January 19, 2016 Volume 62 Issue 19

Vice President and University Secretary Leslie Laird Kruhly has announced the 2016 honorary degree recipients, the Commencement Speaker and the Baccalaureate Speaker for the University of Pennsylvania. The Office of the University Secretary manages the honorary degree selection process and University Commencement.

See the biographies of this year’s honorary degree recipients.

The 260th Commencement ceremony will be streamed live over the Internet on Monday, May 16, 2016.

For University of Pennsylvania Commencement information, including historical information about the ceremony, academic regalia, prior speakers and honorary degree recipients, see www.upenn.edu/commencement

Commencement Speaker

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an award-winning composer, lyricist and performer, as well as a 2015 MacArthur Foundation Award recipient. His current musical, Hamilton—with book, music and lyrics by Mr. Miranda, in addition to him playing the title role—opened on Broadway in 2015 following a sold-out run at New York’s Public Theater. Off-Broadway, Hamilton received a record-breaking ten Lortel Awards, as well as three Outer Critic Circle Awards, eight Drama Desk Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Musical and an OBIE for Best New American Play. A 2002 graduate of Wesleyan University, Mr. Miranda began work on his musical In the Heights while a student there. In the Heights received four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, with Mr. Miranda receiving a Tony Award for Best Score as well as a nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. In the Heights also received a Grammy Award for its Original Broadway Cast Album and was a 2009 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama. Mr. Miranda is the co-composer and co-lyricist of the Tony-nominated Bring it On: The Musical. He contributed Spanish translations for the 2009 Broadway revival of West Side Story. Mr. Miranda is a co-founder/member of the hip-hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme. In 2014, Mr. Miranda received an Emmy Award with Tom Kitt for their song, “Bigger” from the 67th Annual Tony Awards telecast. Additional television and film appearances include “House,” “Modern Family,” “Sesame Street,” The Odd Life of Timothy Green and 200 Cartas. Mr. Miranda is the recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award and the National Arts Club Medal of Honor. He serves as a council member of The Dramatists Guild, board member of Young Playwrights Inc., and as an appointee to New York City’s Theater Subdistrict Council.

Mr. Miranda will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Arts.

Honorary Degree Recipients

Hawa Abdi

Hawa Abdi is a Somali human rights activist and physician and Somalia’s first female gynecologist. She is the founder and chairperson of the non-profit Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, which Dr. Abdi runs with her two physician daughters. Its mission is to create access to basic human rights for Somalis through sustainable institutions in healthcare, education, agriculture and social entrepreneurship. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Dr. Abdi attended medical school in Kiev on scholarship from the Women’s Committee of the Soviet Union, graduating in 1971. She earned her law degree in 1979 at Somali National University, where she later became an assistant professor of medicine. In 1983, on her family’s land, Dr. Abdi first opened her one-room clinic offering obstetric services to rural women. With the onset of civil war, her land became a refuge. By 2012, it housed more than 90,000 displaced by war and drought, most of whom were women, children and the elderly. In recent years, Dr. Abdi has faced armed violence, siege and kidnapping at the hands of militant rebels. Today, the Hawa Abdi Village encompasses a 400-bed hospital and school and offers residents shelter, fresh water, healthcare, and fishing and agricultural projects. Since its establishment, it has served an estimated two million people and saved tens of thousands of lives. Dr. Abdi’s memoir, Keeping Hope Alive: One Woman, 90,000 Lives Changed, was published in 2013. She is a 2012 Nobel Peace Prize nominee and the recipient of the Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award. Glamour magazine named her and her daughters among its 2010 “Women of the Year.” She also received the Women in the World Foundation’s Women of Impact Award, Vital Voices’ Women of the Year Award, BET’s Social Humanitarian Award and the John Jay Medal for Justice.

Dr. Abdi will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Sciences.

Elizabeth E. Bailey

Elizabeth E. Bailey is the John C. Hower Professor Emeritus of Business Economics and Public Policy at Penn’s Wharton School. Professor Bailey is renowned for her decades of research on economic regulation and deregulation, contestability theory, market structure, and corporate governance and social responsibility. Joining Wharton in 1991, she served as professor and chair of the department of business and public policy before retiring in 2010. Dr. Bailey was also a professor and dean of the Graduate School of Industrial Administration at Carnegie Mellon University from 1983 until 1991, and a visiting scholar at the Yale School of Organization and Management. After receiving degrees from Radcliffe College and Stevens Institute of Technology, Dr. Bailey was the first female doctoral candidate in economics at Princeton University, receiving her PhD in 1972. Dr. Bailey’s career began at Bell Laboratories, where she rose through the company’s ranks to eventually head its economics research department. Throughout her career, Dr. Bailey has held many leadership roles in the corporate and public sectors. She was a trustee of the Brookings Institution, with which she was associated for over 25 years. In 1977, President Carter appointed her as the first female commissioner of the Civil Aeronautics Board, where she played an instrumental role in U.S. airline industry deregulation. The author of numerous journal articles, Dr. Bailey was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 1997. A former vice president of the American Economics Association, Dr. Bailey headed its Committee on the Status of Women in Economics. She was also a member and president of the Eastern Economics Association and chair of the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is a former trustee of Princeton University and served on the boards for numerous corporations, including TIAA-CREF.

Dr. Bailey will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Sciences.

