December 5, 2023 Volume 70 Issue 16

November 30, 2023

To the Penn Community,

I write you today to share In Principle and Practice: Penn’s Focus on the Future, providing a strategic framework to guide our path forward.  This document is the result of a year-long strategic planning process, shaped further by the initiatives we launched this fall. You can learn more at: https://in-principle-and-practice.upenn.edu/.

Articulating our ambitions for the future is especially crucial now, when urgent global challenges are provoking anguish, fear, and testing our community. We are responding exactly as we have so many times before, by working together to improve Penn for the future. That is the core and essential purpose of In Principle and Practice.

This framework is built around our values and our unique DNA. Our founding ethos is a Franklin-inspired striving to discover, disseminate, and employ knowledge for its own sake and for the benefit of humankind. In Principle and Practice will help us as we work, together, to strengthen our community and to achieve even greater excellence in all Penn does.

Penn’s principles are the essence of who we are, our enduring values and distinctive strengths. We are Anchored, Interwoven, Inventive, and Engaged. Our practices are how we will act on our principles with passion and urgency. We will accelerate interdisciplinary pursuits, lead on great challenges of our time, grow opportunity and strengthen community, deepen connection with neighbors and the world, and foster leadership and service.

This moment of challenge is exactly the time to recommit to our ambitions for the future and to further our connections as a community. Just as we are launching urgent University-wide efforts to combat antisemitism and interconnected forms of hate, including Islamophobia, and identifying ways to strengthen our bonds with one another, this strategic framework emphasizes strengthening community, deepening connections, cultivating service-minded leadership, and collaborating across divisions and divides.

In the months ahead, we will engage faculty, students, staff, and alumni in the implementation of this framework. I encourage you to offer any implementation ideas by emailing Strategic-Framework@upenn.edu. Some steps we take to implement In Principle and Practice will come soon. Some actions, more ambitious still, will take time to plan fully and enact to lasting, maximum effect.

Finally, a note of thanks. I want to express my deep appreciation once again to the members of the Red and Blue Advisory Committee, chaired by Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., who led this strategic planning process. I am equally grateful to the many members of the Penn family who engaged with the planning process and whose excellent ideas are reflected in this framework.

I will continue to keep you updated on our progress as we move Penn forward into a future of even greater excellence.

—M. Elizabeth Magill, President, Trustees University Professor and Professor of Law

See the In Principle and Practice: Penn’s Focus on Tomorrow supplement.

Penn Medicine researchers are seeking new biomarkers for traumatic brain injury (TBI), with the hope of testing new TBI treatments in clinical trials. By understanding the underlying pathology of different brain injuries and how they cause symptoms, clinicians may be able to provide informed counseling, potentially prescribe treatments that speed up recovery times, and prevent some long-term effects of TBI.

The work will be driven by Penn’s Center for Brain Injury and Repair (CBIR), using an $8 million grant from the Department of Defense, to identify and study the TBI biomarkers. Douglas H. Smith, a professor of neurosurgery, and Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, a professor of neurology, both of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, will establish the PROgram to Characterize Evolving Endophenotypes of Degeneration after TBI (PROCEED TBI).

“We currently treat individuals with brain injuries based on the severity of their symptoms, rather than by addressing their specific forms of brain damage,” said Dr. Smith. “It would be like treating patients with a fever depending on how high their temperature was, instead of treating the underlying infection. Common symptoms of brain injuries, like memory loss, headaches, problems with motor function or vision, can be caused by damage to several structures in the brain, such as blood vessels or nerves. If we can identify biomarkers of the different types of brain injuries, we hope to be able to enroll patients in clinical trials for treatments that address their specific injury, and hopefully develop treatments and protocols that help them recover more effectively.”

A TBI can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or by a penetrating injury (such as from a gunshot) to the head. There are several ways a TBI can damage the brain, such as diffuse axonal injury (DAI), damage to the nerve fibers in the brain’s white matter, or a hemorrhage, which is bleeding caused by shearing and laceration of blood vessels.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there were more than 214,000 TBI-related hospitalizations in 2020, and over 69,000 Americans died from TBI-related injury in 2021. Anyone can experience a TBI, but data suggest that some groups are at greater risk of dying from a TBI or experiencing long-term health problems after the injury, including service members and veterans, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with lower socioeconomic status. Many individuals who survive a TBI experience long-term health problems, such as seizures, neurodegenerative diseases, dementia, psychiatric diseases depression, sexual dysfunction, and bladder and bowel control problems.

