September 15, 2026 Volume 73 Issue 6

We are pleased to announce the formation of an ad hoc Consultative Committee to advise us on the selection of the next Dean of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. The members of the Consultative Committee are listed below. The Committee welcomes—and will keep in the strictest confidence—nominations and input from all members of the University community. For fullest consideration, communications should be received, preferably in electronic form, no later than October 31, 2026, and may be sent to WeitzmanDeanSearch@upenn.edu.

—J. Larry Jameson, President
—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost

The members of the Ad Hoc Consultative Committee are:

Chair
Katharine O. Strunk, Dean and George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education (GSE)

Faculty
Francesca Russello Ammon, Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning and Historic Preservation (Weitzman School)
David S. Barnes, Associate Professor of History and Sociology of Science (SAS) 
Sharon Hayes, Professor of Fine Arts (Weitzman School)
Rashida Ng, Presidential Associate Professor of Architecture (Weitzman School) 
Catherine Seavitt, Martin and Margy Meyerson Professor of Urbanism (Weitzman School) 
Lisa Servon, Kevin and Erica Penn Presidential Professor (Weitzman School)
Eugenia South, Ralph Muller Presidential Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine (PSOM)

Students
Sydney Jones, MCP’27, MUSA’27
Mic Ma, MArch’26, MSD-PDD’27

Alumni
Mark Gardner, MArch’00
Matthew H. Nord, W’01, Chair, Stuart Weitzman School of Design Board of Advisors

Ex Officio
Joann Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs

Staff to the Committee
Pierce Buller, Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President
Eugene Vaynberg, Senior Director of Special Projects

Consultants to the Committee
Jackie Zavitz, Heidrick & Struggles
Meghan Ashbrock, Heidrick & Struggles

A transformational gift from Stanley C. Middleman will establish the Middleman Center at Penn Medicine at 3600 Civic Center Blvd. in Philadelphia and create the Middleman Fund at Penn Medicine, a new source of funding that is designed to advance the institution’s most promising scientific discoveries.

“I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and I’m proud to support Penn Medicine and the extraordinary work being done there to advance medicine and improve people’s lives,” said Stanley C. Middleman. “My hope is that the Middleman Fund will fuel the development of lifesaving therapies and new approaches to treating patients, and that the Middleman Center will bring together the people and ideas to make those breakthroughs possible.”

What began in 2018 as an eight-story office tower has since been reimagined with seven additional floors, including a 217,000-square-foot wet lab, office, and research facility, built atop an active, 250,000-square-foot office tower whose first seven floors have been newly refurbished. The new floors house teams from the Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Penn, a global hub for autoimmunity research and the leader of the Colton Consortium for Autoimmunity (spanning centers at Penn, NYU, Yale, Mount Sinai, and Tel Aviv University), and the High-Throughput Institute for Discovery, a specialized lab that enables testing on patient samples to help make diagnoses and guide treatments.

The Middleman Center will also bring together infectious disease research programs and advanced technologies, including the Holman Lab, a specialized biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) facility that will be equipped to safely study infectious disease specimens. The facilities will also assemble experts in commercialization and healthcare innovation from the Penn Center for Innovation and the Penn Center for Health Care Transformation and Innovation to work alongside scientists and clinicians.

“Anchoring the western edge of Penn Medicine’s campus, the Middleman Center is uniquely positioned to bring together biomedical researchers, physicians, medical students, patients, and experts from engineering, business, and other areas of the University of Pennsylvania,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “This creates an extraordinary environment for discovery—not just sparking ideas but seeing them all the way through to the moments where lives change for the better, as a result of discovery.”

“In today’s world of science and medicine, progress comes when researchers have the support to ask important questions and the time and resources to follow them wherever they lead,” said Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “This gift will help sustain that progress at the cutting edge of medicine, build on emerging findings, and create new paths for exploration across a broad range of diseases and disciplines.”

The gift will empower researchers at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine to pursue bold, early-stage ideas at pivotal moments. It will accelerate work on therapies for cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and other serious conditions, shortening the path from laboratory discovery to potential impact for millions of people.

Penn Medicine’s track record demonstrates the impact of early philanthropic investment. Breakthroughs, including CAR T cell therapy and foundational mRNA research, benefited from support that has allowed scientists to pursue innovative ideas and generate the evidence needed to advance patient care. The Middleman Fund expands that model at scale.

“Investing in our most promising research has long been Penn Medicine’s blueprint for bringing breakthrough science to patients around the world,” said Jonathan A. Epstein, Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. “The Middleman Fund will allow Penn Medicine to identify and support today’s ideas that can become the lifesaving treatments of tomorrow.”

Mr. Middleman is the founder and CEO of Freedom Mortgage, one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders and a leading Ginnie Mae servicer and VA and FHA lender, dedicated to expanding homeownership for military families, veterans, first-time homebuyers, and underserved communities. Through Freedom Cares, the philanthropic arm of Freedom Mortgage, Middleman has built a company culture of volunteerism and charitable giving that’s focused on strengthening the communities it serves.

Mr. Middleman, who built Freedom Mortgage and maintains deep ties in the region, also serves as vice chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies, as well as alternate governor of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. His philanthropic commitments include the Middleman Family Pavilion at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in King of Prussia and the Stanley C. Middleman Center for Innovation in Accounting at his alma mater, Temple University’s Fox School of Business. This new gift marks his first major philanthropic commitment to Penn Medicine, where he recently joined the Corporate Council, serving as an advisor and advocate.

Penn Vet celebrated the opening of the Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education at New Bolton Center in Chester County with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on August 25. Reflecting Penn Vet’s newly designed curriculum, the 11,800-square-foot clinical skills center is the first dedicated classroom space on the Kennett Square campus and the first new building at New Bolton Center since 2010—the first installment in a three-project redevelopment of the north campus.

Andrew M. Hoffman, Penn Vet’s Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine, opened the event, welcoming Gail and Jim Riepe and their daughter Christa, guests, students, faculty, and staff. In his opening remarks, Dean Hoffman reflected on Benjamin Franklin, founder of the University of Pennsylvania.

“Ben Franklin had strong views on learning spaces,” noted Dean Hoffman. “He favored a healthy location and natural environments rather than cramped, dark quarters. He valued outdoor spaces like gardens and orchards so that students could learn practical skills. You need only experience the Riepe Center, inside and out, on such a beautiful day as today, to recognize that all of these elements have come together to Ben Franklin’s specifications.”

“The Riepe Center was years in the making, and in the years ahead will transform New Bolton Center,” said Dean Hoffman. “Thank you, Gail, Jim, and Christa Riepe, for your lead gift for the center and for your longstanding commitment to our community and to veterinary medicine.”

To support pre-clinical and clinical students during their experience, the building features wet and dry simulation labs where students practice procedures on large- and small-animal high- and low-fidelity models and build competency. Dedicated breakout rooms host clinical student rounds, and the facility is anchored by the multipurpose classroom, which accommodates up to 124 and serves as a venue for large presentations or small-group sessions.

“Today Penn Vet takes a major step forward in student learning, leveraging high-fidelity models and the use of simulation materials to master skills in a low-stress environment,” said Barbara Dallap Schaer, New Bolton Center’s associate dean of clinical education and operations. “Penn Vet students will be more prepared to confidently care for their patients and competently enter the workforce thanks to the generosity of Gail and Jim Riepe.”

Liz Arbittier, New Bolton Center’s associate director of academic and community affairs, highlighted the building’s purpose-built spaces for hands-on learning, including a fabrication lab and 3D-printing center. “We stop solely being end users, and now finally have the opportunity to become innovative developers. A CT taken by our own diagnostic imaging team on Monday can be segmented, printed, and in a resident and student’s hands by Friday.”

At the end of the ceremony, Dean Hoffman presented the family with a painting of the building to mark the occasion, before Gail Riepe led the students and guests into the building for a tour and luncheon.

Penn Engineering has announced the appointment of retired Air Force General Timothy D. Haugh as a senior fellow in the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity and an adjunct professor in the department of computer and information science (CIS). He will also serve as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Perry World House, a fellow of the Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School, and a strategic advisor to Penn Medicine.

General Haugh brings to Penn more than three decades of leadership experience at the intersection of cybersecurity, intelligence, national defense, and emerging technologies. Throughout his military career, he led organizations responsible for defending critical systems, advancing cyber capabilities, and integrating intelligence with operational decision-making in an increasingly complex digital landscape. Most recently, he served as commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, where he oversaw global cyber operations, signals intelligence and the protection of critical networks.

“Penn prizes the distinctive strengths that military service members bring to our campus and missions,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “General Haugh’s experience at the highest levels of leadership, his expertise at the front lines of technology, security and policy, and his ethos of service will prove invaluable here as we prepare students to lead in a rapidly changing world. His Pennsylvania roots run deep, and we are proud to welcome him to the Penn community.”

Cybersecurity is vital to nearly every aspect of modern society, from healthcare, finance, energy, education and transportation to scientific research, national security and the technologies that power daily life. It is essential that universities advance the fundamental research needed to stay ahead of rapidly evolving cyber threats while educating the technical leaders, policymakers and entrepreneurs who will build and protect the digital systems of the future.

“General Haugh has spent his career at the forefront of cybersecurity, AI, and national defense during a period of extraordinary technological change,” said Vijay Kumar, the Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering. “His experience leading some of the nation’s most consequential cyber organizations, combined with his commitment to developing future leaders, will be an extraordinary asset to our students, faculty and the broader Penn community.”

At Penn Engineering, General Haugh will inform strategic research priorities and help to prepare the next generation of leaders to address challenges in securing digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, critical systems and emerging technologies. He will also teach courses in Penn Engineering and Penn Arts & Sciences, contributing to an interdisciplinary curriculum addressing artificial intelligence, cyber-enabled infrastructure, cybersecurity governance, and the protection of critical infrastructure.

At the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity, General Haugh will collaborate with faculty and students across disciplines to strengthen research, foster dialogue between academia and practitioners, and explore the technical, strategic and policy dimensions of cybersecurity.

“Cybersecurity is a problem that arises from technology, but it is not just a technical problem: Real solutions must balance both operational and business needs with security needs, and be informed by—and inform—law and policy,” said Michael Hicks, the Cecilia Fitler Moore Professor of Computer and Information Science and director of the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity. “General Haugh’s wide-ranging experiences at the highest levels have given him unique insights that our faculty and students will greatly value.”

General Haugh’s additional appointments at Perry World House and the Wharton School reflect the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of cybersecurity, which spans engineering, public policy, international affairs, business and organizational leadership. Together, these roles will help deepen collaboration across the University while connecting Penn’s research and educational programs with real-world challenges facing governments, industry and society.

Reed Edwin Pyeritz, professor emeritus of medicine and genetics in the Perelman School of Medicine, died on August 10, 2026 from interstitial lung disease. He was 78.

Dr. Pyeritz was born in Pittsburgh. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Delaware in 1968, and a master’s degree and doctorate in biological chemistry from Harvard University in 1972. He went on to receive his medical degree from Harvard in 1975 and subsequently trained in internal medicine and medical genetics at Johns Hopkins. After a decade in Pittsburgh, Dr. Pyeritz came to Penn in 2001 and spent more than two decades there. 

At Penn, Dr. Pyeritz treated patients, taught students, and conducted studies on genetic testing and patient-centered care. He was the co-director of Penn Medicine’s Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HTT) Program and chaired Penn’s Faculty Senate during the 2015-2016 academic year. 

Dr. Pyeritz’s life’s work was dedicated to Marfan Syndrome. He co-founded the Marfan Foundation in 1981 and the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics in 1991. His research and clinical work advanced the understanding and treatment of Marfan Syndrome, extending patient life expectancy by 30 years. His research in identifying the role of the FBN1 gene in Marfan Syndrome led to advances in the medical and surgical management of the disease. He published more than 700 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Dr. Pyeritz served as a co-editor of Emery and Rimoin’s Principles and Practice of Medical Genetics and Genomics, and his most recent book, Uncertain Precision: Managing Health Care with Personalized Technologies, was published earlier in 2026. His work received honors including the David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award in Medical Genetics and the Marfan Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Outside of his professional commitments, Dr. Pyeritz served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps, including during Operation Desert Storm. 

Dr. Pyeritz is survived by his wife, Jane Tumpson; daughters, Allyson and Abigail; granddaughters, Tallulah and Penelope; and son-in-law, Keith Hopkins.

A celebration of his work and life will take place later this year.

Sidney Arnold Bludman, professor emeritus of physics in the School of Arts & Sciences, died on August 21, 2026. He was 99.

Dr. Bludman was born in New York. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1943 and attended the City College of New York before transferring to Cornell University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1945 at age 18. He served in the United States Navy at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory from 1945 to 1946; he then earned his master’s degree in physics in 1948 and his doctorate in physics (studying under notable physicist Gregory Breit) in 1951, both from Yale University. 

Dr. Bludman’s teaching career began in 1950 at Lehigh University, but two years later he took a position on the staff of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, where he worked on high energy physics and helped to design an important magnetic spectrometer. He stayed at the laboratory until 1961, when he joined the physics department in Penn’s Faculty of Arts & Sciences (now School of Arts & Sciences) as a professor. He held that position for 37 years until his retirement in 1998. 

During his time at Penn, he conducted research on supernovae and their neutrino signals. Dr. Bludman sent a historic fax from Penn to colleagues at the University of Tokyo about Supernova 1987A, which encouraged the Kamiokande group to detect the neutrino signal from the explosion; this work later contributed to a Nobel Prize-winning project. Other research interests at Penn included covariant field theory, general relativity, properties of ultradense matter, gauge symmetries, and the rapidly accelerating universe. Dr. Bludman was named a fellow of the American Physical Society in 1996.

Dr. Bludman’s work was highly regarded by his peers. In 1956, he won a Gravity Research Foundation award for the essay “On the Existence of Gravitational Insulators.” He addressed the 2004 IAU meeting on the tercentenary of Kepler’s Supernova.  Dr. Bludman was also heavily involved in scientists’ rights, particularly dissidents and refuseniks in the Soviet Union.  In 1984, when the University of Pennsylvania awarded Soviet physicist and human rights advocate Andrei Sakharov an honorary degree, Dr. Bludman wrote the baccalaureate response “The Blessing and the Curse of Science.”

Dr. Bludman is survived by his wife, Ellen Schaffer; his sons, Joel Wittenberg and Lee Bludman; his grandchildren, Evan Schiff, Emily Stearns, Laurie Spiegel, Ruthie Wittenberg, and Rachel Wittenberg; and his two great-grandchildren. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the American Physical Society Forum on Diversity and Inclusion, 1 Physics Ellipse Drive, College Park, MD 20740. 

The University Council met on September 9, 2026 in the Hall of Flags at Houston Hall.

Penn President J. Larry Jameson welcomed those in attendance from across the University. He requested the Council’s consent to reappoint Michael McGarvey, associate professor of neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine, as University Council moderator. Scott Schafer, associate vice president, chief privacy officer and institutional compliance officer, will continue to serve as Parliamentarian.

Faculty Senate chair Roy Hamilton said that the University Council committee charges and the 2026-2027 focus issue topics were approved by the steering committee. The focus issue topics are: Penn Faculty in the Academy; Research and AI at Penn; Community Engagement; and New Student Orientation.

Lizann Boyle Rode, associate vice president and associate University secretary, addressed the new business topics raised at the April 29 meeting. Fourteen members of University Council provided comments regarding the proposed revisions to the Guidelines on Open Expression, which she noted were appreciated.

Several members of council spoke during the new business portion of the meeting. Concerns raised and information shared included:

• Wharton students potentially having a competitive advantage by receiving free access to Claude Expertise AI. It was proposed that all undergraduates be provided with free access.
• Casa Latina’s Open House and Procession of Flags will occur on the afternoon of September 15, helping to commemorate Latinx Heritage Month.
• A representative from Penn for Immigrant Rights (PIR) discussed the organization’s mission and highlighted upcoming events.
• The Assembly of International Students requests Penn’s support in navigating immigration challenges.
• PPSA, in collaboration with WPPSA and the Division of Human Resources, will host the 2026 Employee Resource Fair on October 1 (Almanac September 8, 2026).
• Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention (ASAP) requested a public statement about the manner in which Penn handles sexual misconduct complaints and education.
• The Penn Association for Gender Equity (PAGE) requested an acknowledgement of harm caused when Penn barred transgender women from competing on women’s athletic teams.

The next meeting of the University Council will take place on October 14, 2026.

Rangita de Silva de Alwis, a distinguished adjunct professor of law and global leadership in Penn Carey Law, has been reelected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) for the 2027-2030 term.

In the election by the U.N. General Assembly, Dr. de Silva de Alwis received 145 votes from 185 member states—the highest vote total.

Dr. de Silva de Alwis was first elected to the CEDAW Committee in 2023. During her first term, Dr. de Silva de Alwis authored an addendum to CEDAW General Recommendation No. 30, an international legal framework addressing women’s rights in conflict prevention, conflict, and post-conflict settings. Adopted by the committee in 2025, the framework addresses emerging challenges, including climate emergencies, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and evolving forms of conflict.

As part of her work with the committee, Dr. de Silva de Alwis has served as rapporteur for country reviews, including Iraq, South Korea, and Thailand. She also serves as chair of the individual complaints mechanism, leading the effort to harmonize the treaty body rules of procedure with the CEDAW and helping to define new jurisprudence on intersectionality and consent in rape.

In the coming months, she will write subregional and national legislative guidance on the elimination of child marriage and forced marriage with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Her scholarship on child marriage was cited by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud of the Supreme Court of India in a landmark December 2023 ruling on child marriage.

Her second term on the CEDAW Committee will begin in 2027.

Amy Jo Lisanti, a research assistant professor in Penn Nursing’s department of family and community health and at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, has secured two national research awards to study the implementation of the mental health screening of parents of children born with congenital heart disease (CHD). 

Findings from the two studies will lay the groundwork for a future multisite clinical trial that tests strategies to implement universal parent mental health screening across pediatric cardiac centers nationwide.

Dr. Lisanti has been selected as the sole recipient of the 2025 Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative (CNOC) Investigator Award, making her the first nurse scientist to earn this national honor. Dr. Lisanti leads an interdisciplinary research team across eight institutions for this two-year project, “Current State of Parent Mental Health Screening in Congenital Heart Disease and Identification of Implementation Strategies to Support a Universal Approach,” which focuses on: 

• Predictive Analytics: Using machine learning to identify child, parent, and social risk factors of parental psychological distress from existing CNOC Registry data. 
• National Benchmarking: Surveying site leaders across all 52 CNOC member hospitals to describe current parent mental health screening practices. 
• Identify Determinants of Implementation: Conducting qualitative clinician interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to parent mental health screening. 

Complementing the CNOC study, Dr. Lisanti has also received a one-year, $100,000 research grant from the Saving tiny Hearts Society (StHS), which runs from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027. Her study, “Parent-Informed Implementation Strategies for Parent Mental Health Screening in Congenital Heart Disease,” addresses family-centered implementation through: 

• Parent Interviews: Assessing screening feasibility, acceptability, and emotional safety across four major pediatric heart centers (Boston Children’s, Advocate Children’s, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Lurie Children’s). 
• Co-Designed Protocols: Partnering with an 8-10-member parent advisory board and the CNOC Community Outreach Committee to build standardized, parent-approved screening guidelines and resource referral workflows. 

“Parents of children with congenital heart disease are at increased risk for mental health issues, with a majority experiencing clinically significant psychological distress,” said Dr. Lisanti. “Identifying systemic barriers from the perspectives of parents and clinicians will allow us to design scalable, stakeholder-informed strategies so every parent receives the mental health support they need during and after their child’s hospitalizations for congenital heart disease.” 

The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) has appointed four Penn Nursing faculty members to leadership roles within AAN Science—a new partnership-focused initiative succeeding the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS) to advance nursing research and evidence-informed policy.

Antonia M. Villarruel, a professor and the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing, and Therese S. Richmond, a professor, have been appointed to the Science Advisory Council, which provides key insights to AAN’s Board of Directors on science-related issues, including trends in healthcare research, economic infrastructure, workforce capacity, ethical considerations, and digital advances in a rapidly evolving enterprise. They identify priorities that bridge research, clinical practice, patient populations, and technological advancements. 

Matthew McHugh, a professor, the Independence Chair for Nursing Education, and director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, has been appointed to the Standing Committee on the State of Nursing Science, which is charged with advancing scholarly and policy influence. The committee will develop substantive and forward-thinking position statements and reports, develop a national nursing research agenda, and provide key recommendations for a future AAN State of the Science convening. 

Dalmacio (Dennis) Flores, an associate professor and the Class of 1942 Endowed Term Chair, has been appointed to the Standing Committee on Scientific Leadership, which is responsible for elevating the role of nurse scientists in the field, within science policy sectors, and as healthcare leaders. Key responsibilities of the Standing Committee on Scientific Leadership include identifying and assisting in the development of programmatic opportunities across the career continuum, identifying nurse scientists to serve in federal advisory roles, and reviewing and recommending recipients for future AAN Science awards and grants. 

The initiative’s inaugural outreach efforts will include Nursing Science on the Hill: Advancing Patient Outcomes, an educational event for Congressional staff scheduled for October 7, 2026.

Boris Striepen, the Mark Whittier and Lila Griswold Allam Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Penn Vet, has received the Alice & C.C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). The honor recognizes established investigators who are making seminal contributions to the field of molecular parasitology.

Dr. Striepen’s award was one of nine annual honors announced on September 8 by the ASBMB. Society members nominated the winners for their significant contributions to biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as for training and supporting emerging scientists.

“This year’s award recipients exemplify the breadth and impact of our scientific community,” said ASBMB President Edward Eisenstein. “Their discoveries are advancing molecular life science, from foundational understanding to translational development, while their leadership, teaching, and mentorship are helping shape the next generation of scientists. ASBMB is honored to recognize their extraordinary contributions.”

Dr. Striepen’s research program focuses on Cryptosporidium parvum, which causes cryptosporidiosis, a zoonotic disease that causes diarrhea in millions of children and adults each year, especially in low-resource countries with poor-quality drinking water. Dr. Striepen seeks to understand the interactions between Cryptosporidium and the host immune system by using innovative strategies to genetically manipulate both.

“Striepen’s work transformed the Cryptosporidium field by developing genetic tools and experimental models that have enabled researchers to study the parasite’s biology, identify drug and vaccine targets, and advance treatment development,” said the ASBMB in its awards announcement.

Dr. Striepen will present his work at the 2027 ASBMB Annual Meeting, which will take place in April 2027 in Boston.

Shambhabi Gautam, an undergraduate bioengineering student in Penn Engineering, has been named to the 2026 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. She joins student civic leaders from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. 

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program that recognizes students who stand out for their leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in communities. 

Fellows are nominated by Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors, who are invited to select one exemplary community-committed student from their campus each year.

Through the fellowship, students engage in learning and networking opportunities that nurture their development as civic leaders. Programming emphasizes personal, professional, and civic growth that empowers them to collaborate effectively and create large-scale positive change. 

The federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, as amended, requires colleges and universities to provide information related to security policies and procedures and specific statistics for criminal incidents, arrests, and disciplinary referrals to students and employees, and to make the information and statistics available to prospective students and employees upon request. Federal law also requires institutions with on-campus housing to share an annual fire report with the campus community. The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA), enacted on December 23, 2024, amends the Clery Act to prioritize the prevention of and transparency about hazing incidents at colleges and universities. In compliance with the SCHA, the University has included these additional statistics in our 2026 Annual Security Report.

In addition, the Uniform Crime Reporting Act requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to provide information related to security policies and procedures to students, employees and applicants; to provide certain crime statistics to students and employees; and to make those statistics available to applicants and prospective employees upon request. 

To review Penn’s most recent annual report containing this information, please visit: https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/ASR/2026_ASR_PENN.pdf.  

You may request a paper copy of the report by calling the Office of the Vice President for Public Safety at (215) 898-7515 or by emailing vp@publicsafety.upenn.edu. 

—Division of Public Safety

Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania increasingly involves working with students with a range of different backgrounds and who have many different types of preparation for college and graduate school. The diversity of academic and work experiences students bring to classes may present a challenge for teaching. But finding ways to reach all students can make classrooms more lively and engaging for everyone.

In a talk on September 29 at 4 p.m., Jie Deng,  the Andrea B. Laporte Endowed Professor in the School of Nursing, will consider how to create classes that allow students to connect and learn, no matter their preparation. Speaking from her own experiences, Dr. Deng will argue that taking student interests and backgrounds into account in teaching will encourage students to expand their horizons both personally and professionally. By sharing strategies for bringing students’ individual interests and past experiences into the classroom, she will demonstrate ways to widen the range of possibility for all students.

For more information, visit https://cetli.upenn.edu/event/2026-evan-c-thompson-chair-lecture-on-excellence-in-teaching/. 

Penn Nursing is launching the fall 2026 “Nurses for the Vote, Chart the Future” civic engagement initiative. On September 15, they are tabling with Penn Leads the Vote on Locust Walk from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Penn Nursing will also host a table in Claire Fagin Hall from 2:30-4 p.m. Stop by for voting resources and registration!

For more information, visit https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/live/news/3813-nurses-for-the-vote-chart-the-future-national. 

The University of Pennsylvania will celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) from September 21–25, 2026, recognizing the significant contributions postdoctoral scholars make to Penn’s research, teaching, discovery, and academic community.

Throughout the week, Penn’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) and Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs (BPP), in partnership with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), will host professional development, wellness, networking, and social events for the postdoctoral community.

NPAW events are intended for Penn postdocs, BPP-affiliated postdocs at the Wistar Institute, Monell Chemical Senses Center, and Swarthmore College, and CHOP postdocs, unless otherwise indicated. Attendees should consult individual event listings for eligibility and registration information.

Penn schools, centers, departments, faculty, and mentors are encouraged to recognize their postdocs and support their participation in NPAW. Penn units hosting NPAW activities may also share them with OPA at opa@provost.upenn.edu for inclusion in NPAW communications.

2026 marks the 17th annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week. Sponsored by the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) since 2009 and officially recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, NPAW is now celebrated by organizations across the United States and around the world. All Penn postdoctoral scholars receive complimentary NPA membership, providing access to professional development programs, resources, and member benefits throughout the year.

Penn NPAW 2026 Schedule, Events & Registration: https://postdocs.upenn.edu/news/2026-national-postdoc-appreciation-week-at-penn-september-21-25/. 

National Postdoctoral Association­—NPAW 2026: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/2026 NPAW. 

Conferences

18        Penn Led International Action Collaborative to Address Global Healthcare Workforce Shortages and Hospital Patient Safety; a group of nurse leaders will showcase the international impact of the Penn Nursing led Magnet4Europe initiative in over 130 hospitals in 7 countries; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall; RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/nursing-conf-sep-18 (Penn Nursing).

Learning & Workshops

16        Penn Student Workshop—Beading Our Stories: Square Stitch Beading; Penn students are invited to explore the beauty and artistry of beadwork through examples from the Penn Museum collection, then learn the square stitch technique with Anishinaabe artist Madison Waters; 6:30 p.m.; Penn Museum (Penn Museum).

17        Regenerative Design: Practices for a Changing World; brings together practitioners who are rethinking how design engages climate, place, resources, and living systems; conversation will explore how ideas are being put into practice today through research, technology, collaboration, stewardship, and design; 6 p.m.; Upper Gallery, Meyerson Hall (Weitzman School of Design).

18        Pan-Asian American Community House Annual Open House; learn about Penn’s cultural hub for everyone interested in the diverse cultures and experiences of Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities across East, Southeast, South, Central, and West Asia, as well as the Pacific Islands; 3-5 p.m.; lobby, the ARCH (PAACH).

Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships

In-person events at room G08/09, College Hall. Info: https://curf.upenn.edu/events.

16        Fall Grant-Writing Workshop; learn how you can better position yourself to be a competitive applicant for the College Alumni Society Research Grant or Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant; 4 p.m.

22        Soros Fellowships Information Session; learn about a fellowship opportunity that provides merit-based graduate study funding for New Americans, immigrants, and children of immigrants who are poised to make significant contributions to U.S. culture, society, and academia; noon.

            NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Writing Workshop; learn basic grant writing skills, including information about writing for the GRFP specifically, and have the opportunity to workshop ideas for a research proposal; 5 p.m.

Morris Arboretum & Gardens

In-person events at Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Info and to register: https://www.morrisarboretum.org/see-do/events-calendar.

19        Explore Even Deeper; a weekend of self-directed activities as the seasons turn; explore hidden gems around the arboretum and see something you haven't seen before; all day. Also September 20.

Penn Libraries

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

16        AI Literacy Essentials: How to Be a More Critical User of Artificial Intelligence; will provide basic information about AI use, AI literacy, and how to be a more critical consumer of AI tools and AI-generated information; noon; room 241, Van Pelt Library.

            History of Text Technologies: Make Your Own Illuminated Initial; make your own illuminated initial on parchment, using gold leaf and paint; 2-4 p.m.; room 623, Van Pelt Library.

            New Acquisitions Showcase: Old Rags, New Threads; will showcase the most exciting new acquisitions made by the Kislak Center over the past twelve months; 2-6 p.m.; Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt Library.

17        Coffee with a Codex: Illuminated Maḥazor; Kislak Center curator Dot Porter will be joined by Judaica special collections cataloging librarian Louis Meiselman, who will discuss an illuminated maḥazor (a Hebrew prayer book); noon; online webinar.

            Manuscript Studies Interest Group: Music; a look at books about music—treatises and song books—from across time and around the world; 2-4 p.m.; room 623, Van Pelt Library.

21        History of Text Technologies: Writing with Quills; write with quills, on paper and parchment; 10 a.m.-noon; room 623, Van Pelt Library.

            What's New in Canvas for Fall 2026; will introduce and explore the notable changes in Canvas for fall 2026; noon; online webinar.

22        Getting Started with GitHub; participants will create GitHub accounts, navigate the interface, learn the terms that build foundational understanding, and discuss the platform's benefits and drawbacks; 10 a.m.; Research Data & Digital Scholarship Exchange, Van Pelt Library.

            Studio Use Training; a one-hour intensive session focused on proper studio practices to use Common Press independently as an advanced user; 11 a.m.; Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library.

            Code Your Own Local Small Language Model for AI; participants learn to build and run open-source AI models locally on everyday hardware while exploring AI infrastructure, privacy, ethics, environmental impacts, and minimal computing practices; 3 p.m.; Research Data & Digital Scholarship Exchange, Van Pelt Library.

Music

22        The Saami Brothers: Khayal and Qawwali: Lecture and Demonstration; learn about Qawwali, a form of Sufi devotional music that originated over 700 years ago and blends Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and South Asian musical traditions; 3:30 p.m.; room 329A, Max Kade Center (South Asian Studies).

Special Events

19        BIPOC Picnic; a fun gathering and delicious food to acknowledge and celebrate queer and transgender BIPOC communities across the Penn campus; 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; outside LGBT Center (LGBT Center).

Talks

15        Failure-Aware Iterative Learning of State-Control Invariant Sets; Ahmad Amine, electrical & systems engineering; noon; room 313, Singh Center for Nanotechnology (Electrical & Systems Engineering).

            How to Really Run a City Live! Michael Nutter, former mayor of Philadelphia; G.T. Bynum, former mayor of Tulsa; Kasim Reed, former mayor of Atlanta; 1 p.m.; Kleinman Energy Forum, Fisher Fine Arts Library; register: https://tinyurl.com/pspi-talk-sep-15 (Public Service and Policy Initiative).

16        Insights and Lessons Learned From a Decade of Clinical Trials in Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Courtney DiNardo, MD Anderson Cancer Center; 9 a.m.; room 11-102, 3600 Civic Center Blvd (Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics).

            Balancing Faith and Duty: The Ultra-Orthodox Draft and Its Implications for Israel’s Military and Society; Niva Golan-Nadir, Reichman University; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/golan-nadir-talk-sep-16 (Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies).

            Microbiome and Inflammation-Associated Intestinal Disease; Janelle Arthur, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; noon; Austrian Auditorium, Rubenstein Building (Microbiology).

            Electron Videography of Soft, Biological, and Energy Matter at the Nanoscale; Qian Chen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; 3:30 p.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering).

            Building Environments of Care; Benedetta Tagliabue, EMBT Architects; 6:30 p.m.; Plaza Gallery. Meyerson Hall (Architecture).

17        Genes, Neural Circuits, and Behavioral Diversification; Yun Ding, biology; noon; room 109, Leidy Laboratory, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/biology-seminars-fall-2026 (Biology).

            Incidence and Reporting of Domestic Violence in the “Shadow Pandemic”; Pilar Larroulet, Rutgers University; noon; room 403, McNeil Building (Criminology).

            Leveraging Structure for Faster Algorithms in Optimization and Diffusion; Mateo Diaz, University of Chicago; noon; room 414, Gutmann Hall (IDEAS Center, PennAI, Statistics & Data Science).

            Decoding the Moment: States Weigh in on Medicaid Fraud; Amir Bassiri, New York Department of Health; Drew Gonshorowski, former Medicaid director, state of Nebraska; Kevin Lownds, Massachusetts Attorney General’s office; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/ldi-talk-sep-18 (Leonard Davis Institute).

            Carnot Prize Policy Lecture and Award Ceremony; John Kerry, former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State; 5:30 p.m.; Coxe Hall, Penn Museum (Carnot Prize, Penn Climate).

18        Climate Leadership and Health; H.E. Aminath Shauna, former Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology of the Maldives; 9:30 a.m.; Perry World House and online livestream; register: https://perryworldhouse.upenn.edu/events/climate-leadership-and-health/ (Perry World House).

            Towards Self-Improving Machine Perception; Robotics: Georgia Gkioxari, California Institute of Technology; 10:30 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (GRASP Lab).

            Reimagining Financial Futures: What Black Women’s Debt-Free College Pathways Can Teach Us About Possibility Development; Candace Marie Henry, University of South Florida; 11 a.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/henry-talk-sep-18 (Graduate School of Education).

            Urban Regeneration and Historic Conservation: A Sustainable Strategy for Urban Development in China; Lin Wang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; 12:15 p.m.; room 418, PCPSE (Center for the Study of Contemporary China).

            The Fugitivity of Water; Ralph Lemon, artist; Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, Fisher Fine Arts Library; 6 p.m.; register: https://www.design.upenn.edu/events/ralph-lemon-fugitivity-water (Fine Arts).

21        Keep it Together! How Toxoplasma Builds a Mitoribosome From >50 rRNAs; Lilach Sheiner, University of Glasgow, Scotland; noon; room 132, Hill Pavilion, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/sheiner-talk-sep-21 (Global Health).

            Species; Theodore Schurr, Kevin Burke and Rebecca Winkler, anthropology; noon; room 345, Penn Museum (Anthropology).

22        The Dialectics of Infrastructural Power; Burçe Çelik, Loughborough University London; 5 p.m.; room 500 and plaza lobby, Annenberg School; register: https://tinyurl.com/celik-talk-sep-22 (Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication).

            The Discovery of Latin America at CEPAL; Tiago Saraiva, Drexel University; 5 p.m.; room 209, College Hall (History).

            Something Old, Something Blue: The Color of Innovation through Ancient Western Asian Seals; Pınar Durgun, Morgan Library and Museum; 6 p.m.; Penn Museum; register: https://penn.museum/calendar/1707/archaeology-institute-of-america-lecture (Penn Museum, Archaeology Institute of America).

Chemistry

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

16        Imaging Exciton Transport and Quantum Interactions from Molecules to Materials; Libai Huang, Purdue University; noon.

22        Cartography with Clusters: Mapping Surface Science Mechanisms with Atomic Precision; Joshua Buss, University of Michigan; noon.

Economics

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

16        Customer Competition in Credit Card Markets; Kenneth Eva, economics; noon; room 101, PCPSE.

            Redistributing Peer Effects; Paolo Martellini, New York University; 4 p.m.; room 200, PCPSE.

21        Adaptive Experimentation Under Robustness; Abhi Vemulapati, economics; noon; room 203, PCPSE.

            Do Past Wealth Gaps Explain Modern Inequality? Evidence from Immigration to the United States; Brian Marein, Wake Forest University; 3:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

This is an update to the September AT PENN calendar, which is online now. Submit events to almanac@upenn.edu for an upcoming AT PENN calendar or weekly update.  

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 August 31-September 6, 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 August 31-September 6, 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: 12 incidents were reported for August 31-September 6, 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.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Involvement Recognition Awards will be presented to individuals in the following areas:

• Community Award is presented to residents (youth and/or adult) of the greater Philadelphia community who are involved in community service and/or working for social justice through non-violent efforts aimed at alleviating systemic inequalities related to poverty, racism, or militarism.
• Community Award is presented to a Penn faculty or staff member who is involved in community service and/or working for social justice through non-violent efforts to alleviate systemic inequalities related to poverty, racism, or militarism.
• Community Award is presented to one Penn undergraduate and one Penn graduate student involved in community service and/or working for social justice through non-violent efforts to alleviate systemic inequalities related to poverty, racism, or militarism.
• The Rodin Education Award is presented to a Penn faculty or staff member, Penn student, or Philadelphia resident who demonstrates significant contributions to community service and/or works for social justice efforts through advancing education and educational opportunities in Philadelphia.

The awards will be presented as part of Penn’s Interfaith program to commemorate the MLK holiday. We seek your help in nominating individuals whose work most merits recognition. Please share this information with others in your families, communities, schools, departments and organizations so that we may identify those most deserving of this award.

Nomination forms may be submitted by midnight on Friday, October 23, 2026. Electronic submissions can be made at https://tinyurl.com/upennmlk27. This method is preferred but not required.

If you prefer sending by mail, please send to the African-American Resource Center, Attn: Colleen Winn, 3643 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6230. Should you have any questions, please contact the African-American Resource Center at (215) 898-0104 or aarc@pobox.upenn.edu.

—2027 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Symposium Executive Planning Committee