April 11, 2023 Volume 69 Issue 30

2023 Lindback Awards for Distinguished Teaching

2023 Provost’s Awards

For Distinguished PhD Teaching and Mentoring	For Teaching Excellence by Non-Standing Faculty

Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching

• Margret Casal, professor of medical genetics, reproduction, and pediatrics, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Peggy Compton, professor of nursing, School of Nursing
• Susan B. Davidson, Weiss Professor of Computer and Information Science, School of Engineering & Applied Science
• Victor A. Ferrari, professor of medicine, School of Medicine
• Adam Grant, Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management and professor of psychology, Wharton School
• Tejvir S. Khurana, professor of physiology and member of Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Perelman School of Medicine
• E. James Petersson, professor of chemistry, School of Arts & Sciences
• Evelyn Thomson, professor of physics & astronomy, School of Arts & Sciences

Provost’s Award for Distinguished PhD Teaching and Mentoring (non-health schools)

• Marisa Kozłowski, professor of chemistry, School of Arts & Sciences
• Paul K. Saint-Amour, Walter H. and Leonore C. Annenberg Professor in the Humanities and professor of English, School of Arts & Sciences

Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence by Non-Standing Faculty

• LeAnn Dourte, practice associate professor, department of bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science
• Loretta A. Sernekos, advanced senior lecturer, School of Nursing

Sophia Z. Lee has been named dean of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, effective July 1, 2023. Dr. Lee, currently a professor of law with a secondary appointment in history, has been a member of the Penn Carey Law faculty since 2009. The announcement was made on April 4 by Penn President Liz Magill.

“Sophia Lee is a proven leader and a consensus builder,” said President Magill. “A superb scholar and teacher of constitutional and administrative law, she is deeply dedicated to Penn Carey Law and to the people—faculty, staff, students, and alumni—who are central to its work. She embodies Penn Carey Law’s core values. Sophia Lee is the right leader at the right time to elevate Penn Carey Law’s status to even greater heights.”

Dr. Lee joined the Penn Carey Law faculty in 2009 as an assistant professor of law. Since then, she has held a variety of leadership and service roles at both the school and university level. She was the law school’s deputy dean from 2015 to 2017, serving a full two-year term under Dean Theodore W. Ruger.

“I am thrilled for this opportunity to serve the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have given me so much during my time at Penn Carey Law,” said Dr. Lee. “I look forward to working together to build on the law school’s defining strengths, ensure that we remain at the forefront of scholarly excellence, and prepare our graduates for fulfilling lives of practice, leadership, scholarship, and service at the highest levels.”

While she was deputy dean of the law school, Dr. Lee oversaw a restructuring of the legal practice skills program and advanced the school’s commitment to diversity and belonging in both hiring and in enhancing the student experience. Dr. Lee chaired the law school’s Tenure and Promotions Committee from 2020 to 2021. Among numerous university service roles, she has been a member of the Social Responsibility Advisory Committee, the Committee on Honorary Degrees, and the Presidential Professorships Advisory Committee.

“Sophia Lee exemplifies what it means to be a good Penn citizen,” said Provost-designate John L. Jackson, Jr., the Walter H. Annenberg Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication. “A beloved member of the Penn and Penn Carey Law communities, she is widely admired not only for her own ideas but for her commitment to cultivating the ideas of others. Everyone who knows Sophia is impressed by her ability to bring people together in the pursuit of common goals. Penn and Penn Carey Law will benefit tremendously from her leadership.”

Dr. Lee’s scholarly work is rooted in cross-disciplinary collaboration. She helped pioneer the study of administrative agencies’ role in shaping constitutional law and has written about civil rights and labor advocates’ challenges to workplace discrimination as well as conservative legal movements in the post-New Deal era. Her 2015 book The Workplace Constitution from the New Deal to the New Right interweaves the histories of the civil rights and right-to-work movements. Dr. Lee’s work has been published in the Yale Law Journal, Virginia Law Review, Law and History Review, and the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, among other leading law reviews, and she has won several awards for her scholarly contributions. She has also held leadership roles with the American Society for Legal History and the Labor and Working-Class History Association.

Dr. Lee earned her BA and MSW from the University of California, Berkeley, and her JD and PhD in history from Yale. Before joining the Penn Carey Law faculty in 2009, she was a clerk for the Honorable Kimba M. Wood of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

“Sophia Lee has a distinguished track record as an innovative scholar, dedicated teacher, and accomplished administrator,” said Interim Provost Beth A. Winkelstein. “She is well-prepared not only to build off of and strengthen the law school’s foundations but also to lead Penn Carey Law in shaping the future of legal education and the legal profession.”

Dr. Lee succeeds Dean Theodore W. Ruger, who will return to the Penn Carey Law faculty after an eight-year term as dean.

“We are grateful to Dean Ruger for his distinguished service,” said President Magill. “We are fortunate that he will continue to contribute to Penn Carey Law’s progress as a member of the faculty.”

In making the announcement of Dr. Lee’s appointment, President Magill also thanked Erika H. James, dean of the Wharton School, who chaired the Consultative Committee for the Penn Carey Law dean search, as well as the members of the committee: “I am grateful to Dean James and the Consultative Committee for their unfailing commitment to helping us find an exceptional leader for Penn Carey Law.”

Katharine O. Strunk has been named dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, effective July 1, 2023. The announcement was made on April 6 by Penn President Liz Magill.

