy major in the College whose studies focus on the philosophy of disability. As a Thouron Scholar, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy and aims to contribute to a comprehensive theory of knowledge that incorporates an adequate Deaf epistemology.

Joshua Yang, from Northbrook, Illinois, graduated from the Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business, a dual-degree program in the School of Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School. As a Thouron Scholar, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in public policy and economic development to inform a career in public service.

The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships serves as Penn’s primary information hub and support office for students and alumni applying for major grants and fellowships, including the Thouron Award.

Features

Gary and Dawn Prebula Donate Comic Book Collection to Penn Libraries

Gary Prebula, W’72, can pinpoint the moment he became a lifelong comic book fan.

“I was about three years old,” he said. “Before they went out, my mother bought me my first comic book. It was Superman, and I had just started reading. They went off to a New Year’s Eve party and I read the comic maybe 20 times, and I was still up when they came home because it made me think.” It also sparked an interest that would grow and develop throughout Mr. Prebula’s life, leading to a home that is virtually stuffed with comics and graphic novels, industry magazines, action figures, and other memorabilia.

Now he and his wife Dawn Prebula hope to spread the love for comics–and generate study and scholarship on the artform and industry–with a donation of thousands of single-issue comics and graphic novels to the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. The comics run the gamut of genres, publishers, and topics. They vary in monetary value from mass-produced issues worth about $20 to a first issue of X-Men valued at $22,572, with the total collection, which is still being appraised, valued at more than $500,000. The entire collection will be housed in the Jay I. Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.

A vintage comic book cover featuring Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, with action-packed illustrations and bold texts highlighting the exciting content within. Spider-Man is prominently featured in the center, surrounded by a web-like design. Below Spider-Man, there are illustrations of four characters representing the Fantastic Four. An explosion of flames appears behind one of the Fantastic Four characters.

The first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, published in 1963, is a highlight of Mr. Prebula’s comic collection.

“We are honored and delighted that the Prebulas chose to entrust the Penn Libraries with their cherished collection. These exciting new items build on the Kislak Center’s strong comics and graphic novels collection and will bolster the robust community of scholarship in Comics Studies already established at Penn,” said Sean Quimby, Associate University Librarian, director of the Kislak Center, and director of the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies.

The gift is made possible in part by a partnership with the Golden Apple Comic & Art Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles whose mission is “to preserve, safeguard, and showcase private collections to ensure that comics, books, art and collectibles are secured for future generations to enjoy.” The foundation is providing expertise and labor to ensure timely processing of the collection and as a result, reducing the wait time for public viewing.

Ryan Liebowitz, owner of Golden Apple Comics, explained, “Gary’s collection, as vast as it is, unfortunately, was never stored properly and was never organized. It was basically kept chronologically.”

The collection was built over the course of decades: every week, Mr. Prebula would pick up newly released comics, read them, and then add them to boxes in his basement. Thus, preparation was needed to get the collection in shape for the donation. Mr. Liebowitz continues, “Our foundation is organizing, bagging and boarding, alphanumeric, and cataloging–all of that stuff, in multiple tiers.”

His wife and co-owner, Kendra Liebowitz added, “We started the foundation with this collection. We really wanted to give back to the comic book industry ... and do more for future generations.”

Origin Story

Mr. Prebula began intentionally collecting comics with an idea of preserving them at a young age. In elementary school in Butler, Pennsylvania, he met fellow comic book fan, the late Walter Bleil, and they became fast friends. At age 11, Mr. Prebula said he and Mr. Bleil had a discussion about the purpose of this hobby: “We were collecting comics in order to save them,” he said; indeed, this was just the start of a lifelong pursuit that would continue through his undergraduate experience at Penn alongside his wife, Dawn, and well beyond.

At the time, of course, comic books were not taken seriously as reading material or as an art form; the Penn Libraries only began collecting comics and graphic novels in 2008 with a donation from another Penn alum and comic enthusiast, Steven Rothman, C’75. Today its special collections house more than 20,000 comic books and more than 4,000 related materials, including graphic novels; compilations; works of cristicism and history; and many smaller collections. In addition, the circulating collection includes more than 3,000 comics and graphic novels in English as well as many other languages, including French, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, and East Asian languages including both Korean manhwa (만화) and Japanese manga (漫画).