David Brooks

Journalist, commentator and author David Brooks is both an honoree and Penn’s 2016 Baccalaureate Speaker. He has been an op-ed columnist for The New York Times since 2003, writing on a broad range of sociological, cultural, political and moral issues. For nearly two decades Mr. Brooks has appeared on “The PBS Newshour,” NPR’s “All Things Considered” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He is the author of four books, including Bobos In Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There; The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement; and the 2015 New York Times bestseller The Road to Character. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Mr. Brooks is a graduate of the University of Chicago. Upon graduation, he became a police reporter for the City News Bureau, a wire service owned jointly by The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times, and later worked for The Washington Times. During his nine-year tenure at The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Brooks was posted in Brussels, reporting on Russia, the Middle East, South Africa and European affairs, and later was an op-ed editor. He also served as a senior editor at The Weekly Standard for nine years, and as a contributing editor for The Atlantic and Newsweek. His articles have appeared in The New Yorker, Forbes, The Washington Post, The TLS, Commentary, The Public Interest and many other periodicals. He is also editor of the anthology Backward and Upward: The New Conservative Writing. He served as a visiting professor at Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy in 2006, and has taught on humility at Yale University. Mr. Brooks is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In 2011, he was honored by the American Sociological Association for Excellence in Reporting of Social Issues.

Mr. Brooks will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Renée Fleming

Renée Fleming, one of the most celebrated musical artists of our time, has graced the world’s greatest opera stages and concert halls with her sumptuous soprano and compelling stage presence. Her recitals have spanned five continents; she notably performed at President Obama’s 2009 inaugural celebration, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony, the 2014 Super Bowl, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II and at the Brandenburg Gate on the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Having studied at the Eastman School of Music and the Julliard School, in 1991 Ms. Fleming debuted with the first of over 240 performances at the Metropolitan Opera and is the first woman in its 125-year history to solo headline an opening night gala. Ms. Fleming has hosted numerous television and radio broadcasts, including the Metropolitan Opera’s

‘Live in HD’ series and ‘Live from Lincoln Center’ on PBS. Known for bringing new audiences to classical music and opera, she has sung not only with Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo but also with Elton John, Sting, Lou Reed, Josh Groban and Joan Baez. Her recording repertoire spans many genres, including classical, jazz, indie-rock and pop, and has garnered international honors including four Grammy Awards. In 2010, Ms. Fleming became the first creative consultant at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She is a trustee of the Carnegie Hall Corporation and serves on the boards of the Asia Society, Sing for Hope and the Polyphony Foundation. Among Ms. Fleming’s many accolades are the National Medal of Arts, the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Honorary Membership in the Royal Academy of Music, Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit and the Victoire d’Honneur by the French Victoires de la Musique.

Ms. Fleming will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Music.

Sylvester James Gates Jr.

Sylvester James “Jim” Gates, Jr. is an American theoretical physicist known for his work on supersymmetry, supergravity and superstring theory. He is the recipient of two BS degrees and a PhD degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His doctoral thesis was the first at MIT to deal with supersymmetry. Dr. Gates is a University System Regents Professor, the John S. Toll Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland, College Park, the director of its String and Particle Theory Center and affiliate professor of mathematics. He serves on President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and on the Maryland State Board of Education. In 1984, he co-authored Superspace, the first comprehensive textbook on supersymmetry. In 2006, he completed a DVD series entitled Superstring Theory: The DNA of Reality, 24 half-hour lectures making the complexities of unification theory understandable for non-physicists. Dr. Gates is regularly featured on science documentary programs. In 2015, there were “The Big Bang Machine,” “The Great Math Mystery”  and “Inside Einstein’s Mind” as well as three others. He is a fellow and past president of the National Society of Black Physicists, and a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute of Physics in the United Kingdom. Dr. Gates is also a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the American Philosophical Society and in 2013 was the first African-American physicist elected to the National Academy of Sciences in its 150-year history. In 2013, President Obama awarded Dr. Gates the Medal of Science, the nation’s highest award given to scientists. Dr. Gates continues his research in supersymmetry in systems of particles, fields and strings.

Dr. Gates will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Sciences.

Asma Jahangir

Asma Jahangir is a Pakistani human rights lawyer who throughout her career has defended the most vulnerable Pakistani citizens—women, children, religious minorities and the poor. Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Ms. Jahangir is a graduate of Kinnaird College of Lahore and received her law degree from Punjab University. In 2010, she became the first woman elected as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. Her work has resulted in landmark cases promoting human rights and democratic values, often at the risk of her own safety as she has faced beatings, death threats, arrest and imprisonment. In 1986, she founded the first legal aid center and women’s shelter in Pakistan and partnered to form Pakistan’s first law firm established by women. She is a founding member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and served as its chair. She has co-chaired the South Asia Forum for Human Rights and served as vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights. Ms. Jahangir has also acted as the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary or Summary Executions and Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief. She is the recipient of a number of awards and honors, including the Millennium Peace Prize, the UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights, the North-South Award of the Council of Europe, the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award of Germany and the Pro Dignitate Humana Award of Poland. She has also received the Freedom of Religion award from the Dutch-based Four Freedoms Foundation, Sweden’s Right Livelihood Award, the awards Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Sitara-i-Imtiaz, among Pakistan’s highest honors, and the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee, in 2014 she was awarded an Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by France. She is the author of two books: Divine Sanction? The Hudood Ordinance and Children of a Lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan.

Ms. Jahangir will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws.