PROCEED TBI builds on foundational research from Penn Medicine over the past several decades that identified the mechanisms causing DAI, the most debilitating aspect of traumatic brain injury and cause of post-injury comas. The program will evaluate pathological changes over six months after a TBI, using a large database of human TBI post-mortem brains, MRI scans and blood samples from living humans with TBIs, and large animal models.

PROCEED TBI has four parts: First, researchers aim to identify major forms of brain damage after a TBI, including degeneration of nerve tracts and persisting damage to blood vessels; second, they will evaluate how effectively imaging techniques, like an MRI, can detect these pathologies; third, researchers will identify which blood biomarkers indicate the presence of each different brain injury; fourth, the project will determine how imaging and blood biomarkers correspond to the severity of injury and symptoms, and identify targets for future therapies.

“Our hope is that with these advanced brain imaging and blood biomarker tools, we can understand how a traumatic brain injury impacts each individual’s brain and their recovery process,” said Dr. Diaz-Arrastia. “In a perfect world, these biomarkers would be able to help us measure the degree to which each person’s brain is injured, and whether or not they are at higher risk for long-term effects, so that we could prescribe the proper treatments right away, rather than treating symptoms as they present down the line.”

Diane Waff has been named director emeritus, Amy Stornaiuolo has been named faculty director, and Jen McLaughlin Cahill has been named director of the Philadelphia Writing Project (PhilWP).

Dr. Waff joined the writing project in 1991 while working as a School District of Philadelphia (SDP) English and special education teacher and became director in 2010. Amid significant personnel changes, including Penn GSE’s new dean Katharine O. Strunk and new SDP superintendent Tony Watlington, and Drs. Stornaiuolo and McLaughlin Cahill joining PhilWP, Dr. Waff wants to offer continuity and will remain involved for a transition period.

This academic year, Dr. Waff will work closely with Drs. Stornaiuolo and McLaughlin Cahill on three key areas: developing and sustaining projects for students and educators, building grant writing and fundraising to support and expand programming, and expanding and strengthening professional development in the School District of Philadelphia schools and community partnerships.

After building close ties across the Penn and Philadelphia communities, Dr. Waff will continue to liaise between PhilWP and its partners. She will focus on professional development and expanding ties with local partners, including the SDP, institutions like the Weitzman Museum of American Jewish History and the African American Museum, and Penn partners such as GSE’s Office of School and Community Engagement, Netter Center for Community Partnerships, Penn Museum, Teachers Institute of Philadelphia, and GSE’s Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership.

Among her many professional accomplishments, Dr. Waff led PhilWP in receiving an NEH grant from the National Writing Project’s Building a More Perfect Union, recognizing PhilWP’s work to support teachers using digital historical records and current publications.

As director emeritus, Dr. Waff would like to expand PhilWP’s local programs, including a new collaboration providing writing support for kindergarten and first grade teachers at two SDP schools, the Henry C. Lea Elementary School and the Andrew Hamilton School, and tutoring at the Lea School. She also envisions expanding PhilWP’s signature annual conference, the Celebration of Writing and Literacy, with its current partners, including the Teachers Institute of Philadelphia, GSE’s Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, and the Penn Museum, as well as new collaborations.

Amy Stornaiuolo, an associate professor in the division of learning, teaching and literacies and chair of literacy studies in Penn GSE, has long admired PhilWP’s programs and its role in local and national dialogue about writing and supporting educators. She has served on the project’s advisory board for over a decade and now, as faculty director, is positioned to help shape the program’s future.

“PhilWP is a thriving, vibrant community of educators with deep roots and histories in Philadelphia schools, and I am so fortunate to have this opportunity to support and participate in those efforts,” Dr. Stornaiuolo noted.

In partnership with Drs. Waff and Cahill, Dr. Stornaiuolo hopes to expand some of PhilWP’s existing programs and partnerships, including Kid Writing, the Black Girls Literacies Project, the Digital Discourse Project, and Project Write, and work on digital writing and how generative artificial intelligence will reshape writing and instruction.

