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Vice President Joe Biden: Beginning Cancer "Moonshot" at Penn Medicine

Amy Gutmann, Joe Biden, and Francis Collins

Penn President Amy Gutmann, with the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden and NIH Director Francis Collins at the January 15 formal launch for the Cancer "Moonshot" Project.

Days after President Obama announced the “moonshot” to find a cancer cure during his State of the Union address, Vice President Joe Biden visited Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) to kick off the national effort he said aims to “accelerate the progress already underway”—much of which is happening right here. He chose Penn because of the cutting-edge work in immunotherapy being done. This national effort invokes the aspirations of President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 goal of sending an American to the moon, which was accomplished by Apollo 11 astronauts on July 20, 1969.

“You’re on the cusp of some breakthroughs,” Vice President Biden said. “In my terms­—not your medical terms—we are at an inflection point in the fight against cancer.”

Immunotherapy pioneer Carl June, director of Translational Research at the ACC, and Bruce Levine, director of Penn’s Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility, took the Vice President on a tour of the research hub that will serve as the epicenter of its pioneering personalized T-cell therapy program. Afterwards, Mr. Biden led a roundtable discussion with Penn experts in immunotherapy, cancer prevention, surgery, genomics and more, as well as ACC director Chi Van Dang. Mr. Biden was also joined by University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis S. Collins. The 2016 NIH budget that funds basic research needed for these advancements had a modest increase as compared to a decade of declining funding.

“I’d like you to educate me,” Mr. Biden said to the group. “I’d like you to talk about what you think I should most be doing as I put this task force together.”

Emily Whitehead and her parents, Tom and Kari

 

Emily Whitehead and her parents, Tom and Kari, enjoying the event at Penn where they shared her story as the first child in the world to receive an experimental T-cell therapy. She has been in remission since 2012.

A flurry of clinical successes and endeavors from the Penn doctors followed: cancer vaccine trials, immunotherapies, big data, precision medicine, cancer recurrence and early chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy clinical trials for aggressive brain cancer. Emily Whitehead, the 10-year-old girl who is now cancer free after receiving CAR therapy three years ago to treat her acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was also in attendance with her parents.

While researchers have made significant headway in the fight, the field is not without its challenges, the room agreed. “Cancer politics,” Mr. Biden said, are keeping people in their respective corners. Data sharing needs to not only continue but expand and silos at and among academic medical centers and drug companies need to be broken down, he said, in order to speed up progress. This year also finds the National Cancer Institute with its biggest budget increase in 10 years, but Mr. Biden stressed that more support from the private and public sector and philanthropists is essential to get us closer to cures and better treatments for the host of cancers diagnosed every day—some, he recognized, more complex and deadly than others. This initiative aims to harness every research facility, academic institution, pharmaceutical corporation and many federal agencies to aim for finding a cure for cancer.

“My commitment is not for the next 12 months,” Mr. Biden told the crowd, which also included elected officials and some 40 members of the press. “I’ve been stunned by the overwhelming response of welcoming me, to ask me to be the facilitator and convener….I plan on doing this the rest of my life.” He stressed that the initiative is not about a top down, centralized program but that he hopes to be a catalyst.

Deenie Greitzer and Daniel G. Haller Associate Professor: Ursina Teitelbaum

Ursula TeitelbaumUrsina R. Teitelbaum has been named the Deenie Greitzer and Daniel G. Haller Associate Professor in the Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Teitelbaum, a dedicated medical oncologist, exclusively cares for patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, and is a strong proponent of multidisciplinary approaches to pancreatic cancer. This chair will advance her research in gastrointestinal cancers, as well as her work in geriatric medicine and hospice and palliative care.

“One of very few doctors board certified in the fields of medical oncology, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative care, Dr. Teitelbaum is a stellar physician and investigator who embodies compassionate patient care,” said J. Larry Jameson, executive vice president for the Health System and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine.

Established by Marty Greitzer and his family to honor his late wife, Dianne “Deenie” Greitzer, and the wonderful care provided to her by the Abramson Cancer Center, this professorship, originally the Deenie Greitzer Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Professorship, was renamed to honor Deenie Greitzer’s physician, Daniel G. Haller, at his retirement. Specializing in colon and rectal cancer patient care, Dr. Haller is a nationally prominent medical oncologist who has exerted great influence in the way patients with gastrointestinal cancers have been treated.

Dr. Teitelbaum was trained by Dr. Haller, and joined the faculty of the Perelman School of Medicine in 2007. She is the clinical leader of the Gastrointestinal Oncology group at Penn and leader of the Pancreas Cancer Service Line at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center. She was also one of the first Master Clinicians at Penn Medicine, the most prestigious designation for Perelman School of Medicine clinical faculty. Dr. Teitelbaum earned her medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Subsequently, she completed an internship, residency and fellowships in medical oncology and geriatrics at the University of Chicago, where she also completed a clinical research training program in 2005.

Business Services’ Fiscal Operations: Bruce Friedman

Bruce FriedmanPenn’s Division of Business Services announces the appointment of Bruce Friedman as executive director, Fiscal Operations. Mr. Friedman is responsible for the effective and efficient stewardship of resources created through Business Services’ operating activities. In an operating capacity he also provides oversight to Penn’s Home Ownership Services (PHOS), the Morris Arboretum and the Campus Hotels.

Mr. Friedman came to the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine in 2014 after over 20 years in the private sector. His prior experience includes three years as chief financial officer of CSMI, a charter school management company located in Chester, PA. He also served as vice president & corporate controller for Nobel Learning Communities, Inc. (2006-2011), a leading provider of preschool and K-12 education. Prior posts include financial leadership positions at Exelon Corporation and Verizon, Inc. that included financial planning and analysis, accounting operations and financial and operational audits. He began his career in 1990 at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mr. Friedman is active in the Special Needs and Orphan Disease communities as he serves on the boards of Bournelyf Special Camp and Dyskeratosis Congenita Outreach, Inc. (DC Outreach, Inc.). A CPA in the state of Pennsylvania, he holds an MBA and a BS in accounting and finance, both from Drexel University. He is currently pursuing an MS in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Faculty Proposals for Sustainability Courses: February 5

ISAC2016 LogoThe Sustainability Office is currently accepting faculty proposals for the Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum (ISAC) program with a deadline of February 5. Now in its 5th year, ISAC provides paid interns to assist faculty in integrating sustainability into new or existing courses. Faculty work with an undergraduate research assistant, chosen through a competitive selection process, over eight weeks of the summer to update course content, adjust syllabi, presentations and reading lists, and modify exams to include environmental sustainability issues.

Over the past four summers, the ISAC program has supported faculty in a diverse array of disciplines, including architecture, law, biology, engineering, urban planning, historic preservation and German language. Faculty participants have unanimously reported an extremely high quality of work and have been delighted by their students’ productivity and enthusiasm for the work. Since 2012, 27 faculty and 15 students have collaborated to infuse principles of sustainability into 24 courses.

For general information about applying and samples of past students’ work visit: http://www.upenn.edu/sustainability/get-involved/integrating
-sustainability-across-curriculum

William Penn Foundation Grant for Stewardship Panel to Research Impacts of Conservation Lands Stewardship on Water Resources

The William Penn Foundation has awarded a grant of $400,000 to form a Stewardship Panel to study the impacts of conservation lands stewardship on water resources. The project began on January 1, 2016 and will run through June 30, 2017. It will be managed by the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania and forms part of the thought-leadership effort being supported by the Foundation to advance the Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI) http://www.ansp.org/research/environmental-research/projects/watershed-protection-program/

The Stewardship Panel will bring together scientists and practitioners with expertise in managing nature reserves, parks, arboreta, botanical gardens, wildlife management areas, forest management areas, conservation-oriented agricultural lands and large private landholdings from across the Delaware River Watershed and elsewhere in the eastern United States. The panel’s mission is twofold: to provide practitioners a state-of-the-art comparative review of land stewardship practices in terms of their impacts on water resources, and to provide conservation practices and grant-making programs with evidence-based criteria they can use to hone implementation and propose evaluation guidelines— ultimately, to improve water quality and quantity outcomes of funded conservation projects. Results will be in the form of a peer-reviewed handbook summarizing the proceedings and conclusions of the panel, aimed at a broad audience.

Guided panel discussions will address key questions about how investment in stewardship activities affects water resources: What land stewardship practices will bring the greatest benefits (and the lowest risks) to a watershed’s water quality and quantity compared with their costs? How can conservation land managers achieve their goals while enhancing, or at least not degrading, water quality or quantity? One objective will be to categorize land stewardship activities by comparing their costs and risks with their water resource benefits, recommending those that promise high return with modest investment and low risk. Another will be to identify practices whose water resource impacts are poorly known and should be prioritized as subjects of scientific research to evaluate impacts and improve methods.

The panel will focus on land management interventions, particularly routine  activities: invasive plants removal and associated native replacement planting, deer population management, mowing, prescribed fire, timber-cutting, managing recreational use and others of similar scope. Given the grant term of 18 months, activities involving significant restoration and soil disturbance— such as streambank stabilization—will be reserved for consideration under a possible future “restoration” panel.

By June 2017, a peer-reviewed report summarizing proceedings and recommendations of the stewardship panel will be published, broadly disseminated  and provided to targeted stakeholders to inform and encourage future DRWI land management funders and conservation practitioners towards broad adoption of cost-effective watershed protection-friendly land management practices.

This project is anticipated to lead to more effective stewardship impacts on watershed health. Use of the report could provide funders and practitioners with recommendations to implement cost-effective land management practices in the DRWI that are anticipated to have the
impact on improving and preserving water resources.

For more information on this project, contact Tim Block, The John J. Willaman Director of Botany at Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, at block@upenn.edu

Penn Institute for Urban Research: New Photo Contest: February 21

The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), in collaboration with the Center for Public Health Initiatives (CPHI), recently announced a photo contest on the theme of public health and the urban environmental landscape. The contest asks participants to submit images that emphasize ways that urban design has succeeded or failed to promote public health and well-being.

Submissions, accepted until February 21, will be judged by a panel of public health and urban design experts. The first place winner will receive $200; two runners up will receive $50 each.

The contest is open to the public. To enter a photo, participants should tweet the image to Penn IUR (@PennIUR), along with a short description of the photo, the date and location that the photo was taken and the hashtag #GreenHealth2016.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, February 25 at the Shaping the Urban Health and Environmental Landscape symposium, to be held in the Kleinman Center at the Fisher Fine Arts Library at the University of Pennsylvania. The symposium itself, which will run from 3-6 p.m., will focus on the link between urban design and public well-being, with presenters speaking about the latest research findings on best practices and health outcomes across the nation and how low-cost, place-based initiatives can transform health in urban areas. 

Speakers will include: Charles Branas, Penn professor of epidemiology; Sara Heller, Penn professor of criminology; Rupal Sanghvi, founder, HealthxDesign, and Bob Grossmann, senior director, Vacant Land, Philadelphia Horticultural Society.

For additional information on the photo contest or to register for the symposium, visit the Penn IUR website, http://penniur.upenn.edu/

Deaths

Aaron Gellman, Wharton

Aaron Gellman, a former adjunct professor at the Wharton School, died on January 11 of multiple organ failure in JourneyCare Hospice in Glenview, Illinois. He was 85 years old.

Dr. Gellman earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Virginia. He attended the University of Chicago, then entered the US Army in 1951. He then attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1954-1957 and completed his PhD in 1968.

He was an adjunct professor at the Wharton School at Penn starting in the department of regional sciences and transportation in 1968. He became a lecturer and then a professor in that department. In 1984, he was a member of the graduate group for the newly established master of science in transportation based in Penn’s School of Engineering & Applied Science (Almanac January 31, 1984).

He later directed the Transportation Center at Northwestern University and served on the Northwestern faculty from 1992-2014.

Dr. Gellman is survived by three sons, Samuel, Alexander and Daniel; Sheila Goldberg; and seven grandchildren.

Ellen Fuller, Nursing and Physiology

Ellen FullerEllen O. Fuller, professor emeritus at Penn’s School of Nursing, died on November 16, 2015 at McLeod Hospice House in Florence, South Carolina. She was 92 years old.

In 1945, she enlisted in the US Army Nurse Corps. She served in the allergy clinic during World War II at a hospital for convalescing soldiers on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she met her future husband, who was a patient. Dr. Fuller earned her BS in nursing from the Medical College of Georgia. She then attended Emory University, earning her MSc and then her PhD in physiology in 1968. She taught on the faculties of Georgia State University and Emory University and was a visiting fellow at Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

She joined Penn in 1980 as associate professor of nursing (Almanac May 19, 1981) and the first director of the Center for Nursing Research at Penn’s School of Nursing. She was also associate professor of physiology, a joint appointment in Penn’s School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine. In 1985, she was promoted to professor of physiology (Almanac July 9, 1985).

She served on Penn’s Faculty Senate, first as secretary (Almanac March 2, 1982) and then as an at-large member (Almanac April 24, 1984), and on the University Council (Almanac December 4, 1984). She was also editor of the School of Nursing’s Nursing Research Newsletter (Almanac April 6, 1982). She retired in 1988.

Dr. Fuller is survived by two daughters, Cynthia (Bill Cotterell) and Marion Fuller Aller (Charles Aller); two sons, Mark and Andrew; and one daughter-in-law, Mary.

The family suggests donations to the Searsport Historical Society, 4 Sears Island Road, Searsport, ME 04974, or to the American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org).

Nancy Wang Cheng, Penn Libraries

Nancy Wang ChengNancy Wang Cheng, a retired Penn librarian of three decades, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 31. She was 93 years old.

Ms. Cheng was born in Shanghai, China. She received her BA from St. John’s University, Shanghai. She came to Philadelphia for her graduate studies and was unable to return home in 1949 as a result of the Communist Party takeover of Mainland China. In 1963, she earned her master’s degree in library science from Drexel University.

Ms. Cheng joined Penn in 1961 as an assistant in Oriental Studies in SAS. In 1964 she became a cataloguer in Van Pelt Library. She became the East Asian bibliographer in 1969. Her extensive bibliographical knowledge provided invaluable assistance to many dissertation candidates and academic researchers; she was also considered a warm and amiable colleague with a wonderful sense of humor. She retired from Penn in 1990 and then briefly served as a lecturer in Penn’s College of General Studies.

Ms. Cheng is survived by her brother, Zurong; two sisters, Zumei and Zuqian; two sons, Benjamin (Maggie) and Franklin (Kathleen); and four grandchildren, Christopher, Allison, Nicholas and Zachary.

A “Celebration of Life” for Ms. Cheng is planned for March 5. See the West Laurel Hill Cemetery website: http://www.forever-care.com

Governance

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Chair Reed Pyeritz reported that the Report of the Senate Committee on the Economic Status of Faculty (SCESF) has been submitted to the Office of the Provost and is under review. The Provost’s Office is working with SCESF to identify faculty data that will be provided to next year’s committee, which may include data not previously provided for SCESF’s use.  The Senate Committee on Faculty and the Administration (SCOA) is working to examine research administration opportunities and conflict of interest policies across schools. The Faculty Senate Symposium is scheduled for April 6, at 4 p.m., in Houston Hall’s Hall of Flags; the topic is the role of faculty in the evolution of the research university.

Past-Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Past Chair Claire Finkelstein reported that the Academic Planning and Budget Committee and Capital Council have not met since the previous SEC meeting.  The Campaign for Community is continuing to accept applications for project grants through March 15. The Campaign for Community, along with the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life, will convene a “Faculty/Student Conversation about Race, Respect and Classroom Culture” on Wednesday, January 27, at 6 p.m., in the Law School’s Fitts Auditorium. The session will be moderated by Wendell Pritchett, the Presidential Professor of Law and Education, and will feature faculty panelists Camille Charles, Shaun Harper and Emilio Parrado, and student panelists Kwadwo Agyapong, Ramon Garcia Gomez, Leslie Jones, Samantha Miller and Rachel Palmer.   

Update from the Office of the Provost. Provost Vincent Price provided SEC with an update on the Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence, which is in the final stage of its five year plan.  In Fall 2016, a report will be released that will describe progress on the plan’s goals. The Vice Provost for Faculty is collaborating with the Provost on an ongoing three-year art and culture initiative that resonates with the core values of the Penn Compact and capitalizes on the University’s resources to enhance and support opportunities for the teaching and learning of humanities at Penn. Penn Global initiatives include continued work with the Perry World House, the Wharton China Center and globally funded research opportunities. This includes support from the Vice Provost for Research, who sponsors 22 post-doctorate fellowships—mostly in STEM fields—aimed at diversifying the professoriate.

Discussion and vote on proposed SAS Track Changes. The Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission (SCOF) reviewed a series of four proposed track changes in the School of Arts and Sciences. The proposals seek to: (1) create in the SAS Associated Faculty a “Practice Professor” track, which already exists in other schools; (2) create the new positions “Lecturer in Critical Writing” and “Senior Lecturer in Critical Writing” in the Academic Support Staff; (3) raise the cap on the number of “Lecturers in Foreign Languages” from 6% to 15% of the Standing Faculty and the number of “Senior Lecturers in Foreign Languages” from 3% to 8% of the Standing Faculty; and (4) raise the cap on the number of “Senior Lecturers” in the Academic Support Staff from 3% to 8% of the Standing Faculty. These proposals went through a rigorous review by SAS faculty and by the Provost prior to consideration by the Faculty Senate. SCOF met with Dean Steve Fluharty and representatives from the Critical Writing Program and from two departments who utilize Lecturers in Foreign Languages to gain their perspectives. SEC members noted that non-standing faculty members do not currently have a representative voice at Penn and inquired as to whether the economic interests of these Associated Faculty members were considered during the review process; SEC members agreed to deliberate these issues at a future time. Provost Price, who was present for a portion of this discussion, noted that these non-standing faculty roles are complementary rather than substitutional. He added that these tracks exist in great part to support the Standing Faculty, who pursue scholarship, service and teaching of higher level courses to undergraduates and graduates; these tracks serve to professionalize the full-time roles of these non-standing faculty who are tasked specifically to teach these introductory level courses. The motion was called to question; because it received a majority of votes cast, the proposals passed.

Update from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. Vice Provost for Faculty Dawn Bonnell described changes to the University Research Foundation (URF) that will optimize research support across campus. The new structure maintains research grants up to $50,000 for pilot projects, instrumentation, and grant matching, and it replaces the Provost’s Interdisciplinary Seminar Fund with Impact Conference Grants (up to $20,000 to highlight Penn faculty or visiting scholarship) and Research Opportunity Grants (up to $200,000 to encourage larger scale research development). Grants will be given in the areas of biomedical and life science, social science, humanities and natural science and engineering.

2016 Senate Committee on Committees. SEC members voted for the members of the 2016 Senate Committee on Committees.

Discussion of Revised Faculty Procedures for Resolving Sexual Violence Complaints.  SEC members reviewed the revised procedures that were discussed at the previous SEC meeting with General Counsel Wendy White and Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen. Following the discussion, SEC members offered a consensus of support in endorsing the drafted procedures prior to their review by the Board of Trustees.

University Council Open Forum

Section IV.3(c) of the Council Bylaws provides that a University Council meeting “shall incorporate an open forum to which all members of the University community are invited and during which any member of the University community can direct questions to the Council.”

All members of the University community are invited to bring issues for discussion to the

University Council Open Forum

Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.

Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall

Individuals who want to be assured of speaking at Council must inform the Office of the University Secretary (ucouncil@pobox.upenn.edu) by Monday, February 8, 2016. Please indicate the topic you would like to discuss. Those who have not so informed the Office of the University Secretary will be permitted to speak only at the discretion of the Moderator of University Council and in the event that time remains after the scheduled speakers.

Please see the format given below. Questions may be directed to the Office of the University Secretary at (215) 898-7005 or ucouncil@pobox.upenn.edu

—Office of the University Secretary

Format for University Council’s Open Forum February 17, 2016    

The University Council will devote a substantial portion of its February 17, 2016 meeting to a public forum. The purpose of the Open Forum is to inform Council of issues important to the University’s general welfare and of the range of views held by members of the University. The forum is open to all members of the University community under the conditions set by the Bylaws, following guidelines established by the Steering Committee of Council:

1. Any member of the University community who wishes to do so may attend the Council meeting.  Individuals who want to be assured of speaking at Council, however, must inform the Office of the University Secretary (ucouncil@pobox.upenn.edu) by Monday, February 8, 2016, indicating briefly the subject of their remarks. Those who have not so informed the Office of the University Secretary will be permitted to speak only at the discretion of the Moderator of University Council and in the event that time remains after the scheduled speakers.

2. Speakers should expect to be limited to three minutes with the possibility of additional time in cases where members of Council engage the speakers with follow-up questions or remarks. The Moderator may restrict repetition of views. Speakers are encouraged to provide Council with supporting materials and/or written extensions of their statements before, during, or after the Council meeting.

3. Following the deadline for speakers to sign up in the Office of the University Secretary, the resulting order of the Open Forum of University Council will be made available no later than the Tuesday before the meeting, to be published on the Office of the University Secretary website (http://www.upenn.edu/secretary/council/openforum.html) and, if deadline constraints allow, in The Daily Pennsylvanian and Almanac.

4. Speakers’ statements should be framed so as to present policy issues and directed to University Council as a body through the Moderator.  The Moderator will have discretion to interrupt statements that are directed against persons and otherwise to maintain the decorum of the meeting, as provided for in the Bylaws. In cases where questions or positions can be appropriately addressed by members of Council, or where a colloquy would seem to be productive given the time constraints of the meeting, the Moderator may recognize members of Council to respond to speakers’ statements, with opportunities for follow-up by the speakers.

5. Should the number of submitted topics of community-wide interest exceed what can be accommodated during a single Open Forum session, discussion will be allowed to continue at the following University Council meeting.

Supplements

2016 Summer Camps and Programs at Penn

ENRICHMENT AND RECREATION

Anthropologists in the Making:

June 27-August 19. Penn Museum invites campers ages 7-13 to explore ancient and contemporary cultures through eight unique weeks of interactive gallery tours, art activities, scavenger hunts, games and special guest demonstrations. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. This year’s themes are:

June 27-July 1: Game On! Search for game pieces and sporting equipment in the Museum’s galleries. Design and build your own game for your family to play at the conclusion of camp.

July 5-8: Mysterious Civilizations. Explore monumental structures and architecture whose function and construction continue to stump archaeologists and engineers today.

July 11-15: Digging Greece and Rome. Uncover artifacts of the Mediterranean world and piece together the stories of your dig finds.

caption: Campers at Penn Museum's Anthropologists in the Making program take part in a dig.July 18–22: Furry Friends and Savage Beasts. Travel the world to learn about creatures that went beyond the title of family pet. Discover cryptozoology and hear some trickster tales.

July 25-29: Herstory. Meet mythological goddesses, scary witches and larger-than-life heroines.

August 1-5: Myths and Mysteries of Egypt. Discover the role of mystical items as you tour the Museum’s galleries. Recreate tales featuring Isis and Osiris, Seth and Horus, and more.

August 8-12: Magic in the Ancient World. Meet magicians, shamans and oracles. Learn how magic was used for personal gain and to foretell the future in the ancient world.

August 15-19: Culinary Expeditions. Search the galleries to find tools used to acquire, prepare and eat food. Design your own after-life feast, sculpt your own libation bowl and more.

Register by May 1: $290/week, $270/members. Register after May 1: $310/week, $290/members. Pre-camp (8-9 a.m.) and after-camp (3-5 p.m.) care is available for additional fees. Call (215) 898-4016, email summercamp@pennmuseum.org or visit http://penn.museum/camp

Morris Arboretum Summer Adventure Camp: June 20-August 5. At Morris Arboretum’s Summer Adventure Camp, thrill-seeking nature lovers ages 6-10 will find exciting adventures, experiments and crafts. Seven weeks of camp are offered, each with a different theme, but all feature water play, art projects, outdoor games and nature hikes to the Arboretum’s Springfield Mill. This year’s themes are:

caption: At Morris Arboretum’s 2015 Summer Adventure Camp, nature lovers ages 6 to 10 get to know each other while playing the parachute game. June 20-24: Habitat Heroes. Observe the furry, feathered and scaled animals that thrive in the gardens, and learn how to protect them.

June 27-July 1: Mad Science Mayhem! Discover your inner Curie, Newton, Carson and Darwin through fun experiments.

July 5-8: Eco Expedition. Hike up and down the Arboretum’s wooded trails on a mission for discovery and adventure.

July 11-15: Buzzing Bees and Sensational Trees. Learn all about the Arboretum’s apiary and precious pollinators.

July 18-22: Flora, Fauna and Fun. Feed the Arboretum’s swan sisters—Flora and Fauna—and learn fun facts about these magnificent birds.

July 25-29: Art Week: Animal Safari. Paint, sculpt and draw using the Arboretum’s colorful habitats and wildlife as your muse.

August 1-5: Art Week: Budding Artists in Bloom. View botanical illustrations and floral-inspired art, then create your own masterpieces.

Each session runs Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Register by March 1 to guarantee a spot and receive the early bird discount of 15% off tuition. Cost: $280/week, $300/non-members. For more information and to register, visit https://online.morrisarboretum.org/summercamp

caption: Participants in Penn Band's 2015 Summer Music Camp perform at the Battleship New JerseyPenn Band Summer Music Camp: July 10-16. This program exposes high school instrumentalists to music and mirth on Penn’s historic college campus. Participants perform a diverse repertoire of challenging and gratifying band music. A low student-to-instructor ratio is maintained to insure a high level of instruction and attention to each student. The program includes guest lectures on topics in student leadership, group-building and conducting. Cost: $825/overnight residents; $395/commuters; children of Penn faculty & staff receive a 10% discount. Deadline: July 1. Register: http://www.dolphin.upenn.edu/pennband/pebc/register.html

ATHLETICS

John Yurkow Baseball Camps: Penn employees, call (215) 746-2325 for a discount. Register: http://www.pennbaseballcamp.com

High School Summer Prospect Camp: June 13-14; camp for 9th-12th graders will consist of instruction and competitive games for a true college baseball experience.

Youth Quaker Baseball Camp @ Meikeljohn Stadium: Session 1: June 20-23; Session II: July 18-21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. An organized and structured camp that focuses on preparing young players (ages 7-13) to refine their game. Competitive and challenging drills will be performed every day.

Penn Basketball Camps: Register: http://www.pennbasketballcamp.com

Steve Donahue’s Quaker Elite Basketball Camp: June 18, June 25 & August 20. College-caliber camp for serious high school players who are interested in playing at the collegiate level.

Women’s Elite Basketball Camp: dates to be announced. Rigorous program for highly motivated female student-athletes with the will and desire to play basketball at the collegiate level. Contact: bernl@upenn.edu

Steve Donahue’s Quaker Basketball Day Camp: June 27-July 1 & August 15-19. Discounts available for Penn employees. Instructional day camp where boys ages 7-14 learn the fundamentals in the historic Palestra with Penn’s coaching staff and players in a fun environment.

Penn Elite Field Hockey Camp: July 5-7. Camp will challenge players to elevate their game to the next level with high-intensity skills sessions and games reflective of collegiate play. Open to all high school age players. Cost: $530/overnight, $475/commuter. Information: https://pennfieldhockeycamps.com/elite-camp.php

Ray Priore Football Camps: Register: http://www.pennfootballcamp.com

One-Day Clinics: June 12, June 24, June 25, July 9, July 10 & July 15. Kicking One-Day Clinics: June 22 & July 8. Camp activities are structured to resemble Penn’s football practices. Athletes will be challenged and will compete in drills aimed at developing proficiency in each position. Open to participants entering grades 9-12. Cost: $75/kicking clinics; $150/all other clinics.

Youth Day Camp: June 20-23. The youth camp is designed to teach fundamentals of football and enjoyment of the game. Activities will include basic drills and activities to promote interest and understanding of basic football position skills and technique. Open to participants entering grades 4-8. Cost: $315.

Penn Lacrosse Camps:

Quaker Developmental Team/Individual Lacrosse: July 12-14 for boys entering grades 9-12; July 15-17 for boys entering grades 5-8. Athletes will be grouped based on ability and challenged accordingly. The staff is comprised of college coaches who will run each session like a college practice. Cost: $505/commuter; $631/residential. Register: http://quakerlacrossecamps.com/

Girls’ Elite Lacrosse Day Camps: dates to be announced. Information: https://pennlacrossecamps.com/

Quaker Rowing Camp: dates to be announced. For experienced and novice rowers (ages 13-18) looking to significantly improve their rowing ability. Instruction and coaching will be geared to the experience level and talents of each camper. Includes two daily practices on the water as well as active seminars on erg training and body circuits. Cost and registration: http://www.quakerrowingcamp.com

Rudy Fuller Soccer Camps: June 27-July 1 & August 1-5. For boys and girls in grades K-5. These Junior Quaker Camps offer players of various skill levels the opportunity to improve their soccer skills. Development of individual skills taught through fun exercises, daily competitions and small games. Cost: $300; discounts available. Register: http://www.rudy
fullersoccer.com/junior_quaker_camps.cfm

Penn Softball Camp: dates to be announced. For serious players, ages 13-18, looking to refine offensive and defensive techniques. Details and registration: http://www.pennsoftballcamps.com

Quaker Swim Camp: Session 1: June 13-17, Session 2: June 20-24, Session 3: July 11-15 (all dates tentative). A beginner to intermediate swim camp focused on quality drill work and proper swimming technique for swimmers ages 6-16. Cost: $425/competitive; $450/learn to swim; $400/two or more family members. Contact: Mike Schnur, mschnur@upenn.edu

Penn Tennis Camp: dates to be determined. A day camp for players of all experience levels, ages 5-17. Each one-week session will focus on stroke production and technical skills while incorporating sportsmanship and teamwork. The camp runs Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $385/one-week session or discounted rate of $340/per week for all three sessions. After-camp care is available from 3:30-6 p.m. for a fee of $20 per day. Register: www.penntenniscamp.com or (215) 315-3130.

Penn Track & Field Camp: June 26-29. Cost: $525/extended day; $625/overnight. Information and registration: https://penntrackcamps.com/

Penn Volleyball Camps: Players are grouped by skill and age level to maximize their potential and improve to the next level of play. Campers benefit from extensive, top-notch training in the areas of individual skill progressions, team systems and competition drills. Information and registration: http://www.pennvolleyballcamp.com

Penn Volleyball Clinic Series: August 4-7 (tentative dates); morning and afternoon sessions available. Open to all girls, ages 8-18.

Penn Volleyball Summer Camp: August 4-8 (tentative dates); overnight and day programs available. Open to all girls, ages 12-18.

ACADEMICS

caption:The Sculpture & Ceramics Studio Major offered by the Art: Summer at Penn program.Art and Architecture Summer Programs: PennDesign offers two four-week summer programs (part of Julian Krinsky Camps and Programs) for high school students, ages 14-18, one in architecture and one in art. These programs prepare students for college admissions as they experience college life and create their portfolios. July 4-29/day program and July 3-30/residential program. Cost: $3,550/either day program; $5,975/residential art program; $6,250/residential architecture program. Deadline: rolling admissions. Apply for the art program at www.jkcp.com/program/art-summer-at-penn/ Apply for the architecture program at http://www.jkcp.com/program/architecture-summer-at-penn

Penn Summer Science Initiative for High School Students: July 5-29. A free, four-week summer program for local juniors but occasionally well-qualified sophomores, in materials science and engineering. The program consists of lectures on materials, a computer lab, experimental labs and field trips to both industrial and Penn facilities. Deadline: April 15. Apply: http://www.lrsm.upenn.edu/outreach/pssi/

Provost Summer Mentorship Program: July 5-August 5 (tentative dates). Participants will gain knowledge in multiple fields of study, while also gaining exposure to the benefits of post-secondary education. This free program is for current freshmen and sophomore students who are enrolled in a public or charter school within the Philadelphia School District. Course programming is offered in the schools of Dental Medicine, Engineering & Applied Sciences, Law, Medicine and Nursing. Information: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/aap/smp/index.php

Teen Research and Education in Environmental Science (TREES): June 27-August 12. Hosted by the Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, TREES offers rising sophomores, juniors and seniors from local high schools a unique, hands-on research experience, lectures in environmental science, field trips and more. Students develop their own research projects. The tuition-free program lasts for about eight weeks. Deadline: March 1. Apply: http://ceet.upenn.edu/training-career-development/summer-programs/

Penn GEMS Camp (Girls in Engineering, Math and Science): July 25-29. The School of Engineering & Applied Science’s Penn GEMS program is a week-long day camp targeted at girls finishing 6th, 7th and 8th grade who are interested in math, science and engineering. Students work with faculty and students in bioengineering, materials science, graphics and computing. A special robotics-only track is also available. Applications will open in February. Deadline: April 3. Cost: $625; financial assistance is available for those who demonstrate need. Apply: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/awe/gems/ Contact: awe@seas.upenn.edu

iD Tech Camps: Co-ed, week-long, daytime camps are held for ages 7-17 in June, July and August. Participants learn code, game design, app development, web design, film, photography and more. Courses are designed to build critical science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. Cost: $849-$949. Information & registration: https://www.idtech.com/locations/pennsylvania-summer-camps/philadelphia/id-tech-university-of-pennsylvania-upenn/

VETS (Veterinary Exploration Through Science): College/post-bac: June 6-10 & June 13-17; current high school juniors/seniors: July 11-15 & July 18-22; Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Offered by Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, VETS gives students the opportunity to take part in labs and lectures and shadow through clinics with fourth-year veterinary students at the Matthew J. Ryan Small Animal Hospital. Cost: $975. Deadline: April 4. Information: http://www.vet.upenn.edu/education/admissions/summer-vets-program

Julian Krinsky Summer Internship Program: June 26-July 16 and July 17-August 6. Depending on their chosen field, students spend three or six weeks working in an office, lab, studio, museum, sports venue or hospital, where they learn about the field, get work experience and live on campus at Penn. Transportation is provided to and from work. For rising high school juniors and seniors. Cost: $5,625/session. Deadline: rolling admissions. Apply: http://www.jkcp.com/program/internships-for-high-school-students.php

Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP): July 3-23. Sponsored by Penn Engineering, ESAP offers an opportunity for rising sophomores through seniors to experience rigorous and challenging college-level coursework. The residential program combines sophisticated theory with hands-on practical experience in cutting-edge technologies. Priority deadline: March 18; final deadline: May 13. Cost: $7,375; finan cial aid available. Contact: esap@seas.upenn.edu Apply: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/esap

Penn Summer Academies: July 3-23. Open to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. Cost: $7,699/residential; $6,599/commuter; additional lab fees may apply for science academies. Deadline: May 15. For additional details and to apply, visit http://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/programs/highschool

Biomedical Research Academy: Introduces students to the experimental basis of biology, including relevance to disease. Morning lectures cover the cellular, molecular and genetic aspects of biology, while afternoons are spent in the laboratory with hands-on experiments that introduce students to the tools and techniques used in biomedical research labs.

Chemistry Research Academy: Provides students with hands-on experiences in cutting-edge research projects in the chemical sciences, including synthesis and characterization of new compounds and materials, chemistry of life processes, spectroscopy and environmental photochemistry, nanoscale materials and molecular devices.

Experimental Physics Research Academy: Focuses on modern physics with an emphasis on hands-on experience and laboratory work. Program topics include mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum dynamics and astrophysics.

Neuroscience Research Academy: Introduces students to the biological foundations of the brain. Morning and afternoon lectures address important neuroscientific topics, progressing from the cellular foundations of the neuron, to an understanding of the sensory systems, and culminating with higher-order cognitive functions such as memory, emotion and morality.

Social Justice Research Academy: Students examine the historical importance and contemporary relevance of struggles to overcome inequality and injustice using past and present examples, such as peasant revolts, slave rebellions, anti-colonial and anti-apartheid independence movements, the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement and ongoing human rights campaigns.

Penn Summer Pre-College Program: June 28-August 6. This residential program is designed for students who are interested in a college experience typical of an undergraduate freshman. Participants enroll in one or two courses for academic credit and are fully integrated with Penn students. Academic advising, extracurricular activities and weekend trips are included. Open to rising juniors and seniors. Deadline: May 15. For costs and to apply, see http://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/programs/highschool/precollege

Penn Summer Young Scholars Program: May 23-June 29 & June 30-August 5. This commuter program is an opportunity for academically exceptional local high school students to take college courses with Penn students and earn full college credit. Young Scholars can pursue their favorite discipline beyond the level offered in secondary schools, get a head start on their college requirements or explore a brand-new field that interests them. Open to rising juniors and seniors. Deadline: June 1. For costs and to apply, see http://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/programs/highschool/youngscholars

Penn Law Pre-College Summer Academy: July 3-23. This residential academy is designed to give motivated rising high school juniors and seniors, as well as college freshman and sophomores, clear insight into US law and the legal profession. Deadline: rolling admissions. Cost: $7,899. Apply: http://www.summerdiscovery.com/penn-law

Penn Medicine Summer Program: July 3-30. A residential medical program (part of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs) for rising high school seniors. Students are guided and taught by Penn Medicine faculty & staff and are immersed in the world of medicine as they explore the career possibilities available to medical students. Cost: $7,500; financial aid available. Deadline: March 18. Apply: http://www.jkcp.com/program/penn-medical-high-school-summer-program/

Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Program at Wharton: July 3-23. The LEAD Program introduces youth of diverse backgrounds to key areas of business. First established at Wharton in 1980, the program features lectures by corporate executives and Wharton faculty, team-based assignments and visits to businesses in Philadelphia, Washington, DC and New York City. Cost: $3,000; financial assistance available. Deadline: March 1. For more information, call (215) 261-7001. Apply: https://www.wharton.upenn.edu/lead-program-wharton/

Leadership in the Business World (LBW): July 3-30. LBW is a program for talented and ambitious rising seniors in high school who want to learn about leadership in business. LBW features classes with Wharton professors, lectures from prominent business leaders, site visits to businesses in Philadelphia and New York City and team-based activities designed to enhance leadership skills. Cost: $7,295; need-based financial aid is available. Deadline: February 5. Apply: https://www.wharton.upenn.edu/leadership-business-world/

caption: Students conduct an experiment during the free Penn Summer Science InitiativeManagement & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI): July 10-30. M&TSI is a for-credit summer program for rising high school seniors and a select few rising high school juniors interested in exploring the integration of technological concepts and management principles. The program features classes taught by leading faculty and successful entrepreneurs, field trips to companies and R&D facilities, intensive team projects, as well as other activities designed to give students the opportunity to learn about the principles and practice of technological innovation. Cost: $6,500; need-based financial aid is available. Deadline: March 1. Apply: http://www.upenn.edu/fisher/summer-mt

Wharton Sports Business Academy (WSBA): June 26-July 23. WBSA provides an opportunity for talented rising high school juniors and seniors to study sports business leadership at the Wharton School. This program teaches students about ownership, sports agents, marketing, media and labor as they meet and learn from leaders in the sports business world. Cost: $7,295; financial aid is available. Deadline: rolling admissions. Apply: http://wsb.wharton.upenn.edu/businesseducation-wsba.html

International Affairs: Leadership & Model UN: July 3-30. The residential program (part of Julian Krinsky Camps and Programs) features debate, public speaking, research workshops, social entrepreneurship, realistic United Nations simulations and guest speakers. Participants enjoy field trips to the United Nations in New York City and Embassy Row in Washington, DC, and experience culture through cuisine in Philadelphia. The program is designed to accommodate both new and experienced students, ages 14-18. Cost: $6,995. Deadline: rolling admissions. Apply: http://www.jkcp.com/modelun

Institute for Academic Studies (IAS): July 11-August 5 (deadline: June 3) and August 1-26 (deadline: June 24). Offered by the English Language Center, IAS provides a foundation for university-level English. Students receive an introduction to academic content-based language and experience life and culture at a US university. Guest lectures from Penn professors offer students a unique university experience. For students at least 18 years old with a language proficiency at the CEFR level of B1- as demonstrated by TOEFL iBT of 57+, TOEFL PBT of 487+, IELTS of 5.5+, or TOEIC of 550+. Cost: $2,982/session. Apply: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/elp/apply

Institute for Business Communication (IBC): July 11-August 5 (deadline: June 3) and August 1-26 (deadline: June 24). Offered by the English Language Center, IBC assists students in improving their business knowledge and communication. By using real-world business issues and topics, the program helps students enhance their professional skills. Guest lectures from Penn professors offer students a unique university experience. For students at least 18 years old with a language proficiency at the CEFR level of B1- as demonstrated by TOEFL iBT of 57+, TOEFL PBT of 487+, IELTS of 5.5+, or TOEIC of 550+. Cost: $2,982/session. Apply: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/elp/apply

International Business Communication for Professionals (IBCP): intermediate: July 11-22; advanced: July 11-August 5. Offered by the English Language Center, IBCP helps working professionals improve the effectiveness and confidence with which they communicate in professional situations in English. IBCP integrates targeted skills into simulations based on current international business cases. Cost: $2,095/intermediate session; $3,439/advanced session. Deadline: June 10. Apply: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/elp/apply

Honors

Todd Gormley and Donald Keim: IRRCi Research Competition Winners

Two Wharton researchers co-authored a paper that won the Investor Responsibility Research Center Institute (IRRCi) annual investor research competition. Todd A. Gormley, assistant professor of finance at the Wharton School, and Donald B. Keim, professor of finance and director of the Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research at the Wharton School, wrote the winning paper with Ian R. Appel, assistant professor of finance at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

They were recognized in December 2015 at the Columbia Law School’s 2015 Millstein Governance Forum in New York City. Each winning research team received a $10,000 award.

The winning academic research, “Passive Investors, Not Passive Owners,” demonstrates that while passive investors—such as those that invest through index funds—are not active owners in the traditional sense of accumulating or selling shares so as to exert influence over managers and their choices, they are far from passive owners. Instead, the research finds that passively managed mutual funds, and the institutions that offer them, use their large voting blocs to exercise voice and exert influence on firms’ governance. The research finds that ownership by passively managed mutual funds is associated with significant governance changes such as more independent directors on corporate boards, removal of takeover defenses and more equal voting rights. These governance changes, in turn, are shown to improve firms’ long-term performance.

Penn Transit: NIASE Certification

All Penn Transit vehicle maintenance technicians have attained certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (NIASE), a nonprofit organization that serves to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service by testing and certifying automotive professionals. These technicians have been certified in areas such as engine repair, electrical systems, brakes, tire repair and rotation as well as preventive maintenance and inspection. Each area of service is led by at least one ASE Certified Technician, an indicator of Penn Transit’s commitment to excellence. Penn Transit Maintenance has also earned the Blue Seal of Excellence from NIASE. It is the only vehicle repair facility in West Philadelphia to earn this distinction.

In addition to maintaining Penn Transit’s fleet of vehicles, these skilled technicians also service many other vehicles used by departments around campus.

Virginia Reef: AAEP 2015 Distinguished Educator

Virginia ReefVirginia Reef, director of large animal cardiology and diagnostic ultrasonography at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, received the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 2015 Distinguished Educator—Academic Award. Dr. Reef was honored last December during the President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 61st Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dr. Reef is also the Mark Whittier and Lila Griswold Allam Professor of Medicine and section chief of sports medicine and imaging at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center. A pioneer in the diagnostic use of ultrasonographic technology, she perfected the technology in her clinical use and then set out to teach the technology to students and practitioners alike. In the ensuing 30-plus years, ultrasonography has contributed to early diagnosis of musculoskeletal injury in the horse, significantly reducing catastrophic athletic-use tendon and ligament injuries.

Phyllis Solomon: High-impact Female Scholar

Phyllis SolomonAn academic paper published last year ranked School of Social Policy & Practice Professor Phyllis Solomon among the top most cited female academics in social work. Authors of the paper, entitled “Citation Impact of Women in Social Work: Exploring Gender and Research Culture” and published in the journal Research on Social Work Practice, set out to identify the high-impact female scholars in top-ranked schools of social work.

Dr. Solomon, internationally known for her research on clinical services and mental illness, came in at number 10 on an impressive list of 25 female scholars. Data analysis factored in the number of papers each scholar published, the number of times they’ve been cited, and qualitative interviews with graduates from top-ranked schools.

Last year, Dr. Solomon joined the 2015 Class of Fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). Most recently, she was invited to deliver the Annual Sidney Ball Memorial Lecture last October at Oxford University. She spoke on anti-deinstitutionalization and anti-institutionalization for persons with severe mental illnesses.

Barbara Ann Todd: AAN Fellow

Barbara Ann Todd, director of advanced practice in the department of nursing and director of the Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration project at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN).

As director of the Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration project, Dr. Todd oversees a five-year, $200 million Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funded initiative designed to develop new models of clinical training for advanced practice nurses. She completed her doctorate of nursing practice at Thomas Jefferson University School of Nursing in 2010.

Beth Winkelstein: 2016 ASME Van C. Mow Medal

Beth WinkelsteinBeth Winkelstein, Penn’s vice provost for education and professor in the department of bioengineering, is the recipient of the 2016 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Van C. Mow Medal. This honor “is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated meritorious contributions to the field of bioengineering through research, education, professional development, leadership in the development of the profession, mentorship to young bioengineers and with service to the bioengineering community.”

Dr. Winkelstein’s research focuses on the mechanisms of injury, pain and mechanotransduction—especially injuries from sports, automobile accidents, or degenerative diseases that produce persistent pain in the neck, spine and other joints. Her work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense, among many others, including a CAREER Award from the NSF. The author of Orthopaedic Biomechanics (2012) and more than a hundred papers and book chapters, she serves as editor of the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering and is a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which awarded her its Y.C. Fung Young Investigator Award in 2006. She mentors graduate and undergraduate students in her lab and is the faculty adviser to Penn’s Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).

Features

An Additional Assortment of Acronyms and Abbreviations at Penn

Below is the second part of a list of Penn acronyms and abbreviations that were published in Almanac last fall (Almanac November 24, 2015). That part of the list accounted for over 100 organizations, institutes, programs and other Penn-related institutions. This part includes more than 30 of Penn’s student organizations along with their associated acronyms and abbreviations.

ACELA logoACELA: La Asociación Cultural de Estudiantes Latino Americanos, a student-run organization, established in 1958, based in La Casa Latina.

BGAPSA: Black Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, provides support for graduate and professional students of the African Diaspora.

BLSA: Black Law Students Association, provides a variety of programming and opportunities for engagement with campus life and the greater legal community.

DP: The Daily Pennsylvanian, the independent student newspaper, founded in 1885.

GAPSA: Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the University-wide student government for graduate and professional students.

IAA: International Affairs Association, founded in 1963, organizes two annual conferences: ILMUNC (Ivy League Model United Nations Conference), the premier model UN for high school students, hosted by Penn; and UPMUNC (University of Pennsylvania Model United Nations Conference) for college students, as well as other events.

JRP: Jewish Renaissance Project, network of Penn students interested in an alternative education in Judaism.

MARS logoMARS: Men Against Rape & Sexual Assault, previously 1 in 4, a men’s group that uses peer-education to combat sexual violence.

MSA: Muslim Student Association, bridges the gap between Muslim students at Penn and the Muslims of the neighborhood.

NEC: Nominations and Elections Committee, one of the six branches of undergraduate student government at Penn.

OCP: Orthodox Community at Penn, provides information, programs and services for the Orthodox Jewish community.

PAACH logoPAACH: Pan-Asian American Community House, central resource for advising students and student organizations with a particular focus on students of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, opened in 2000.

PAC: Performing Arts Council, support for more than 45 different student-run performance organizations.

PASS: Penn Arab Student Society, organization geared towards exploring Arab heritage and culture.

PAVE: Penn Anti-Violence Educators, a peer-education student group focused on how to be an active bystander.

PGCF: Penn Graduate Christian Fellowship, faith-based group comprised of graduate students, post docs and their spouses at Philadelphia-area universities.

SAC: Student Activities Council, recognizes, supervises and funds undergraduate activities, funded through the UA, one of six branches of undergraduate government.

SCUE: Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, the oldest existing branch of student government, founded in 1965, works to enhance and expand curricular opportunities and quality of academic experience.

SNAP: Student Nurses at Penn, promotes participation in community service activities in the area of health care and serves as the Penn chapter of the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania.

SPEC logoSPEC: Social Planning and Events Committee, part of Connaissance, one of six branches of undergraduate government.

SPEC-Trum: Social Planning and Events Committee To Represent Undergraduate Minorities, provides entertainment that addresses the diversity of interests within the Penn community.

STAB: Student Theatre Arts Board, the student-elected representatives that serve as a link between the theatre arts students and the faculty.

TSA: Taiwanese Student Association, aims to provide a comfort network and community.

TSA: Turkish Student Association, provides a platform for bringing Turkish community in Philadelphia together. Also known as Turks@Penn.

UA: Undergraduate Assembly, responsible for advocacy of undergraduate issues to the administration, consists of elected student officers. One of six branches of undergraduate government.

UMC: United Minorities Council, undergraduate student coalition of Penn’s cultural and ethnic student groups, promotes a forum of advocacy, reflection and action on issues of concern to students of color at Penn, with a mission to facilitate interculturalism and promote social justice.

UPS: Undergraduate Psychology Society, an organization of Penn students interested in exploring the field, sponsors events and publishes a journal, Perspectives in Psychology.

Under the Button logoUTB: Under the Button, online blog for immediate and relevant news, gossip and entertainment for the University of Pennsylvania.

UTV-13: University Television, the student-run station.

VSA: Vietnamese Students Association, a group devoted to promoting an appreciation for Vietnamese culture.

WGA: Wharton Graduate Association, the primary vehicle for coordinating and managing student activities and initiatives, both academic and extracurricular.

AT PENN

Events

A Special Shakespeare Performance for Penn Faculty and Staff at the Annenberg Center: February 10

caption: The Twelfth Night on the 10th Night of FebruaryIf you love live entertainment, but could do without an extra commute, now is your chance to enjoy world-class performing arts at Penn’s Annenberg Center. On Wednesday, February 10, Annenberg Center Live will present an “early bird” 5:30 p.m. performance of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, co-presented by Filter Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

In this explosive new take on Shakespeare’s lyrical Twelfth Night, two worlds collide. Britain’s Filter Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company pair classical verse with a riotous gig in this radically cut and fast-paced story of romance, satire and mistaken identity. “Rock-and-roll Shakespeare’s a blast,” says the UK’s Daily Telegraph.

This rollicking performance will be followed by a reception. Tickets for this special Penn faculty and staff event are just $20. What a fun way to “brush up your Shakespeare” right on campus!

Seating is limited in Annenberg’s intimate Harold Prince Theater, so order your tickets now.

For more information, visit www.annenbergcenter.org or call (215) 898-3900.

Update: January at Penn

2016 MLK JR. Symposium

See www.upenn.edu/aarc/mlk/ for more info.

28 Self-Care for Social Change; workshop open to all but of particular value to caregivers and student life practitioners who support students leading social justice movements; learn how race and gender shape ideas about when, how and why to care for ourselves, how to develop approaches to personal sustainability and how to support each other through intersecting journeys; 2-3:30 p.m.; Penn Women’s Center (PWC; MLK Symposium Committee).

FILMS

31 Raising Ms. President; 4:30 p.m.; International House; for prices, see: http://ihousephilly.org (Girls on the Run; Fels Institute of Government).

FITNESS & LEARNING

29 Yoga and Meditation; yoga begins at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.; meditation begins at 11 a.m.; Palestra; free for all students/faculty/staff (Campus Health; Campus Recreation; CPHI; HR; VPUL).

ON STAGE

29  Jealousy, Infidelity and Transfiguration: an Interdisciplinary Collaboration of Music, Literature, Theatre, Movement and Visual Arts; a performance by the Daedalus Quartet, with Penn student actors and Philadelphia area dancers; 8 p.m.; Arthur Ross Gallery; tickets: $10 at the Annenberg Center Box Office, www.annenbergcenter.org or call (215) 898-3900 or at the door (ARG).

TALKS

27 The Control of Invasion and Metastasis; Sara Courtneidge, Oregon Health and Science University; 10 a.m.; Sarah and Matthew Caplan Auditorium, Wistar Institute (Wistar).

The Daedalus QuartetOn Friday evening, January 29, members of Penn’s resident string quartet—the Daedalus Quartet (above left to right) Min-Young Kim, Thomas Kraines, Matilda Kaul and Jessica Thompson—will perform Janacek’s ‘Kreutzer Sonata’ and Schoenberg’s ‘Transfigured Night’ at the Arthur Ross Gallery along with Penn student actors Catalina Mullis and Max Gabarre-Grindrod and Philadelphia area dancers Megan Bridge and Beau Hancock. See On Stage.

Crimes

Weekly Crime Reports

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department Community Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for January 11-17, 2016View 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 11-17, 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.

01/12/2016 8:52 AM         51 N 39th St              Assault            Nurse choked by patient

01/12/2016 10:02 AM       3400 Spruce St         Theft                USC taken from locked box

01/12/2016 5:25 PM         3743 Walnut St         Theft                 Unsecured backpack taken

01/12/2016 7:26 PM         230 S 40th St            Theft                 Wallet taken while dining

01/13/2016 12:40 AM       3400 Spruce St         Theft                 Unsecured purse taken

01/13/2016 6:40 PM         3631 Walnut St         Theft                  Cell phones (2) taken

01/14/2016 11:27 AM       4040 Chestnut St      Fraud                 Unauthorized charges made on account

01/14/2016 4:43 PM         3441A Chestnut St   Theft                  Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

01/14/2016 8:03 PM         3000 South St           Theft                 Currency taken from various lockers

01/15/2016 1:54 AM         3929 Sansom St        Assault             Complainant struck by unknown male

01/15/2016 4:08 AM         3744 Spruce St          Other Offense   Male wanted on warrant/Arrest

01/15/2016 4:46 AM         3913 Ludlow St          Burglary            Unknown male broke door, entered house

01/15/2016 9:08 AM         3701 Market St          Theft                  Unattended cell phone taken

01/15/2016 7:46 PM         3441A Chestnut St    Other Assault     Complainant threatened by customer

01/15/2016 8:10 PM         415 Curie Blvd          Theft                   Unattended phone taken

01/15/2016 9:04 PM         3620 Hamilton Walk  Theft                   Saw taken from room

01/16/2016 7:57 AM         3000 Chestnut St      Theft                   Male entered vehicle without permission/Arrest

01/16/2016 9:16 AM         4100 Sansom St        Auto Theft          Male entered vehicle without permission/Arrest

01/16/2016 8:44 PM         3900 Walnut St          Fraud                 Unauthorized account opened

01/16/2016 9:37 PM         4100 Sansom St        Assault              Male restraining female/Arrest

01/17/2016 5:06 PM         3565 Sansom St        Theft                  Unsecured laptop taken

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 10 incidents (6 robberies, 2 assaults, 1 aggravated assault, 1 rape) were reported between January 11-17, 2016 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

01/11/2016 6:30 PM         4500 Chester Ave     Robbery

01/11/2016 7:02 PM         4500 Chester Ave     Robbery

01/12/2016 1:34 AM         1308 S 48th St          Robbery/Arrest

01/12/2016 1:34 AM         1308 S 48th St          Robbery/Arrest

01/12/2016 12:11 PM       45th & Locust St        Assault

01/12/2016 11:33 PM       1006 S 47th St          Robbery

01/15/2016 2:32 AM         3929 Sansom St        Assault

01/17/2016 2:38 AM         1100 S 47th St          Rape

01/17/2016 8:13 AM         4833 Woodland Ave  Robbery

01/17/2016 9:12 AM         4000 Market St          Aggravated Assault/Arrest

Bulletins

An Intergenerational Look at Behavioral Health

WHYY Radio’s Voices In the Family, in the first of its new series of special broadcasts led by family psychologist Dan Gottlieb, interviewed Anthony Rostain, professor of psychiatry at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, and chief psychiatry residents Cecilia Livesey and Michelle Joy for an intergenerational conversation about behavioral health.