Dr. Strunk, an award-winning mixed methods scholar, holds the Clifford E. Erickson Distinguished Chair in Education at Michigan State University, where she is a professor of education policy and, by courtesy, economics. She is the inaugural director of Michigan State’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC), the school’s strategic research partner to the Michigan Department of Education. She is an expert on teacher labor markets, school and district improvement and accountability policies, and efforts to boost student achievement.

“Katharine Strunk’s career has been built around the concept of ‘research with consequence,’” said President Magill. “She has a long and distinguished track record and an exciting vision for the role of educators and education schools in research universities and society. Her mission-driven leadership is an ideal match for Penn’s top-ranked Graduate School of Education. Penn, GSE, and Philadelphia are extremely fortunate to have her.”

Dr. Strunk is the past president of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP). Before joining Michigan State, she served from 2009 to 2017 on the faculty of the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education and Sol Price School of Public Policy. She began her career at the University of California at Davis School of Education from 2007 to 2009.

Dr. Strunk is nationally renowned for her partner-driven research and leadership, which has brought collaborative scholarship to bear on pressing questions facing education and educators across the lifespan.

“I could not be more excited about this opportunity to work with the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of Penn’s Graduate School of Education,” said Dr. Strunk. “Penn GSE is known as a leader for its collaborative and evidence-based efforts to improve policy and practice. This approach and commitment to real-world impact has never been more important than today. I look forward to working together with our partners in Philadelphia, nationally, and around the world in service of GSE’s mission to expand educational access, especially for those underserved by society.”

Dr. Strunk has collaborated extensively with district and state policymakers, including working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the California and Michigan Departments of Education, to help decision makers formulate, design, and revise policy. As part of her work with EPIC, Dr. Strunk served as the only researcher on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Student Recovery Advisory Council, which informed COVID-19 recovery efforts in schools statewide. She has also advised on numerous major school funding and governance reforms.

Her work has been supported by state and federal contracts and grants as well as by philanthropic partners. She has raised more than $21 million in extramural funding over the course of her career. Her research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals as well as through numerous policy reports written in service of improving policy and practice. She is a co-author of Challenging the One Best System (2020, Harvard Education Press), which offers a comparative analysis of the set of urban education governance reforms collectively known as the “portfolio management model.”

Dr. Strunk’s work pays particular attention to the ways that policies and programs impact traditionally underserved communities.

“Underlying all of Katharine’s work is a deeply and sincerely held commitment to equity,” said Provost-designate John L. Jackson, Jr., the Walter H. Annenberg Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication. “From her successful partnerships with L.A. Unified and the state of Michigan to her advocacy for evidence-based policies and practices at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Katharine has long been a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all forms.”

Issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are also at the center of Dr. Strunk’s leadership and service. As president of AEFP, Dr. Strunk established the organization’s first standing board of directors committee dedicated to these values. She and her leadership team developed programming to support AEFP’s members of color as well as first-generation college students and researchers, the LGBTQ+ community, and those who are from and conduct research in international contexts. She has a long and successful track record of enhancing diversity in faculty hiring and retention.

Dr. Strunk received her PhD in educational administration and policy analysis and her MA in economics from Stanford University, and her BA in public policy from Princeton University.

Dr. Strunk succeeds Pam Grossman, who has served as dean of GSE since 2015. Dean Grossman, a National Academy of Education member and a leading expert in teacher preparation and teacher quality, has significantly strengthened GSE’s partnership with Philadelphia schools, including school-specific collaborations with the neighboring Lea and Penn Alexander schools. Under Dean Grossman’s leadership, Penn GSE launched Catalyst @ Penn, a center for global education innovation. The school has deepened its partnership with the Harold W. McGraw Jr. Family Foundation, including the creation of the new McGraw Center for Educational Leadership (Almanac November 15, 2022) and the housing of the prestigious McGraw Prize in Education. It is also nearing completion on a transformative building expansion.

“Pam has been a transformative dean of GSE,” said Interim Provost Beth A. Winkelstein. “We are deeply grateful for her distinguished leadership, and we look forward to working closely with Katharine as she and the Penn GSE community continue this exceptional momentum into the future.”

In making the announcement of Dr. Strunk’s appointment, President Magill also thanked Provost-designate Jackson, who chaired the Consultative Committee for the Penn GSE dean search, as well as the members of the committee: “I am grateful to Provost-designate Jackson and the Consultative Committee for their tireless work throughout the search process, and for their commitment to finding the right leader for Penn GSE.”

Dr. Strunk will be joined in Philadelphia by her husband, Ryan, and their 11-year-old twin sons.

“I am particularly drawn to Penn and GSE because of its mission to engage with and serve Penn’s local, national, and global communities,” said Dr. Strunk. “I am excited to build on the inspiring work of Dean Grossman and GSE’s incredible faculty, staff, students, and alumni in pursuit of ‘research with consequence’ and in the provision of programs that truly make an impact on the communities around us.”

University Council Meeting Agenda

Wednesday, April 19, 2023
4 p.m.
Hall of Flags, Houston Hall

A.    Approval of the minutes of March 29, 2023. 
B.    Follow up comments or questions on status reports.
C.    Responses to New Business topics raised at the March 29, 2023 University Council meeting.
D.    Report on the review of photographs by the Committee on Open Expression.
E.    Chair reports of the Five University Council Standing Committees.
F.     Chair report of Committee on Committees.
G.    Presentation: The Proposed Sports Arena Near Chinatown.
H.    Presentation: Student Economic Insecurity.
I.     Reminder of submission for possible focus issues for next year. 
J.     New business. 
K.    Adjournment.