Additionally, she hopes to expand partnerships within Penn GSE and SDP schools, particularly around early elementary literacy, and bring PhilWP resources to more schools.

“Our work with Kid Writing, for example, is a powerful means of supporting early literacy and reading development and has shown promising results,” Dr. Stornaiuolo said. “We would love to expand that program.”

After 22 years as an English teacher in New York City public middle and high schools, Dr. McLaughlin Cahill brings significant classroom experience to her new role as director of the Philadelphia Writing Project. The program reflects her commitment to education, literacy, and supporting educators as a seasoned practitioner.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to keep doing work I deeply care about, which includes amplifying voices of practitioners, teachers, practitioner researchers, and children and young adults,” said Dr. McLaughlin Cahill, a lecturer in educational practice.

Since joining Penn GSE in July, Dr. McLaughlin Cahill jumped headfirst into programming, including summer events and the program’s recent Celebration of Writing and Literacy conference. She said PhilWP’s impact is evident across the Philadelphia community, including youth programs, teacher development and training, and providing grants.

Dr. Cahill McLaughlin will work closely with Drs. Waff and Stornaiuolo and plans to absorb their institutional knowledge. She aspires to continue PhilWP’s commitment to literacy and writing to build bridges and advance public education.

“I want to center the voices of the teachers and the work they’re doing with their children and young people,” she said. “Writing is such a powerful form of amplifying the voices of the people who are not always centered in educational research or discourse to impact their new community directly.”

Jennifer Pinto-Martin, University Ombuds
Waged Jafer, Deputy Ombuds

Introduction

The Office of the Ombuds is a confidential, informal, impartial, and independent resource available to assist faculty, students, and staff who are endeavoring to address issues involving conflicts, disputes, and obstacles to one’s successful engagement as a member of the Penn community.

The Year in Review

The number of visitors to the Office of the Ombuds rose by 10% from the prior year. Employment-related matters continue to represent the majority of issues brought to the office, representing nearly 40% of issues discussed. As seen in Table 1, staff made up 39% of all visits to the office and graduate and professional students made up 19%.

The proportion of visitors from the faculty ranks remained steady at 16%, while visits from graduate and professional students dipped somewhat from 24% to 19% of total visits. We saw a doubling in the proportion of undergraduates using our services.

As shown in the graphic summary in Table 2, the most common concerns brought to the office included employment-related issues (nearly 40%) and academic-related issues (25%). Common employment-related issues included poor management and lack of support from managers, lack of transparency about processes/procedures, and inconsistency in the application of such policies leading to an unfair outcome. In addition, we heard of significant behavioral issues that included verbally abusive, demeaning interactions, and microaggressions.

Among faculty, some of the key issues we heard about included job security, tenure/promotion, faculty recruitment, and related issues. Reports of lack of collegiality as well as challenging, abusive, demeaning, bullying, and demoralizing behaviors and microaggressions, were also common.

With respect to graduate and professional students, we heard of challenges in relationships between principal investigators and students, and complaints of poor communication and poor management. Specifically, we heard that the lack of or poor management of the lab setting led to an absence of constructive feedback. Issues related to authorship and intellectual property were also raised.

In summary, some of the main concerns across all categories for visitors include:

1.    Lack of empathetic leadership and management.

Work-related stress and work-life balance continue to be a major concern for staff (burnout/stress and increase in mental and physical health needs)

2.    Lack of clear communication and positive feedback.

Feedback must be constructive in order to avoid being perceived as a personal attack.

There is value in goal setting by managers in collaboration with employees. Such clarity reduces the likelihood of interpersonal conflicts.

Ombuds Office Outreach

The office has delivered a series of talks addressing the issues detailed above to graduate student groups as well as to specific programs and departments across campus in an attempt to prevent and mitigate the impact of these workplace challenges.