Eric R. Kandel

Eric R. Kandel is a renowned neuroscientist whose work has sought to illuminate the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory. He is University Professor at Columbia University, Kavli Professor and Director at the Kavli Institute for Brain Science, co-director at the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and a senior investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. A graduate of Harvard College and NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Kandel trained in neurobiology at the NIH and in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In 1974, he joined Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons as the founding director of the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior. Dr. Kandel is an editor of Principles of Neural Science, the field’s standard textbook, now in its fifth edition. His 2006 book for the general public, In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind, won both The Los Angeles Times and National Academy of Science Awards for best book in science and technology and resulted in a film documentary. In 2012, Dr. Kandel’s book, The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present, received Austria’s Bruno-Kreisky Award in Literature. In 2000, Dr. Kandel received the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine. He has also been recognized with the Albert Lasker Award, the Heineken Award of the Netherlands, the Gairdner Award of Canada, the Harvey Prize and the Wolf Prize of Israel and the National Medal of Science. Dr. Kandel is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and of the National Science Academies of Austria, France, Germany and Greece, and is a foreign member of the Royal Society of London.

Dr. Kandel will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Sciences.

The arms of the University of Pennsylvania may be regarded as a symbol of Penn, serving a decorative rather than a legal function. They memorialize two important influences in Penn’s founding, Benjamin Franklin and the Penn family. They include the three plates of the Penn family arms and the dolphin of the Franklin shield. The open books denote an institution of learning. The colors red and blue are believed to have been chosen by a student representing the University in a track meet held at Saratoga, New York in 1874. These colors were adopted by the Athletic Association in 1876 for use by University teams and by the Trustees in 1895 for use on the academic hood worn by the University’s graduates.

When the Trustees in 1910 adopted a design for the University flag they specified that: "The colors shall conform to the present standards used by the United States Government in its flags." The Red and Blue of Pennsylvania are therefore officially the hues maintained in the national ensign.

The Corporate Seal of the University, the so-called “pile of books” device, was designed by Provost William Smith and first cut by James Turner, the Colonial engraver. It shows, carried on a slant top desk, a pyramid of seven books, each titled with an academic discipline. Surrounding the books in a semi-circle is the University motto: Leges sine Moribus vanae (Laws without morals are in vain). The seal, used on all corporate documents, is also found engraved on the University Mace and podium.

Two students from the University of Pennsylvania and two Penn alumni are among 111 recipients of the inaugural Schwarzman Scholarships. The award funds one year of graduate studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing for each recipient. More than 3,000 people applied for the program.

Beginning in September, scholars will live in Beijing at Schwarzman College, a newly constructed state-of-the-art building on the Tsinghua campus built exclusively for the program. The first class of Schwarzman Scholars is composed of students from 32 countries and 71 universities.

Angela Chen, a Wharton senior from Vestal, New York, will pursue a master’s degree in economics and business, studying health-care challenges in China from medical and economic perspectives. A member of the Beta Gamma Sigma academic honor society and a Joseph Wharton Scholar, she led the launch of a public health initiative in West Philadelphia while conducting research on hospital charity care. She will graduate from Penn in May with a bachelor’s degree in economics concentrating in health-care management.

​Aaron Goldstein, a Wharton senior from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will pursue a master’s degree in economics and business as a Schwarzman Scholar. After co-founding the mobile health-care company Fever Smart, he was named Entrepreneur magazine’s College Entrepreneur of 2014. He hopes to leverage his knowledge of China to become a mediator betweenChina and the West, helping to facilitate the exchange of ideas and products across borders. He will graduate from Penn in May with a bachelor’s of science degree in economics with concentrations in risk management and finance.

The students applied for the Schwarzman Scholarships with assistance from Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF). Penn is one of only five universities worldwidewith more than three recipients. The others are Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Tsinghua.

Daniel Goldstern and Ryan Marschang are the two Penn alumni recipients of the Schwarzman.

Mr. Goldstern graduated from Penn in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He studied in Beijing, where the scale and complexity of China’s urban centers and infrastructure inspired the direction of his career. He is a real estate investment professional with Silverstein Properties. Mr. Goldstern will pursue a master’s degree in economics and business at Tsinghua.

Mr. Marschang graduated from Penn in 2014 with degrees in chemical engineering and economics as a member of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. He currently works as a reservoir engineer for ExxonMobil. At Penn, he gained experience in early stage venture capital work by helping to found the Dorm Room Fund in 2012. The previous year, he co-founded a building-integrated photovoltaic company. Mr. Marschang will focus his studies as a Schwarzman Scholar on Chinese energy policy and sustainable development in China.

The complete list of Schwarzman Scholars is available at http://schwarzmanscholars.org/scholars/ Information about applying for the scholarship is available on the CURF website at http://www.upenn.edu/curf/fellowships/fellowships-directory/schwarzman-scholarship

Provost Vincent Price announces the formation of a Consultative Committee to advise him on the appointment of the next Managing Director of the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Michael Rose will retire as Managing Director of the Annenberg Center on June 30, 2016, having served in the position since 1998.

The members of the Consultative Committee are:

• Anita L. Allen, Vice Provost for Faculty; Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law (Chair)

• David Brashear, Chair, Annenberg Center Board of Overseers

• Timothy Corrigan, Professor and Director of Cinema Studies

• Marcia Ferguson, Senior Lecturer and Director of Theatre Arts

• Laurie McCall, Director, Platt Student Performing Arts House

• Joann Mitchell, Vice President for Institutional Affairs;

    Member, Annenberg Center Board of Overseers

• Guthrie Ramsey, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor of Music

• Amy Sadao, Daniel Dietrich II Director, Institute of Contemporary Art

• Deborah Thomas, Professor of Anthropology and Africana Studies

• Salamishah Tillet, Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies

• Anna Weesner, Robert Weiss Professor and Chair of Music

Support for the search process will be provided by Leo Charney in the Office of the Provost and by the executive search firm Spencer Stuart.