The following agenda is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Any member of the standing faculty may attend SEC meetings and observe by contacting Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate, either by telephone at (215) 898-6943 or by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda

Wednesday, April 12, 2023
3:30–5 p.m. EDT
Via Zoom

1. Finalize the minutes of February 15, 2023, and March 22, 2023
2. Report from the tri-chairs
3. Penn Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan consultation
4. Penn Tomorrow, Together: progress report from the Red and Blue Advisory Committee chair John L. Jackson, Jr.
5. New business

César de la Fuente, a Presidential Assistant Professor of psychiatry and microbiology in the Perelman School of Medicine and of bio-engineering  and in chemical and biomolecular engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, has been named an American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) fellow. The only faculty member inducted this year from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. de la Fuente is one of the youngest members ever to have been selected as an AIMBE fellow.

Election to the AIMBE College of fellows is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to a medical and biological engineer, with AIMBE fellows representing the top 2% of medical and biological engineers. Membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of medical and biological engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to bioengineering education.”

Nominated and reviewed by peers and members of the College of Fellows, Dr. de la Fuente was elected a fellow “for the development of novel antimicrobial peptides designed using principles from computation, engineering and biology.”

Penn Arts and Sciences has named 20 students from the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Liberal & Professional Studies, and the graduate division as 2023 Dean’s Scholars. This honor is presented annually to students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise. The students will be recognized at the Stephen A. Levin Family Dean’s Forum on April 17.

College of Arts & Sciences
Ayan Bhattacharjee (Biophysics, Chemistry) 
Elena Isasi Theus (Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physics, Mathematics) 
Sarah Kane (Physics) 
Emma Keeler (Biology) 
Amy Krimm (Visual Studies) 
Wes Matthews (Anthropology) 
Alessandra Pintado-Urbanc (Linguistics)
Vita Raskeviciute (Russian and East European Studies, International Relations) 
Sylvie Tuder (Sociology) 

College of Liberal & Professional Studies–Undergraduate Program
Gabrielle Solair (Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences) 

Professional Master’s Programs
Elana (Ellie) Forman (Master of Liberal Arts) 

Graduate Division–Doctoral Programs
Hakimah Abdul-Fattah (Anthropology) 
Caroline Beech (Psychology) 
Weston Bland (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations) 
Maxine Elena Calle (Mathematics) 
Chase J. Castle (Music) 
Emma Dyson (Classical Studies) 
Cheryl Hagan (History and Sociology of Science
Jason Hartwig (Political Science) 
Kevin Ruoff (Chemistry) 

Three Penn Dental Medicine students have been named 2023 Delta Dental Community Scholars, each receiving a sizeable scholarship in recognition of their community service, academic achievement, and future plans to work with vulnerable populations after graduation. Since its launch in 2019, the program has awarded scholarships to 17 talented Penn Dental Medicine students who have expressed a commitment to helping expand access to oral healthcare for hard to reach populations. This year’s recipients include Julie Berenblum, D’23, Ayesha Khan, D’23, and Jenna Panek, D’23.

Passionate about engaging with individuals in the local community, Julie Berenblum co-founded Penntorship in 2020, a mentorship program between Penn Dental Medicine students and local West Philadelphia High School students. The goals of the program are to foster meaningful relationships to enhance personal growth, academic success, and engagement in post-secondary exploration and to serve as an outlet for Penn Dental Medicine students to connect with others and engage in community activities.

Since the launch of Penntorship, over 100 Penn Dental Medicine students have served as mentors for high school students. After graduation, Ms. Berenblum will pursue a general practice residency program at the Manhattan VA.

Ayesha Khan first experienced community-based dental care when volunteering as a Spanish interpreter at a medical and dental clinic before entering dental school. Her activities at Penn Dental Medicine have also included the First Five honors program, conducting oral health exams and prophylaxis on children under 5 years old and providing guidance and nutritional counseling to parents. Ms. Khan also participated in a pop-up clinic for recently settled Afghan refugees. In addition, she has been active in the student chapter of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD), serving as chair of public relations as well as president, working with board members to increase awareness of the issues plaguing the U.S. healthcare system. After graduation, Ms. Khan will pursue a pediatric dental residency at One Brooklyn Health.

Jenna Panek is a National Health Service Corps Scholar, who will practice in an underserved community after graduation. In addition, she has been part of the Community Oral Health Honors Program, working with children and parents as part of the First Five program and at Philadelphia FIGHT. She has also been involved with Penntorship, the mentorship program that engages with West Philadelphia High School students. In addition, Ms. Panek is this year’s LEND fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, gaining interdisciplinary training working with children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. She will pursue a pediatric dental residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Four University of Pennsylvania undergraduates have received 2023 Goldwater Scholarships, awarded to sophomores or juniors planning research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.

Penn’s 2023 Goldwater Scholars are juniors Andreas Ghosh, from New York City; Zijian (William) Niu, from Winchester, Massachusetts; Angela Song, from Princeton Junction, New Jersey; and Jason Wang, from Lexington, Kentucky.