The Office of the Ombuds strives to provide effective collaborative resolution of workplace concerns in addition to prevention services with the goal of advocating for fairness and prompting respect for all members of the Penn community. We invite you to think of the Ombuds Office as your thinking partner. We can offer you expertise in how to manage a conflict. Our services include conflict coaching, dispute resolution including mediation, facilitated conversations, as well as professional consultation and guidance on University policies and processes. We also offer personalized workshops based on the needs as well as group facilitation. Our presentation services include various trainings and workshops on how to manage conflict, including “how to have difficult conversations,” “giving and receiving feedback,” “effective communication,” and many more. All members of the Penn community are welcome to contact us to inquire about our services.

We reiterate our statement from last year: members of the Penn community who are in a position of influencing the culture and climate of the organizational unit to which they belong or lead are encouraged to be mindful of the importance of collegiality and respectful treatment of others, to model those behaviors, and to take action when they observe or learn of breaches of behavioral expectations. Penn is a collection of over 50,000 human beings and conflicts and disputes will inevitably occur, but the problematic behaviors we learn about in the Office of the Ombuds could be prevented. We encourage members of the Penn community who find themselves in conflict or a dispute with others to reach out to the Office of the Ombuds before the matter escalates, when an amicable resolution can still be achieved. A description of the types of assistance we provide is available in Table 3.

Closing

In closing, we want to recognize the value of an Office of the Ombuds, especially in light of the current challenges we face. It is critical that we respect the opinions and beliefs of others in our campus community as the world presents us with global horrors and dissonance. The office represents a safe and confidential place to engage in discussions among campus community members who may differ in their beliefs and we welcome the opportunity to help.

Finally, the Office of the Ombuds would like to extend a warm welcome to Waged Jafer, who assumed the role of Deputy Ombuds in December 2022. Waged brings to Penn a wealth of ombuds experience, including a particular interest and expertise in restorative justice practice, along with a positive spirit, energy and commitment to the role. We are very fortunate to have her as part of the team. Welcome, Waged!

Table 3: Types of Engagement with Visitors

The Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice, a nonpartisan national research and policy hub at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, has announced that Rebecca Brown will join its team in the role of policy advisor, where she will expand and enhance the impact of the Quattrone Center’s data-driven research and criminal justice reform.

“Rebecca has a lengthy track record of developing nonpartisan policy strategies and has relationships throughout the nation to power and accelerate emerging policy campaigns,” said John Hollway, executive director of the Quattrone Center and associate dean of Penn Carey Law. “She has developed strategies for hundreds of policy efforts, testified in dozens of legislative hearings, and led national policy working groups. Adding her skill set to our growing body of impact-oriented criminal justice research and reporting will dramatically improve our ability to bring about thoughtful real-world quality improvements to jurisdictions around the country. Her experience will also have a positive impact in shaping our research portfolio so we can focus on areas with the greatest impact and need.”

Ms. Brown joins the Quattrone Center after 18 years at the Innocence Project—a transformative criminal legal reform organization—where she helped to build and lead its policy department and direct its federal and state policy agenda. During her tenure, the Innocence Project successfully lobbied for the passage of more than 250 criminal legal reform laws. Earlier this year, Ms. Brown received the “Hero of Justice Award” from the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, which honors an individual who has shown sustained commitment to achieving criminal justice for all.

“The Quattrone Center is a world-class policy hub whose groundbreaking research is helping to reform our nation’s criminal justice system,” said Ms. Brown. “I’m excited to join the team to help develop influential strategies and educate legislators and policymakers on the real-world impact of the Quattrone Center’s work.”

Ms. Brown has presented at judicial and legal trainings and at diverse criminal justice and academic conferences, and has been sought out as a subject matter expert by The New York Times, BBC News, ABC News, Slate, NBC News, CBS News, BNC News, Politico, NPR, and the American Bar Association Journal. Most recently, Ms. Brown appeared on a special episode of “Meet the Press” regarding police accountability. She sits on the advisory board of Roc Nation’s United Justice Coalition and serves on the board of directors of For the People.

Sidney Kobrin, the medical director of the fresenius dialysis unit in Penn Medicine and an associate professor of medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine, died on October 30 along with his father, Nathan Kobrin, when they were struck by a car rolling unattended down a driveway. Sidney Kobrin was 68.

After earning his MD from University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in 1978, Dr. Kobrin joined Penn’s faculty in 1989 as a lecturer in the division of renal/electrolyte. In 1992, he became an assistant professor, and in 1996, an associate professor, a position he held until his death. In 2010, Dr. Kobrin earned Penn Medicine’s I.S. Ravdin Master Clinician Award (Almanac December 14, 2010).