Today’s Penn students can take courses on the theory and study of comics and graphic novels and even make their own. In the past few years, undergraduate offerings included Comics and Graphic Novels, The Contemporary Graphic Novel, and Making Comics, while the graduate program offers a Graphic Memoir course this semester (spring 2024). The connection between these courses and  the Penn Libraries remains stronger than ever. Not only has the Making Comics course taken place at the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center for years, but in 2015, author Charles Soule, C’96, wrote a scene taking place in the library for an issue of DC’s Swamp Thing.

Reboots and Spin-Offs

The story is just one element of what makes a comic book valuable. As Ryan Liebowitz explained, “A comic book has a market value, an actual dollar value, because of its rarity or its significance–it might be the first appearance of a character, or the condition it’s in might actually be significant. But a lot of comics [also] have what we consider research value or archival value.”

The comic in Mr. Prebula’s collection with the highest monetary value is easy to identify: an edition of the first issue of X-Men with the first-ever appearances of Magneto and Professor X (The collection actually contains two editions of this comic, worth $22,000 and $13,000, respectively).

This copy of Uncanny X-Men #1 is the most financially valuable item in the Mr. Prebula collection.

But determining the value of any one comic or group of comics in terms of research and study is much more difficult.

The field of comics studies is ripe for research, as many different aspects of a series, writer, or universe can be studied. Mr. Liebowitz gave the example of choosing one character to follow throughout history: “It’s fascinating to see the progression of a character and their story from the beginning until now. Depending on who wrote him, who drew him, who edited him, who colored him, really developed the character. Most of the big characters have been reimagined many, many, many times.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Quimby expects Penn scholars to consider the collection within the framework of material text studies, an area in which Penn has been a pioneer. Studying an item as a material text means analyzing the way in which its physical form shapes its meaning and reception; this is an area of strength within the libraries’ collections and expertise and offers a useful lens for studying comics. Comics can also be studied as modern mythology; as a business, particularly related to film and other explorations of comic book characters; and in terms of representation.

“As a medium, comics are so much more than the superhero genre and can be a powerful medium for telling stories,” Mr. Quimby added. “They are the purest manifestation of popular culture–in that way I think they reflect the hopes and anxieties of previous generations. I think there’s great value in that.”

And thanks to the involvement of the Golden Apple Comic and Art Foundation, these comics can be explored and exhibited much sooner than they would be otherwise.

“The work they did to inventory this [collection] is extremely valuable to us,” Mr. Quimby said.

Kendra Liebowitz said, “Since COVID, we’ve wanted to give back to the comic industry somehow. Because we survived, thank God. A lot of comic shops didn’t.”

Once the Prebula collection has made its way to the libraries in its entirety, the foundation may assist with future donations or support the comic industry in a different way, such as through a scholarship fund. Perhaps gleaned from years of reading comics, the Liebowitzes are not afraid to aim ambitiously.

“We would love to see one of every comic book ever made in a library somewhere,” Ryan Liebowitz said, adding, “One of my really big dreams is to have a museum someday. We want to share the process of comic books.”

The Prebulas, meanwhile, have humble goals for their comic collection.

“We just want people to be able to access them,” Dawn Prebula said.

Adapted from a Penn Libraries news release by Amanda Alexander. 

Events

Update: March AT PENN

Children’s Activities

Penn Museum

Online webinars. Info and to register: https://www.penn.museum/calendar.

26        K-12 Archaeology Talk with Dr. Steve: The Sphinx That Moved to Philadelphia; learn how the largest sphinx in the Western Hemisphere came to Philadelphia and hear from an archaeologist about its history and importance; 11 a.m.; Rainey Auditorium, Penn Museum; tickets: $15.

 

Conferences

21        Penn Carey Law Entertainment & Sports Law Symposium; brings together law students, attorneys, and experts in the field of sports and entertainment law to discuss sports betting, labor and technology changes in the entertainment industry, and how NIL is impacting athletes; 11:45 a.m.-8 p.m.; Michael E. Fitts Auditorium, Gittis Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/ESLSregister2024 (Penn Carey Law Entertainment & Sports Law Society).