The Committee welcomes confidential nominations and applications from all members of the Penn community, which can be sent by February 26, 2016 to: acpa@spencerstuart.com

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Each year Penn’s Way calls upon the strength of the Penn community to respond to the needs of those less fortunate. For this year’s Giving is Penn’s Way campaign you answered our call and then some! On behalf of the University and Health System leadership and our charitable partners from the Center for Responsible Funding, Penn Medicine and United Way, we would like to say thanks a million! Thanks a million for your commitment to sending a message of hope and support to the vulnerable populations these agencies serve.

Because of your generosity and compassion, the Penn’s Way 2016 Campaign met and exceeded its goal of $1,550,000! Our final total was $1,663,833.

We especially applaud the hard work and enthusiasm of the many individual volunteers who served as Penn’s Way volunteer coordinators and captains.

Our deepest thanks to them and to you for making the Penn’s Way 2016 Workplace Giving Campaign another remarkable success! Thank you.

Maureen S. Rush
Vice President for Public Safety
University of Pennsylvania
Penn’s Way 2016 Co-Chair

Susan E. Phillips
Senior Vice President for Public Affairs
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Penn’s Way 2016 Co-Chair

Laura Perna

James S. Riepe Professor, GSE
Chair-elect Faculty Senate
University of Pennsylvania
Penn’s Way 2016 Faculty Advisor    

Peter D. Quinn
Vice Dean for Professional Services
Senior Vice President
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Penn’s Way 2016 Faculty Advisor

The Interdisciplinary Arts Fund, awarded by the Provost’s Arts Advisory Council, supports art and culture initiatives at Penn that are collaborative and directly engage students. It aims to advance the role of art and culture in student and academic life, as well as the development of interdisciplinary, cross-campus and community partnerships.

Projects should engage a diverse range of students and bring together multiple groups, especially collaborations among Penn art and culture organizations and academic departments or centers. The Fund may provide seed money to develop large new cross-disciplinary initiatives and/or projects that already exist or are being planned. Programs for the current funding cycle must begin or take place within the next three years.

Proposals should consist of a project narrative (no more than three pages) and a detailed budget. The narrative section should address how the project will engage a diverse group of students, foster cross-campus partnerships, engage one or more of Penn’s art and culture centers and impact the Penn and/or Philadelphia communities. Projects may be funded in whole or in part; the Fund will ideally award up to eight grants of between $5,000-$10,000.

Questions can be addressed to Leo Charney in the Office of the Provost at lcharney@ upenn.edu

Proposals are due no later than February 26, 2016, submitted by email to provost-fac@upenn.edu Applicants will be notified of award decisions before the end of the spring semester. 

Ivar E. Berg, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, died on January 1. He was 86 years old.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he earned his AB with high honors in political science at Colgate University in 1954. He was a National Woodrow Wilson Fellow and a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Oslo from 1954 to 1955, then earned his doctorate at Harvard University in 1959. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, resigning as a major in 1965.

Dr. Berg taught at Columbia University and Vanderbilt University before joining the Penn faculty. He chaired Penn’s department of sociology (1979–1983) and served as dean of the College (1984-1989) and dean of Social Sciences (1989-1991). He helped to create Penn’s general requirement program and was said to be the only full-time Penn faculty member who brought all of his seminar classes to his home for dinner.

Dr. Berg was part of Penn’s residential system for many years. He served as the faculty fellow in Ware College House (1984-1986). In 1994, he became head faculty resident of Butcher/Speakman/Class of 1928, a position that was transformed into the faculty mastership of Goldberg College House when the College House system was launched in 1998. He and his wife, Associate Master Calli Berg, were famous for their weekly seminars and dinners held in their home. He stepped down as faculty master in 2000 (Almanac January 18, 2000).

He also served as chair of the Affirmative Action Council (Almanac October 12, 1982), director of the Program for Revitalizing Undergraduate Social Science Education (Almanac October 11, 1988), and at-large member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (Almanac January 21, 1997).

Dr. Berg received the Ira Abrams Award for Excellence in Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching (Almanac April 24, 2001). He retired from Penn and took emeritus status in 2009.

Dr. Berg made important contributions to the study of higher education, labor markets and industrial sociology. His classic book, Education and Jobs: The Great Training Robbery (1970) cast doubt on economists’ assertions that people with more education earn more because they are more skilled and productive; instead, employers frequently hire people to work in jobs that do not make use of their education. His book played a major role in a landmark civil rights decision by the US Supreme Court, Griggs vs. Duke Power Company (1971), and was credited with providing the basis of the theory of market signaling.

Among his many honors, he was elected a fellow of the International Academy of Management, which cited him as “one of the seminal figures in the sociological study of labor markets and the founder of economic sociology.”

Dr. Berg is survived by his wife, Sharon (Calli); a son and daughter-in-law, Geoffrey and Amy; and stepsons Jim Smallwood (Catta Keith) and Tim Smallwood (Staci Smallwood).

University Council Meeting Agenda

Wednesday, January 27

4 p.m., Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall

I. Approval of the minutes of December 2, 2015. (1 minute)

II. Follow up questions on status reports.

(5 minutes)

III. Discussion of Penn’s protocol(s) for bringing and responding to complaints about sexual assault or misconduct and other Title IX issues. (50 minutes)

IV. New business. (15 minutes)

V. Adjournment.

Penn Law students Adam Alperowicz, L’17, and Nayha Zubair, L’16, were named champions of the fifth annual Intellectual Property LawMeet in November 2015, along with a team from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

The national championship round of the LawMeet was held at the Philadelphia offices of BakerHostetler LLP, and the firm hosted six finalist teams from around the country who had advanced from the regional rounds of competition. During the national championship, the judges—all experienced legal practitioners—acted as the opponents for each negotiating team.