They are among the 413 students named 2023 Goldwater Scholars from more than 5,000 students nominated by 427 academic institutions in the United States, according to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship & Excellence in Education Foundation. Each scholarship provides up to $7,500 each year for up to two years of undergraduate study.

Penn has produced 59 Goldwater Scholars since Congress established the scholarship in 1986 to honor U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater.

Andreas Ghosh, from New York City, is majoring in physics and chemical engineering in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research, a dual-degree program in the School of Arts & Sciences and the School of Engineering & Applied Science. Mr. Ghosh’s interests include quantum chemistry and renewable energy. He conducts computational chemistry research on new photovoltaic effects with Andrew Rappe, a professor of chemistry and materials science and engineering. Mr. Ghosh also works at Penn’s Weingarten Center as a calculus and physics tutor. Currently taking voice lessons in classical singing, he is a member of the Penn Chorale. After graduating, Mr. Ghosh intends to pursue a doctorate in chemistry, with a goal of becoming a professor of chemistry who leads a research group and studies renewable energy.

Zijian (William) Niu, from Winchester, Massachusetts, is a junior majoring in biochemistry, biophysics, and physics in the College of Arts and Sciences. As a recipient of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Challenge Award, he works in the Raj Lab for Systems Biology with Arjun Raj, a professor of bioengineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. His current research focuses on the development of new computational methods in biomedical image analysis using deep learning for tasks like cell segmentation and small subcellular object detection. He has also worked with Sydney Shaffer, an assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine, on investigating the molecular origins of Barrett’s esophagus and its progression toward esophageal adenocarcinoma. At Penn, Mr. Niu is an organic chemistry workshop leader, vice president of the Penn Undergraduate Chemistry Society, and an event supervisor for Science Olympiad at Penn. Recently, he co-founded Project Lucid, an initiative to promote adaptive science communication among Penn undergraduates. After graduating, he intends to pursue a PhD in computational biology to continue optimizing and developing new methods for biomedical image analysis.

Angela Song, from Princeton Junction, New Jersey, is a junior majoring in bioengineering in the School of Engineering & Applied Science. She is interested in engineering molecular therapeutics for disease. She works in Douglas C. Wallace’s lab in the Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, focusing on designing engineered proteins with mitochondrial applications.

At Penn, Ms. Song is the vice president of design for UnEarthed, a student-published educational magazine for West Philadelphia elementary school children, and president of the Penn American Red Cross club. After graduating, Ms. Song plans to continue pursuing research with a PhD in bioengineering.

Jason Wang, from Lexington, Kentucky, is a junior majoring in biophysics in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is interested in computational research methods, especially for modeling and developing clinical treatments. He is actively engaged in research with the Baumgart Group in the chemistry department, where he analyzes the physical properties of lipid bilayers. Mr. Wang volunteers at Penn Medicine’s Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Also at Penn, he is a resident advisor at the Gregory College House, a member of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and a tutor with Penn for Refugee Empowerment. After graduating, Mr. Wang plans to pursue an MD-PhD in membrane biophysics.

The students applied for the Goldwater Scholarship with assistance from Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.

Ryan Hynd, an associate professor of mathematics in the School of Arts & Sciences, has been awarded the American Mathematical Society’s Claytor-Gilmer Fellowship for the 2022-2023 academic year. The AMS Claytor-Gilmer Fellowship was established to promote excellence in mathematics research and help generate wider participation by Black mathematicians. Recipients are recognized for their achievements as well as for their potential for further contributions to mathematics.

Dr. Hynd researches partial differential equations (PDEs) arising in mathematical models for fluid mechanics, control theory, and finance, as well as eigenvalue problems. He earned his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. He joined Penn’s faculty in 2012. In 2016-2017, he was a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Assistant Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

During his fellowship year, Dr. Hynd will visit the Mittag-Leffler Institute in Sweden. He will investigate the Blaschke-Lebesgue problem, seeking to characterize minimum-volume bodies of constant width.  

Dr. Hynd is a member of the Conference for African American Researchers in the Mathematical Sciences (CARRMS). He serves on the editorial board of the international peer-reviewed journal La Matematica, the education advisory board of the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM), and the American Institute of Mathematics Scientific Research Board. He was a research leader in the 2020 African Diaspora Joint Mathematics Workshop (ADJOINT). At Penn, Dr. Hynd helped create and coordinate the Bridge to PhD mentorship program for STEM fields.

Sharon Kuo, a graduating senior in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics (MEAM) in Penn Engineering, is the inaugural recipient of the Madison “Maddie” Magee Award for Undergraduate Excellence.

Ms. Kuo, who is also minoring in mathematics, comes to Penn from Taipei, Taiwan. Her interests within her major include mechanical design and product design, and she is passionate about space exploration and advancing human spaceflight.

After a semester of virtual learning during COVID, Ms. Kuo took a year-long leave of absence to pursue industry experience in the medical device and aerospace industries, with a focus on mechanical design. Through internships with NASA and SpaceX, she contributed to numerous spaceflight missions that sent astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, and designed and developed augmented reality technologies for the next generation of spacesuits in the Artemis moon exploration program.

“Sharon’s intellectual energy and enthusiasm were particularly evident in MEAM 543, a course on the performance, stability and control of UAVs,” recalls Bruce Kothmann, a senior lecturer in MEAM. “She had completed an internship at SpaceX, and her keen interest in flight vehicle design and analysis was a big motivation in the course. She also shared some insights from her experience learning to fly a Cessna 172, and her hope to obtain a private pilot’s license after graduation. Sharon clearly has a great spirit of adventure!”

