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$10 Million NIH Grant: Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn

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University of Pennsylvania investigators at a new Penn research center will focus on key physical principles that underpin cancer’s development and growth.

A five-year, $10 million grant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is supporting the establishment of the Physical Sciences Oncology Center at Penn, or PSOC@Penn. It is one of four centers the National Cancer Institute of the NIH is funding across the country as part of its Physical Sciences in Oncology Network. The network was started in 2009 in recognition of the fact that perspectives rooted in physics, mathematics, chemistry and engineering can all contribute to cancer research.

The Penn team members will make fundamental physical measurements as they clarify mechanisms of how tumors become palpably distinct masses and also how such physical changes contribute to tumor growth. Their research will focus on liver cancer; more than 30,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with liver cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, and the five-year survival rate is less than 15 percent. New methods to improve early detection and treatment of the disease are needed.

“A key challenge facing cancer research in this age of precision medicine is to deeply comprehend the molecular causes and consequences of tissue changes that are often first measured by clinicians in physical exams of tumors,” said center leader Dennis E. Discher, the Robert D. Bent Professor in Penn’s School of Engineering & Applied Science.

The Center represents a convergence of interests and accomplishments of co-investigators, including professors Rebecca Wells (medicine), Paul Janmey (physiology), Emma Furth (pathology), David Kaplan (gastroenterology & immunology), Roger Greenberg (cancer biology) and Mark Lemmon (biochemistry) in Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine; Ravi Radhakrishnan (bioengineering), Vivek Shenoy (materials science & engineering) and John Crocker (chemical & biomolecular engineering) in Penn’s School of Engineering & Applied Science; and Andrea Liu (physics & astronomy), Tobias Baumgart (chemistry) and Wei Guo (biology) in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences.

“Many tumors are first detected as hard lumps of stiff tissue,” Dr. Wells said. “In some cases such as breast cancer, increased tissue stiffness appears to be a risk factor for cancer. Our research will focus on liver cancer because current clinical evidence suggests that liver stiffening may work in the same way, as a high risk factor for developing that disease.”

The researchers will interact closely, bringing together world leaders in cell and tissue mechanobiology and physics-based theory. They will also employ single molecule imaging and molecular biophysics in foundational studies of molecular and tissue profiles, which are rapidly emerging as a way to precisely define a patient’s disease.

“Results from our initial studies already suggest that stiffening of tissue can increase cell proliferation and lead to other cellular changes that contribute to cancer,” said Dr. Janmey.

Specific molecules and cells that Center investigators discover to be contributors to physical changes in liver cancer will become candidates for new therapies.

The key scientific issue driving PSOC@Penn’s research agenda is an emerging awareness that tumor microenvironments can contribute to how cell sub-populations are selected to grow and further evolve. In solid tumors such as liver cancer, it has long been known that stiff, scar-like collagen accumulates in nearby normal tissue, much like what occurs when tissue is injured. Recent research has also shown that a physical stiffness of microenvironments can in turn promote proliferation and can influence gene expression related to cancer’s spread.

“We hypothesize that differences between cells in a given population can arise due to physical properties of microenvironments,” Dr. Discher said. “Furthermore, mutations might also be caused directly by physical properties of microenvironments and thus drive cancer.”

PSOC@Penn will approach questions regarding the effects of physical microenvironment on tumor development with new multi-disciplinary methods. While focused on liver cancer, the Center will develop widely applicable techniques for measuring both the mechanical properties and molecular makeup of a patient’s tumors compared to adjacent normal tissue. Theoretical approaches from the fields of soft matter physics and engineering will enable better interpretation of clinical results and predict effects of physical, biochemical and drug interactions.

Physicochemical studies of single cancer cells will go beyond the cell membrane and into the nucleus. The membrane is how a cell senses physical properties of its surrounding environment, but that information must be transmitted inside the cell for it to change its molecular machinery. Center researchers will visualize this process with super-resolution microscopy, a method that earned its inventors a Nobel Prize in 2014. Probing down to the single-molecule level will provide sufficient structural information to enable realistic simulations on supercomputers, which can be used to generate predictions of these molecules’ functions.  

The Center also aims to understand how the shape of the cell’s nucleus changes as part of a response to altered microenvironments. Nuclei differ in their stiffness, which can prevent them from moving through tight tissue spaces. Whether and why such processes might also lead to damage of the DNA contained therein will be important to quantify, as DNA damage is a likely cause of mutations that drive cancer. Similar studies will be conducted of the nucleus in other types of liver cells, including immune cells that might also be made to attack cancer cells. New biophysical concepts, as well as methods, tools and mathematical theories, are all integral to the diversity of the Center’s efforts.

“Integration across the Penn campus will be enhanced by the new Center’s connections to other centers in the Physical Sciences in Oncology Network,” Dr. Discher said.“This should stimulate the pace of discovery in these exciting topics.”