            Black Queer Placemaking: Methods, Histories, Diasporas; features talks from Paul Joseph López Oro, Bryn Mawr College; Chrystel Oloukoï, University of Virginia; J.T. Roane, Rutgers University; 3-5:30 p.m.; room 329A, Max Kade Center, and Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/africana-conference-mar-21 (Africana Studies).

22        Elemental Thinking: Troubling States of Matter: 2024 Penn EnviroLab Graduate Conference; draws on recent scholarship and calls for more-than-natural recognition of the elements through their relational qualities; 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Penn Museum; register: https://www.pennenvirolab.org/conference (Anthropology). Also March 23, 9:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

            Divergent Environmentalism; asks scholars to consider the ways in which both state and non-state actors have appropriated and deployed the language of climate, conservation, and environmentalism to both create and preserve spaces defined primarily by entrenched power structures, including exclusions and segregation based on race, class, religion, and/or ethnicity; noon-7 p.m.; room 209, College Hall (History, Environmental Innovations Initiative, History & Sociology of Science).

 

Exhibits

26        Pixel to Print; will feature the works of current and past students of Kayla Romberger, including those in her Pixel to Print class in the School of Design; Brodsky Gallery, Kelly Writers House. Opening reception: March 26, 5:30 p.m.

 

Films

19        The Hourglass Sanatorium; screening of a 1973 Polish surrealist film that follows a young Jewish man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally; 8:30 p.m.; rooftop lounge, Harrison College House (Cinema & Media Studies).

 

Fitness & Learning

20        D.C. Careers and Clerkships; a discussion on D.C. careers and clerkships; Kevin Wynosky, Clement & Murphy, will discuss opportunities available to students and strategies on how best to pursue them; noon; room 213, Gittis Hall; register: https://forms.gle/mbGMJ1nojrgptXLP9 (Federalist Society).

            Rigorous and Glamorous in 100 Words or Less: An Abstract Workshop; Konrad Kording, bioengineering; hosts a workshop on writing concise abstracts; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/be-workshop-mar-20 (Bioengineering).

            Behind the CV: Stories from Faculty; Jolyon Thomas, religious studies, shares stories about the unspoken challenges of a life in academia; 4:30 p.m.; Golkin Room, Houston Hall (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

22        QPenn Week 2024; week of events geared toward the LGBT community at Penn; full schedule: https://ulife.vpul.upenn.edu/calendar/host/LGBT-Center/24 (LGBT Center). Through March 26.

            Thinking About Grad School? Penn graduate students will share reflections on planning for graduate school as an undergraduate, navigating the grad application process, deciding whether graduate school is right for you, and more; 2:30 p.m.; Café 58, Irvine Auditorium (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

25        R Programming for Research; Hannah Jin, research peer advisor, will provide a brief introduction to the R programming language and list several resources for learning R; 4:30 p.m.; Café 58, Irvine Auditorium (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

 

Music

22        Penn Atma: Once a Time in Bollywood; Penn's award-winning, women-only South Asian fusion a cappella student group presents an electrifying blend of old and new hits, where irresistible beats meet sensational vocals; 8 p.m.; Harold Prince Theatre, Annenberg Center; tickets: $11; register: https://pennlivearts.org/event/Penn-Atma-24 (Penn Live Arts). Also March 23, 8 p.m.

 

Readings & Signings

25        Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back; Kara Alaimo, Fairleigh Dickinson University; 12:15 p.m.; room 300, Annenberg School (Center on Digital Culture and Society).

            Picture-Work: The Public Lives of Images; Shannon Mattern, cinema & media studies; Diana Kamin, Fordham University; 6 p.m.; Public Trust, 4017 Walnut Street (Cinema & Media Studies).

 

Kelly Writers House

In-person events at Arts Café, Kelly Writers House. Info: https://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/0324.php.

21        Penn Appetit Food Summit; 6 p.m.

 

Special Events

21        Take Back the Night; the largest international campaign to end interpersonal and sexual violence on college campuses, including a rally, a march through campus, a resource fair, and a survivors’ vigil and speak out; 5-9 p.m.; Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall (Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention).