Throughout her time at Penn, Ms. Kuo has also been involved in a variety of campus organizations, including the Theta Tau Engineering Fraternity. She has also served as design lead for Penn Labs and VP of innovation at MUSE, a student-run marketing organization on campus.

The Madison “Maddie” Magee Award for Undergraduate Excellence was established to honor and celebrate the memory of Madison “Maddie” Magee, a member of the Penn Engineering Class of 2021, who passed away last year while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. This award will continue to be presented each year to a Penn Engineering senior who best exemplifies Ms. Magee’s energy, enthusiasm and excellence. 

The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey has named Annenberg School for Communication assistant professors Juan Llamas-Rodriguez and Julia Ticona as 2023-24 fellows at its School of Social Science. The fellowship allows scholars at all levels to spend one year in residence, pursuing an original academic project. Drs. Llamas-Rodriguez and Ticona are two of the 22 scholars selected from around the world.

While at IAS, Dr. Llamas-Rodriguez will analyze digital platforms, including reality, digital games, and teleconferencing apps, that draw from the real-life stories of migrants and purport to give citizens of the Global North the chance to “experience” the hardships of the migration journey. These stories are said to be drawn from real life and designed to engender empathy for migrants. Through these cases, Dr. Llamas-Rodriguez theorizes platformization as a process whereby transnational subjectivities are constructed via interactive digital communication. His project aims to reveal common strategies through which these platforms build the social prestige to set up the exchange of the migrant story: their foregrounding of technology as new and cutting-edge; their mobilization of realism understood as authenticity; and their appeal to some added value, whether that is profit, fundraising, or “education.” In doing so, these platforms transform the “migrant story” into an extractive matter facilitated by the interactive affordances of the platform. 

Dr. Ticona’s project on domestic gig workers will build on her recent book, Left to Our Own Devices: Coping With Insecure Work in a Digital Age (Oxford University Press, 2022).  Over the past two decades, platforms like Care.com, Sittercity, and UrbanSitter have sought to enclose aspects of communication in politics, news, and labor through the commodification of social relations, including those that rely on trust and reputation. At the same time, the United States has confronted a deep and worsening care crisis. Childcare is expensive and scarce for American families and pays unlivable wages to workers. Out of this crisis, platforms have attempted to consolidate and scale up decentralized and local markets for childcare labor. Dr. Ticona’s project draws on interviews with care workers as well as clients, platform companies, regulators, and activists. It will contribute to a growing body of literature on precarious platform labor and offer a corrective to the overwhelming focus on masculine gig work by grounding an account of the emergence of platform work from domestic work labor markets and informal work done by women of color.

Reed Pyeritz, the William Smilow Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, has received the 2023 David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award in Medical Genetics from the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine. 

Dr. Pyeritz, one of the founders of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), is recognized for his decades of pioneering work on Marfan Syndrome, his commitment to helping patients and their families through outreach and support groups, and his extraordinary contributions to furthering the field of medical genetics—including serving as the second president of ACMG.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Pyeritz has led many of the seminal studies and clinical trials responsible for extending the average lifespan of people with Marfan Syndrome from 40 to 70 years. He has published more than 700 research articles and reviews, helped found the Marfan Foundation, and is the co-editor of the standard textbook in medical genetics, Principles and Practice of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

“Reed Pyeritz has been involved with the college since its inception, including serving a term as president,” said ACMG Foundation President Bruce R. Korf. “He is a distinguished physician-scientist, and was a close associate of Dr. Rimoin’s, especially as one of the co-editors of Emery and Rimoin’s Principles and Practice of Medical Genetics. His recognition as this year’s recipient of the Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award is therefore especially poignant and highly deserved.” 

The David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award is the most prestigious award given by the ACMG Foundation. A committee of past presidents of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics selects the recipient following nominations, which come from the general membership.

The Asian American Studies Program Award Committee has announced the winners of the Rocher Prize for Best Essay 2023: Angela Ji and Milan Chand, for their outstanding work in Asian American studies.

Ms. Ji is a senior graduating with a major in English and minors in Asian American studies and economics. Her academic interests and creative writing examine Asian American queerness, labor, and girlhood. Outside of class, she enjoys long-distance running, drinking tea, and exploring the dance music scene.

Mr. Chand is a junior at Penn majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Asian American studies, urban studies, and chemistry. Originally from Newtown, Connecticut, he graduated from Newtown High School in 2020. He has worked in a clinical research lab, interned at various mental health organizations (the Avielle Foundation, Jordan Porco Foundation), and volunteered for community-based organizations (Sandy Hook Promise, March for Our Lives). Mr. Chand is currently president of Active Minds at Penn, a peer practitioner at Restorative Practices @ Penn, and an intern at the Center for Health Equity Advancement at Penn Medicine.

The Morris Arboretum marks 90 years as a public garden with a new name—Morris Arboretum & Gardens.

The new name harkens back to the original Compton owners, John and Lydia Morris, and their shared vision of a public garden where spectacular trees live in harmony with colorful, beautiful gardens. The Morris Arboretum & Gardens opened to the public on June 4, 1933.