This highly interdisciplinary effort will extend beyond Penn’s campus and the NIH’s network. Education and outreach activities will build bridges between communities. The Center will promote dialogue between physical scientists and theorists on the one side, and cancer biologists on the other, in order to facilitate the development of new breakthroughs. Seminars, symposia and additional Center activities will be open to all interested researchers as well as the public, and outreach will extend to demonstrations at cancer awareness forums. Penn’s new Center will support the cancer research community by providing opportunities for quantitative investigators and for students to receive education in cancer biology and to become embedded in laboratories. The Center will also support pilot grants for interdisciplinary, collaborative research at the intersection of the physical sciences and cancer research.

Key collaborators of the Center include Chi Van Dang, director of Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center; liver and transplant surgeons Kim Olthoff and Abraham Shaked; cell biologist Michael Lampson and outreach coordinator James McGonigle.

Penn’s Inaugural China Research and Engagement Fund Awards

University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann and Provost Vincent Price announced the first recipients of the Penn China Research and Engagement Fund (CREF) awards.

Established last spring (Almanac April 14, 2015), CREF will award up to $10 million over the next five years in the form of matching research grants to Penn faculty to stimulate and support research activity and engagement in China.

“Penn’s China Research and Engagement Fund builds on the deep connections between Penn and China forged over nearly two centuries,” Dr. Gutmann said. “Advancing Penn’s dual mission of research and learning, the awards expand access to Penn’s exceptional intellectual resources as one of the world’s leading research universities and strengthen collaborative relationships between Penn’s eminent scholars and researchers and our Chinese peers to spur innovative broad thinking in seeking real world solutions on issues that confront all societies.

“Penn’s engagement in China via research, academic and student exchanges and broad partnerships with Chinese institutions benefits Penn’s campus and community and enhances global understanding and discovery by bringing the world to Penn and Penn to the world.”

The inaugural Penn CREF grants, totaling nearly $3.8 million during the first three years of the fund, support 16 projects involving researchers across Penn’s 12 schools and also six centers and institutes that are working in collaboration with 35 Chinese institutional partners, as well as more than 10 organizations worldwide.

“Penn has a historic commitment to the integration of knowledge across disciplines,” Dr. Price said. “The complexity of global issues requires multidisciplinary solutions, especially for future challenges that are difficult to anticipate. These exciting projects demonstrate this breadth of expertise among our 12 schools, drawing their strength and innovation from perspectives that span diverse areas of inquiry.”

From Prenatal Ambient Air Pollution and Fetal and Child Development in South China to Improving the Productive and Health Efficiency of the Chinese Dairy Industry, the CREF-sponsored projects cover a broad array of issues including economic history, connections between health and the environment, improving treatment for disease, urbanization and the growth of cities in China and state-owned enterprise reform. The awards support visits to China by more than 100 faculty and students per year and deepen Penn’s understanding of China and collaboration with Chinese partners.

In addition to research-based proposals, there are three projects that expand Penn student programming in China, increasing the opportunity for Penn students to travel in and around China, as well as two new short-term global seminars to be held in China.

Penn’s connections in China include nearly 4,000 Penn alumni who currently live in China and Hong Kong and more than 10,000 alumni who live throughout Asia. Chinese students make up a large percentage of Penn’s international undergraduate and graduate student population on campus, and annually Penn sends many students to China for study abroad programs and internship exchanges. At present, Penn has 180 faculty members with more than 275 projects in or relating to China.

The CREF awards represent another major milestone in Penn’s engagement in China following the opening of the Penn Wharton China Center in Beijing in March (Almanac March 17, 2015). The Center provides logistical support for research, academic and student exchanges and for broad partnerships with China, as well as events and symposia on important academic topics for students, faculty and alumni.

As another opportunity to connect with alumni in China, the University convened the annual Silfen Forum in Beijing last Thursday. Named for David Silfen, a 1966 Penn alumnus, and his wife, Lyn, the forum brought together world-renowned figures in conversation with President Gutmann to reflect on the roles of China and the United States in the world.

US News Rankings

In the recently released US News & World Report rankings of colleges and universities, Penn is ranked ninth overall among national universities. Duke remains in the eighth slot that it shared with Penn last year while Princeton, Harvard and Yale remain in the top three slots.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has retained its #1 place yet again for best undergraduate business program in the country. It also ranked #1 in four specialties: finance, insurance/risk management, marketing and real estate. It ranked #2 in management; #3 in quantitative analysis/methods; and #4 in accounting, entrepreneurship and international business.

University Operations During the Visit by Pope Francis to Philadelphia

An Update for the Penn Community:

Last month we announced that Penn would suspend normal operations on Friday, September 25, to accommodate the travel and logistical challenges that will exist in the Philadelphia region during the visit by Pope Francis. We write now to provide an update on the University’s preparations.

