March 29, 2022 Volume 68 Issue 28

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce a $10 million commitment from Ellen L. Hanson and Richard E. Perlman, W’68, that will further the University’s commitment to inspiring innovation among students. Their contribution will establish Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and support other programming at Venture Lab, a central resource for entrepreneurship that brings together students from across the University. 

“The University has long been committed to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Interim President Wendell Pritchett. “This generous commitment from Ellen Hanson and Richard Perlman will greatly enhance our efforts to inspire innovation by Penn students. We are exceedingly grateful that Ellen and Richard’s vision and philanthropy will advance our position as leaders in the study and practice of entrepreneurship through acquisition and ensure that the entrepreneurial spirit continues to thrive at Penn.”

New Wharton ETA programming will increase awareness that many successful entrepreneurial endeavors—including those of numerous alumni—thrive through a new owner’s investment and dedication to growing an existing small business. Ms. Hanson’s and Mr. Perlman’s gift will support wide-ranging programs and initiatives within an emerging ETA program at Venture Lab, including curriculum development and delivery; workshops and research; and support for Expert in Residence advisors and staff. Their contribution will also provide financial support for University graduates—known as Perlman Fellows—who wish to explore ETA, incentivizing students by making ETA more financially accessible and professionally supportive. 

With a focus on instructional learning opportunities for current students and hands-on opportunities after graduation, ETA will bring together faculty and alumni to provide structured guidance and mentorship for students pursuing these ventures. The ETA curriculum is designed to provide students with a tactical and applicable understanding of business, delivered in formats ranging from faculty-led classroom instruction to workshop series and guest speakers. As Perlman Fellows, recent graduates will benefit from alumni mentoring, gain experience with search, and optimize resources supporting their journey.

“The future of business is reliant on forward-thinking, innovative leaders who will challenge norms, and bring fresh, new ideas and approaches to the world,” said Mr. Perlman. “There is no better investment than in the next generation of great business leaders, and Ellen and I are proud to lend our support to the incredible work being done at Wharton and Penn to further that progress. We are hopeful that expanding the curriculum will inspire more students to pursue ETA.” 

The experiences and reflections of recent Wharton MBA ETA Club President Austin Lee, WG’21, illustrate the promise of this gift dedicated to expanding ETA opportunities. 

“The decision I made to pursue a career in entrepreneurship through acquisition was informed and influenced greatly by the professors, students, and ETA Club at Wharton,” said Mr. Lee. “At Wharton, I learned the business fundamentals required to find success while managing a small company. There are more Wharton alumni in the ETA space than most realize, a passionate and supportive group of folks that have helped me greatly both as a student and now as a graduate on a fun and exciting career path.”

This new gift also expands upon Ms. Hanson’s and Mr. Perlman’s previous support by adding to the Perlman Grand Prize. Established in 2013, the Perlman Grand Prize is the largest endowed gift to the Startup Challenge, the culminating competition for Penn student-founded new ventures. Their support increases the prize amount from $30,000 to $50,000, which is awarded to exceptional entrepreneurial students.

“Through their generosity, Ellen and Richard are enhancing programs and opportunities for today’s aspiring entrepreneurs and nurturing a growing community of motivated, driven, curious students who are ready to approach the greatest challenges in society and business as innovative problem solvers,” said Wharton Dean Erika James. “We could not be more grateful for their profoundly thoughtful investment.” 

Richard Perlman is the founder and executive chairman of ExamWorks Group, Inc., which provides evidence-based medical evaluations to the property and casualty market for workers compensation, automotive, and general liability injury claims. An undergraduate alumnus of Wharton, Mr. Perlman remains dedicated to the entire University through his philanthropy and service as a member of the Wharton Undergraduate Executive Board.

Andrew M. Hoffman, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, announced professorship appointments for three faculty members. Thomas D. Parsons has been appointed the Marie A. Moore Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, Christopher J. Lengner has been appointed the Harriet Ellison Woodward Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, and Amy L. Johnson has been appointed the Marilyn M. Simpson Associate Professor of Equine Medicine. Each of the appointments will go into effect on July 1, 2022.

Thomas D. Parsons, who is currently a professor of swine medicine in the department of clinical studies at New Bolton Center; professor of otorhinolaryngology at the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM); and director of the Swine Teaching and Research Center, is a graduate of Amherst College. He received his VMD and PhD (neuroscience) from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Dr. Parsons studied in the veterinary medical scientist training program and then was supported by the von Humboldt Society to train at the Max Planck Institute for Biomedical Research in Heidelberg, Germany. He joined Penn’s faculty in 1995 as assistant professor of swine medicine; he was promoted to associate professor of swine production medicine in 2005 and became a full professor in 2019. Dr. Parsons is a charter member of the American College of Animal Welfare, and serves as the faculty coordinator for Penn’s masters program in animal welfare and behavior, as well as head of mammalian field investigations for the Pennsylvania Diagnostic Laboratories at New Bolton Center (PADLS). His research focuses on the advancement of sustainable models of agriculture through the study of animal behavior, health, welfare, and applications of technology. Parsons is recognized globally by scholars and industry leaders for re-envisioning swine housing and feeding systems to improve welfare.

Christopher J. Lengner, who is currently an associate professor in the department of biomedical sciences at Penn Vet; associate professor in the department of cell and developmental biology at the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM); co-director of the Center for Animal Transgenesis, and associate director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine; is a graduate of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He received his PhD from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, then went on to become a Ruth Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellow at the Whitehead Institute and at MIT in the lab of Rudolf Jaenisch. As a postdoc, he made seminal contributions to the field of epigenetic reprogramming in the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells—knowledge which is now broadly applied in disease modeling and development of cell-based therapies. Dr. Lengner joined Penn’s faculty in 2011 as an assistant professor. In 2017 he was named associate professor, and he was appointed a Penn Fellow in 2019. He is a member of the PSOM’s NIH P30 Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases and the Tumor Biology Program of the Abramson Cancer Center. Currently, the Lengner lab employs genetic and genomic tools in organoid models to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern stem cell self-renewal, and how those mechanisms become dysregulated in disease states, particularly cancer. Dr. Lengner’s research has appeared in nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications including in field-leading journals such as Cell, Stem Cell, Cancer Cell, and Gastroenterology.