“As we stand on the cusp of our second century, our role as a research institution and a place for joy and healing has never been more critical,” said F. Otto Haas Executive Director Bill Cullina. “Lydia Morris gave the arboretum to the University of Pennsylvania so it could become a place for botanical research, horticultural education and public engagement. With the expansion of our research program, educational opportunities for children, students and adults, and a focus on beauty and color in horticultural design, I believe we are celebrating Lydia’s gift in all we do.”

The Morris’s renewed commitment to bringing more color and beauty to the arboretum will be on display this summer as the arboretum reopens its popular Rose Garden and debut a new pop-up garden that is a modern interpretation of the intricate and vibrant flower beds favored by Victorians. Throughout the year, events and programs will celebrate the anniversary, including themed garden tours, fun kids’ activities, and a specially priced community weekend. 

To view the 90th anniversary video, click here.

90th Anniversary Celebration 

In addition to a new name, logo, and refreshed brand for this anniversary year, visitors to Morris Arboretum & Gardens will see updates to beloved elements, as well as a colorful floral exhibit.

As the Garden Railway observes 25 years of its model trains chugging along, 300 feet of track are being added. This is the largest expansion of the Garden Railway since it was installed in 1998 and brings the rail line total to a third of a mile. The exhibit’s theme this year is “Public Gardens,” featuring models of structures from public gardens from across the country made from natural materials like acorns, seed pods, and twigs.

The blooms of spring are heralding a beautiful new look for the Rose Garden that brings more accessibility. Bluestone pavers have been installed on the two central axis walkways, making it easier for visitors of all ages and abilities to experience the flowers.

Step into an explosion of color this summer as the arboretum debuts Exuberant Blooms: A Pop-Up Garden. Opening on June 24, Exuberant Blooms is a vibrant, immersive display of more than 10,000 plants spread over a quarter acre that showcases plants of varying color, form, height, and shape. Exuberant Blooms is made possible with support from the Powder Mill Foundation and Ball Horticultural Company.

Special Events

The Morris Arboretum & Gardens is celebrating nine decades as a public garden with events and activities sure to delight all ages.

April

• The Balancing Act of Planned Green Spaces: A Free Virtual Panel, April 19
• “Spring Buds & Blooms” tour, April 22
• “What These Trees Have Seen” tour, April 29-30

May

• Garden Railway opens with the theme “Public Gardens,” May 26
• Rose Garden reopens with new accessible bluestone pavers
• Historic Springfield Mills Days, May 21
• Bloomin’ Bubbles, Tuesdays from 11 am, May 30–August 29

June

• Moonlight & Roses fundraising gala, June 2
• Exuberant Blooms: A Pop-Up Garden opens June 24
• Historic Springfield Mills Days, June 25

August

• Community Weekend with special admission price of $9 per person, August 4–6

October

• Celebrate the season all month long at Morris ArBOOretum & Gardens
• Scarecrow Walk with the theme “1990s”
• Penn Homecoming/Public Lecture: 90 Years of Connecting Plants, People & Place: Importance of Public Spaces in Times of Upheaval

November

• Holiday Garden Railway opens November 24

Registration is now open for this year’s Penn Supplier Diversity Forum & Expo, which will be held on Wednesday, May 31, at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut Street. When the doors open at 10:30 a.m., poster sessions will be conducted by leaders of several chambers of commerce and other area business organizations supporting local and diverse businesses.  

The forum follows at 11 a.m. and begins with welcoming remarks from Penn President Liz Magill. Remarks also will be made by the University’s senior vice president of institutional affairs and chief diversity officer Joann Mitchell and senior executive vice president Craig Carnaroli.

The forum’s panel, moderated by chief procurement pfficer Mark Mills, will feature three dynamic individuals and influencers who will offer their unique perspectives about Philadelphia’s business community. During the discussion, the group will address the ways they intend to propel their respective businesses and organizations forward. The panelists are:

• Lee Huang, president and principal, Econsult Solutions, Inc.
• Tiffanie Stanard, CEO and founder, Stimulus, Inc.
• Christopher Wailoo, associate dean for business affairs and CFO, Penn Carey Law School

Attendees also can look forward to the announcement of this year’s recipient of the Penn Supplier Diversity Impact Award.

The forum will be followed by the expo, opening at 12:30 p.m., which will feature diverse suppliers showcasing their goods and services to Penn’s community of buyers. A variety of tasty samples will be available from many diverse caterers.

Advance registration is necessary to attend this event.

The Penn Supplier Diversity Forum & Expo is hosted by the University of Pennsylvania under the auspices of the Office of the Executive Vice President, the Office of Government & Community Affairs, the divisions of Business Services and Facilities & Real Estate Services.

Conferences

11        Black Maternal Morbidity and Mortality - Beyond the Why; hear from a panel of dynamic birth workers and researchers who will center the traditions of the reproductive and birth justice movements while discussing best practices and next steps in increasing the birth outcomes of Black mothers; 3-5 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/nursing-conf-apr-11 (Nursing).

13        Impact of the Dobbs Decision on the Workforce & Science; will feature talks by Aletha Akers, Guttmacher Institute; Jody Steinauer, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health; 2-6 p.m.; Jordan Law Auditorium, Jordan Medical Education Center; register: https://redcap.link/dobbs (Penn Promotes).

Exhibits

12        Window Shopping; exhibition featuring work by Undergraduate Design Senior Seminar; Addams Gallery. Opening: April 12, 4-6 p.m.