As a reminder, all classes and University-sponsored events are cancelled on this date. Designated essential personnel—including offices such as but not limited to Public Safety, Dining Services and Facilities that provide essential services, University emergency personnel and those responsible for the health and safety of students and lab animals—will be required to report to work and should consult with their supervisors about accommodations and scheduling. Other staff members, faculty members and students should treat the day under the same protocols as a weather-related suspension of operations. Penn Medicine staff should consult with their supervisors about work schedules.

A web page has been created with details on the hours of operation and availability of student services during the weekend of the Pope’s visit. The website will be updated as any new or additional information becomes available, and can be accessed at: http://www.upenn.edu/about/papal-visit

During the Pope’s visit, traffic closures will extend to 38th Street. A map showing the areas of the city that will be blocked to traffic can be accessed directly at this link: http://www.upenn.edu/about/papal-visit-maps The Division of Public Safety is working with essential personnel from the University and Penn Medicine to provide access, as well as retail stores and restaurants in University City to access the traffic box for essential business purposes during specific non-peak hours.

Public Safety has also developed a set of alternate routes to campus for those who will need to travel to work during the Papal visit. While road closures and traffic cannot be guaranteed, the alternate suggestions may provide you with useful options to consider if you must travel during this time period. The alternate routes can be found at: http://www.upenn.edu/about/papal-visit-maps#papal-routes

Additional information from the City of Philadelphia can be found at this site: http://www.phila.gov/InformationCenters/pope/Pages/default.aspx

We very much appreciate the dedication and commitment of all those in the Penn family who will be working through this historic weekend to ensure that our students, faculty and staff have access to facilities and services and patients at our hospitals continue to receive world-class care.

Vincent Price, Provost

Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President

Establishing Provost’s Arts Advisory Council

From the Office of the Provost:

Provost Vincent Price and Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen announce the creation of a Provost’s Arts Advisory Council. Under the leadership of Vice Provost Allen, the Council will advise the Provost on and map the future of the arts at Penn. Building on the achievements of the three-year Art and Culture Initiative (2012-2015) co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the School of Arts & Sciences and led by Professor Karen Beckman, the Council will develop new arts initiatives and collaborations among arts centers and academic programs, administer interdisciplinary arts grants, and draft proposals to strategically advance the arts and arts education at Penn, consistent with University-wide goals of innovation, social impact and the integration of knowledge.  

The members of the Council are:

Norman Badler, Rachleff Professor of Computer and Information Science, SEAS

Karen Beckman, chair and Jaffe Professor of the History of Art, SAS

Winka Dubbeldam, chair and professor of architecture, School of Design

Al Filreis, Kelly Professor of English, SAS, and faculty director, Kelly Writers House

Jeffrey Kallberg, associate dean for arts and letters and Kenan Professor of Music, SAS

Lynn Marsden-Atlass, University curator and director, Arthur Ross Gallery

Laurie McCall, director, Platt Student Performing Arts House

Joshua Mosley, chair and professor of fine arts, School of Design

Michael Rose, managing director, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Amy Sadao, Dietrich Director, Institute of Contemporary Art

Julian Siggers, Williams Director, Penn Museum

Anthony Sorrentino, executive director, Office of the Executive Vice President

Karl Ulrich, vice dean for entrepreneurship and innovation and CIBC Professor of Entrepreneurship and E-Commerce, Wharton School

2016 Models of Excellence Award Nominations: October 29

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Penn staff members are known for their exemplary work, and now is your chance to recognize these efforts with Penn’s 2016 Models of Excellence award. Nominations for the 2016 awards are open now through October 29, 2015.

The Models of Excellence award program celebrates the extraordinary achievements of full- and part-time staff across the University’s schools and centers. Awards are given in three categories:

Models of Excellence Award–Recognizes staff member accomplishments that reflect initiative, leadership, increased efficiency and a deep commitment to service.

Model Supervisor Award–Honors supervisors who contribute to Penn’s success.

Pillars of Excellence Award–Celebrates the important work that weekly-paid staff members do to promote Penn’s success.

New this year, you have an easier, greener way to nominate the exceptional staff members you know by using an online application.

The form is available at https://www.hr.upenn.edu/models

All nominees receive a certificate of appreciation for their service. Models of Excellence, Pillars of Excellence and Model Supervisor winners each receive $500 and a symbolic award. Nominees selected for honorable mention receive $250 and a symbolic award. Awards will be presented at the Models of Excellence ceremony on March 30, 2016 in Irvine Auditorium. The entire Penn community is invited to attend.

Visit https://www.hr.upenn.edu/models for more information about the Models of Excellence program, or contact Human Resources at models@hr.upenn.edu or (215) 898-1012 if you have questions.