23        13th Annual Powwow; a celebration of 30 years of empowering Native and Indigenous voices at Penn; 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Hall of Flags, Houston Hall (Natives at Penn, Greenfield Intercultural Center).

 

Talks

20        Climate, Epidemics & Reproductive Health; Letícia Marteleto, sociology; How Does Genetic Ancestry Testing Affect Perceptions of Race? Wendy Roth, sociology; Du Bois, Demography, and Eugenics; Tukufu Zuberi, sociology; noon; room 403, McNeil Building (Sociology).

            The Different Innovation Strategies and Toolkits That Can Be Used in Research and Practice; Rachael Acker, Healthero; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/acker-talk-mar-20 (Penn Nursing).

            Can Technology Spark Joy and Imagination? Desmond Patton, Penn Integrates Knowledge professor; Courtney Cogburn, Columbia University; 3:30 p.m.; Holman Biotech Commons, and online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/greenfield-lecture-mar-20 (Albert M. Greenfield Memorial Lecture).

            Randomness, Complexity, and the Biological Frontier; Pankaj Mehta, University of Boston; 3:30 p.m.; room A8, DRL (Physics & Astronomy).

21        Sunmi as “Heroine, Gashina, and Siren”: How a Former Member of the K-Pop Group The 'Wonder Girls' Developed 'Sunmi-Pop'; Grace Kao, Yale University; noon; suite 310, 3600 Market Street (Korean Studies).

            Higher Education Leaders Community of Practice — A Tale of Three Institutions; Julee Gard, University of St. Frances; Richard Michal, Purdue University; 4 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/gard-michal-mar-21 (Graduate School of Education).

22        Controlling Fracture Behavior Through Architecture; Sage Fulco, mechanical engineering & applied mechanics; 10:30 a.m.; room 307, Levine Hall (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

            BASIRA (Books as Symbols in Renaissance Art), a New Digital Resource for Book History; Nicholas Herman, Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies; noon; online webinar; register: https://libcal.library.upenn.edu/calendar/kislak/basira (Penn Libraries).

            Digital Platforms, Cultural Industries and Everyday Users: Dilemmas of Power and Agency; David Hesmondhalgh, University of Leeds; 12:15 p.m.; room 500, Annenberg School (Elihu Katz Colloquium).

            At the Intersections of Neuro and Queer; Danna Bodenheimer, LGBT Center; 4 p.m.; Goodhand Room, LGBT Center (LGBT Center).

            The Voice of the Internet; Anna Shechtman, Cornell University; 5 p.m.; room 330, Fisher-Bennett Hall; RSVP: elombard@sas.upenn.edu (English).

25        The Flexible Character of Internal Focus; Kia Nobre, Yale University; 3:30 p.m.; auditorium, Levin Building (Psychology).

            Terror and Resistance on Russian YouTube; Lynn Patyk, Dartmouth College; 5:30 p.m.; room 209, College Hall (Russian & East European Studies).

            Two Dads Defending Democracy Tour: Bridging the Gap During Divisive Times; Fred Guttenberg, anti-gun-violence activist; Joe Walsh, commentator; 5:30 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE; register: https://tinyurl.com/guttenberg-walsh-mar-25 (SNF Paideia Program).

26        Advocacy for Queer Youth; Kurt Oster, LGBTQ+ therapist; noon; LGBT Center (LGBT Center).

            Evolving Ethical Sonsiderations in HIV Status Discussions in the Age of HIV Treatment-as-Prevention and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis; Dovie Watson, medicine; noon; room 1402, Blockley Hall, and Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/watson-talk-mar-26 (Medical Ethics & Health Policy).

            ‘For Her Protection’: Disability and Gender in Early Modern Anglo-American Law; Jennifer W. Reiss, GSWS; Unveiling the Nuances of Reproductive Justice in Latin America: Fetal Personhood Clauses in the Region’s Constitutional Landscape; Giovanna Parini, GSWS; 4 p.m.; room 623, Williams Hall (Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies).