“Dr. Kobrin is known for his skill as a superb diagnostician, a talented and skilled nephrologist, and a compassionate and dedicated physician,” said his citation. “He is widely regarded as the ‘doctor’s doctor’ amongst nephrologists, with an outstanding knowledge of medicine and nephrology. He is also known as a physician with genuine compassion, always willing to spend as much time as necessary with each individual and possessing a distinctive combination of clinical excellence and sincere empathy.” While at Penn, Dr. Kobrin also earned the Tow Humanitarian Award and the J. Russell Elkinton Faculty Teaching Award.

“The field of medicine, and our entire community has lost a giant, Dr. Sidney Kobrin,” said Dr. Kobrin’s department in an online tribute. “He touched the lives of so many patients, colleagues, trainees, and he made the world a brighter place with his empathy, teaching, dedication and compassion. We will miss him dearly.”

In memory of Dr. Kobrin, his family asks that contributions be made in support of the Penn Medicine Division of Renal Medicine. Please make checks payable to Penn Medicine and include “Division of Renal Medicine” on the memo line, and send to Penn Medicine Development Office c/o Andrew Deal, 3535 Market St. Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Donations can also be made by visiting https://giving.apps.upenn.edu/fund?program=MED&fund=630322.

The November 2023 University Council Open Forum meeting took place on Wednesday, November 29 in the Hall of Flags at Houston Hall. At the beginning of the meeting, Penn President Liz Magill acknowledged the shooting of three Palestinian college students in Vermont and reiterating the need for all students on Penn’s campus to feel safe from discrimination and violence. She highlighted the launch of two programs, Conversations for Community and Dinners Across Differences, that will foster dialogue across differences and affirm shared values.

Lizann Boyle Rode, associate vice president in the Office of the University Secretary, addressed topics raised during the new business portion of the October 18 council meeting. She reiterated Penn’s commitment to the safety of all students, staff, and faculty, regardless of background; discussed security measures that have been enacted at Penn’s affinity spaces; and revealed that Penn leadership is in talks with graduate student groups to provide financial support to students whose finances are endangered by current events. She also discussed a meeting that occurred between Penn’s Disabled Coalition and the Office of the University Architect about the accessibility of campus buildings.

Vijay Kumar, the Nemirovsky Family Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, gave the second focus issue presentation of the year, on AI and machine learning. He noted that half of humanities fields and all STEM fields are driven by data, which calls on higher learning institutions like Penn to create a data-driven, AI-enabled, discovery pipeline that unites diverse disciplines. Dean Kumar described PennIDEAS (Innovation in Data Engineering and Science), a Penn Engineering initiative that combines innovations in fields ranging from neurology to biology, physics, and chemistry to solve societal challenges. He emphasized that Penn teaches AI with a focus on fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics (FATE), and that Penn faculty are working to expand access to AI technology for marginalized groups.

In the open forum portion of the meeting, speakers discussed topics that included:

• Need for University-wide access to menstrual products, which has already been implemented by two Penn schools and several peer institutions
• Concern regarding censorship of pro-Palestine events and rallies on campus and the need for clear guidelines for such events, particularly for students
• Concern regarding having Penn’s positions on issues based on the opinions of donors
• Impact of increasing antisemitic behavior, threats, and violence on Penn’s Jewish community
• Concern about the definition of antisemitism used in President Magill’s messages to the Penn community
• Lack of support for Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian students
• Imbalance in the condemnation of antisemitism and Islamophobia in University communications.

During the new business, speakers called for improved accessibility of buildings on campus, urged Penn to open a more fair and balanced dialogue regarding the Israel/Palestine war and stronger condemnation of Islamophobia, and promoted the upcoming Take Back the Night march.

The next University Council meeting is scheduled for January 31, 2024.

President Liz Magill has announced In Principle and Practice: Penn’s Focus on the Future—a strategic framework for the University of Pennsylvania.

Click here to read the supplement.

The Rules Governing Final Examinations at the University of Pennsylvania are published each semester as a reminder to the academic community.