—Division of Human Resources

Employee Resource Fair: An Opportunity to Participate

Dear University of Pennsylvania Departments & External Vendors,

The Penn Professional Staff Assembly (PPSA) and the Penn Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly (WPPSA), in partnership with the offices of the Executive Vice President and the Division of Human Resources, are co-sponsoring an Employee Resource Fair on Thursday, October 8 from noon-2 p.m. in Bodek Lounge and the Reading Room in Houston Hall. The purpose of the fair is to provide information to employees regarding the vast and varied campus resources and services available to them. The fair will be open to the entire Penn community.

We are excited to offer you an opportunity to participate in the 2015 Employee Resource Fair. We would welcome representation from your area and encourage you to showcase your services. If you would like to participate, pre-registration is required, and we ask that two representatives from your office staff a table. Typically, participants bring both informational and promotional materials on their services, brochures, giveaways, etc. Please feel free to advertise your participation in the Resource Fair through your email lists and newsletters. Set-up and breakdown will take place from 11 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.

Space is limited so register today. In order to secure your reservation, complete the registration by September 29, 2015; go to https://upenn.irisregistration.com/Auth/Authenticate/

In addition to the Employee Resource Fair there will be a Volunteer Fair organized in tandem with the event. This Volunteer Fair takes place in the Reading Room right next to Bodek Lounge. PPSA invites groups from the Philadelphia area to inform members of the Penn community about the volunteer opportunities they have available. There will be approximately 10-15 local non-profits represented at the fair. Space is limited.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration to participate in the 2015 Employee Resource Fair. For all inquiries, please contact ppsa@exchange.upenn.edu

Lucia DiNapoli, PPSA Chair           —Rosa Vargas, WPPSA Chair

University Research Foundation Applications: October 23

The University Research Foundation (URF) is now accepting applications for the October 23, 2015 deadline. The URF is an intramural funding program that provides up to $50,000 support for research projects and up to $3,000 for conference support.

The objectives of the URF research program are to:

(1) help junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding and aid in establishing their careers as independent investigators;

(2) help established faculty perform novel, pioneering research to determine project feasibility and develop preliminary data to support extramural grant applications;

(3) provide support in disciplines where extramural support is difficult to obtain and where significant research can be facilitated with internal funding; and

(4) provide limited institutional matching funds that are required as part of a successful external peer-reviewed application.

URF Review Panels comprise established Penn faculty members and are charged with giving preference to projects that meet one of the aforementioned criteria.

As part of the University’s commitment to providing research opportunities to scholars across our campus community, URF applicants are encouraged to include undergraduate student participants within the framework of their proposals. URF Review Panels will take undergraduate participation under strong consideration when evaluating and scoring proposals. Should applicants require assistance in identifying interested and qualified undergraduates, the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) will be glad to provide support: curf@upenn.edu

Faculty members are invited to submit their research applications to one of four disciplinary areas: Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Social Science and Management. In addition, URF offers a Conference Support program to provide funding for meetings designed to enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain. Conferences that promote interdisciplinary and multi-school participation are given priority.

Complete details about the URF and links to the forms can be found on the Office of the Vice Provost for Research website at www.upenn.edu/research/funding/university_research_foundation

In the most recent cycle, Spring 2015, of Penn’s internally-funded University Research Foundation and URF Conference Support (noted with *), the Office of the Vice Provost for Research has announced awards to the following members of the faculty for the projects listed below.

Spring 2015: University Research Foundation Awards and Conference Support Awards

Stefan Al, School of Design, city & regional planning; Sustainable Urban Form: A Comparative Analysis of Asian High-Density Block

Montserrat Anguera, School of Veterinary Medicine, animal biology, Faulty X-chromosome silencing as significant contributor for female-bias in autoimmunity

*Robert Aronowitz, School of Arts & Sciences, history & sociology of science, Joint Atlantic Seminar for the History of Medicine

Lee Bassett, School of Engineering & Applied Science, electrical & systems engineering, New Tools for Imaging Neuronal Dynamics using Quantum Probes

Erfei Bi, Perelman School of Medicine, cell & developmental biology, Developing a powerful model for mechanistic analysis of cell abscission

Margaret Bruchac, School of Arts & Sciences, anthropology, Fictive Kin: Re-assembling Frank Speck’s Native Relations and Collections

Robin Clark, School of Arts & Sciences, linguistics, Drift and Selection in Language Evolution

*Karen Detlefsen, School of Arts & Sciences, philosophy, Women, Liberty, Education Early Modern Philosophy of Education

Zhengxia Dou, School of Veterinary Medicine, clinical studies, Household food waste composition and recovery assessment

Andrea Doyle, School of Social Policy & Practice, Trauma-Informed Skills for African American Women with a Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and HIV

David Eckmann, Perelman School of Medicine, anesthesiology, Nano-rheology of biological materials