            Should I Be Worried? Anxiety in Dunhuang Divination; Zhao Lu, New York University Shanghai; 5:15 p.m.; room 402, Cohen Hall (East Asian Languages & Civilizations).

            Conversation and Screening; Jan Cvitkovič and More Raça, filmmakers; 5:30 p.m.; room 401, Fisher-Bennett Hall (Cinema & Media Studies).

 

Center for the Study of Contemporary China

In-person events at room 418, PCPSE. Info: https://cscc.sas.upenn.edu/events.

22        China’s Role in the World in the Year of Elections; Kishore Mahbubani, former president of the United Nations Security Council; noon.

 

Economics

In-person events. Info: https://economics.sas.upenn.edu/events.

19        Competition Under Assortative Matching in PhD Admission; Siqi Li, economics; noon; room 100, PCPSE.

            Credit Constraints, Market Structure and Consumer Welfare; Chinmay Lohani, economics; 12:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

20        Minimum Wages, Labor Market Power, and Automation Responses by Heterogeneous Firms; Jordan Peeples, economics; noon; room 100, PCPSE.

21        Matching Disadvantaged Children to Daycare: Evidence from a Centralized Platform; Olivier De Groote, Toulouse School of Economics; 3:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

25        Identification of Dynamic Panel Logit Models with Fixed Effects; Jiaying Gu, University of Toronto; 4:30 p.m.; room 202, PCPSE.

 

Mathematics

Info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events.

20        The K-Groups of Z/p^n; Benjamin Antieau, Northwestern University; 3:45 p.m.; room A2, DRL.

21        Parameter Recovery for Nonlinear PDEs; Vincent Martinez, CUNY; 3:30 p.m.; room 4E19. DRL.

            Barrow's "Sum of the Secants"; Daniel Otero, Xavier University; 6:30 p.m.; Zoom webinar.

 

This is an update to the March AT PENN calendar, which is online now. Submit events for future AT PENN calendars or weekly updates at almanac@upenn.edu.

Crimes

Weekly Crime Reports

Division of Public Safety University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons and/or Crimes Against Property from the campus report for March 4–10, 2024. The Crime Reports are available at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes. Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety (DPS) and contains all criminal incidents reported and made known to the Penn Police, including those reported to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) that occurred within our patrol zone, for the dates of March 4–10, 2024. The Penn Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30th Street to 43rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police.

In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call DPS at (215) 898-7297. You may view the daily crime log on the DPS website.

Penn Police Patrol Zone
Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30th Street to 43rd Street

Crime Category

Date

Time

Location

Description

Aggravated Assault

03/04/24

2:04 PM

3400 Ludlow St

Assault on PPA employee

 

03/10/24

1:42 AM

3942 Spruce St

Offender brandished a screwdriver and threatened complainant during an argument

Aggravated Assault-Gun

03/10/24

10:15 AM

2900 Chestnut St

Complainant threatened with a firearm during altercation on highway

Assault

03/07/24

10:45 AM

4000 Walnut St

Simple assault by unknown offender

Bike Theft

03/04/24

3:51 PM

3800 Spruce St

Secured bike taken from bike rack

 

03/05/24

3:08 PM

3820 Locust Walk

Stolen bicycle

 

03/08/24

2:35 PM

3300 Market St

Theft of a secured bicycle

Burglary

03/08/24

10:40 AM

3990 Market St

Burglary reported by security/Arrest

Harassment

03/04/24

10:45 PM

3600 Market St

Unknown offender threw eggs at complainant and fled the area

Other Offense

03/05/24

8:28 AM

100 S 31st St

Failure to appear warrant/Arrest

 

03/06/24

10:54 PM

3701 Walnut St

Failure to appear warrant/Arrest

Retail Theft

03/04/24

10:54 AM

4233 Chestnut St

Retail theft of alcohol

 

03/08/24

8:22 PM

4233 Chestnut St

Retail theft of alcohol

 

03/09/24

9:01 AM

3925 Walnut St

Retail theft /Arrest

 

03/10/24

5:44 PM

4233 Chesnut St

Retail theft of alcohol

Sex Offense

03/06/24

8:44 AM

Confidential

Confidential

 

03/06/24

11:58 AM

Confidential

Confidential

Theft from Building

03/05/24

3:03 PM

3701 Walnut St

Theft of watch from building

 

03/06/24

11:07 AM

51 N 39th St

Laptop taken from sitting area

 

03/08/24

3:05 PM

51 N 39th St

Purse taken from room

 

03/08/24

3:58 PM

3701 Market St

Theft of a wallet and contents from medical office

Vandalism

03/06/24

7:31 PM

4235 Sansom St

Rock thrown at front door

 

 

Philadelphia Police 18th District
Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 8 incidents were reported for March 4–10, 2024 by the 18th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

Crime Category

Date

Time

Location

Aggravated Assault

03/04/24

2:04 PM

3400 blk of Ludlow Street

 

03/10/24

3:05 AM

3942 Spruce Street

 

03/10/24

10:17 AM

Chesnut Street and Schuylkill Avenue

Assault

03/04/24 

3:54 PM

4700 blk of Locust Street

 

03/06/24

8:45 AM

S. 47th Street and Cedar Avenue

 

03/06/24

5:31 PM

542 S. 49th Street

 

03/07/24

10:45 AM

S. 40th Street and Walnut Street

Indecent Assault

03/06/24

8:44 AM

3900 blk of Baltimore Avenue

 

The Division of Public Safety offers resources and support to the Penn community. DPS developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below. Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

  • See something concerning? Connect with Penn Public Safety 24/7 at (215) -573-3333.
  • Worried about a friend’s or colleague’s mental or physical health? Get 24/7 connection to appropriate resources at (215) 898-HELP (4357).
  • Seeking support after experiencing a crime? Call Special Services - Support and Advocacy resources at (215) 898-4481 or email an advocate at specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu
  • Use the Walking Escort and Riding services available to you free of charge.
  • Take a moment to update your cellphone information for the UPennAlert Emergency Notification System
  • Download the Penn Guardian App which can help Police better find your location when you call in an emergency.
  • Access free self-empowerment and defense courses through Penn DPS.
  • Stay alert and reduce distractions; using cellphones, ear buds, etc. may limit your awareness.
  • Orient yourself to your surroundings. (Identify your location, nearby exits, etc.)
  • Keep your valuables out of sight and only carry necessary documents.

Bulletins

Netter Center ABCS Course Development Grants Due April 15

The Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships announced ABCS Course Development Grants to create academically-based community service (ABCS) courses that integrate research, teaching, learning and service. ABCS students and faculty work with public schools, communities of faith, and community organizations in West Philadelphia/Philadelphia to help solve critical campus and community problems in a variety of areas such as the environment, health, arts, and education. ABCS courses are a form of community-engaged scholarship. Over 250 ABCS courses have been created and taught so far, and 80-90 undergraduate and graduate ABCS courses are offered each year. Click here to see a list of the current ABCS courses.

Funded by the Netter Center, ABCS Course Development Grants are designed to assist faculty with developing new or substantially restructured undergraduate and graduate courses.  The grant intends to fund course supplies and/or time spent on course development. Grants provide up to $10,000 to be spent over two years.

The Netter Center also provides a set of ongoing resources to all ABCS courses. These include: teaching assistants, transportation to sites, background checks for students as necessary, and support with developing community partnerships. Grantees would have access to these in addition to receiving the course development grant funding. Proposals should not request funding for food or for resources already provided.

Proposed ABCS courses should be intended to be taught on an ongoing basis.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:

  • Academic excellence
  • Integration of research, teaching and service
  • Democratic partnership with schools, community groups, service agencies, etc.
  • Focus on Philadelphia, especially West Philadelphia
  • Evidence as to how the course will engage undergraduate and/or graduate students in local real-world problem-solving activities
  • Potential for sustainability

Please format proposals as follows:

  • Cover page
    • 1.1 Name, title, department, school, mailing address, proposed semester of the first course
    • 1.2 Title of the proposal
    • 1.3 Total amount of funding requested
    • 1.4 100-word abstract of the proposal (include a description of how the course will involve collaboration with the community and benefit the community)
  • A one-page biographical sketch of applicant
  • A two-to-four-page proposal
  • Budget detailing how you intend to use the requested funding

Learn more about ABCS Course Development Grants, including additional information about the budget, here: http://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/what-we-do/abcs-courses/abcs-course-development-grants

The Netter Center would be pleased to provide feedback on draft proposals before final submission. Final proposals for grants should be submitted by April 15, 2024. Please direct questions, drafts, and final submissions to abcscoordinator@sas.upenn.edu.

—Dennis DeTurck, Netter Center Faculty Advisory Board
—Matthew Hartley, Netter Center Faculty Advisory Board
—Terri H. Lipman, Netter Center Faculty Advisory Board
—Loretta Flanagan-Cato, Director, Graduate Certificate in Community-Engaged STEM

—Ira Harkavy, Barbara and Edward Netter Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships

Call for Applications for Faculty Co-Director of Penn First Plus

Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. and Deputy Provost Beth A. Winkelstein invite applications from and nominations of standing faculty members to be faculty co-director of Penn First Plus, beginning July 1, 2024.  

Penn First Plus, founded in 2018, is the University’s hub of resources, support, and mentorship for first-generation-to-college and limited-income undergraduate students. It helps students with navigating finances and academics at Penn; collaborates with the four undergraduate schools to advance inclusive pedagogy, accessible curricula, and holistic advising; partners with Student Registration and Financial Services to enhance access to financial resources; and cultivates targeted programming with units across Penn to make academic, professional, and extracurricular opportunities easier to navigate.

The resources and programs of Penn First Plus include the Shleifer Family Penn First Plus Center in College Hall; the College Achievement Program, which provides dedicated support for a select group of academically talented undergraduates; the Pre-First Year Program, a four-week, credit-bearing academic bridge program preceding New Student Orientation; and the Gateway Student Mentorship Program, which connects incoming students with faculty members and upper-level undergraduates who share the experiences of being first-generation students.

The current Penn First Plus faculty co-directors are Russell J. Composto, a professor and the Howell Family Faculty Fellow in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, who began his term on July 1, 2023; and Camille Charles, the Annenberg Professor in the Social Sciences in the School of Arts & Sciences, who has served as a faculty co-director since the program’s launch and will step down from this role at the end of June 2024.

Applications/expressions of interest and nominations are encouraged from and of standing faculty members at Penn who have experience in and a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduates, especially students from communities that historically encounter structural barriers to an equitable education, including but not limited to first-generation-to-college and limited-income undergraduates. Inquiries and nominations can be sent to Deputy Provost Beth A. Winkelstein at Deputy-Provost@upenn.edu by April 19, 2024.

Center for Global Genomics & Health Equity Call for Funding Applications for Pilot Projects

Funding Purpose: The Center for Global Genomics and Health Equity (GGHE) is offering competitive funding to support collaborative pilot projects that seek to understand genetic and environmental risk factors influencing health disparities in underrepresented groups. Projects with a translational focus are encouraged to apply. The center seeks to support projects that will help to generate pilot data that can potentially lead to competitive extramural funded research in the topic area. Projects that include interdisciplinary collaborations (including cross-departmental collaborations) are encouraged.

Letter of Intent (Pre-Application): Please provide a letter of intent no later than Friday, April 5, 2024 (COB). The pre-application letter should be one page maximum and should outline the following: project title, principal investigator(s) and co-investigators, the research question(s) to be addressed, the target population for research, and the intended use of funds and associated cost. Letters of intent will be reviewed on a rolling basis with notification sent to investigators by GGHE for full applications.

Application Due Date: Friday, May 3, 2024

Earliest Start Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024

Funding Amount: Budget of up to $75,000 per project. One or more projects will be selected.

Number of Applications: Individuals can be listed as participants in more than one application but can be a principal investigator for only one application.

Application and Submission Requirement: The main body of the application should be no more than 4 pages.

Where to Submit: The letter of intent and all application documents should be sent to PennGGHE@pennmedicine.upenn.edu and copy Ameena Al-Amin at alamin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

GGHE Website: https://globalgenomics.med.upenn.edu/

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