Penn Museum

In-person tours. Info and to register: https://www.penn.museum/calendar.

14        Global Guide Tour: Asia Galleries; 2:30 p.m. Also April 15.

15        Highlights of the Penn Museum Tour; 11 a.m.

16        Rome Gallery Tour; 11 a.m.

Fitness & Learning

13        Japanese Book Binding Workshop; create a book in the Japanese tradition, including several variations of the stab binding stitch, from simple to more decorative stitches, on sewing cards; 10 a.m.; room 623, Van Pelt Library; register: https://tinyurl.com/ceas-workshop-apr-13 (Center for East Asian Studies).

            Paint Night with Monolith Arts Collective; 6-8 p.m.; lobby, Institute of Contemporary Art; register: https://tinyurl.com/ica-paint-night-apr-13 (ICA, Monolith Arts Collective).

14        Deepening the Inner Work of Flourishing Together: Practicing Mindfulness in Troubled Times; discussion of research-indicated possibilities for mindfulness practices that have the depth and power to help us move toward the future with sustainable hope with Rhonda Magee, University of San Francisco; noon; Lauder College House; register: https://tinyurl.com/paideia-workshop-apr-14 (Paideia Program).

17        IIE/Fulbright Webinar: Introduction to Graduate Degree Enrollment; staff at the Institute of International Education (IIE) review Fulbright U.S. Student Program graduate degree enrollment offerings and answer applicant questions; 3 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://apply.iie.org/register/Into-GradDegree-Enrollment-4.17 (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

18        Introduction to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program; join CURF staff to learn about opportunities available through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, as well as CURF resources to support applicants; 3 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/curf-fulbright-apr-18 (Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships).

Music

Penn Live Arts

In-person events. Info and tickets: https://pennlivearts.org/events/.

14        The Great Breadish Bake Off; spring show by Penny Loafers, one of Penn’s premiere a cappella groups; 8:30 p.m.; Harold Prince Theater, Annenberg Center. Also April 15, 7 p.m.

On Stage

14        I Know The End; is an experimental, feminist one-act play written and directed by senior GSWS major Sofia (Sof) Sears, about Los Angeles and all its urban folklore, Chicana experience, monsters, girlhood, trauma and rage, with a title borrowed from a Phoebe Bridgers song; 7 p.m.; the Rotunda; tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-know-the-end-tickets-600835795037 (Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies). Also April 15, 2 p.m.; April 16, 5 p.m.

Penn Live Arts

In-person events. Info and tickets: https://pennlivearts.org/events/.

13        Stimulus Children's Theatre: Clue: The Musical; internationally popular game is now a fun-filled musical that brings the world’s best-known suspects to life and invites the audience to help solve the mystery: who killed Mr. Boddy, in what room, and with what weapon; 8 p.m.; Harold Prince Theater, Annenberg Center. Also April 14, 6 p.m.; April 15, noon.

Readings & Signings

12        Brave Testimony: A Celebration of Poetry of the African Diaspora; Tyehimba Jess, author; 5:30 p.m.; Kelly Writers House; register: https://tinyurl.com/jess-in-person-apr-12; YouTube livestream; join: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyZtsxqwZxc (Kelly Writers House, Africana Studies).

Special Events

14        ICA After Dark: Glow-Up; a night of free dancing, painting, food, and fun; enjoy after hours access to ICA’s current exhibitions, screen print your own limited-edition tote bags, and playfully decorate yourself with glow in the dark face paint; 6-9 p.m.; ICA; register: https://tinyurl.com/ica-after-dark-apr-14 (Institute of Contemporary Art).

Talks

11        Ising Model on Locally Tree-like Graphs: Uniqueness of Solutions to Cavity Equations; Qian Yu, Princeton University; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C4, DRL (Mathematics).

12        60-Second Lectures: State Eviction Bans During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What They Showed Us About the Role of Public Policies in Shaping the Public’s Health; Courtney Boen, sociology; noon; Benjamin Franklin statue in front of College Hall (School of Arts & Sciences).

            Harnessing Radicals and Carbenes to Enable Unconventional Reactivity; David Nagib, Ohio State University; noon; Carolyn Hoff Lynch Lecture Hall, Chemistry Complex (Chemistry).

            Is It Time to Re-Regulate the Airlines; panel of speakers; noon; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/airlines-talk-apr-12 (Penn Program on Regulation).

            Machine Learning: A Data-Centric Perspective; Aleksander Madry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; noon; room 307, Levine Hall (Computer & Information Science).

            Mechanical Intelligence for Compliant Robots; Wenzhong Yan, University of California, Los Angeles; 3 p.m.; room 307, Levine Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/98723817934 (GRASP Lab).

            A New Way of doing Astrophysics with Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time; Beth Willman, LSST Corporation; 3:30 p.m.; room A8, DRL (Physica & Astronomy).

13        Finding Context Without a Map: Contextual Cartographic Research; Carolyn Fish, University of Oregon; noon; Kleinman Forum, Fisher Fine Arts Library, and Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/fish-talk-apr-13 (Penn Institute for Urban Research).

            The Mathematics of Privacy and Synthetic Data; Thomas Strohmer, University of California, Davis; 3:30 p.m.; Zoom webinar; info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events/ (Mathematics).

            Next-Generation Robot Perception: Hierarchical Representations, Certifiable Algorithms, and Self-Supervised Learning; Luca Carlone, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 3:30 p.m.; room 307, Levine Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/92274744669 (GRASP Lab).