*Joseph Farrell, School of Arts & Sciences, classical studies, The Language of the Past and the Future of Ancient Studies

Loretta Flanagan-Cato, School of Arts & Sciences, psychology, Dopamine-estradiol interactions and amygdala function

Grant Frame, School of Arts & Sciences, Near Eastern languages & civilizations, Completing the Royal Inscriptions of Sargon II of Assyria

*Ira Harkavy, School of Arts & Sciences, Netter Center, University-Assisted Community Schools: Advancing the Model Locally, Nationally, and Globally

Matthew Hayes, Perelman School of Medicine, psychiatry, Examination of novel neuroendocrine signaling pathways to affect food reward

Olena Jacenko, School of Veterinary Medicine, biomedical studies, Could a young niche rejuvenate hematopoiesis?

F. Brad Johnson, Perelman School of Medicine, pathology & laboratory medicine, Deciphering functions of microRNAs encoded from HLA class I loci

*Michael Kahana, School of Arts & Sciences, psychology, 2016 Context and Episodic Memory Symposium

*Justin Khoury, School of Arts & Sciences, physics & astronomy, New Frontiers in Cosmology and String Theory

Bekir Harun Kucuk, School of Arts & Sciences, history & sociology of science, Enlightenment and Imperial Decline: Ottoman Cultures of Naturalism, 1650-1750

*Annette Lareau, School of Arts & Sciences, sociology, Culture and Interaction Conference

Christopher Lengner, School of Veterinary Medicine, animal biology, Identifying markers for the prospective isolation of reserve intestinal stem cells

Catherine McDonald, School of Nursing, family & community health, A Pilot Study of a Mobile Technology Monitoring System to Assess a Web-based Intervention for Teen Risky Driving

Scott Poethig, School of Arts & Sciences, biology, The evolution of vegetative phase change in the Acaciae

Avishag Reisman, Graduate School of Education, Practice-Based Coaching and Professional Development: Supporting Teacher Facilitation of Whole-Class Text-based History Discussion

*Charles Brian Rose, School of Arts & Sciences, classical studies, The World of Phrygian Gordion, Royal City of Midas

Andrew Saunders, School of Design, architecture, Digital Analysis of the Latent Topological Structure of Baroque Architecture

Theodore Schurr, School of Arts & Sciences, anthropology, Genetic History of Los Floridanos, Florida’s First Spanish Families

Patrick Seale, Perelman School of Medicine, cell & developmental biology, Impact of aging on beige fat differentiation an energy expenditure

Robert Seyfarth, School of Arts & Sciences, psychology, What Makes a Good Seeing Eye Dog

Tatyana Svitkina, School of Arts & Sciences, biology, Acquisition of a fluorescence microscope

* John Tresch, School of Arts & Sciences, history & sociology of science, Sorting Brains Out: Tasks, Tests, and Trials in the Neuro- and Mind Sciences, 1890-2015

Kevin Turner, School of Engineering & Applied Science, mechanical engineering & applied mechanics, Improving Fracture Resistance of Polymer using Cellulose Nanofibrils

Deaths

Daniel W. Dietrich II, ICA Overseer

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Daniel W. Dietrich II, a philanthropist who gave generously to Penn’s Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), died on September 1 at Paoli Hospital. He was 73 years old.

Mr. Dietrich earned his bachelor’s degree in art history from Hamilton College. He was heir to a family conglomerate that included Luden’s cough drops, where he once served as vice president. He had served on ICA’s board of overseers beginning in 1969 and became an emeritus overseer in 2014. Earlier this year, Mr. Dietrich gave $10 million to ICA, doubling the institution’s endowment (Almanac May 12, 2015). The gift supports ICA’s artist-centered mission and guarantees multi-year curatorial research and exhibition development opportunities.

Mr. Dietrich is survived by his partner, Deborah Ullman, and three sons, William S. Hildreth, Daniel W. III and Adam.

Features

Christopher Knowles, Josephine Pryde and Becky Suss at Institute of Contemporary Art: September 16

Three exhibitions will open on Wednesday, September 16 at Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 South 36th Street. A members-only event at 5 p.m. will be followed by a public reception from 6-9 p.m. The exhibitions will run through December 27. For more information, visit www.icaphila.org/exhibitions

Christopher Knowles: In a Word

Christopher Knowles, Untitled, 2014, oil marker on canvas, 40 x 40 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York.

Christopher Knowles is regarded as a poet and painter, yet his output is broader than this suggests. This exhibition, his most comprehensive to date, spans many media—text, sound, painting, drawing, sculpture and performance—including pieces made in collaboration with esteemed theater director Robert Wilson. The work records and reorders the everyday materials around us using incantatory rhythms and repetition. Typings of language permutations, reimagined song lyrics and interlocking blocks of raw color commonly depict family and close friends. Sculptures are precise and direct in construction: polka-dotted cones, brilliantly hued paper cutouts, Lego structures and accumulations of wind-up alarm clocks. Performances feature daily routines rendered into theatrical exaggeration.