Amy L. Johnson, who is currently an associate professor of large animal medicine and neurology, in the department of clinical studies at New Bolton Center, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. She received her DVM with distinction from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Johnson completed a residency in large animal internal medicine at Cornell, followed by a residency in neurology at Penn. She was the first American veterinarian, and the second veterinarian in the world, granted dual certification in neurology and large animal internal medicine through the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Dr. Johnson joined Penn Vet as a lecturer at New Bolton Center in 2007; became an assistant professor in 2011; and in 2019, was promoted to associate professor and assumed the role of section chief of Internal Medicine and Ophthalmology. Dr. Johnson’s primary research focus is on improving antemortem diagnosis of neurologic disease in horses; with a secondary interest in infectious diseases including equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) and Lyme neuroborreliosis.

“Doctors Parsons, Lengner, and Johnson are excellent role models; the consummate blend of scientist, teacher, and mentor that our endowed professors should embody,” said Dean Hoffman. “All three of them reflect the values and dedication that are vital to the mission of Penn Vet and to our community. I am delighted to have them on our faculty; their collective research and academic leadership are undeniably fitting for these signature professorships.”

The awarding of named endowed professorships are the highest honor bestowed upon faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. Endowed professorships reflect excellence in scholarly achievement and embody a commitment to scientific discovery, clinical excellence, mentorship, and service.

All the honorees will be recognized at the Student, Alumni, and Faculty Awards event on Thursday, May 13, 2022 from 4-5:30 p.m.

Dean’s Award for Undergraduate Scholarly Mentorship and the Doctoral Student Organization’s Barbara J. Lowery Faculty Award

Dalmacio Dennis Flores is an assistant professor of nursing in the department of family and community health. Dr. Flores has had a pronounced positive impact on undergraduate students and their understanding of nursing research, mentoring students in classes like LGBT Health and in extracurricular settings, including the Asian Pacific American Nursing Student Association, where he serves as faculty advisor. As the principal investigator for research initiatives pertaining to parent-child sex communication, Dr. Flores has demonstrated exceptional leadership in mentoring students who possess a distinct interest in pursuing the research field. In particular, he is able to exceed students’ expectations in acquiring an understanding of research skills by making certain that each individual has the opportunity to undertake various endeavors in this discipline. Leading by example, Dr. Flores’ resilience and flexibility with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his current research projects, which include the Sexual Health Inclusivity during Family Talks (SHIFT) Study, encourages his students to find innovative ways to conduct and engage with research. His ability to build a mutually rewarding relationship with his students, both inside and outside of the classroom, speaks to Dr. Flores’ embodiment of an ideal undergraduate scholarly mentor.

Since joining faculty in 2018, Dr. Flores has stood out as an engaged and energizing mentor to PhD students. He offers his mentees opportunities to develop their careers, whether through co-authorship on manuscripts, invitations to guest lecture for his classes, or his practical career advice. Dr. Flores has a lively sense of humor, which has given many students a good laugh amid their challenging program. Additionally, Dr. Flores’ genuine interest in his students’ lives has helped them to find balance between their academic goals and their physical and emotional health. As one of the only Filipino tenure-track faculty across the university and as a publicly “out” member of the School of Nursing faculty, Dr. Flores brings himself 100% to his role as a mentor. He has carved spaces for more diversity among PhD students, having helped to coordinate focus groups with doctoral students for the Graduate Group’s Social Justice Task Force. The Doctoral Student Organization is honored to recognize him for his impact.

Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching

Jie Deng is an associate professor of nursing in the department of biobehavioral health sciences and faculty director of the Laboratory of Innovative & Translational Nursing Research. In her course Scientific Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice, Dr. Deng regularly assesses students’ prior knowledge about the course topics and what students would like to focus on for further education, tailoring her instruction accordingly. She cultivates a teaching environment that encourages all students to think critically, setting a strong foundation for their future careers as nurses and healthcare leaders. In addition, Dr. Deng not only introduces her students to fundamental concepts in nursing and research, but also nurtures them as they develop specific interests. While transitioning to research can be a daunting task for new students, Dr. Deng makes sure that they are gradually exposed to new concepts and receive support whenever needed. Dr. Deng creates a welcoming environment for new students, goes out of her way to reassure her mentees, and genuinely cares for her students outside of the School of Nursing. Dr. Deng cultivates curiosity and ambition in her students, allowing them to grow and become independent thinkers.

Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence

Beth Quigley is an advanced senior lecturer in the department of biobehavioral health sciences. Connie Scanga is a practice professor of nursing in the department of biobehavioral health sciences. Ms. Quigley and Dr. Scanga are described as a true teaching team that has refined Anatomy, Physiology, and Physical Assessment into a course that prepares students far beyond the classroom. Creative teaching has always been a hallmark of their teaching and online teaching did not deter their innovative practices. Ms. Quigley ensured that each student had a kit with supplies mailed to their homes to be able to perform assessments. Dr. Scanga’s work with HoloLens, bringing 3D images and new technology into the classroom, heightened in-person learning while making virtual dissection with apps possible for online courses. The preparedness of their students continues to impress instructors of other courses at Penn Nursing.

The “dynamic duo,” as they have been referred to, are accessible to every student. They work tirelessly to make sure each student gets the help they need to be successful in the course and this unparalleled dedication exemplifies Ms. Quigley and Dr. Scanga’s teaching excellence.

Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence

Kerry Shields is a lecturer in the department of family and community health. Ms. Shields’s formal education and professional experience in healthcare are at the core of her pedagogy. Ms. Shields creates a rich academic experience for her students. She brings evidence-based practice to life by inviting lecturers to her classroom who expand upon their research from reputable publications in nursing. Her ability to help her students link theory into everyday practice inspires her students to think beyond the slides of a presentation. Ms. Shields fosters an environment inside and outside of the classroom that encourages students to approach her about challenges faced in the academic, professional, and personal spheres. Her deliberate planning and built-in flexibility as an instructor alongside her ability to instill confidence in her students is unparalleled and acknowledged by her students and peers. Ms. Shields’s exceptional efforts to enhance the education and professional personas of her students make her an invaluable professor.