Information about fall 2023 final examinations can be found at https://srfs.upenn.edu/registration-catalog-calendar/final-exams.

— John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost

1. No instructor may hold a final examination nor require the submission of a take-home final exam except during the period in which final examinations are scheduled; when necessary, exceptions to this policy may be granted for postponed examinations (see 3 and 4 below). No final examinations may be scheduled during the last week of classes or on reading days.

2. No student may be required to take more than two final examinations on any calendar day during the period in which final examinations are scheduled. If more than two are scheduled, the student may postpone the middle exam. If a take-home final exam is due on a day when two final examinations are scheduled, the take-home exam shall be postponed by one day.

3. Examinations that are postponed because of conflicts with other examinations, or because more than two examinations are scheduled on the same day, may be taken at another time during the final examinations period if the faculty member and student can agree on that time. Otherwise, they must be taken during the official period for postponed examinations.

4. Examinations that are postponed because of illness, a death in the family, for religious observance or some other unusual event may be taken only during the official periods: the first week of the spring and fall semesters. Students must obtain permission from their dean’s office to take a postponed exam. Instructors in all courses must be willing to offer a make-up examination to all students who are excused from the final examination.

5. No instructor may change the time or date of a final exam without permission from the appropriate dean.

6. No instructor may increase the time allowed for a final exam beyond the scheduled two hours without permission from the appropriate dean.

7. No classes or required class activities may be held during the reading period.

8. The first examination of the day begins at 9 a.m. and the last examination concludes by 8 p.m. There will be one hour between exam time blocks.

9. All students must be allowed to see their final examination. Exams should be available as soon as possible after being graded with access ensured for a period of at least one regular semester after the exam has been given. To help protect student privacy, a student should have access only to their own exam and not the exams of other students. Therefore, for example, it is not permissible to leave student exams (or grades or papers) in publicly accessible areas.

10. Students may not be asked for their social security numbers. Instructors may not publicly display a student’s Penn ID or any portion of the social security number, nor use names, initials or any personally identifiable information to post grades. Even when an identifier is masked or absent, grades may not be posted in alphabetical order, to protect student privacy.

11. Final exams for College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) courses must be given on the regular class meeting night during the week of final examinations. No change in scheduling is permitted without unanimous consent of all students in the class and the director of LPS. LPS final exams may not be administered during the last week of class or on a reading day.

In all matters relating to final exams, students with questions should first consult with their dean’s office. Faculty wishing to seek exceptions to the rules also should consult with their dean’s office.

Huey Copeland, the BFC Presidential Associate Professor of the History of Art in the School of Arts & Sciences, has received the 2024 James A. Porter and David C. Driskell Award in African American Art History from the Driskell Center for Black Modernisms in the Transatlantic World. Coedited with Steven Nelson, dean of the National Gallery’s Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, the book features essays by nine leading scholars and practitioners. Its aim is to undo hegemonic modernist narratives in the west and move toward art history’s intersectional futures. The Porter/Driskell Award recognizes original research and scholarly writings on historical subjects pertaining to African American visual culture.

Dr. Copeland’s work interrogates African/Diasporic, American, and European artistic practice from the late 18th century to the present, with an emphasis on articulations of Blackness in the western visual field. An editor of OCTOBER and a contributing editor of Artforum, Dr. Copeland has published in numerous periodicals as well as in international exhibition catalogues and essay collections. Alongside his work as a teacher, critic, editor, scholar, and administrator, he has co-curated exhibitions and co-organized international conferences.

Established in 2001, the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora provides an intellectual home for artists, museum professionals, art administrators, and scholars who are interested in broadening the field of African diasporic studies.

Michael E. Mann, one of the world’s leading voices on climate change, will receive the John Scott Award from the Franklin Institute and the City of Philadelphia. The oldest science award in the United States, the John Scott Award is given to “the most deserving” individuals who have contributed to the “comfort, welfare and happiness” of humankind. Dr. Mann shares the award with Princeton University’s Robert Socolow.