This exhibition was co-organized by chief curator Anthony Elms and guest curator Hilton Als, writer and chief theater critic for The New Yorker.

 

Josephine Pryde: lapses in Thinking By the person i Am

Josephine Pryde, Gift For Me, Simon Lee Gallery Christmas 2013 (1), 2015, Giclée print, 23 1/4 x 15 1/2 inches, edition 3/3. Courtesy of Reena Spaulings Fine Art, New York; Simon Lee Gallery, London and Galerie Neu, Berlin.

Josephine Pryde presents a new body of commissioned work for her first United States museum exhibition. It could be said that the composition, lighting and general style of Ms. Pryde’s photographs recall fashion and portrait photography, but this would ignore the fact that fashion and portrait photography refer to art photographs, snapshots, documentary footage and more. This exhibition includes more than 20 photographs of hands shot with a macro lens so that detail can be enlarged in the final frame. The hands have brightly painted nails and are depicted in contact with a range of touch-sensitive devices—lamps, tablets, phones, human chests. The photographs may be viewed on foot; alternately, a fully functioning miniature rideable train offers visitors a short trip along the route of the show.

This exhibition was organized for CCA Wattis Institute in San Francisco by curator and head of programs Jamie Stevens, and organized at ICA by chief curator Anthony Elms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Becky Suss

Becky Suss, Living Room (six paintings, four plates), 2015, oil on canvas, 84 x 108 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Fleisher/Ollman, Philadelphia.

Becky Suss presents selections from her most recent body of work in her first solo museum exhibition. These meditative, large-scale paintings, augmented by smaller studies in oil and ceramic, reimagine the domestic spaces of her relatives with a focus on her late grandparents’ mid-century suburban home. The flattened architecture and exaggerated perspective of Ms. Suss’s canvases memorialize their collected art and objects through an intimate, archeological process that opens familial narrative to questions of class, politics and religion. Echoed in these works are the migratory shifts and political climates of Cold War America, from suburban sprawl to the Red Scare. Psychic and physical space is conflated as Ms. Suss works through memories and mythologies embedded within these interiors. Her ICA exhibition expands this inquiry with several new canvases and experiments in larger, more labor-intensive ceramic forms.

This exhibition was organized by ICA associate curator Kate Kraczon.

Events

Update: September at Penn

Exhibit

Now Historic Preservation–Feats of Clay: Philadelphia Brick and Terra Cotta; curated by Frank Matero, PennDesign–traces the rise of the brick and terra cotta industry in Philadelphia; Harvey and Irwin Kroiz Gallery, The Architectural Archives. Through October 9.

SPECIAL EVENT

17 Faculty and Staff American Red Cross Blood Drive, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Café 58, Irvine Auditorium.To sign up, visit: http://penn-ppsa.org/event/faculty-and-staff-american-red-cross-blood-drive-6/

Sponsor code: UPENNFaculty; donor eligibility guidelines: call 1 (800) RED CROSS.

Talks

21 I Am from Xinjiang; Kurbanjan Samat, Central China TV; noon; CSCC Conference Room 345, Fisher-Bennett Hall (Center for the Study of Contemporary China).

History Comes Alive at Morris Arboretum’s Grist Mill Day

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On Sunday, September 20, from 1 to 4 p.m., Morris Arboretum will host Grist Mill Demonstration Day at Bloomfield Farm (across the street from the garden’s main entrance). Families and history buffs alike will enjoy a visual narrative of the social, economic and technological role mills played in food production in the 19th century. Springfield Mills, one of the Arboretum’s oldest architectural features, has been carefully restored and made operational again by a group of dedicated volunteers. Watch one-ton millstones grind corn and wheat kernels. Observe 160-year-old machinery transport and sift the grind to produce meal and flour that will be added to the ingredients to bake muffins on site. Craig SanPietro (below) describes the process. Kids and adults will have the opportunity to grind flour on the pedal powered mill. Free admission but donations appreciated.

For more information, go to www.morrisarboretum.org or call (215) 247-5777.

Penn Museum's Lecture Series: Exploring Great Myths and Legends

Amazonian warrior women, Genghis Khan, even King Midas and his golden touch—all have their moment in the spotlight with the Penn Museum’s popular Great Myths and Legends evening lecture series, featuring leading scholars from the Penn Museum, the University of Pennsylvania and beyond. The series kicks off Wednesday, October 7 at 6 p.m., and continues the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. through June 2016. Guests can sign up for a series subscription and save: $40, general public; $15, Penn Museum members. Individual lectures with advance registration are $5, general public; $2, Museum members; and $10 at the door based on availability. For more information, call (215) 898-2680. To register, visit http://www.penn.museum/greatmyths

Now in its eighth “Great” season, these wide-ranging illustrated talks incorporate history, anthropology and archaeology. Past themes have included Great Battles, Great Voyages and Great Wonders. With this year’s theme, speakers delve into great legends from around the world as they explore the myths of mortals.