In this first of Dr. Dan’s Voices in the Family specials, he brings two young psychiatric residents together with their academic advisor. The four share experiences as the seasoned veterans look back and the residents in training look ahead. What does this young generation hope to bring to the field? And what words of wisdom do the veterans have to share? Plus, a studio audience joins them in a lively and personal question and answer session.

Listen to it here: http://whyy.org/cms/voicesinthefamily/an-intergenerational-look-at-behavioral-health/

Thanks a Ton: PPSA Clothing Drive

The Penn Professional Staff Assembly (PPSA) ran another successful drive for clothing and other donated items from December 1-17, which benefitted four organizations: Dress for Success, Cradles to Crayons, the Bethesda Project and Goodwill. Ten locations throughout campus served as drop-off sites for donated dress clothes for women, dress and casual clothing and toiletries for men, and clothing and other items for children up to age 12. Over 20 volunteers spent the afternoon of December 17 sorting, packing and delivering the donated items. In total, 2,100 lbs. of items were donated by the Penn community. Many thanks to all of our volunteers and to those of you who took the time to give of yourselves this holiday season.

—PPSA Board

February is Data Privacy Month

One Step Ahead logo

Data Privacy Day is January 28, and kicks off Data Privacy Month—February.

Now is an excellent time to recognize Data Privacy Month in ways that are both practical and impactful. Some ways you can do this are to:

• Take steps to protect yourself from identity theft: The Privacy Office offers tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. Visit the Privacy website for more details at http://www.upenn.edu/oacp/privacy/yourdata/identity-theft.html

• Practice safe computing: Information Systems & Computing offers “Top 10 Tips for Faculty” and “Top 10 Tips for Staff,” as well as “Top 10 Tips for Smartphones and Tablets.” These guides are designed to get you quickly through many critical topics, such as firewalls, passwords, wireless, phishing and more. Check out these “Top 10” lists and share them as appropriate: http://www.upenn.edu/computing/security/checklists/Top10/

• Don’t keep unnecessary data: Too often we read about data breaches that were avoidable because the data stolen was being kept by an institution unnecessarily. So, securely delete confidential information that is no longer needed for teaching, research, service, operations or any other Penn-related function. To destroy sensitive physical files, use a shredder to ensure the information cannot be accessed by others. Use software such as Identity Finder to detect and properly dispose of electronic files containing sensitive information. Before securely deleting information, make sure that this is permissible according to Penn Guidance.  For more information about eliminating unnecessary data, see: http://www.upenn.edu/oacp/privacy/penndata/

• Host a Records Clean Up Day: Data Privacy Month is a great time of year to think about planning a Records Clean Up Day. Ask your department, school, or center leadership to designate one day out of the year for cleaning and organizing your offices and work areas. Here are some tools to help you plan:

http://www.upenn.edu/oacp/privacy/penndata/host-a-records-cleanup-day.html

Club Reopening: February 8

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the University Club at Penn is delayed in reopening this month. Construction schedules are always very fluid and require coordination of all of the projects going into this renovation.

The University Club at Penn has set their long overdue grand re-opening for February 8, 2016. This will also result in the upcoming exhibit at the Burrison Gallery opening later than previously scheduled.

Talk About Teaching & Learning

Integrating Technology into My On-campus Course

Brian J. Bushee

Prior to 2013, I was a Luddite when it came to using technology in my teaching. Yes, I would use PowerPoint and post materials to a course website, but that was about it. Then, I created a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for Coursera and it completely changed the way I approached my on-campus teaching. After teaching online, I found effective ways to use technology to improve pre-class preparation and free up more class time for additional interactive discussions and cases.

To launch the MOOC, I recorded 20 hours of video lectures. These videos covered the “basics” of the Introduction to Financial Accounting course that we teach to Wharton MBAs; i.e. the 30% or so of class time devoted to lecturing about essential facts. I supplemented the videos with online homework and exams, as well as a “discussion forum” where we could answer questions posted by students. To date, I have had over 21,000 students from around the world successfully complete the MOOC by scoring more than 70% on the homework and exams. This experience showed me that students can effectively learn basic material through an online format.

In the past, I assigned readings and practice problems for the basic facts needed for the class session. Then, assuming that the students would not do the reading, I would spend the first part of the class lecturing about those facts. Of course, the students knew I would do this, which is why they did not do the reading. It was a bad equilibrium. After the lecture, we would spend the remainder of the class time on more advanced topics and on applications of the basics to real-world cases.

In my new approach, I post my video lectures for the day’s topics to Canvas and ask the students to watch the videos prior to class. I also require that they take a five-question multiple choice quiz on the video material prior to class. The quiz randomly chooses questions from a question bank of 10-15 questions. I give the students two attempts to take the quiz, with the highest score counting toward their grade. The quizzes motivate them to watch the videos and provide them with immediate feedback on their understanding of the material in the videos.

The quizzes also provide me with feedback on the student’s understanding of the material. I review the quiz results prior to class and start class by covering any questions that the students struggled with. Through this process, I am able to reduce the “lecture” part of class from 20-25 minutes to less than five minutes.

Now, I have 20 minutes of extra class time that I can use for more in-depth coverage of advanced material, for additional real-world applications, or for more extensive discussions of complicated issues with students. For example, I occasionally use class time to have the students work in groups. I give them a problem or case to discuss for five minutes or so. I am able to get a sense of their understanding of the issues by walking around to listen in on their discussions. Then, we reconvene to have some of the groups present their answers. I also have the class time available to use Poll Everywhere to have students answer questions or give opinions anonymously with their phone or laptops. I can immediately display the results to show the class where they stand on some interesting discussion point in a case and to propel further discussion. The 80 minutes of class time suddenly has become more fun for me and my students.

The big advantages of this new approach from my point of view are that I can walk into class knowing how well-prepared the students are and then have more time for the sophisticated discussions that are often rushed at end of class. I can also make the class time more interactive and stimulating for the students.

The big advantage for the students is that they can rewatch the parts of videos they don’t understand (unlike lectures, where they can miss something if they get distracted in class). They can receive instant feedback on what they understand through the quizzes and can retake them later for practice before an exam. Also, the videos are more engaging than a textbook, especially to a generation of students now accustomed to universal and immediate access to streaming video content.

Of course, there are disadvantages. For an instructor, the big costs are the time to create videos and the need to create additional material to cover in class. Creating high-quality videos is actually fairly easy. I bought a camera and umbrella lights for about $200 and Camtasia editing software for about $500, and then filmed the videos sitting at my desk. I used GoAnimate software to create “virtual students” to ask me questions during the videos, which made them feel more interactive. However, the real cost is time: it took me about 2-3 hours to complete a 15-minute video. Then, I had to find additional cases or exercises to replace the lost lecture time.  But, at least these investments can be amortized over multiple years.

The big disadvantage for students is that they actually have to do work outside of class. Because I can monitor the quiz activity and I commit to not re-lecturing the material in class, students feel more compelled to do the required work outside of class. In fact, the main student complaint about the new approach is the “heavy workload” outside of class. The workload should be the same as my prior approach because the time to read the textbook and attempt some practice problems is about the same as watching the videos and taking the quiz. The difference is that now they actually do the work!

There are two more issues to keep in mind under this approach. First, the students can try to circumvent the pre-class quiz by sharing answers.  I view these quizzes as more about facilitating learning than about assessment, so I am not too worried about this practice. Plus, I point out to them that, if they come to me for help after a poor midterm exam performance, and I see that they got perfect scores for every quiz, then they will have some explaining to do. Second, there is the risk that more students will skip class because they think they know everything after watching the videos and taking the quiz. This problem can be somewhat remedied by placing more grading weight on class attendance and participation.

All in all, integrating technology into my on-campus course has been a positive experience for me and my students. I have found myself more energized and eager to walk into the classroom. The students are better prepared, we have better discussions and I don’t have to stand there and lecture!

Brian J. Bushee is the Geoffrey T. Boisi Professor of Accounting at the Wharton School.

He is a recipient of the 2015 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching as well as a 2014 Excellence in Teaching Award from Wharton.

This essay continues the series that began in the fall of 1994 as the joint creation of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Lindback Society for Distinguished Teaching.

See https://almanac.upenn.edu/talk-about-teaching-and-learning-archive for previous essays.

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