            Freedom of Speech and the Ethics of Obligation: Rethinking Parrhesia in a Polarized World; Robert Sobak, Bowdoin College; 4:45 p.m.; room 402, Cohen Hall (Classical Studies).

14        Submarine Volcanic Eruptions; Michael Manga, University of California, Berkeley; 3 p.m.; Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/92595328387 (Earth & Environmental Science).

17        Bring a Friend: Leveraging Financial and Peer Support to Improve Women’s Reproductive Agency in India; Catalina Herrera Almanza, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; noon; room 150, McNeil Building (Population Studies Center).

            The Context of Care: Using Evidence and Policy to Shape Nurse Work Environments, Improve Patient Outcomes, and Advance Health Equity; Matthew McHugh, nursing; 3:30 p.m.; Ann Roy Auditorium, Fagin Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/mchugh-talk-apr-17 (Nursing).

18        Nano and Polymers and Mechanics and Data; L. Cate Brinson, Duke University; 10 a.m.; room 101, Levine Hall (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

            Minimizing Mass in Large Scale Structures While Maximizing Carbon Absorption; Masoud Akbarzadeh, Polyhedral Structures Laboratory; 3:30 p.m.; room B3, Meyerson Hall (Architecture).

Center for East Asian Studies

In-person events. Info and to register: https://ceas.sas.upenn.edu/events.

18        Young and Middle-Aged Japanese Working Outside Japan: With Quantitative and Qualitative Data; Kenji Ishida, University of Tokyo; 5:15 p.m.; room 402, Cohen Hall.

Economics

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

12        Macroeconomic Implications of Green Investing; Joseph Huang, economics; noon; room 100, PCPSE.

            Spatial Job Ladder; Justin Franco Lam, economics; 12:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

            Monetary Policy and Sovereign Risk in Emerging Markets; Yan Bai, University of Rochester; 4 p.m.; room 101, PCPSE.

14        Frictions and the Age of Self-Employment Across Countries; Daniel Jaar, economics; 12:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

This is an update to the April AT PENN calendar, which is online now. To submit an event for a future AT PENN calendar or weekly update, email 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 27-April 2, 2023. 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 27-April 2, 2023. 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: 7 incidents (3 aggravated assaults, 2 assaults, and 2 robberies) with 2 arrests were reported for March 27-April 2, 2023 by the 18^th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th St & Market St to Woodland Avenue.

In response to a request from the tri-chairs of the Faculty Senate, the Office of the Provost has amended Sections I, II, and III of the Faculty Handbook to remove gender-binary language. Language pertaining to the Ombuds was also updated, changing “Ombudsman” to “Ombuds.” The revised text in Sections I, II, and III is designated as “revised Office of the Provost, November 21, 2022.” Section III.E “Patent and Tangible Research Property Policies and Procedures” is a shared policy with the Pennbook. The Pennbook and the Faculty Handbook were both updated to remove gender-binary language for this policy, adding the notation, “revised, Office of the Provost, December 16, 2022.” The revised handbook can be found at: https://catalog.upenn.edu/faculty-handbook/.

Creating Canopy is Penn’s annual tree giveaway program for University and Health System employees. To encourage the continual greening of urban areas in greater Philadelphia, the University is partnering with TreePhilly, a program of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, for the Creating Canopy tree giveaway. Since the start of Creating Canopy in 2011, nearly 2,500 trees have been added to the tree canopy in the greater Philadelphia area.

The tree giveaway is for City of Philadelphia residents and will occur on Thursday, May 4, from 3-6 p.m. Only 100 trees will be offered. Staff members of the University or UPHS will need a valid Penn ID to pick up their tree. One tree per household will be offered.

To see available trees and for more information, visit https://sustainability.upenn.edu/participate/staff-and-faculty/creating-canopy.

Registration will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 18 on our website. Trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Any reserved trees not picked up by 6 p.m. on May 5 will be available after the event, also on a first-come, first-served basis.

—Penn Sustainability

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

The purpose of the Information Technology Policy Committee (ITPC), established in 2018, is to oversee the process of researching, creating, and updating IT policy and standards at Penn. The ITPC advises the chief information officer (CIO) concerning decisions about new policies, policy revisions, and variance requests. ITPC members include representatives from across the University’s schools and centers and staff from Information Security and ISC.

ITPC announced that two new policy statements, dealing with multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote access, are coming into effect at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2023.

The new policies require that any remote access from outside of PennNet, including use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN), such as Global Connect, to on-campus computing be protected by MFA. In addition, access to non-interactive devices (such as printers) on the network from outside of PennNet will require other security controls such as strong passwords. This will impact local support providers (LSPs) and their networking infrastructure for all schools and centers. Any faculty, staff, or students working remotely should expect to need a second factor, such as two-step verification with Duo Mobile, by that date.

What does this mean for you? If you use a VPN, please ensure that MFA is enabled for its use. If you are an LSP, feel free to consult with ISC Client Care or with your Office of Information Security (OIS) security point of contact (SPOC) to determine how best to comply with these new policies.

Further information on the new policy can be found on the ITPC web page by navigating to: Policies Under Review. Questions about the policies may be directed to IT-POLICY-ADM@lists.upenn.edu.

The ITPC web page is located here: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/ITPC.

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead.