October 13, 2026 Volume 73 Issue 10

A $25 million gift from the Smilow Foundation, led by William Smilow, will establish the Smilow Center for Precision Therapeutics at Penn Medicine. The Center will advance gene-editing and other precision therapies designed to address the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease.

“The Smilow Foundation has made an extraordinary commitment to advancing groundbreaking research with the potential to achieve what was once considered impossible: curing previously debilitating forms of heart disease,” said Jonathan A. Epstein, dean of Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. “Their support empowers our researchers to harness transformative innovations to redefine the future of cardiovascular medicine and strengthen Penn Medicine’s leadership in gene editing and cardiovascular care.”

The Smilow Foundation’s recent philanthropy builds upon its previous support of Penn Medicine to create the Smilow Center for Translational Research and the William Smilow Professorship, which reflects their deeply rooted commitment to supporting impactful medical research. The Professorship, founded in 2012 by William Smilow and his father the late Joel Smilow, was created as part of their landmark gift to name the Smilow Center for Translational Research, an integral part of Penn’s medical campus that has become one of the nation’s premier research facilities.

“The impact of philanthropy extends far beyond a single moment. Through their remarkable generosity, the Smilow Foundation is helping to fuel innovation and accelerate discoveries that will change the trajectory of cardiovascular medicine. William Smilow has already contributed immeasurably to our remarkable success in translating scientific discoveries into treatments, and this new gift is equally visionary,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson.

“Heart disease has touched my family personally, which makes this mission genuinely meaningful to me,” said William Smilow, President and CEO of the Smilow Foundation. “The creation of the Smilow Center for Precision Therapeutics reflects our commitment to advancing the science needed to cure heart disease and spare future generations from its impact. As a Penn Medicine Board member and longtime partner, I am confident there is no institution better positioned than Penn to turn that vision into reality.”

Penn Medicine is at the forefront of studying and treating cardiovascular diseases, as well as genetics, gene therapies, and precision medicine. Under the leadership of Thomas P. Cappola, the William Smilow Professor, Division Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and center director, the Smilow Center for Precision Therapeutics aims to develop curative therapies for heart disease for the first time and will leverage Penn-led discoveries and expertise through innovative research, first-in-human clinical trials, and world-class patient care. 

The Smilow Foundation’s philanthropy will enable experts from a broad range of disciplines to develop a roadmap to bring new treatments to patients for the first time. The Smilow Center’s highly collaborative and multidisciplinary environment brings together experts from Penn Medicine’s departments of cardiovascular medicine, physiology, systems pharmacology and translational therapeutics, bioengineering, radiology, and others to deliver unparalleled expertise across all aspects of cardiovascular disease. It will leverage the command of pioneers like Kiran Musunuru and Drew Weissman in breakthrough technologies like CRISPR and mRNA. For example, Musunuru, the Barry J. Gertz Professor for Translational Research, has developed gene-editing therapies to permanently lower cholesterol levels, greatly reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

“The launch of the Smilow Center for Precision Therapeutics marks a transformative moment for Penn Medicine and for the future of cardiovascular care,” said Michael Parmacek, chair of the department of medicine and the Frank Wister Thomas Professor of Medicine. “Made possible by the exceptional generosity of the Smilow Foundation and with the visionary leadership of Dr. Cappola, the Smilow Center will build on Penn’s unmatched strengths in cardiovascular science, genetics, gene editing, and translational medicine. More than expanding existing programs, it will create entirely new scientific and clinical capabilities that accelerate discovery, attract world-class talent, and bring personalized therapies to patients with unprecedented speed and precision. The Smilow Center positions Penn to become the nation’s leading destination for cardiovascular translational research and innovation.”

The Smilow Foundation’s primary areas of interest are medical research and education, with leadership gifts to institutions such as Yale’s Smilow Cancer Hospital and New York University’s Langone Medical Center. The Foundation is a founding donor of the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab at the revitalized Cobbs Creek Golf Course in West Philadelphia. William Smilow is a member of the Penn Medicine Board, as well as the Penn Cardiovascular Institute Leadership Council, and Penn Medicine Development Leadership Cabinet. He also serves as a board member for the TGR Foundation and the Cobbs Creek Foundation.

“We are grateful to the Smilow Foundation for their remarkable generosity and vision,” said Kevin B. Mahoney, chief executive officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “By bringing together experts from across disciplines through the Smilow Center for Precision Therapeutics, Penn Medicine is uniquely positioned to pioneer new approaches to treating, and ultimately curing, heart disease, accelerating the delivery of groundbreaking therapies to patients everywhere.”

Camille Hosman, ML’23, has been appointed Penn’s assistant vice president of federal affairs in the Office of Government and Community Affairs. Based in Washington, D.C., Ms. Hosman is responsible for Penn’s strategic advocacy on policies affecting the University and higher education. She advises Penn leadership on legislative and regulatory developments and represents Penn to Congress, federal agencies, and higher education coalitions.

Ms. Hosman most recently worked as the director of federal government affairs at Stanford University, where she supported engagement with policymakers, specializing in matters related to scientific research, education, and immigration, as well as critical and emerging technology issues. Before her position at Stanford, Ms. Hosman served as the associate director of federal affairs at Penn. Formerly, she led government relations for the Consortium of Social Science Associations and worked for the University of Missouri System Office of Government Relations.

Ms. Hosman is deeply engaged in the federal research and higher education advocacy community. This year, she chaired the Association of American Universities (AAU) Council on Federal Relations Innovation Task Force, coordinating advocacy efforts for the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. In 2023, the AAU Council on Federal Relations honored Ms. Hosman with the New Innovator Award, an award for council members who have served fewer than five years and made significant contributions to the AAU federal relations community. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Science Coalition.

Ms. Hosman holds a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Missouri and a master of law from the University of Pennsylvania. She serves on the Board of Advisors of the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri.

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School has announced a leadership gift from the Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation, established by Perry Golkin, W’74, WG’74, L’78, and Donna Golkin, WG’77, to advance legal education and scholarship at the intersection of law and technology.

“The Golkins’ generosity has long played a critical role in strengthening Penn’s leadership in transformative legal education, and their gift will allow us to remain at the forefront of law and technology,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “We are deeply grateful for their commitment to advancing the University’s strategic priorities and the Law School’s mission.”

The Golkins’ gift serves as a catalyst for Technology, Regulation, AI, and the Law (TRAIL), a key initiative that brings together the school’s growing curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, and faculty research at the forefront of legal education and scholarship in artificial intelligence, emerging technology, and law.

“This foundational gift allows Penn Carey Law to build on our existing strength in law and technology, bring our many efforts under one banner, and position the Law School to continue evolving to meet this moment,” said Sophia Z. Lee, Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law. “We are very grateful for the Golkins’ support and the extraordinary opportunity it creates.”

Perry Golkin, former chair and current member of the Board of Advisors at the school and an emeritus Penn Trustee, and Donna Golkin have a long history of supporting Penn Carey Law. Their philanthropy includes lead gifts for Golkin Hall, a major addition to the school’s campus that expanded and connected its academic spaces, as well as support for the Perry Golkin Professorship, currently held by Elizabeth Pollman, and the Golkin Family Professorship, currently held by deputy dean Tess Wilkinson-Ryan.

“Penn Carey Law has built real momentum at the intersection of law and technology, from CTIC’s groundbreaking research, to a faculty with expertise spanning disciplines and industries, to a curriculum now preparing every student to practice in an AI-driven profession,” said Perry Golkin. “My hope is that this gift serves as an anchor for that work—one that inspires others to invest alongside us—so that Penn Carey Law can continue recruiting and supporting faculty at the forefront of this field, expanding how it’s taught, and leading the conversation on questions technology is raising for law, work, and society today and in the future.”

The gift will be split between two distinct funds, with one supporting research and scholarship through the Center for Technology, Innovation, and Competition (CTIC). Established in 2007, CTIC leads initiatives around law, technology, and markets, partnering across the Penn community to address the complex legal questions raised by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

“This gift allows CTIC to deepen its work at exactly the moment when it matters most, as AI, international competition, and even the governance of outer space are testing the boundaries of existing legal frameworks,” said Christopher S. Yoo, the Imasogie Professor in Law and Technology and founding director of CTIC. “Rigorous, evidence-based research is essential to understanding these developments and their implications for law and policy. This support allows us to examine these questions in greater depth and provide a stronger foundation for decision-making by policymakers, industry, and the legal community.”

The gift also enables the creation of a Dean’s Innovation Fund, which will provide flexible resources for Penn Carey Law’s broader initiatives in law and technology.

The Golkins’ support arrives at a time of increased momentum surrounding scholarship and curriculum to advance the field of law and technology at the school. Faculty scholarship reflects the school’s distinctive interdisciplinary strengths, bringing together multiple fields and modes of inquiry to examine legal practice and the legal and regulatory questions raised by new technologies.

When a flock or herd shows signs of illness, or a racehorse tests positive for a banned substance, the accuracy and speed of laboratory results can determine the outcome for animals, livelihoods, and public health. A new state-funded diagnostic laboratory broke ground on October 2 at New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large animal campus in Chester County, designed to deliver those results faster and to accelerate research in a purpose-built space.

The $94 million, 63,000-square-foot Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, will bring together the New Bolton Center laboratory of the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) and the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology Research Laboratory (PETRL), which serve producers, public health officials, veterinarians, regulators, and racing officials across the state.

Both laboratories have outgrown their current homes. The PADLS laboratory at New Bolton Center, which performed more than 279,000 diagnostic tests last year, operates in laboratory spaces spread across several buildings on the center’s upper and lower campuses, with no room to innovate, grow, or consolidate. PETRL typically tests 30,000 samples a year from six Pennsylvania racetracks and leads research in drug testing, even as it works from leased space at West Chester University and research space at New Bolton Center. The new VDL will provide analytical and research laboratories designed for each program’s current work, with space to expand.

“For years, our diagnostic and toxicology teams have delivered results that people across Pennsylvania rely on,” said Andrew M. Hoffman, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Penn Vet. “The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will put them side by side in modern facilities, where collaboration is part of the daily workflow. The Commonwealth’s investment gives the science that protects Pennsylvania’s animals, agriculture, and public health a home equal to its importance.”

The VDL reflects Pennsylvania’s commitment to agriculture, a sector that includes more than 48,800 farms, contributes over $132 billion a year to the state’s economy, and supports nearly 600,000 jobs.

“Science continues to reveal critical connections between animal health, human health, and the health of our environment,” said Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture. “Penn Vet has been at the center of discovery that deepens and reinforces those connections. Supporting Penn Vet’s cutting-edge research, diagnostic testing, and quality animal care strengthens Pennsylvania’s capacity to detect and prevent disease, respond quickly in crisis, and continue growing and leading in animal agriculture. This expansion is more proof that investments by the [Pennsylvania Governor Josh] Shapiro Administration are feeding Pennsylvania’s economic future and protecting Pennsylvania’s rich agricultural heritage.”

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania established PADLS in 1991 to protect animal and human health and minimize agricultural economic loss across the state. The New Bolton Center laboratory is one of four state laboratories in the system, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg and Penn State’s laboratories in University Park and western Pennsylvania. The New Bolton Center, Harrisburg, and University Park facilities are members of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). As the newest member of PADLS, Penn State’s other facility in western Pennsylvania will work toward its NAHLN membership and AAVLD accreditation.

PETRL analyzes post-race samples collected following competition, as well as out-of-competition samples used to screen horses in training for substances that compromise the integrity of racing and the welfare of the horse. With research funding from the commonwealth and other generous donors, PETRL has become the only laboratory in the United States that is accredited to test for gene doping and the only laboratory in the country that is capable of confirming the presence of blood-doping agents such as erythropoietin (EPO) and darbepoetin (DPO). PETRL adheres to the international ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standard and is dual-accredited by the Racing Medication Testing Consortium and the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation.

Construction of the VDL is expected to be completed in 2028, with both laboratories moving into the new building in 2029. The architect for the project is SMP Architects. Once open, the laboratory will be a dedicated home for the diagnostic and toxicology work that Pennsylvania’s agricultural and equine communities depend on and will give Penn Vet’s scientists the capacity to build on it for decades to come.

Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) has launched the Center for Advancing Research and Education on Social Care (CARES), a new center dedicated to strengthening the evidence, workforce, and research infrastructure needed to advance social care and healthcare social work. The center is a strategic partnership among SP2, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). 

Social workers play an essential role across the healthcare continuum, supporting patients, families, and communities while helping health systems address increasingly complex social and behavioral health needs. Yet the full scope and impact of their contributions are not always measured or widely recognized. Directed by Abigail Ross and Tamara Cadet, CARES was established to address that gap by building research capacity, creating educational and professional development opportunities, and fostering collaboration across health systems. By leveraging the strengths of SP2, HUP, and CHOP, CARES seeks to create models that can strengthen healthcare social work locally and be replicated nationally. 

CARES is focused on three primary goals:

• Building capacity for social work research, practice, and professional development within and across health systems.
• Generating evidence that demonstrates the value and impact of social work on health outcomes, patient experience, and healthcare delivery.
• Developing educational and workforce initiatives that prepare current and future social workers to meet the evolving needs of patients, families, and health systems.

To achieve these goals, CARES supports efforts to strengthen research infrastructure, develop practice-based research networks, evaluate innovative models of social care, expand continuing education opportunities, and create interdisciplinary learning experiences for SP2 Master of Social Work (MSW) students. 

The center’s work is anchored by several signature programs that are designed to support healthcare social workers at every stage of their careers. These include the Social Work Affiliates Program, a two-year professional development initiative that recognizes selected HUP and CHOP social workers with a formal academic affiliation with SP2 and provides them with mentorship, infrastructure, collaborative learning opportunities, and instrumental support to develop research initiatives that demonstrate the value of social work in healthcare settings.

CARES also oversees the Dean’s Research Fellows Program, which pairs first-year SP2 MSW students with social work affiliates to participate in pragmatic research and quality improvement projects focused on healthcare settings. 

In addition, the center supports the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Fellowship, funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration in partnership with CHOP. This interdisciplinary fellowship prepares second-year SP2 MSW students to deliver integrated behavioral health services in pediatric healthcare settings alongside colleagues from other disciplines.

CARES will also support the National Consortium of Pediatric Health Care Social Work Leadership, which was launched by SP2 and CHOP in 2025 to advance leadership development, research, innovation, and best practices across social work departments situated within top pediatric health systems nationwide. 

SP2 celebrated the launch of CARES during a reception held on September 15 that brought together members of the National Consortium of Pediatric Health Care Social Work Leadership, SP2 social work affiliates, Dean’s Research Fellows, BHWET alumni and current fellows, as well as other colleagues, educators, practitioners, and partners in healthcare social work from across the country. 

In remarks at the event, SP2 Dean Sara S. Bachman emphasized the critical role social workers play in healthcare systems and the importance of investing in the profession’s future.Dean Bachman noted that CARES represents a commitment to connecting academic, clinical, and operational expertise to strengthen practice, build evidence, and demonstrate impact across health systems. “Together, we will make social work a strategic capability that shapes the future of healthcare,” Dean Bachman said.

In the coming months, the center will announce its inaugural cohorts of social work affiliates and Dean’s Research Fellows, as well as the second cohort of BHWET Fellows, further strengthening the pipeline of healthcare social work leaders, researchers, and innovators.

As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes teaching and learning, educators, schools, and policymakers are grappling with how to harness its benefits while protecting students and preserving what matters most about education. To help answer those questions, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) is launching the Penn GSE Living Laboratory for Human Agency and AI (Living Lab).

Building on Penn GSE’s leadership in AI and education, the initiative brings together researchers, educators, school systems, and industry partners to develop approaches to AI in real-world educational settings. Designed as a network rather than a standalone center, the Living Lab will serve as a hub for rapid evidence-based innovation and collaboration on the future of learning—while helping educators and policymakers address emerging questions about the safe and responsible use of AI in education.

“Artificial intelligence presents tremendous opportunities for learning, but it also raises important questions about safety, trust, and how these tools should be used,” said Katharine O. Strunk, Dean of Penn GSE and the George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education. “Too often, education systems and educators are asked to respond to technological change after the fact. The education community has a critical role to play in determining how artificial intelligence develops and how it is used. The decisions being made today will influence how students learn, how teachers work, and how opportunity is distributed for years to come.”

“Educators are experimenting with AI every day, often without clear guidance about what works, for whom, and under what conditions,” said Bodong Chen, director of the Knowledge Building Innovation Network at Penn GSE and founding co-director of the Living Lab. “Schools need more than predictions about what AI might do. We want educators and students to be the designers of AI in learning, not just its users, and to build the evidence of what their designs make possible. That is how we keep learning human.”

The Living Lab focuses on five priorities:

• People First: Ensuring AI enhances human agency and learning.
• Trust, Safety, and Ethics: Advancing responsible AI practices that protect privacy, security, and learner well-being.
• Practice-Driven Innovation: Co-designing and testing AI tools in authentic educational settings.
• AI Literacy and Pedagogy: Advancing effective and trustworthy AI use among educators and students.
• Infrastructure for Scale: Building the partnerships and systems needed to sustain innovation.

The new hub builds on Penn GSE’s growing portfolio of AI-related teaching, research, and innovation, creating an interdisciplinary foundation for the initiative. Across the school, faculty are developing and studying approaches that put educators and learners at the center of how AI is designed, used, and evaluated. 

“For the first time, we have the ability to understand and support learning at a level of scale and personalization that was previously impossible,” said Seiji Isotani, faculty director of the Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence program and founding co-director of the Living Lab. “The challenge is ensuring these advances are grounded in learning sciences and designed to serve learners. By combining expertise in AI, learning analytics, and learning sciences, we can help unlock that potential while addressing the challenges that come with it.”

Alongside Penn AI and the University’s strengths in medicine, engineering, business, and the social sciences, Penn GSE is helping ensure that education plays a central role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. The Living Lab helps translate emerging research into practical tools, partnerships, and insights for schools.

Through three years of philanthropic support, the Living Lab will help launch new research, deepen partnerships with schools, and create opportunities for students to work on pressing questions. Potential projects could include evaluating AI tutoring tools, developing resources to help educators use AI responsibly, studying the impact of AI on teaching and learning, or testing strategies to improve AI literacy among students and teachers.

In addition, the Living Lab will host a Google Public Sector-supported speaker series, bringing leading experts from industry, education, and the nonprofit sector to campus to share and interrogate emerging ideas and best practices. While these opportunities will focus primarily on Penn GSE students, they will also be open to students across the University of Pennsylvania, reflecting the Living Lab’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and broad engagement.

John Dixon Hunt, professor emeritus of landscape architecture in the Weitzman School of Design, died on September 27. He was 90.

Dr. Hunt was born in Gloucester, England, and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cambridge University, followed by a doctorate in English literature from the University of Bristol in 1964. His early teaching career took him to universities across the United States and Europe, in which his focus evolved from Victorian literature toward landscape history and theory. He later sought to formulate a philosophy to understand the psychological and spiritual roots of gardening. In 1981, he founded the international quarterly Journal of Garden History (now published as Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes).

In 1994, Dr. Hunt joined Penn’s faculty as a professor of landscape architecture. He was appointed department chair in 1996 and served in that role until 2000. In 1998, he founded the Penn Studies in Landscape Architecture, a book series containing rigorous scholarship that connects landscape design to broader social, cultural, political, and ecological movements. After retiring and becoming emeritus in 2006, Dr. Hunt began teaching at the Weitzman’s Summer Institute program. After retiring from Penn, he took visiting appointments at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and Penn State University.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hunt’s work received numerous accolades. In 2000, the French Ministry of Culture named him Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters in recognition of his contributions to landscape architecture. In 2010, the Foundation for Landscape Studies presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Penn established the John Dixon Hunt Fund to honor his contributions.

Dr. Hunt’s work was highly regarded by his peers. His colleague Jamer Corner in the department of landscape architecture described him as “a titan in our field. An absolute master...it was his penchant for cultural ideas and erudite argument that elevated him from historian to genius.” To read additional faculty tributes to Dr. Hunt, click here.

Dr. Hunt is survived by his wife, Emily T. Cooperman; his sons, Andrew Hunt and Matthew Randolph; four grandchildren, and a step-granddaughter.

A memorial will be held at a later date. Donations can be made in Dr. Hunt’s memory to the Buck Hill Conservation Foundation. 

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The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives.  Please communicate your comments to J. Patrick Walsh in the Senate Office by emailing senate@pobox.upenn.edu. 

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions 
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 

Tri-Chairs’ Report. Faculty Senate chair Roy Hamilton shared information with SEC members regarding upcoming University events and Faculty Senate activities.  

Senate Nominating Committee. SEC members were invited to nominate their standing faculty colleagues to serve as members of the 2027 Nominating Committee. 

Reports from Constituencies. Professor Hamilton invited three SEC members to offer reports from their constituencies. 

Update from the Office of the President. President J. Larry Jameson discussed the recent establishment of the Center for Civil Rights, Penn Forward initiatives, and engagement and outreach events in San Francisco and the Bay Area, California. President Jameson then responded to questions from SEC members.

Proposals from the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission (SCOF). In its May 2026 report, SCOF called upon SEC to adopt two proposals that would involve associated faculty and academic support staff in shared governance through the Faculty Senate. Upon motion and second made, and following discussion, a proposal to create a select committee comprised of representatives of these groups was adopted unanimously. Upon motion and second made, and following discussion, a proposal to add non-voting representatives from these groups to four Faculty Senate standing committees was adopted unanimously with six abstentions noted.  The two proposals were combined into a single resolution with a shared preamble, which is included here. 

Internal Discussion on the Economic Status of the Faculty. The discussion was deferred to a future meeting. 

New Business. Several SEC members raised discussion a matter related to the Presidential Search Committee. 

Whereas, the Senate Committee on Faculty and Academic Mission (SCOF) found that associated faculty and academic support staff play vital roles in teaching, advising, program development, and the broader academic mission of the University; and 

Whereas, SCOF’s review of governance practices at peer institutions and within several Penn schools found that inclusion of these groups in shared governance is common and can strengthen communication, representation, and engagement in the academic mission; and 

Whereas, SCOF recommends a phased approach to expanding participation in Faculty Senate governance through practical and immediately actionable measures that can be implemented within existing Faculty Senate structures;  

Be it resolved that for academic years 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 the Senate Executive Committee establishes a select committee of ten members appointed by the Senate Nominating Committee for renewable, one-year terms. The committee shall be comprised of full-time members of the associated faculty and the academic support staff and shall report periodically to SEC. The chair of the committee shall be chosen by the Senate tri-chairs from amongst its members and shall be invited to serve as a non-voting participant on SEC. The committee shall identify issues affecting associated faculty and academic support staff and shall convey those issues, together with its recommendations, to SEC.

Be it further resolved that one full-time member of the associated faculty and one full-time member of the academic support staff shall be eligible to serve as non-voting members of four existing Faculty Senate standing committees (SCFDDE, SCOA, SCOF, and SCSEP), thereby expanding opportunities for participation in committee work and informing future consideration of faculty governance structures. 

Endorsed: Penn Faculty Senate Executive Committee, October 7, 2026.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 
Hall of Flags, Houston Hall 
4–6 p.m.

I. Welcome
II. Approval of the minutes of September 9, 2026
III. Follow up comments or questions on Status Reports
IV. State of the University, Report of the President: Penn Forward
V. Provost’s Report: Update on Open Expression Guidelines
VI. Report: New Business topics raised at the September 9, 2026, University Council meeting
VII. Announcement of Open Forum
VIII. New Business
IX. Adjournment

Penn Nursing’s Justinna Dixon was named a 2026 STAT News Wunderkind, which recognizes standout early-career researchers who are making extraordinary contributions to biomedical science before becoming independent scientists. 

“As a first-generation college graduate and first-generation Jamaican American from a low-income family, being named a 2026 STAT News Wunderkind is a beautiful testament to the profound power of the mentors in my career who helped open doors for me to succeed that I never knew could exist,” said Dr. Dixon, a postdoctoral fellow appointed in both the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research and the National Clinician Scholars Program. “With less than one percent of registered nurses holding a PhD, as well as the majority of nurses completing their doctoral degrees when they are two decades older than I am today, I feel extremely optimistic for the future of my personal impact on nursing science and healthcare at scale. To be highlighted among other scientists who are deeply committed to supporting scientifically rigorous, clinically grounded research evidence for the betterment of our nation and world is an invaluable honor.”

In the 2026 cycle of Penn’s internally funded University Research Foundation, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research gave awards to the following members of the faculty for the projects listed below. Note: URF conference support is noted with an asterisk.

*Jaya Aysola, Perelman School of Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Penn Medicine Health Equity Week 2026

Venu Bandi, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Enhancing Precision Oncology Through Targeted Sonodynamic Therapy (TSDT): A Novel Low-Cost, Non-Invasive Approach to Tumor Ablation

John Nicholas Betley, School of Arts and Sciences, Biology, Identifying the gut-brain signals that change nutrient valuation in exercised individuals

Fritz Breithaupt, School of Arts and Sciences, French and Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies, In search of an emotional signature of narrative processing in the brain

Sanjeev Chawla, Perelman School of Medicine, Radiology, Investigating the Impact of Exogenous Ketone Supplement on Brain Metabolism, Physiology and Neurocognition in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Han-Chiao Isaac Chen, Perelman School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Motor cortex repair with human brain organoids

Hsiao-Wen Cheng, School of Arts and Sciences, East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Global Lives of Medicines: Materials, Markets, and Healing Practices across Asia

*D. Kacy Cullen, Perelman School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Biohybrid Neural Interfaces Symposium

Suradip Das, Perelman School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Tissue Engineered Innervated Myotendinuous Junction for Modeling Force Transmission

Peter Decherney, School of Arts and Sciences, Cinema and Media Studies, The New Diaspora

Ivan Dmochowski, School of Arts and Sciences, Chemistry, URF-Supported Instrumentation Upgrades Enable Discovery of Ligand Surfactants for Clean Rare Earth Element Separations with Undergraduate Researchers

Jessica Fishman, Perelman School of Medicine, Psychiatry, Evaluating Generative Artificial Intelligence for Health Communication Effectiveness: Proof-of-Concept Chatbot Experiments

Sarah Gitto, Perelman School of Medicine, Radiology, Depleting negative regulators of T cell exhaustion to enhance TIL therapy for ovarian cancer

*Philip Gressman, School of Arts and Sciences, Mathematics, Philadelphia Harmonic Analysis and Partial Differential Equations 2026 (PHADE 2026)

*Lorena Grundy, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Empowering Future Leaders: A Workshop on Reimagining STEM Graduate Energy and Sustainability Education Beyond the Benchtop

Timothy Hogue, School of Arts and Sciences, Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Letting Go of Madaba: Malleable Territoriality in the Iron Age Levant

Emmelyn Hsieh, School of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, Establishing regional veterinary antibiograms to guide empirical treatment of canine urinary tract infections and pyoderma (Philadelphia, PA, 2026-2027)

Tiffany Peng Hwa, Perelman School of Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology, Feasibility and Normative Benchmarks for a Language-Agnostic Hearing Assessment

*Paloma Jeretič, School of Arts and Sciences, Linguistics, Experiments in Linguistic Meaning (ELM) Meeting, June 10-12, 2026

Eric Joyce, Perelman School of Medicine, Genetics, Exploring Nuclear Organization as a Novel Therapeutic Direction for Microdeletion Syndromes

George Kannarkat, Perelman School of Medicine, Neurology, Linking Parkinson’s Disease-Associated Toxicants to Alpha-Synuclein Pathology in Human Models

Eleni Katifori, School of Arts and Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Unraveling the biomechanics of the human placenta

Marin Kautz, Perelman School of Medicine, Psychiatry, Piloting a Digital Intervention Targeting Reward Sensitivity in Adolescents at Risk for Suicide

*Jianjing Kuang, School of Arts and Sciences, Linguistics, Speech Prosody 2026

Dae Hyun Lee, Perelman School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine, Relationship between clonal hematopoiesis and incident cardiovascular disease in prostate cancer

*Daniele Lorenzini, School of Arts and Sciences, Philosophy, Michel Foucault at 100

Randall Mason, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Rwandan Genocide Memorials: Heritage Conservation and Post-Conflict Reconciliation

Arnold Mathijssen, School of Arts and Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Biophysical regulators of bacterial upstream swimming

Monica McCallum, School of Arts and Sciences, Chemistry, Evaluating archaea as potential sources of novel antimicrobials

Jeremy McInerney, School of Arts and Sciences, Classical Studies, The Oxford History of the Classical Greek World

Jilian Melamed, Perelman School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, An mRNA-lipid nanoparticle tolerizing vaccine for multiple sclerosis

*Lisa Mitchell, School of Arts and Sciences, South Asia Studies, The People of the State Workshop: Personnel, Procedures, and the Paradoxes of Public Service Employment in India

Kahlilia Morris-Blanco, Perelman School of Medicine, Cell and Developmental Biology, Epigenetic Determinants of Sex Differences in Stroke

K. Jane Muir, School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, Safety Approaches and Factors to improve work Environments and Resources for hospital safety (SAFER)

Paul Regier, Perelman School of Medicine, Psychiatry, Multimodal Brain Measurement to Advance Systems-Level Models of Opioid Use Disorder

Vincent Reina, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Evaluating the impact of policies aimed at preventing child and youth homelessness

*Antonia Rotolo, School of Veterinary Medicine, Pathobiology, 2026 iNKT Meeting: Harnessing iNKT cells for clinical applications: from biology to therapy

Marc Schmidt, School of Arts and Sciences, Biology, Neural bases of motor compensation in a multi-effector system

Lisa Servon, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, The Financialization of the Criminal Legal System in Philadelphia: A Spatial and Racial Analysis of the Impact of Monetary Sanctions on Families and Communities

Samuel Shin, Perelman School of Medicine, Neurology, Optical Monitoring for Detection of Cortical Spreading Depolarization

*Henry Towsner, School of Arts and Sciences, Mathematics, North American Annual Meeting of the Association for Symbolic Logic

Chung Sang Tse, Perelman School of Medicine, Gastroenterology, A Phase II Open-label Study of Duloxetine to Reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Related Disability and Psychological Distress

Yeong Shin Yim, Perelman School of Medicine, Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Maternal immune-regulated chemokine signaling in corticogenesis

Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) welcomed its sixth cohort of SP2 Scholars, a competitive scholarship program which aims to enhance the school’s ongoing commitment to the recruitment and retention of master’s students with a particular interest in and demonstrated capacity for leadership in social good.

SP2 Scholars receive full tuition benefits, are supported through an enriched structure of mentorship and additional training opportunities, and are part of a dynamic cohort of students. SP2 associate professor Yoosun Park is faculty director of the program and Jessie Harper is the director of the program.

The new scholars are Celene Bennett (MSW/MSSP Dual Degree Program); Ashley Ogwang (MSW Program); Dahlia Tarver (MSSP+DA Program); Daisha Thomas-Duffin (MSW/MS in Criminology Dual Degree Program); Ridhika Tripathee (MSW Program); and Sydney Turner (MSW Program). Returning scholars are Stephanie Hasford (MSSP Program) and Luke Horton (MSW/MSEd Dual Degree Program).

In partnership with the Mexican Cultural Center, the Penn Museum will showcase Mexico’s vibrant cultural traditions with its 15^th annual CultureFest! Día de los Muertos celebration on Saturday, October 24, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Observed in Latino communities around the world, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) can be traced back 3,000 years to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

“Día de los Muertos is such a beautiful expression of Mexican culture, bringing together family, memory, art, and tradition,” explained Matt Cárdenas, Director of Programs at the Mexican Cultural Center of Philadelphia. “Our incredible partnership with the Penn Museum allows us to share that tradition with people from across Philadelphia, while creating an opportunity for new audiences to experience, learn about, and celebrate Mexican culture alongside our community.”

A monumental ofrenda—an elaborate communal altar that honors those who have passed—will serve as the event’s centerpiece. The theme of this year’s ofrenda, hand-crafted and assembled over the course of a week by artists Pamela Plata and Juanita Aguilar, is “When Spirits Dance: A Tribute to Amalia Hernández,” honoring the Mexican choreographer who founded Ballet Folkloric de Mexico in 1952.

The all-day festival includes an artisan marketplace, activities, bilingual storytelling, and live music, and dance performances, such as:

• 11–11:35 a.m. Esmeralda LaCor (music presentation)
• 11:30 a.m. Family Adventures (bite-sized interactive gallery experiences)
• Noon–12:30 p.m. La Catrina Monarca: El Vuelo Sagrado de las Almas/A Sacred Flight (bilingual storytelling)
• 1:40–2:10 p.m. Danza Tonantzin (dance presentation)
• 2:20–3 p.m. La Catrina Monarca: El Vuelo Sagrado de las Almas/A Sacred Flight (bilingual storytelling)
• 3:15 p.m. Free samples of Pan de Muerto (bread) & Mexican Hot Chocolate
• 3:30 p.m. Announcement: Winners of the Community Altar Contest, followed by Family Adventures (bite-sized interactive gallery experiences).

The Penn Museum’s Mexico and Central America Gallery explores the stories of powerful ancient societies, including the Maya, Aztec, and Zapotec, while welcoming visitors to learn more about the traditions of people living in Mexico and Central America today.

All CultureFest! Día de los Muertos activities are included with Penn Museum admission, which is free for members, PennCard holders, and Penn Medicine patients and staff. To buy tickets, click here.

The Penn Libraries are excited to host a robust slate of activities and events as part of International Open Access (OA) Week 2026, held October 19-23. Find the full list and registration details on the Penn Libraries website.

This year’s keynote speaker, Christopher Steven Marcum, is an expert in federal data policy, open science, and scientific integrity who has served in key advisory roles across the Executive Office of the President. He is currently the senior advisor for federal data policy at the Federation of American Scientists. His talk, titled Two Truths and a Lie: Public Access Policy, Publishing, and Pilfering, will be held on Thursday, October 22 from 2:30-4 p.m., both in Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center and online. The event is sponsored by the Penn Libraries’ Research Data & Digital Scholarship department. All are welcome, but registration is required.

About International Open Access Week

This year’s event marks its eighteenth iteration and celebrates the scholarly community’s efforts to make it easier to share scholarship and academic research freely. For many years, OA Week has focused on a central theme that inspires discussion and looks to the future to see how research can impact society. The theme for OA Week 2026 is “The Cost of Knowledge.” While recognizing that accessing and sharing knowledge is a human right, the theme asks us to consider the visible and invisible costs of this work and who benefits from sharing knowledge.

Open Access Resources

The Penn Libraries offer year-round support for Penn authors who are preparing to publish their research. 

Explore open access options, contact a subject librarian in your discipline, learn about places to share your data, or use the new Open Journal Finder to search for a journal and see if it’s covered by a Penn Libraries publisher agreement.

Exhibits

15        Chrysalis (Pragya Gupta); Pragya Gupta’s work is about transformation; her practice is grounded in a sustained inquiry into what it means to become intimate with one’s own life; and her paintings explore the tension between the selves we construct and the more intimate parts of ourselves that can be harder to hear; Feintuch Family Lobby, Annenberg Center. Through December 13.

Films

16        Un Poeta; an aging poet finds purpose mentoring Yurlady, a talented teen, though exposing her to the poetry scene might be unwise; his own poetic pursuits led nowhere, leaving him a stereotypical obscure writer; 5:30 p.m.; room 473, McNeil Building; register: https://tinyurl.com/un-poeta-oct-16 (Center for Latin American & Latinx Studies).

19        Translating Ulysses; follows Kurdish writer and translator Kawa Nemir as he navigates exile, language, and cultural displacement while undertaking an ambitious project: translating James Joyce’s Ulysses into Kurdish; 5:30 p.m.; room 241, Van Pelt Library; register: https://libcal.library.upenn.edu/event/17756398 (Penn Libraries, Middle East Center).

20        Taking Root; amplifies the stories of Southeast Asians who resettled in Philadelphia after the American War in Vietnam; highlights the intergenerational impact of structural violence and demonstrates the power of Southeast Asians in resisting and rebuilding in America; 11 a.m.; room 473, McNeil Building; RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/taking-root-oct-20 (Asian American Studies).

Learning & Workshops

15        President’s Engagement and Innovation Prizes Info Session; learn more about the President’s Engagement Prize and President’s Innovation Prize, two of Penn’s most notable student awards; 4 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/curf-workshop-oct-15 (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

19        Religious Studies Information Session for Prospective Doctoral Students; Donovan Schaefer, religious studies, will give an overview of the application process and take questions; 5 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/94907722947 (Religious Studies).

Penn Libraries

Various locations. Info: https://www.library.upenn.edu/events.

15        Coffee with a Codex: Commentary on a Commentary; noon; online webinar.

            Vibe Coding and Its Discontents: Live at the Penn Libraries; 12:30-3:30 p.m.; Research Data & Digital Scholarship Exchange, Van Pelt Library.

On Stage

14        Mask and Wig Presents Rex and the City; popular Penn troupe the Mask & Wig Club presents an intriguing tale of amateur paleontologists sent to find some fossils that might restore visitors to the suspiciously empty Penn Museum; 7:30 p.m.; Iron Gate Theater; tickets: $15-$30 (Platt Student Performing Arts House). Also October 15, 6 and 8:30 p.m.; October 16, 6 and 8:30 p.m.; October 17, 5:30 and 8 p.m.

16        Performance: Wilmer Wilson IV: Skirl; Wilmer Wilson IV embarks on a durational, ambulatory performance across parks, streets, and sidewalks of Philadelphia; the performance begins at ICA promptly at 11 a.m., and takes place offsite at unplanned locations; 11 a.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). Also October 17, 11 a.m.

Readings & Signings

20        American Metropolis: The Making of Mexico City; Tatiana Seijas, Rutgers University; 5:15 p.m.; room 209, College Hall (History, Center for Latin American & Latinx Studies).

Kelly Writers House

In-person events at Arts Café, Kelly Writers House. Info: https://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/1026.php.

19        Afrofuturism at the End of the World; Tavia Nyong’o, Yale University; 6 p.m.

Special Events

15        Wear Purple to Support Survivors of Domestic Violence; each year, Penn Violence Prevention hosts “Paint Penn Purple” Day, a spin-off of Paint Philly Purple Day, which is recognized by organizations across the city; purple is the color of the anti-domestic violence movement, and October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month; 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Locust Walk (LGBT Center, Penn Violence Prevention, Penn Women’s Center).

Talks

13        A Conversation; Kathy Jennings, Delaware Attorney General; noon; room 214, Gittis Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/jennings-talk-oct-15 (American Constitution Society).

            Is Your Robot Policy Better Than Mine? Rigorous Methods to Evaluate (and Intervene on) Policy Synthesis; David Snyder, electrical & systems engineering; Where Should the Graph Go in a Graph Signal Diffusion Model? Yiğit Berkay Uslu, electrical & systems engineering; noon; room 313, Singh Center for Nanotechnology (Electrical & Systems Engineering).

14        Integrated Learning and Planning with Neuro-Symbolic Concepts; Jiayuan Mao, GRASP Lab; noon; room 414, Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/97645937545 (AI-Enabled Systems: Safe, Explainable, and Trustworthy Center).

            A Quaker Becomes a Wolverine Who Computes for Cosmology and Campus; Gus Evrard, University of Michigan; 3:30 p.m.; room A8, DRL (Physics & Astronomy).

            Leadership and Democracy in a Changing World; Andy Kim, U.S. Senator; 3:45 p.m.; Perry World House; register: https://tinyurl.com/kim-talk-oct-14 (Perry World House).

15        Very Cool! Preventing Unwanted Ice Adhesion; Kevin Golovin, University of Toronto; 10:15 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

            Artificial Intelligence: Useful Tool, Genie or Demon? Mitch Marcus, computer & information science; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/marcus-talk-oct-15 (Penn Association of Senior & Emeritus Faculty).

            Dynamics of Large-Step Gradient Descent Near Flat Minima; Lachlan MacDonald, electrical & systems engineering; noon; room 414, Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/98220304722 (IDEAS Center, Penn AI, Statistics & Data Science).

            The Real Price of AI: Data Centers, Equity, and the Planet; Jane E. Dmochowski, Earth & environmental science; noon; Blank Forum, PCPSE; register: https://tinyurl.com/dmochowski-talk-oct-15 (SAS Community Forum).

            Robust Multi-Agent Autonomy Under Uncertainty; Jonathan P. How, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; noon; room 225, Towne Building, and Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/how-talk-oct-15 (Electrical & Systems Engineering).

            China, the Iran War, and the Future of the Gulf; Aaron Glasserman, Columbia University; 12:15 p.m.; room 418, PCPSE (Center for the Study of Contemporary China).

            Causal Inference with Hidden Variables: Beyond Identification and Toward a Theory of Efficient Inference; Razieh Nabi, Emory University; 1:30 p.m.; room 5E-031, 3600 Civic Center Blvd, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/nabi-talk-oct-15 (Center for Causal Inference).

            Retrieval Capabilities of Legal AI Tools; Justin Tung, Jackson Walker LLP; 3 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/tung-talk-oct-15 (Penn Carey Law Biddle Speaker Series).

            The Math Behind Equivariant CNNs: Group Representations; Jean Gallier, computer & information science; 3:30 p.m.; room 414, Gutmann Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/95199540577 (GRASP Lab).

            Innovation & Competition for Insurance and Cybersecurity: Does Cyber Insurance Offer Symbol or Security? Shauhin Talesh, University of California, Irvine; 4:30 p.m.; room 240B, Silverman Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/talesh-talk-oct-15 (Schlein Center for Cybersecurity).

            Réunion: A Gateway to Living Together? Florient Jousse, actor; 5:15 p.m.; room 543, Williams Hall (Francophone, Italian & Germanic Studies).

16        Collective Memory, Collective Imaging; Christina Cho, Summer Search Philadelphia; noon; room 473, McNeil Building; register: https://tinyurl.com/cho-talk-oct-16 (Asian American Studies).

            Drippy, Wavy Arctic Soil Patterns Analogous to Fluid Instabilities: A Chalk Talk; Rachel Glade, University of Rochester; 3 p.m.; room 358, Hayden Hall (Earth & Environmental Science).

19        The World’s Most Impossible Job: Priorities for the Next Secretary-General; panel of speakers; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/pwh-talk-oct-19 (Perry World House).

            What’s in Our Water? Reducing Health Risks of Chronic Microplastic Exposure; Samantha McBride and Derek Ho, Philadelphia Regional Center for Children’s Environmental Health; 2 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/mcbride-ho-oct-19 (Philadelphia Regional Center for Children’s Environmental Health).

            Learner Engagement in Asynchronous Learning: Insights from the Global South; Shruti Mehta, Penn GSE; 3 p.m.; rom 367, McNeil Building (Sociology).

            Fee Deputies, the Basketball Ordinance and Other Tales of Race in the “Liberal” North; Matthew Countryman, University of Michigan; 5 p.m.; room 209, College Hall (History).

20        A Quarter Century Since India’s “Urban Turn”; Amita Baviskar, Ashoka University; Amita Baviskar, University of Minnesota; 9:30 a.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/baviskar-talk-oct-20 (Center for the Advanced Study of India; India-U.S. Urban Studies Network).

            Learning Robot World Models Through Play; Anirudha Majumdar, Princeton University; noon; room 225, Towne Building (Electrical & Systems Engineering).

            The Osteoarthritis Microenvironment from Aging and Pain to Disease Modification; Mildred C. Embree, Penn Dental Medicine; 1:30 p.m.; Austrian Auditorium, Rubenstein Research Building (Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders).

Chemistry

In-person events in Carolyn Hoff Lynch Lecture Hall, 1973 Chemistry Building. Info: https://www.chem.upenn.edu/events.

14        Directed Evolution to Advance Genome-Editing Technologies; Weixin Tang, University of Chicago; noon.

History of Art

In-person events in room 113, Jaffe Building. Info: https://arth.sas.upenn.edu/calendar/month/2026-10.

14        Onomatopoeia and Shivering: Listening to the Italian Renaissance in postwar South Korea; David Young Kim, history of art; 3:30 p.m.

Mathematics

In-person events. Info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events.

14        Chromatic Homotopy Theory; Tomer Schlank, Harvard University; 3:30 p.m.; room A4, DRL.

15        Stable Homotopy Theory and $p$-Adic Geometry; Tomer Schlank, Harvard University; 3:30 p.m.; room A4, DRL.

            Representation Stability of Projective 0-Hecke Modules; Nikita Borisov, mathematics; 3:30 p.m.; room 3C8, DRL.

16        Algebraic $K$-Theory; Tomer Schlank, Harvard University; 3:30 p.m.; room A2, DRL.

19        Differential Central Simple Algebras and Picard–Vessiot Splitting Fields; Manujith Michel, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research; 3:15 p.m.; room 4N30, DRL.

This is an update to the October AT PENN calendar. To submit events for upcoming AT PENN calendars or weekly updates, email almanac@upenn.edu.  

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 September 28-October 4, 2026. 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 September 28-October 4, 2026. The Penn Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd 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 30^th Street to 43^rd Street

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

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 4 incidents were reported for September 28-October 4, 2026 by the 18^th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland 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.

Nominate a Penn staff member or team for the 2027 Models of Excellence Awards, now through November 6, 2026.

Help us honor and celebrate the remarkable achievements of Penn’s full- and part-time staff across schools and centers. The Models of Excellence Awards program honors the individuals and teams who embody Penn’s enduring values and advance the University’s mission.

Nominators are asked to reflect on and connect their nominee’s contributions to Penn Forward and/or to the values outlined in In Principle and Practice: Penn’s Focus on Tomorrow.

Anyone in the Penn community may nominate University staff members in one of three award categories:

• Pillars of Excellence Award
• Models of Innovation Award
• Model Supervisor Award

Each award recipient receives an engraved keepsake and a gift of $500. Winners will be announced in the spring, and we’ll celebrate together at the Models of Excellence Awards ceremony on May 10, 2027, in Harrison Auditorium at the Penn Museum.

To Make Nominations:

• Visit the Models of Excellence Awards web page to access the online nomination form and download the call for nominations brochure.
• Review the eligibility criteria and category standards.
• Submit your completed nomination—including two reference letters and supervisor verification—by November 6, 2026.

Virtual Nomination Information Session:

Learn how to write a compelling nomination that highlights your nominee’s contributions at a workshop on Thursday, October 15, at 12:30 p.m. Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/models-infosession. Let’s make sure we bring forward stories about the incredible work of Penn staff members. For questions or more details, visit the www.hr.upenn.edu/models or email models@hr.upenn.edu.

—Division of Human Resources

The Diabetes Research Center (DRC) of the University of Pennsylvania is accepting applications for support to perform pilot and feasibility (P&F) studies in diabetes and related endocrine and metabolic disorders.

The application deadline is Monday, December 7, 2026, by 5 p.m.

The P&F program is intended to support new investigators and established investigators new to diabetes research. Established diabetes investigators pursing high-impact/high-risk projects or projects that are a significant departure from their usual work are also eligible for support under the DRC P&F program. Applications are welcome from basic, clinical, and translational investigators.

Grants will be reviewed by the DRC Pilot and Feasibility Review Committee, as well as internal and external reviewers. The maximum funding level is $50,000.

For detailed information and instructions, visit https://www.med.upenn.edu/idom/drc/pilot_app.html.

Investigators who are currently in their first year of support through this P&F program may reapply for an additional year of funding. Continuation requests need to be carefully justified and will be considered as competing renewals.

For more information please contact Lisa Henry, manager of the DRC Pilot & Feasibility Grants Program, at henryli@mail.med.upenn.edu, Patrick Seale, director of the DRC Pilot & Feasibility Grants Program, at sealep@pennmedicine.upenn.edu, or Doris Stoffers, associate director of the DRC Pilot & Feasibility Grants Program, at stoffers@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

For years, we have signed into our accounts using a username and a password. That’s the way it’s been from the early days of using computers. Passkeys are different. A passkey is a more secure replacement for conventional passwords.

Instead of creating a password that you must remember or store in a password manager, a passkey is a digitally generated credential that replaces traditional passwords and cannot be shared. A passkey is securely generated and stored on your computer or trusted device, and secured by your biometric: fingerprint, face or touch, or your personal PIN to verify yourself.

Unlike passwords, passkeys can’t be guessed by hackers, and they help protect you from fake login pages. They are unique and are created for each application or resource, eliminating the risk of duplicates, which can occur with reusing passwords.

While the benefits of passkeys are numerous, you should still be aware of some of the risks such as an unsecured passkey device or the loss of a physical device. Since passkeys often are stored on your computer or device, you need to make sure you keep it secure and updated. Whenever possible, enable the passkey backup and recovery option for your devices to ensure you can regain access if the device is stolen, damaged or lost.  

As more websites, applications, and online services begin supporting passkeys, consider adopting them as a safer and more convenient way to protect your accounts and personal information. 

If you have questions about using passkeys with Penn applications, please consult your school or center IT support staff for assistance.

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts%23One-Step-Ahead.