Outstanding Nurse Educator Award, Graduate Student Organization

Jennie Greco Lattimer is a lecturer in the department of family and community health and the clinical-site coordinator of the Family Nurse Practitioner program. As a practicing lead breast oncology nurse practitioner at HUP, Ms. Lattimer provides her students with an education that is informed, experienced, and current. Her ability to individualize her teaching to the interests of her students is unparalleled and her unwavering dedication to her students’ personal and professional development has been lauded. Ms. Lattimer consistently surpasses expectations as a clinical educator. She goes the extra mile to ensure that her students feel challenged and comforted with their work and commits to finding sites for her students to meet clinical hour quotas throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Her students view her as a role model for their future nursing practices. Ms. Lattimer embodies what it means to be a leader in the field of nursing science and her students have expressed their deepest gratitude for her contribution to the advancement of their nursing and leadership endeavors.

Undergraduate Award for Teaching, Student Nurses at Penn

Karen B. Lasater is an assistant professor of nursing in the department of biobehavioral health sciences. Dr. Lasater leads Statistics for Research and Measurement, a course that all BSN nursing students take during their time at Penn. Though many students enter the class intimidated, Dr. Lasater and her teaching style subside any feelings of apprehension. Dr. Lasater provides examples from her research to help students understand difficult theoretical concepts and is also able to answer any question presented. Dr. Lasater is also keen on stimulating student interests. She elicits information to better understand her students on a personal level. The class is further partitioned into smaller groups based on future nursing specialties of students. Her innovative teaching styles break the barrier remote teaching often creates. Additionally, she targets course readings, assignments, and projects specifically for each individual/interest group, based on their areas of common interest. Dr. Lasater’s accessibility and diligence as an instructor not only demonstrate the qualities of an excellent teacher, but also the characteristics her students will strive to emulate in their careers in nursing.

Penn’s Benefits Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to make changes to your health plans, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts. While Open Enrollment is still a few weeks away, we want to give faculty and staff plenty of time to learn about the upcoming 2022-2023 plan year. Be sure to carefully review the Benefits Enrollment Guide that will be mailed to your home soon. 

This year, the Division of Human Resources will host an on-campus Open Enrollment Benefits Fair as well as virtual benefits presentations. Penn provides many other tools and resources to help you make an informed decision. 

For more information about your benefits, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/openenrollment. You’ll have access to benefit comparison charts, contribution charts, and more.

Looking Ahead to a New Plan Year on July 1, 2022

On-Campus Open Enrollment Benefits Fair and Virtual Benefits Presentations

This year the Open Enrollment Benefits Fair will return to campus on Monday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Inn at Penn. Penn Benefits staff, representatives from Penn’s healthcare providers, and wellness partners will be there to answer your questions.

Live, virtual Open Enrollment presentations will also be held on the following dates:

Visit www.hr.upenn.edu/registration for log-in links and other information session details.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Updates and Reminders

Health Care FSA

If you have a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA), you will be able to roll over up to $570 of all unused funds from the 2021-2022 plan year to the 2022-2023 plan year. All unused funds over the $570 limit will be forfeited. 

You must incur all expenses between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Claims must be submitted by September 30, 2022. All rollover funds will be available in November.

Carefully consider your contribution for the new plan year.

Dependent Care FSA

You must use all available funds by the end of the plan year deadline or you will forfeit any remaining balance. You have until September 15 of the following plan year to incur expenses, and until September 30 of the following plan year to submit eligible claims.

For example, if you enroll in a Dependent Care FSA during the 2022-2023 plan year, you’ll have until September 15, 2023 to incur expenses and until September 30, 2023 to submit eligible expenses for reimbursement.

Visit https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay/health-life-and-fsa/health/flexible-spending-accounts for more FSA details and single-sign-on access to WageWorks.

Medical Rates

There will be an increase to the medical plan rates. Most other plan rates will remain the same.

Workday@Penn

During Open Enrollment, you can make changes to your benefits coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via Workday@Penn at http://www.myworkday.com/upenn/login.html. Please remember to print a confirmation statement for your records.

Read the Self-Service: Manage, View and Change Your Benefits tip sheet for instructions.

Update Your Beneficiary

While you’re logged in to Workday@Penn, please review and update your life insurance beneficiary information. To update your retirement plan beneficiaries, log in to your retirement planning account through Penn’s TIAA.org SSO link.

Additional Resources

To find out more about Benefits Open Enrollment:

• Visit the Open Enrollment and Health Fair
• Review the 2022-2023 Benefits Enrollment Guides coming soon to your home address or your email inbox.
• Visit www.hr.upenn.edu/openenrollment for details and useful tools.
• Contact Human Resources at benefits@hr.upenn.edu or the Benefits Solution Center at 1 (866) 799-2329, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

March 24, 2022

We announced last week that masking would be required in classrooms until March 28. We are now extending the requirement of masks in classrooms beyond March 28, following consultations with students and faculty across campus. This is a provisional decision, consistent with guidance at peer universities, that we will continue to reassess in an ongoing consultative process. Our highest priority is to maximally protect the health of our community, as we all head into the closing weeks of the semester, final exams, and Commencement. We thank you for your great partnership in this effort, and we will continue to keep you updated.

—Wendell Pritchett, Interim President
—Beth Winkelstein, Interim Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Senior Executive Vice President
—J. Larry Jameson, Executive Vice President for the Health System

Harold Bonavita-Goldman, a former member of the board of advisors at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice and the first openly gay president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, passed away on February 5 of complications of cancer and COVID-19. He was 79.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Bonavita-Goldman grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family. He earned his bachelor’s and law degrees at the University of Memphis and a master’s degree in social work at the University of Illinois. At first, he worked in Tennessee and Illinois, providing legal aid to the needy. He then became chief legal counsel to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. In 1984, he became the CEO of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia, a role he held until 1999 and in which he was a prolific fundraiser, inspirational mentor, and an entertaining dinner party raconteur. From 2000 to 2006, he then served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. 

He is survived by his husband, John Bonavita-Goldman, M’73, GM’77; his sister, Marilyn Weinman; and his niece, Sharon Weinman. Services were February 8. Donations in his name may be made to the president’s challenge scholarship fund at the State University of New York-Ulster, 491 Cottekill Rd., Stone Ridge, N.Y. 12484, and America Votes, 1155 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036. 

Barrie Joyce Rabinowitz Cassileth, GR’78, a former associate professor of medical sociology in Penn’s School of Medicine and a pioneer of cancer care, passed away on February 26 from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 83.

Born in Philadelphia, Dr. Cassileth studied social sciences at Bennington College, graduating in 1959. After taking a hiatus when her husband was called up for military service, she obtained a master’s degree in psychology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. She ultimately earned a PhD in medical sociology from Penn’s School of Medicine in 1978. After graduating, she taught at the School of Medicine. Initially a research assistant professor of medicine, she was promoted in 1983 to assistant professor and a year later to associate professor. While at Penn, she also served as director of Penn’s Hospice Program and director of the psychosocial program at Penn’s Cancer Center. In 1979, she edited her first book, The Cancer Patient: Social and Medical Aspects of Care, which presented several essays on the human and social aspects of cancer. 

She left Penn to teach at Duke University, then at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. In 1999, Laurance Rockefeller, a benefactor of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, approached Dr. Cassileth to assist with the founding of an integrative care program. She launched the integrative medicine service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, which began as a one-person office and evolved over the years into its own building. With this center and with the Society for Integrative Oncology, of which she was the founding president in 2003, she consolidated her efforts to bring treatments like acupuncture and massage into mainstream cancer care in a supplemental role to scientifically proven and rigorously tested therapies like chemotherapy and radiation. She was outspoken against the “quackery” of alternative medicine, and emphasized that natural methods like acupuncture, massage, and herbs should not be used as a substitute to conventional medicine.

Dr. Cassileth was eminent in the medical fields and advanced her strong opinions via a series of publications. In 1985, she and several colleagues published a pivotal study that showed that grit and determination do not play a role in cancer patients’ survival. She wrote The Alternative Medicine Handbook (1998) and The Complete Guide to Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care (2011), both of which offered methods for proper use of complementary medicine in a supplementary role to conventional medicine She made many media appearances dissuading doctors from advising their patients to seek alternative medicine, and famously opined that Steve Jobs “essentially committed suicide” by not seeking conventional treatment for a common and curable form of pancreatic cancer. 

“She was a legend in our field,” Ting Bao, the director of integrative breast oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering and the current president of the Society for Integrative Oncology, told The New York Times. Dr. Cassileth worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering until retiring in 2016. 

She is survived by her siblings, Stephen and Ruth Rabinowitz; her daughters, Jodi Cassileth Greenspan and Wendy Cassileth; her son, Gregory Cassileth; and six grandchildren.

Sister Rose Kershbaumer, BSN’69, MSN’71, a former faculty member at Penn Nursing and the founder and director of several Penn centers that had global impact, passed away on March 20. She was 94. 

Sister Rose received her RN degree from the Thomas Jefferson University School of Nursing in Philadelphia in 1951, then joined the Medical Mission Sisters. She trained as a nurse-midwife at the Catholic Maternity Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1954, she went to Ghana, where she spent ten years as a nurse and administrator at MMS Hospitals in Berekum and Techiman. Afterward, she served as director of nursing and local superior in Fort Portal, Uganda. She returned to the U.S. and received her BSN (1969) and her MSN (1971) from Penn Nursing, then earned a MEd and a PhD in education from Columbia University. Afterwards, Sister Rose resumed her work abroad, serving as a nurse educator for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Kenya and Malawi for ten years. At the Ministry of Health in Malawi, she worked as Chief Assistant Nursing Officer for several additional years. She was also a nurse-midwife educator consultant for many organizations, including the Peace Corps and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Sister Rose returned to the U.S. again in 1990 and dove into international education advocacy. She took a faculty position at Penn Nursing, where she co-founded a post-master’s Teacher Education Program. She also served as associate director of Penn’s PAHO/WHO Center for Nursing and Midwifery Leadership and coordinator of the Penn-Malawi Women for Women’s Health project. In Malawi, she delivered between 1,500 and 2,000 newborns. Inspired by Sister Rose, eleven Malawians came to Penn Nursing for their master’s degrees and doctorates. 

“They’re all currently serving in Malawi, and I think that’s really fantastic,” she said in a 2007 Philadelphia Inquirer piece. “You hear so much about brain-drain among professionals there, but they are all actively engaged.” 

Sister Rose also used her expertise and Penn’s resources to initiate and maintain a continuing education program for nurses in Haiti, successfully recruiting Penn Clinical faculty for several programs in Haiti. In 2015, she joined Penn’s 25-Year Club.

Over the course of her career, Sister Rose published several journal articles and book chapters about her work, including multiple works discussing how she learned to incorporate Western medicine with the traditional medicine she encountered in Africa. After retiring from the WHO Collaborating Center in 2003, Sister Rose took on more work with the Medical Mission Sisters of North America, with whom she served in several administrative roles at their North American headquarters in the Fox Chase neighborhood of Philadelphia. 

“She spent five decades working to make motherhood safe across Africa,” said Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villarruel in an online tribute. “Here at Penn Nursing, Sister Rose worked collaboratively with colleagues to setup innovative programs to keep women and infants healthy in remote villages in Malawi and Uganda. They brought infant resuscitation techniques and prenatal care to women before obstetrical complications turned deadly.”

Sister Rose is survived by her brother, Lou Kershbaumer. A funeral mass will be held March 29 at 10:45 a.m. at the Medical Mission Sister’s Chapel, 8400 Pine Road, Philadelphia, PA 19111. The mass will be livestreamed at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81248015261. Remembrances of Sister Rose can be shared at www.medicalmissionsisters.org. 

---

To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Call (215) 898-5274 or email almanac@upenn.edu.

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Suite 300, 2929 Walnut St., (215) 898-8136 or email record@ben.dev.upenn.edu.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Report from the Senate Tri-Chairs. Faculty Senate Chair William Braham reported on the following matters:

• A draft academic calendar for academic year 2024-2025 is available for faculty comments by SEC members. Comments should be directed to the Office of the Vice Provost for Education by April 4.
• The Excellence through Diversity Fund is accepting applications for project funding through April 29. More information can be found at https://faculty.upenn.edu/diversity/fund/.
• Scott Bok, Chair of the Penn Trustees, will meet with SEC at its April 20 meeting; questions by standing faculty for Mr. Bok are welcomed to the Senate Office by emailing senate@pobox.upenn.edu.
• In May 2020, SEC passed a “Climate Pledge” calling on faculty and staff to take steps in their own personal and professional lives that are climate friendly. CIRCE (the Senate Select Committee on the Institutional Response to the Climate Emergency) is creating a brief video and will request of deans and department chairs that it be shown at upcoming faculty meetings. The pledge and accompanying resources can be found at www.pennfacultyclimatepledge.org. 
• CIRCE has also been working with the Division of Human Resources and TIAA to help faculty understand climate-friendly options for the investments in their personal retirement accounts. On February 25, TIAA held a Responsible Investing webinar, of which a recording is now available along with accompanying resources. 

Resolution on Formalizing and Making Accessible School and Departmental Faculty Bylaws or Standing Rules. A draft resolution was presented by the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission. Following discussion, the resolution was returned to committee for further revision.

Campus Masking Mandate. Benoit Dubé, Associate Provost and Chief Wellness Officer, and Jennifer Pinto-Martin, Former Senate Chair and Executive Director of the Center for Public Health Initiatives, were welcomed to the meeting to discuss the status of the campus masking mandate. The masking mandate was lifted in all campus areas on March 15 except in classrooms, healthcare spaces, and Penn Transit. All public health guidance has been enacted in a collaborative way with public health experts, infectious disease experts, and epidemiologists from Penn Medicine. The March 15 decision matched the city’s guidance and the CDC guidance that now considers elements other than COVID positivity rates, including average number of cases per day, number of hospitalizations, and severity of disease. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) recommended keeping classroom masking requirements in place until a period after spring break. The COVID Response Team met on March 24 to make a decision on whether to lift the classroom mask mandate on March 28. Penn’s quarantining policy for positive cases has been extended from the CDC-recommended 5 days to 10 days since campus data reveal that 2/3 of positive cases show positive antigen tests at the 5-day mark. 

The masking guidelines reflect the “new era” of the pandemic. Persons on campus are urged to wear the highest quality mask available for self-protection purposes; a shift from early in the pandemic in which masking was understood to protect others. On a question about whether faculty can require students to wear masks in their classes even if the mandate is lifted, SEC members were reminded that a high quality well-fitted mask is effective at protecting oneself from virus transmission. A concern was noted that some persons choosing to wear a mask in a non-masking environment may involuntarily convey personal health information about those masked persons.

An announcement on classroom masking requirements will be made no later than Tuesday, March 29, with new requirements to be effective immediately upon announcement. (A University-wide announcement was distributed on March 24 indicating that the classroom masking mandate would continue without a defined end date.)

Faculty Senate Seminar. Inclusion and Free Speech on Campus. At 4 p.m. ET, a Faculty Senate Seminar was held virtually and open to all standing faculty, of which an archived recording is available on the Faculty Senate website. 

Mia Bay, the Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Professor of American History in the School of Arts and Sciences, has won this year’s Bancroft Prize for her book, Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance. The prize is considered one of the most prestigious honors in the field of American history. Columbia University’s Mae Ngai was the other recipient for her book, The Chinese Question: The Gold Rushes and Global Politics.

Traveling Black explores when, how, and why racial restrictions took shape across transportation methods from stagecoaches to planes, and portrays what it was like to live with them. The book was described by the jury as “a major intervention in our understanding of the civil rights movement and the everyday life of racial domination,” which draws on “exhaustive and imaginative research in trade publications, litigation records, memoirs, oral histories and the press.”

“Mia Bay’s splendid and pathbreaking research lays bare the routine strictures experienced by Black Americans in their efforts to move about the country on trains, buses, and automobiles,” said Jeffrey Kallberg, Associate Dean for Arts and Letters in Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences. “Traveling Black not only explores and explicates the effects of Jim Crow laws in a troubling era of the past, it sheds light on Black Americans’ current struggles for equality in the public sphere.”

A well-recognized scholar of late modern American intellectual and cultural history with a focus on African American history, Dr. Bay came to Penn from Rutgers University, where she served as a professor of history and director of the Rutgers Center for Race and Ethnicity. She is the author of two other books, and the recipient of numerous other honors, awards, and grants, including a National Humanities Center Fellowship and an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship.

The Bancroft Prize, which includes an award of $10,000, was established in 1948 by the trustees of Columbia University, with a bequest from the historian Frederic Bancroft. Books are evaluated for “the scope, significance, depth of research, and richness of interpretation.”

Sophomore Jordan Dingle of the men’s basketball team and junior Kayla Padilla of the women’s basketball team have been selected First-Team All-Ivy, the conference recently announced.

A guard from Valley Stream, New York, Mr. Dingle is a unanimous awardee and only the 13th sophomore in school history to earn First-Team All-Ivy accolades.

His 20.9 points per game were tops in the conference. He is just the fifth player in school history to average 20 points per game and the first in 44 years, since Keven McDonald in 1977-1978.

In 23 of 26 games in which he played, Mr. Dingle scored in double figures, and he scored 30 or more points six times.

Mr. Dingle also ranked second in the Ivy League in free throw percentage (.810) and third in three-point field goals per game (2.5). Among his teammates, he ranked first in minutes per game (31.9), second in assists (62), and third in steals (21).

Ms. Padilla, a guard from Torrance, California, earned her second consecutive First-Team All-Ivy honor; she was also a First-Team selection in 2019-2020 and the 2019-2020 Ivy League Rookie of the Year. (Mr. Dingle, too, was the 2019-2020 Ivy League Rookie of the Year.)

Her 18.5 points per game ranked No. 1 in the conference. She also ranked first in minutes per game (37.6), first in free throw percentage (.789), first in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0), second in three-point field goals per game (2.8), third in assists per game (4.2), and third in three-point field goal percentage (.368).

Against Memphis on November 27, she scored a career-high 36 points in Penn’s 73-68 overtime loss and drained a school-record nine three-pointers.

Penn Nursing’s Nancy A. Hodgson, the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor in Nursing and chair of the department of biobehavioral health sciences, will be honored by Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) for her contributions to the nursing profession during the organization’s 33rd International Nursing Research Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to join a world-renowned group of researchers who work diligently to generate evidence for nursing practice that ultimately transforms health care,” said Dr. Hodgson. “I am especially grateful to my study team members, my students, and mostly the individuals and families who have participated in our studies to improve dementia care.”

“Nan Hodgson’s induction into the Hall of Fame is a well-deserved recognition of her work and impact to preserve the dignity of persons with dementia care while providing support to caregivers,” said Penn Nursing Dean Antonia M. Villarruel. “She is an internationally recognized nurse scientist and a Penn Nursing alumna–and we are all very proud of her accomplishments and to count her among our faculty.”

Dr. Hodgson is a leading gerontologist with a strong program of research focused on incorporating evidence-based findings into geriatric nursing practice to conquer challenges in palliative care such as promoting dignity, minimizing symptoms, and honoring peoples’ preferences for care at the end of life and advancing palliative dementia care. Her research has been published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, and she is co-author of Better Living with Dementia: Implications for Individuals, Families, Communities and Societies (Elsevier Academic Press), based on a MOOC with over 80,000 participants worldwide. For more than 20 years, she has received continuous research and training grants from both federal agencies and private foundations. Dr. Hodgson has served as director of Penn’s Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation. She is an academic research representative on the Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Council, a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Gerontological Society of America, and was recently appointed to the thirteenth cohort of the Penn Fellows Program.

Benjamin Nadolsky, L’24, WG’24, has been appointed to a seat on President Biden’s Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

“Accessibility isn’t an issue that can be tackled by one side alone. You need everyone focused and paying attention to it,” Mr. Nadolsky said. “In my time at Penn and at my time [as an undergraduate] at Yale, I was always the only student in a wheelchair. There is not much representation, and if you don’t have representation, then you don’t have people thinking about the needs that people have, so you have to lend your voice in any way possible.”

On the access board, Mr. Nadolsky is looking forward to conversations at the intersection of accessibility, education, and technology. As a high school student, Mr. Nadolsky was interested in science and almost accepted an offer to Stanford’s Engineering program; however, he ultimately chose to attend Yale, where he switched his focus to global affairs and history. While he was there, he founded Yale’s only student organization dedicated to disability rights—Disability Empowerment for Yale—and as he continued to study, work, and engage, he became increasingly more interested in advocacy.

Following his graduation from Yale, Mr. Nadolsky taught for two years in Nashville with Teach for America. Still passionate about engineering, Mr. Nadolsky founded the school’s FIRST Robotics team—a group he continues to coach and mentor, even as a law student at Penn’s Carey Law School. In the fall of 2020, he joined the Biden campaign, started a consulting firm specializing in disability accessibility in education, and served as a consultant for the World Institute on Disability, which would lead to his participation on the nonprofit’s Board of Directors.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is an independent agency within the federal government that provides opinions and support on policies related to disability accessibility across the country.

Our April AT PENN calendar is live now! Click here to view a web version, or download a printable PDF of the calendar here.

As always, to submit an event for a future calendar or update, send the salient details to almanac@upenn.edu.

On Wednesday, April 13 at 4 p.m., Justice Goodwin Liu, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, will deliver the Provost’s Lecture on Diversity and the Distinguished Owen J. Roberts Lecture in Constitutional Law: Implicit Bias, Structural Bias, and Implications for Law and Policy Diversity. 

In almost every organizational setting, today’s leaders are grappling with challenging issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. “Implicit bias” and “structural bias” have become familiar terms in everyday discussions about diversity, but the terms are not always well-defined. 

Drawing on recent work convened by the National Academy of Sciences, Justice Liu will discuss the evidentiary basis for implicit bias and structural bias, as well as possible legal responses and mitigation strategies applicable to a variety of institutions and organizations.

The lecture will be held at Penn Carey Law’s Michael A. Fitts Auditorium and is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. 

Please register at https://pennlaw.cvent.com/RobertsProvostLecture2022.

Celebrate the coming of spring with a series of casual Friday concerts in the picturesque Warden Garden of the Penn Museum. 

On Fridays at noon in April (April 8, 15 & 22), visitors are invited to the Penn Museum for Garden Jams, which will feature student music groups.

Bring a lunch, soak up the sun, and enjoy seasonal serenades provided by live bands from our friends at Penn’s department of music. 

Don’t let stormy weather deter you—the show will go on, rain or shine. The event is free and open to the public.

Garden Jams schedule:

Friday, April 8: Penn Jazz Ensembles
Friday, April 15: Penn Flutes
Friday, April 22: Penn Chamber

For more information, visit https://fb.me/e/3A1YNxlpE. 

From April 4–8, the Kleinman Center and Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology will host a week of energy-focused events across Penn’s campus. The event lineup includes student lightning talks, a live podcast about the crisis in Ukraine and its energy impact, and a conversation with climate fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson.

Energy Week at the University of Pennsylvania is open to students, faculty, practitioners, and the public. Join in for meaningful discussions about the world’s energy transition. For in-person events, in accordance with the University of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 guidelines, visitors will be required to wear a mask and present a green PennOpen Pass (for members of the Penn community) or PennOpen Campus pass (for visitors) to attend. Further details for joining in-person will be emailed with your registration.

For the full schedule, visit https://energyweek.upenn.edu/. 

Exhibits

30        Curator-Led Tour: RAW Academie at ICA: Infrastructure; 6 p.m.; Institute of Contemporary Art.

Films

31        Lina Wertmüller, the Woman in White Glasses; spotlight on Lina Wertmüller, the visionary and groundbreaking Italian director, who went on to make more than 30 films becoming the first woman ever to receive Academy Award nominations for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Film; 5:30 p.m.; room 401, Fisher-Bennett Hall (Cinema Studies).

Fitness & Learning

30        Overview of Penn's Accreditation with Middle States 2024; Karen Detlefsen, Vice Provost for Education; 3 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/pfwf-event-march-30 (Penn Forum for Women Faculty).

            CODE_A_WEBSITE; part of a series of student-led workshops that offer students a chance to share skills with their peers; 5 p.m.; room 320, Addams Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/code-a-website-march-30 (Fine Arts).

Graduate School of Education (GSE)

Unless noted, online events. Info: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar.

30        Intensifying Instruction to Strengthen Student Success; 1 p.m.

On Stage

Penn Live Arts

Info and tickets: https://pennlivearts.org/events/.

30        Wharton Dance Studio: Decadance; popular student group’s 10th anniversary showcase with 11 dances, 250+ dancers and surprise bonus performances; 7 p.m.; Zellerbach Theater, Annenberg Center.

Readings & Signings

Kelly Writers House

Hybrid events at Arts Café, Kelly Writers House, and YouTube livestreams. Info: http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/0322.php.

31        The Music of David Bowie; David Barone, recording artist and author; 5 p.m.

Talks

30        Get(ting) Out of the American Horror Story; Mia Mask, Vassar College; noon; Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/mask-talk-march-30 (Cinema Studies).

            Speech and Justice on American Campuses: Examining the Tensions; Greg Lukianoff, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education; 7:15 p.m.; GSE conference center, floor 5, 3440 Market Street; register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/291280426597 (Paideia Program).

31        Engineered Systems for Controlling Cellular Microenvironments: From Synthetic Extracellular Matrices to Multidimensional Disease Models; April Kloxin, University of Delaware; 3:30 p.m.; room 337, Towne Building (Bioengineering).

Asian American Studies

Unless noted, hybrid events at room 473, McNeil Building and Zoom webinars. Info: https://asam.sas.upenn.edu/events.

31        Asian America Across the Disciplines: Race and Gender/Youth /Family; Edwin Desamour, The Lighthouse, Inc.; Johnny Irizarry, CLALS; noon.

Chemistry

Unless noted, in-person events at Carol Lynch Lecture Hall, Chemistry Complex. Info: https://www.chem.upenn.edu/events.   

30        Modeling and Design of RNA-Only Structures; Rhiju Das, Stanford University; noon; Zoom webinar.

31        Beyond Batteries: Reimagining the Role of Ions in Electronics; Susan Fullerton, University of Pittsburgh; 1 p.m.

Computer & Information Science (CIS)

Hybrid events at various locations and Zoom webinars. Info: https://www.cis.upenn.edu/events/.

29        Quantum Computation and Cryptography: A Changing Landscape; Andrea Coladangelo, Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing; 3:30 p.m.; Wu and Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall.

30        Building the Reliability Stack for Machine Learning; Eric Wong, MIT; 3:30 p.m.; room 307, Levine Hall.

31        Towards a Foundation for Reinforcement Learning; Ruosong Wang, Carnegie Mellon University; 3:30 p.m.; Zoom webinar only.

Economics

Unless noted, in-person events at room 101, PCPSE. Info: https://economics.sas.upenn.edu/events.

30        Structural Change or Declining Competition? Ricardo Vieira Marto, economics; noon; room 200, PCPSE.

            Spillover Effects of Opening a Market: A Study of the Indian Cellphone and Wireless Service Markets; Ying Fan, University of Michigan; 3:30 p.m.; room 1203, Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall.

            Sectoral Shocks and Mismatch Unemployment; Laura Pilossoph, Federal Reserve Bank of New York; 3:30 p.m.

Electrical & Systems Engineering (ESE)

Hybrid events at room 225, Towne Building, and Zoom webinars. Info: https://events.seas.upenn.edu/calendar/tag/ese/list/.

29        New Frontiers in Quantum Simulation and Computation with Neutral Atom Arrays; Giulia Semeghini, Harvard; 11 a.m.

30        Building Photonic Systems for Extreme-Scale Computing, Particle Accelerations, and Beyond; Kiyoul Yang, Stanford; 10:30 a.m.

31        From Exact Laws to Design Principles of Quantum Information Machines; Davide Girolami, Politecnico di Torino; 11 a.m.

Mathematics

Locations vary. Info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events.

29        Graphon Dynamical Systems: A Law of Large Numbers, Large Deviations, and Metastability; Georgi Medvedev, Drexel University; 4 p.m.; room A1, DRL, and Zoom webinar.

30        The Math Underlying Proof of Work and Proof of Stake in Blockchains; Tal Rabin, mathematics; 3:45 p.m.; room A6, DRL.

31        Tiered Trees, Theta Operators, Delta Conjectures; Alessandro Iraci, UQAM; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C4, DRL.

            Progress on the Canham and Willmore Problems; Rob Kusner, UMass; 5:15 p.m.; Zoom webinar.

Medical Ethics & Health Policy

Online and in-person events. Info: https://medicalethicshealthpolicy.med.upenn.edu/events.

29        Incorporating Social Determinants of Health into Clinical and Public Health Practice: Ethical and Policy Challenges; Renuka Tipirneni, University of Michigan; noon; Zoom webinar.

Sociology

Hybrid events at room 367, McNeil Building, and Zoom webinars. Info: https://sociology.sas.upenn.edu/events.

30        Paradoxes of Survivorhood; Paige Sweet, University of Michigan; noon; room 150, McNeil Building.

More March events can be found in the March AT PENN calendar, which is online now. To submit an event for a future AT PENN calendar or weekly update, email the salient details to almanac@upenn.edu!

University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for March 14-20, 2022. View prior weeks’ reports. —Ed.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported and made known to the University Police Department for the dates of March 14-20, 2022. 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.

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 6 incidents (3 assaults, 1 aggravated assault, 1 indecent assault, and 1 robbery) with 2 arrests were reported for March 14-20, 2022, by the 18^th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th St & Market St to Woodland Avenue.

The Center for Italian Studies offers annual research grants endowed by the late Henry Salvatori, C’1923, to support Penn students and faculty whose research investigates Italian culture and society.

Graduate students and full-time faculty members (standing and associated) may apply. Each award is up to $3,000 and is intended to support expenses related to research, accommodation, and travel, occurring between May 1, 2022 and April 30 2023. A report is required by October 1, 2023.

As funds are limited, requests below the upper limit are encouraged. It is not possible to apply for two consecutive years. If awarded a grant, advance travel funds are not available. Applications are evaluated by a committee of at least two faculty members plus the director of the center. 

Applications (Word or PDF) should include: a two­-page proposal (ca. 6,000 characters with no spaces), an estimate of expenses, a timetable, and a list of past Salvatori Awards obtained (if applicable). Graduate students need to provide one letter of support from a standing faculty member in the most relevant department or program.

Applicants and recommenders should send an e­mail with the subject “Salvatori Awards 2022” to Ann Moyer, professor in the department of history, at moyer@sas.upenn.edu by April 15, 2022. The awards will be announced by April 30, 2022.

The next call for applications will be in the spring 2023. For more information, visit  https://www.sas.upenn.edu/italians/resources/salvatori. 

Knashawn H. Morales

In my field, biostatistics, I face two key challenges that are relevant for many faculty teaching now: teaching students who are anxious about learning and teaching students who have to miss class for one reason or another. Students who are apprehensive about learning a subject, particularly those without a quantitative background or who have not been exposed to quantitative topics in some time, appear to lack confidence and, as a result, can be less engaged in lectures. Additionally, it can be a challenge to teach students with demanding careers who often need to take as much as a few weeks off for their other responsibilities. My challenge as an instructor for both kinds of students is to make sure every student walks away with a firm grasp of the material, and I’ve found a similar solution for both types of students. I believe that taking the time to make small adjustments can create an environment that facilitates better engagement, relieves anxiety, and builds confidence while allowing the student to manage competing demands. Here I share a few basic thoughts on how I approach these challenges. Dr. Amrit Thapa provides complementary tips in “Methods to Demystify Methods” (Almanac October 26, 2021), which I found to be very insightful and resonated with my teaching approach. 

I am currently faculty in the department of biostatistics, epidemiology and informatics at the Perelman School of Medicine and member of the graduate group in epidemiology and biostatistics. My teaching experience began with introductory statistical methods and applications courses for graduate students pursuing a degree in biostatistics. Since then, my teaching role has expanded to include non-statistical degree learners. Over the past seven years, I have taught for the Clinical Epidemiology Certificate Program and the Master of Science in Health Policy Research Program. I teach standard semester courses as well as shortened summer period courses. These introductory courses often have no prerequisite, which means the group of students have varying levels of prior mathematics/statistical training, from no recent exposure to mathematics to several recent courses in statistics. Students in these classes come from a variety of backgrounds including physicians and public health practitioners, as well as research scientists with an interest in clinical research. Students often differ from traditional full-time biostatistics students, not only in their varied background, but they take classes alongside simultaneous demands of maintaining professional and personal responsibilities. Students in these situations may have a two-week absence from class to prepare for medical board exams or need to travel to give a lecture at a professional conference. 

My approach to accommodating busy students begins with organization of course materials. In preparation for virtual teaching for the first time during the spring semester of 2021, I joined the Faculty Course Building Club led by Sherri Place of the Penn Online Learning Initiative. The club was very helpful in providing strategies for success and tools for the virtual environment. Before the pandemic and forced virtual classes, I would use Canvas as a simple file folder system without putting much thought into the layout or organization. By taking advantage of the application’s features (such as modules, pages, and surveys), I removed clutter from the students’ view of Canvas while at the same time disabling menu options or attributes that I did not need (and they didn’t need to see). Additionally, I used the rich content editor to create pages with clear sections marked by larger headings. I designed a home page that contained all of the relevant information for the course with embedded hyperlinks to other pages and materials. I divided the semester into eight topical sections and presented each of them in modules. Each module included the reading assignments (required and supplemental), lecture notes, homework assignments, and surveys. The module would be made available on the home page approximately a week prior to starting each new topic to further reduce clutter on the courses home page. By these small changes, I was able to make course materials easily accessible, relieving some of the stress for students who felt less confident and for those students who needed to be away. 

I seek to make statistics accessible to everyone, no matter their background. I regularly ask for student feedback through anonymous surveys at the end of each section via Canvas, that count towards the class participation grade. I ask students to “note one thing learned from the lectures” and “note one thing you did not understand from the lectures.” Then I organize student answers into themes and share those with the class at the beginning of the next lecture. I also provide a review which gives students an opportunity to raise questions in a comfortable manner and allows for dynamic assessment of the students’ understanding of topics. Students’ confidence is boosted when they see that other students have the same questions and when everyone gets to hear the answer. These sessions also allowed me to make sure no one was left behind, even when students couldn’t come to class. 

Finally, fostering a welcoming and respectful environment is important in any classroom. What I have taken away from webinars sponsored by statistical professional societies on creating a sense of belonging is that small steps can go a long way toward incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion in courses. Rather than revamping an entire course, smaller, more intentional steps—such as using inclusive language in the syllabus or swapping a few existing reading materials to include more diverse authors—can send a message to all students. I also gave students a group project instead of a final exam, which offered diversity in the type of assessments and also relieved anxiety around the demands of the course. I assigned groups of 4-5 students to use an existing dataset to develop research questions and hypotheses, to perform a statistical analysis to test the hypotheses, and to present the study to the class. There were also small milestone assignments during the semester and time for each group to share their progress and challenges. The datasets that I selected consisted of diverse and timely topics including: drug use among young adults; health and well-being of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals; fatal shootings by police in the U.S.; and college students coping with COVID-19. The discussions around the projects were thought provoking, engaging, and created a sense of community among the students. 

In summary, my role is to communicate a fundamental understanding of statistics needed to conduct clinical research and communicate effectively with statisticians. Anxiety related to a lack of confidence in approaching the subject as well as competing demands can be eased by making sure the course materials are organized, the topics are accessible, and the environment is welcoming. 

Knashawn H. Morales is associate professor of biostatistics in the department of biostatistics, epidemiology, and informatics at the Perelman School of Medicine. 

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.