Penn Museum stays open first Wednesdays until 8 p.m., and lecture guests are welcome to visit the galleries after the programs.

Great Myths and Legends Series Lineup October 7, Jennifer Wegner, associate curator, Egyptian Section: Imhotep: From Architect to Deity to Villain. This presentation focuses on the historical figure Imhotep, who designed the remarkable Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara, built during the reign of King Djoser (ca. 2687–2668 BCE). After his death, Imhotep was regarded as a great sage and was later deified—becoming one of the few human beings to join the Egyptian pantheon. As a god, Imhotep was regarded as a patron of healers. Dr. Wegner examines his rise from royal architect to divine being, concluding with an exploration of his appearance in pop culture today.

November 4, Steve Tinney, associate curator-in-charge, Near East Section: Adapa the Sage: Flood, Myth and Magic in early Mesopotamia. Thousands of years ago, scholar-priests in ancient Sumer told a tale about a man who lived long before them, a tale of Adapa, who was so clever that his magic could disable the winds, and who traveled to heaven to meet the gods. Recently published tablets shed new light on Adapa, starting with an evocation of the time just after the Great Flood had passed over. Dr. Tinney tells several stories: of the new discoveries and their decipherment; of Adapa himself; and of the ancient guardians of this strange and magical tradition whose writings have survived almost four thousand years.

December 2, Morris Rossabi, Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University: Genghis Khan: Barbarian Conqueror or Harbinger of Democracy. The world has generally viewed Genghis Khan as a barbaric conqueror whose troops raped and murdered hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people and pillaged and often destroyed villages, towns and cities throughout Asia and Europe. However, several popular writers have recently portrayed him as an advocate of democracy, international law and women’s rights. This illustrated lecture seeks to provide a balanced depiction and to explain the reasons for the myths that have developed about the man and the people who established the largest contiguous land empire in world history.

January 6, Janet Monge, curator of physical anthropology: The Piltdown Fossil Forgery and the Search for the “First Englishman.” In the early 20th century, hominid fossils were unearthed all over the mainland continent of Europe, but not a single fossil representing human evolution was found in Great Britain. The Piltdown fossil hoax was perpetrated by a forager who altered the bones of a modern human skull and an orangutan jaw, passing them off as a plausible fossil find. Who committed the forgery is considered one of the great mysteries of human evolutionary studies, but the reasons why the British scholarly community accepted it is more broadly revealing of the nature of the scientific endeavor.  
February 3, Megan Kassabaum, Weingarten Assistant Curator, American Section, and Simon Martin, associate curator and keeper of collections, American Section: Hero Twins of the Americas: Myths of Origin, Duality and Vengeance.

Myths concerning the “hero twins” are widespread from Canada to South America. In the archetypal Maya myth, a pair of twin brothers battle with a range of monsters and death deities as they seek to make the world safe for humankind. Instead of defeating their enemies in trials of strength, they outwit them in games of skill, ingenuity and magic, offering role models of how best to survive death and ultimately attain rebirth into the sky. A variety of myths throughout North America draw on these same themes but differ dramatically in the details, demonstrating the incredible antiquity of the basic story and the relationships between the diverse cultures of the New World.

March 2, C. Brian Rose, Ferry Curator-in-Charge, Mediterranean Section: The Golden Age of King Midas. Midas was indisputably the most famous ruler of the Phrygian kingdom in central Turkey, and his Golden Touch made him an especially favorite subject in Greek legend. His first monumental project as king was a colossal tomb for his father (ca. 740 B.C.) that was excavated by the University of Pennsylvania in 1957, and the finds from that tomb form the centerpiece of the “Golden Age of King Midas” exhibit at the Penn Museum (February-November 2016). Dr. Rose provides an overview of the city that King Midas ruled, his diplomatic outreach to the Greeks and his antagonistic relationship with the Assyrians.

April 6, Annette Yoshiko Reed, assistant professor of religious studies: The Queen of Sheba in History and Legend. Best known from the Bible’s account of her marriage to the wise king Solomon, the Queen of Sheba has attracted the curiosity of Jews, Christians and Muslims for millennia. The lecture traces tales about her from Israel to Ethiopia, and explores how traditions about her have traveled between different religions and connected different regions.

May 4, Jeremy McInerney, Davidson Kennedy Professor and Chair of Classical Studies: Warrior Women: Amazons and the Greek Imagination. This examines Amazons in Greek legend and art. Who were these warrior women and why did they remain a source of curiosity, wonder and fear in the Greek imagination?