The teams represented either Callista Sparks, a fictional popular performer, or the Magnificent Football League (MFL) in the negotiation of an agreement for Sparks’s appearance at the halftime show of the league’s annual championship game. Mr. Alperowicz and Ms. Zubair were recognized for the representation of the MFL, and the team from University of Missouri-Kansas City was honored for their representation of Sparks.

Markus Blatz, professor and chair of preventive & restorative sciences at Penn Dental Medicine, has been named president of the International Academy for Adhesive Dentistry (IAAD). Dr. Blatz was officially appointed to this leadership post during the IAAD’s First Biennial Meeting on Adhesive Dentistry, held last September in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Blatz was among the founding organizers of the Academy. He is a leader in the field of aesthetic dentistry and co-author of the book Evolution: Contemporary Protocols for Anterior Single-Tooth Implants, which has been translated into eight languages—the most recent being Portuguese, released in conjunction with the IN 2015 Latin American Osseointegration Congress, held in Sao Paulo, Brazil last October. Dr. Blatz was among the invited speakers, presenting two lectures, “Material Update for Implant-supported Prostheses” and “Restorative Material Options for Aesthetic and Functional Success in Implant Dentistry.”

Peter Conn, professor emeritus of English and education at Penn, was named executive director of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, effective January 1. The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is an independent member-supported library and museum that engages members, scholars and the general public to join actively in the cultural and intellectual life of Philadelphia and participate in historical, literary and educational activities.

Dr. Conn earned his PhD from Yale University. At Penn, he served as dean of the College, graduate chair of English and American civilization, founding director of Civic House and deputy and interim provost. He has won numerous teaching awards, including the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac May 29, 1973). His works on American literature and culture include The American 1930s: A Literary History; Literature in America: An Illustrated History and Pearl S. Buck: A Cultural Biography, which was named a “Notable Book” by The New York Times and won the Athenaeum Award.

After a grueling week tackling a complex energy hypothetical, a team of five Penn graduate students presented its findings to a panel of industry judges and secured second place in the 11th Annual Columbia University Energy Symposium Case Competition last November, sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

The national competition pulled in diverse teams from graduate programs across the United States, who developed responses to contemporary challenges facing the energy industry. Responses required an interdisciplinary approach, including expertise in business, finance, policy and energy technologies.

This year’s case study asked students to act as chair of the public utility commission in a state trying to balance renewable deployment and technology integration. Students addressed key policy issues including rates and subsidies for various stakeholders.

“Team Kleinman,” sponsored by Penn’s Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, won $1,500 following their successful 15-minute presentation.

Team members included Max Davidson, SAS, Master of Environmental Studies; Gregory Luehrs, Wharton, Master of Business Administration; Miriam Posner, SAS Fels, Master of Public Administration; Robert Ritchie, SEAS, Master of Science in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics; and Vishwanth Kumar Vankadari, SEAS, Master of Science in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics.

Brian Litt, professor of neurology, neurosurgery and bioengineering at Penn, was honored with the American Epilepsy Society (AES) Research Recognition Award for Clinical Science last December at the Society’s 69th annual meeting in Philadelphia. The $10,000 Research Recognition Awards are given annually to active scientists and clinicians working in all aspects of epilepsy research.

Dr. Litt is a pioneer in the emerging field of neuroengineering and is praised for his research focusing on hardware development, machine learning and high-speed computing for implantable devices. He is also well known for his laboratory work translating basic science into new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies.

Katherine Milkman, an associate professor of operations, information and decisions at the Wharton School, was honored with the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences (FABBS) Foundation Early Career Impact Award during the annual meeting of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making in November 2015 in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Milkman is recognized for her research on temptation bundling, in which a virtuous behavior, such as exercising, is paired with a vice, such as entertainment. In a study of college students who wanted to exercise more, she found that students who could only unlock a tempting audio novel while they exercised did so more often than those who simply received gift certificates to Barnes & Noble. According to Dr. Milkman, other applications of temptation bundling might include “pairing your favorite burger restaurant with spending time with a difficult relative, or saving a great podcast for household chores.”

She has also researched the fresh start effect, finding that people are more likely to make behavioral changes during “landmark times that mark a new beginning,” such as birthdays, holidays, or the start of a new year, week, month or season.

MONKEY 

1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028

People born in the year of the monkey have a quick wit, and are optimistic and adventurous. The zodiac advises that these individuals’ lucky flower is the chrysanthemum, and that they can find successful careers in banking, science, engineering and film. — from The Chinese Zodiac

Swing on into the Year of the Monkey at the Penn Museum’s 35th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, January 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festive day features traditional music and dance, tai chi and tangram workshops and martial arts presentations, family crafts and much more—with the grand finale drums and the roar of the lion dance and parade. Activities are held in the China Gallery, which houses one of the finest collections of monumental Chinese art in the country, and throughout the international galleries of the Museum. A special red envelope of surprises awaits every family who attends the festivities.

The celebration—one of Philadelphia’s oldest—is free with Museum admission donation ($15, general admission; $13, seniors [65+]; $10, children [6-17] and full-time students [with ID]; $2, ACCESS Card holders; free to children under 5, members, active U.S. Military, STAMP and PennCard holders).

Exploring Ancient and Modern Traditions

At 11 a.m., Chinese painting instructor Onlei Annie Jung will lead a drop-in painting workshop to teach basic stroke techniques of monkey images. At 2 p.m., she returns for a separate workshop to explain the seven tans of the tangram, an ancient Chinese puzzle game believed to have been invented in China during the Song Dynasty, and introduced in Europe in the early 19th century.

Guided family tours at 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. will wind through the Museum to find monkeys and primates, exploring how they were valued in other cultures. Tour stops include the Egypt gallery, the Mexico and Central America gallery, and the Human Evolution: The First 200 Million Years exhibition.

Qin Qian and local musician and instructor Kurt Jung will perform modern and traditional Chinese melodies on the erhu (Chinese two-string fiddle) and the yangchin (Chinese hammered dulcimer) at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Mr. Jung will also discuss the role of music in ancient Chinese society in these sessions.

Students from the Penn Chinese Language Program will lead a family storytime at 1 p.m. featuring the adventure book, Journey to the West (Monkey), a novel published during the Ming Dynasty and considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. The tale weaves the historical pilgrimage of a Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk with folk tale elements and imaginative, comical elements.

In China, tai chi is categorized as a martial art applied with internal power. Focusing the mind solely on the movements of the form helps to bring about a state of mental calm and clarity. Sifu John Chen and his students from the Ba’z Tai Chi and Kung Fu Studio will offer an interactive workshop at 1:30 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., guests can join Falun Gong practitioners from the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Association for sets of gentle and relaxing exercises.

Beginning at 2:15 p.m., the award-winning Great Wall Chinese School Little Mulan Dance Troupe will perform a selection of traditional and folk dances from China.

Throughout the day, a Chinese Art Marketplace will provide activities for families, including a Year of the Monkey craft station, and paper cutting presentations by local artists. Chinese calligraphy painters write on red paper in the newer Spring Festival tradition of pasting special couplets on every door in the home.

Members of Cheung’s Hung Gar Kung Fu Academy will offer a dynamic, Shaolin-style Kung Fu demonstration at 3 p.m., then treat visitors to the sharp footwork and pulsating drums of a spectacular Grand Finale Lion Dance to chase away evil and usher in good luck for the year.

The Pepper Mill Café will join the festivities by offering a selection of Chinese lunch entrées and kid-friendly foods.

The Epoch Times, media sponsor of the 35th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration at the Penn Museum, will offer free copies of their weekly, Chinese language newspaper.

The Celebration is the second in the Museum’s World Culture Day series. Guests can pick up a Passport to Cultures upon arrival and begin collecting their 10 stamps to earn an invitation to a special Penn Museum Junior Anthropologist ceremony.

More About the Sign of the Monkey

Traditional Chinese element theory assigns one of five elements to each year of every zodiac sign: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. Fire is the element associated with this Year of the Monkey. In particular, Fire Monkey attributes include having a harmonious family, being popular among friends and a tendency to relocate from their hometowns to find success. Famous people born in fire monkey years include Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher, Tom Hanks and Mae Jemison.

About the China Gallery

Families can explore extraordinary artistic achievements of the Chinese through artifacts including silk paintings, jade and coral figurines, bronze vessels, stone sculptures and glazed pottery. Guests can also view the Museum’s distinctive 19th-century crystal ball—the centerpiece of the Harrison Rotunda—as well as renowned Chinese Buddhist sculptures and the stone reliefs of Emperor Taizong’s favorite horses, Curly and Autumn Dew.

A moderated panel discussion, A Faculty/Student Conversation about Classroom Culture at Penn, will be held on Wednesday, January 27 in Fitts Auditorium in Golkin Hall at the Penn Law School from 6-8 p.m. The Campaign for Community and the Faculty Senate will co-sponsor the event, which is the first in a series of panel conversations. This will be moderated by Wendell Pritchett, Presidential Professor of Law and Education. The Campaign for Community is working to combat racism, sexism, microaggressions and discrimination, with a commitment to inclusion. President Amy Gutmann addressed this topic at the December Council meeting and highlighted the role of the Campaign for Community in working to address these goals.

EXHIBIT

21 Fine Arts Junior Exhibition; Charles Addams Fine Arts Gallery; opening reception 5-6 p.m. Through February 10.

2016 MLK Jr. Symposium

26    Refugee Kids: One Small School Takes on the World; short documentary followed by Q&A with director and producer Renée Silverman; 6:30 p.m.; Gittis 213 (Kushner Classroom), Penn Law School (Students for International Social Work; Penn Law International Human Rights Advocates; Social Work Advocates for Immigrant Rights; HIAS PA).

    School of Nursing MLK Diversity Symposium; an intimate discussion between Nursing Dean Antonia Villarruel and Betty Smith Williams, a role model for nurses, California State University, 3 p.m., room 218, Claire M. Fagin Hall (Office of Diversity and Cultural Affairs, SON).

Fitness & Learning

Working Dog Center Classes

Six-week session; register: http://pennvetwdc.org/

25    Puppy Socialization; for puppies 8-16 weeks; 7:30 p.m.

26    Advanced Puppy; for puppies 4-6 months; 8 p.m.

27    Basic Obedience; for dogs 6+ months; 8 p.m.

30    Beginner Agility; for dogs 8+ months; 10 a.m.

Talks

21    Philadelphia as the Epicenter for K-12 School Reform; James Lytle, GSE; noon; St. Mark’s Room, Inn at Penn (PASEF).

26    William James and the Study of Religious Experience; James Pawelski, Positive Psychology Center; 5 p.m.; rm. 402, Claudia Cohen Hall (Religious Studies; Katz Center; Center for Neuroscience and Society).

See the Seashells and the Renovated Club: Mediterranean Cockle Shells (above), one of the watercolors by Penn alumna Lauren Sweeney in the upcoming show at the Burrison Gallery at the newly renovated University Club.

The upcoming show, Seashells to City Gardens—watercolors by Penn alumna Lauren Sweeney will be the first show in the Burrison  Gallery when the University Club reopens after renovations next Monday. A reception will be held in the Gallery at the Club on Friday, January 29 from 4-7 p.m.

Lauren Sweeney has had a life-long interest in art and biology. This led her to pursue a career first as a scientific illustrator, and then in scientific research. With a BA in biology from Penn, she studied medical illustration, then earned a PhD in biology. A career in research and teaching followed, first in Chicago, and then at Bryn Mawr College.

Throughout her career she always painted, but only in recent years did art become her full-time focus. A lifetime of scientific observation underpins her interest in capturing the essence of her subjects, which range from still life to interior scenes, streetscapes and seascapes. In most of these compositions, she focuses on glimpses of scenes to capture the essence of the larger scene.

She has exhibited in many galleries in the Philadelphia area and is a member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club, the Main Line Art Center, and the Guild of Scientific Illustrators. She has done a number of commissioned paintings, including for Penn’s Office of the Provost and the Delaware Museum of Natural History. Her work can be seen on the InLiquid website (http://inliquid.org).

Helping to Change the Community and Penn for the Better: The Work of the Netter Center, Past, Present and Future; Ira Harkavy, associate vice president and founding director of the Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, will give an update on the Center, its initiatives and how staff are a part of this.

This PPSA-sponsored event will be held on Thursday, January 28 from noon-1 p.m. in Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall.

Lunch will be provided; registration is limited; register at http://bit.ly/PPSA_Jan2016

Professional & Personal Development

Improve your skills and get ahead in your career by taking advantage of the many development opportunities provided by Human Resources. You can register for programs by visiting knowledgelink.upenn.edu or contacting Learning and Education at (215) 898-3400.

Dealing Effectively with Unacceptable Employee Behavior; 2/2; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; $75. Learn how to recognize the 15 warning signs that a problem is brewing; how to act—not react—in a negative situation; how to offer constructive feedback; how to choose the right intervention technique, from counseling and coaching to formal discipline meetings; and how to set measurable performance standards and communicate them to employees effectively.

Developing Your Professional Presence and Image; 2/3; 12:30-1:30 p.m. What we say, how we say it, our body language, dress, workplace demeanor and more...all of these factors contribute to our professional presence and affect how we are perceived in the workplace. By the end of this session you will know how to establish a professional presence and a personal brand that elevates you in your workplace.

Essentials of Management; 2/9; 9 a.m.-noon; $250 for 9-part course. Essentials of Management provides new managers with knowledge of effective management practices, applicable skills and the information needed to manage people. Through active learning, participation and dialogue, you can increase knowledge of human resource management practices and other key workplace considerations. Interact with a cohort of peer managers over a four-to-five month period to develop your management skills through the various parts of the employee life cycle, including interviewing, hiring, development, engagement and performance management. Learn how to use judgment in evaluating situations and applying HR policies and procedures. The program is comprised of classroom sessions, online training and assignments, 360 degree feedback process and the opportunity to discuss the results with a professional performance coach. Course requirement: This course is available to supervisors/managers only.

Conflict Resolution: A Win/Win Approach; 2/9; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Conflict in the workplace should be addressed in order to maintain productivity, increase retention rates and improve morale. Failure to address conflict often leads to an escalation of the problem and may lead to unproductive behaviors such as resentment, displacement or defensiveness. This video will help you find a win-win solution.

Managing Student Employees Effectively; 2/10; 9 a.m.-noon; $75. Student workers are first and foremost students, and their primary focus is their education. On-campus jobs serve as extracurricular activities that help students earn supplemental income and more importantly build skills to prepare them for their professional careers. Given this, student employees present different needs than traditional staff members. Managers must respond and manage these differences effectively to ensure productivity. This three-hour program will provide attendees with resources that can be used to better meet the needs of hiring and managing student employees.

Words@Work; 2/16, 2/19, & 3/1; 9 a.m.-noon; $75 for 3-part course. Are you ready to improve your business writing skills? This 3-part workshop is designed to provide you with an updated, practical, no-nonsense perspective on today’s business writing. The workshop challenges many long-held assumptions about the “right” way to communicate. By the end of this course, you will: gain a better understanding of the dynamics of written communication; try out a group of the latest writing tools; transform tentative, imprecise writing into effective communication; energize your writing style; develop appropriateness, clarity and powerful expression; and learn how to revise your own work.

STEP UP: Introduction; 2/17; 9 a.m.-noon; $150 for 7-part course. STEP UP is Penn’s pre-supervisory training program designed for motivated individuals who aspire to be supervisors or managers.

Writing an Effective Job Description and PIQ; 2/17; 12:30-1:30 p.m. This brown bag session will provide guidance on writing effective job descriptions. Job descriptions, along with the Position Information Questionnaire (PIQ), are the foundation of capturing employees’ work. They describe the duties and responsibilities that staff perform as University employees. The key sections of the job description format will be discussed, along with guidance on how to best describe and prioritize duties. This session may be of interest to both employees and managers.

TED Talk Tuesday—The Power of Vulnerability; 2/23; 12:30–1:30 p.m. In this session we will view and discuss Brene Brown’s TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability.” Dr. Brown studies human connection—our ability to empathize, belong and love. In her poignant and funny talk, Dr. Brown shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.

American Management Association’s Fundamentals of Strategic Planning; 2/24 & 2/25; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; $75 for 2-part course. Improve your knowledge of strategic planning to understand what senior management is thinking and why—and increase your value to your organization! Here’s an overview of strategic planning for those not directly involved in the planning process, but who want to understand the impact of strategy on their work and their organization’s success. Gain a perspective and vocabulary for strategic planning to help you actively and constructively support your firm’s strategic direction.

Quality of Worklife Workshops

Dealing with the demands of work and your personal life can be challenging. These free workshops, sponsored by Human Resources and led by experts from Penn’s Employee Assistance Program and Quality of Worklife Department, offer information and support for your personal and professional life challenges. For complete details and to register, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/registration or contact Human Resources at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu  Please feel free to bring your lunch.

Stress Management; 2/2; noon-1 p.m. Learn to identify when you are relaxed, how to manage it, and how to use it to improve your quality of life. Participants will discover responses to relaxation, the physical and mental signs of relaxation, and specific relaxation exercises and techniques.

Webinar: Expanded Worklife Benefits Available through Care.com; 2/3; noon-1 p.m. Benefits eligible faculty and staff have access to in-home backup childcare and adult care as a benefit from Care.com. Tune in to this webinar to see what expanded services are now available to you and your family, including in-center backup care, adult care planning and premium web access.

Guided Meditation–Take a Breath and Relax; 2/9; also 2/19 & 2/26; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Practice mindful breathing that focuses your attention on the present moment with kindness, compassion and awareness. Self-massage and gentle mindful movements that promote relaxation and reduce stress may also be included in the workshop. No experience necessary.

Purchasing a Home through PHOS; 2/16; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Learn the step-by-step process for applying for the PHOS program, its benefits and partnering program. Lunch will be provided.

Admissions Brown Bag: How to Approach a College Visit; 2/17; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Faculty and staff with college-age dependents are invited to join Penn’s undergraduate admissions office to discuss the importance of the campus visit. The session will cover helpful information to assist you and your child in making the most of campus visits.

Healthy Living Workshops

Get the tools you need to live well year-round. From expert nutrition and weight loss advice to exercise and disease prevention strategies, we can help you kick-start your body and embrace a healthy lifestyle. These free workshops are sponsored by Human Resources. For complete details and to register, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/myhr/registration or contact Human Resources at (215) 573-2471 or qowl@hr.upenn.edu

Gentle Yoga; 2/3; also 2/17; 11 a.m.-noon. Let your body reward itself with movement! Join us for a Gentle Yoga session and explore the natural movements of the spine with slow and fluid moving bends and soft twists. During this session, you will flow into modified sun salutations that loosen those tightened muscles and joints of the lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists. As an added bonus, you’ll get a workout in the process. Mats and props will be provided.

Chair Yoga; 2/10; also 2/24; noon-1 p.m. Interested in trying yoga but don’t know where to start? Join us for our chair yoga series. You get the same benefits of a regular yoga workout (like increased strength, flexibility and balance) but don’t have to master complex poses. Chair yoga can even better your breathing and teach you how to relax your mind and improve your wellbeing.

Indoor Wellness Walk; 2/12; noon–1 p.m. Meet the Center for Public Health Initiatives staff inside the Palestra for some heart healthy exercise. Although candy hearts and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are often a main feature of Valentine’s Day festivities, February is also American Heart Month and an appropriate time to pay attention to one of the most important organs in your body. As the center of your circulatory system, your heart is vitally responsible for just about everything that gives your body life. In keeping with this month’s Valentine’s Day and Heart Health theme, participants are encouraged to wear red for this 1-2 mile walk. Bring your water bottle and don’t forget your sneakers.

Eating for Heart Health; 2/18; noon-1 p.m. February is American Heart Month. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. In the US alone, someone has a heart attack every 43 seconds, and 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease every year. The good news is that it can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. Your heart health is greatly impacted by what you eat. Come learn which foods you should enjoy more of and which you should enjoy in moderation to protect your heart.

Info Sessions: Short-term Disability Policy

2/2; 10-11:30 a.m.

2/2; 2-3:30 p.m.

2/9; 10-11:30 a.m.

Penn is revising its short-term disability and related sick leave policies. These policy changes support full or partial income protection during a period of disability for regular full-time staff members. The changes will go into effect July 1, 2016 for all current and new regular full-time staff, position grades 28 and below.

—Division of Human Resources

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department Community Crime Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for January 4-10, 2016. View prior weeks' reports. —Ed.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported and made known to the University Police Department between the dates of January 4-10, 2016. The University Police actively patrol from Market St to Baltimore and from the Schuylkill River to 43rd St 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 the Division of Public Safety at (215) 898-4482.

01/06/15      12:30 AM       4211 Sansom St        Fraud                        Fraudulent checks cashed

01/06/15      3:41 PM         3440 Market St         Theft                          Numerous jackets taken

01/07/15      12:15 AM       120 S 36th St            Theft                          Store merchandise taken without payment

01/07/15      10:01 AM       3930 Chestnut St      Theft                          Cash taken from wallet

01/07/15      6:17 PM         4141 Spruce St         Other Offense            Unauthorized male in building/Arrest

01/09/15      10:46 PM       51 N 39th St              Assault                      Male assaulted complainant/Arrest

01/09/15      3:01 PM         3700 Spruce St         Auto Theft                  Vehicle taken by known offender

01/10/15      11:34 AM       3918 Pine St              Burglary                     iPad and laptop taken

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 6 incidents with 4 arrests (5 robberies and 1 assault) were reported between January 4-10, 2016 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

01/07/16      11:11 AM       4420 Chestnut St                  Assault/Arrest

01/07/16      6:05 PM         42nd & Chester St                 Robbery                    

01/07/16      6:38 PM         4700 Springfield Ave              Robbery/Arrest                    

01/07/16      6:38 PM         4700 Springfield Ave              Robbery/Arrest                    

01/07/16      6:38 PM         4700 Springfield Ave              Robbery/Arrest                    

01/09/16      6:39 PM         4400 Pine St                           Robbery