June 1, Paul Cobb, professor of Islamic history: The Arabian Nights: Medieval Fantasy and Modern Forgery. The Arabian Nights is probably the medieval Arabic book best known in the west, full of ripping yarns and vivid characters that have influenced film, music and literature for centuries. Surprisingly, some of its most cherished tales, such as those of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Sindbad and even Aladdin were added by modern European translators. Dr. Cobb delves into the fascinating history of this book from its origins in ancient Middle Eastern myths to its status as a European bestseller during the Enlightenment.

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 August 31-September 6, 2015Prior weeks’ reports are also online. —Eds.

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 August 31-September 6, 2015. The University Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to 43rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police. In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call the Division of Public Safety at (215) 898-4482.

09/01/15          10:27 AM       239 41st St                     Theft                 Cell phone taken while at party

09/01/15          10:28 AM       237 S 41st St                  Theft                 Phone taken while at party

09/01/15          4:01 PM          3909 Spruce St              Theft                 Secured bike taken

09/01/15          8:30 PM          3701 Walnut St               Theft                 Items taken from locker

09/02/15          1:52 PM          3900 Locust St               Traffic                Male wanted on warrant/Arrest

09/03/15          1:55 AM         3900 Walnut St                DUI                    Intoxicated driver arrested

09/03/15          9:06 AM         3400 Spruce St                Traffic                Male wanted on scofflaw/Arrest

09/03/15          10:54 AM       3910 Irving St                    Fraud                Bad check received

09/03/15          12:26 PM        3400 Spruce St                Theft                 Cash taken from backpack

09/03/15          1:31 PM          51 N 39th St                     Theft                 Unknown male took property without payment

09/03/15          2:31 PM          3730 Walnut St                Theft                  Property taken from locker

09/03/15          8:38 PM          4000 Market St                Other Offense    Male wanted on warrant/New court date issued

09/04/15          9:44 AM         400 University Ave            Theft                  Secured bike taken

09/04/15          9:44 AM         400 University Ave            Assault              Complainant punched by unknown male

09/04/15          1:35 PM          3661 Walnut St                Theft                  Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

09/04/15          11:34 PM        3411 Chestnut St            Theft                   Unsecured bike taken

09/05/15          2:25 PM          3440 Market St                Theft                  Secured bike seat taken

09/06/15          6:07 PM          4100 Locust St                Theft                  Unknown male attempted to take bike

09/06/15          10:54 PM        4033 Baltimore Ave         Assault              Male assaulted girlfriend/Arrest

18th District Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 3 incidents with 1 arrest (2 aggravated assaults and 1 assault) were reported between August 31-September 6, 2015 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

09/02/15    10:59 AM    1231 S 49th St          Aggravated Assault

09/04/15    10:19 AM    433 University Ave    Assault

09/06/15    11:33 PM    4033 Baltimore Ave   Aggravated Assault/Arrest

Bulletins

From the Office of Government and Community Affairs

The Office of Government and Community Affairs promotes voter registration, education and participation across the campus community. 

Important Dates

September 17: National Constitution Day

September 22: National Voter
Registration Day

October 5:  PA Voter Registration Deadline

November 3: Election Day

March 28:  PA Voter Registration Deadline

April 26: Election Day

National Constitution Day: On September 17, Professor Mary Frances Berry will deliver a special Constitution Day 60-Second Lecture, Our Unjust Constitution and Still We Celebrate, at Stiteler Plaza at 11:55 a.m.

Get familiar with a Philadelphia voting machine on display in the Penn Bookstore foyer from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. as part of the Constitution Day Voter Registration Drive.

Voter Registration: Online voter registration is now available in Pennsylvania. Go to http://register.votesPA.com or visit Houston Hall on September 22 for National Voter Registration Day activities.

Polling Place Volunteers: Students, staff and faculty members are sought to serve on the Boards of Elections at campus polling places on November 3. Email ogca@exchange.upenn.edu for details.

Spread the Word: Follow @PennVoterEd on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for information about voter activities at Penn.

Prescription Eyeglass Collection on Campus

Those who have old prescription glasses, readers or sunglasses they no longer need can put them to good use by dropping them off at one of the following campus locations:

• SAS Graduate Division, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 322A

• Annenberg Public Policy Center, 202 South 36th St., Lobby (M-F 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.)

• Wharton Finance & Administration, Steinberg Hall–Dietrich Hall, 3620 Locust Walk, Suite 1100

• Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, West Pavilion, 3rd Floor, Ophthalmology Waiting Room

The Staff Eco-Reps are collecting and sending them to Vision Service Plan (VSP) Global’s Eyes of Hope program (globaleyesofhope.com), which distributes them to those in need.

For questions regarding collections on Penn’s campus, contact Joy Cannon at bjc2@mail.med.upenn.edu

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