Dr. Mann, who is the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media, also holds a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. His research interests include the study of Earth’s climate system and the science, impacts, and policy implications of human-caused climate change. Dr. Mann was the lead author on the “Observed Climate Variability and Change” chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Scientific Assessment Report in 2001 and was the organizing committee chair for the National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science in 2003. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Outstanding Publication Award in 2002 and selection by Scientific American as one of the 50 leading visionaries in science and technology in 2002. In all, Dr. Mann  has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and six books, most recently Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth’s Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis, which was published in September.

The John Scott Awards are named after the 19th-century chemist who endowed the prize in honor of Benjamin Franklin. Drs. Mann and Socolow were presented with their awards on  November 30 at the American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743 by Franklin in Philadelphia. The award comes with a prize of $15,000 each. Winners are selected by other scientists from around the nation.

Arjun Raj, a professor in the department of bioengineering in Penn Engineering, has been named the recipient of the 2023-2024 George H. Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research for “pioneering the development and application of single-cell, cancer-fighting technologies.”

The Heilmeier Award honors a Penn Engineering faculty member whose work is scientifically meritorious and has high technological impact and visibility. It is named for the late George H. Heilmeier, a Penn Engineering alumnus and member of the school’s Board of Advisors, whose technological contributions include the development of liquid crystal displays and whose honors include the National Medal of Science and Kyoto Prize.

Dr. Raj, who also holds an appointment in genetics in the Perelman School of Medicine, is a pioneer in the burgeoning field of single-cell engineering and biology. Powered by innovative techniques he has developed for molecular profiling of single cells, his scientific discoveries range from the molecular underpinnings of cellular variability to the behavior of single cells across biology, including in diseases such as cancer.

Dr. Raj will deliver the 2023-2024 Heilmeier Lecture at Penn Engineering during the spring 2024 semester.

For the 14th year in a row, Penn has earned Tree Campus Higher Education recognition, an Arbor Day Foundation program that honors colleges and universities for promoting healthy trees and conservation. The designation is an opportunity to show how much work is put into maintaining the thousands of trees in Penn’s urban forest.

Penn’s campus is home to 240 tree species, from fiery red maples to glossy-leaved southern magnolias to the historic Penn Treaty Elm. Trees demarcate space, providing shade, animal habitats, meet-up points, and picnic spots. Campus trees are checked for safety, measured on a three-year cycle, pruned, watered, and monitored for pests and diseases, which are becoming more prevalent with the onslaught of climate change.

Beyond Penn’s campus, the Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services also works closely with the urban forestry team at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, Penn’s 90-year-old, 92-acre expanse in the northwest corner of Philadelphia. Morris Arboretum & Gardens is open to the public with free admission for PennCard holders and has over 13,000 tagged plant specimens and several notable trees, including dawn redwoods and the rare Engler beech.

2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, a building that exemplifies cutting-edge scientific research by virtue of its sleek geometry and meticulous attention to detail by all those involved in its development. 

Heralded by many as an architectural gem, not only at the University of Pennsylvania but in Philadelphia. The iconic, glass-clad, cantilevered 78,000 square-foot structure is nestled between the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter and David Rittenhouse Laboratory on the eastern edge of campus. It was also Penn’s first collaborative building between two schools: the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Arts & Sciences. 

Over the last decade, the center has opened its doors to students, academics, industry professionals, and many more who seek out the facility’s state-of-the-art equipment geared at serving two high-precision objectives: to build and measure. 

Function Guiding Form: The Planning Phase

Eduardo Glandt, emeritus dean of Penn Engineering, played a crucial role in establishing the iconic structure. He jokes that he was quite literally at the ground floor of the $93 million-dollar center’s construction, as he led the charge in securing funding, scouting faculty and staff members, and meeting with architects to make the dream a reality. Dr. Glandt recalls that finding the right architects was no small feat, saying, “The demands on the designers were steep. So, we were in contact with about 10 different firms, and we had to go to Helsinki, Tokyo, and Basel to find the right people who were up for the challenge.”

Ultimately, the firm suited to the task was closer to home than expected: Weiss/Manfredi, a firm co-founded by Marion Weiss, the Graham Professor of Practice in Architecture at Penn’s Weitzman School of Design.

Dr. Glandt explains that the Singh Center’s design, with its distinctive U-shaped floor plan, was born out of necessity, as it needed to be seamlessly integrated around the pre-existing Edison Building. Later, the Edison Building, once an integral part of the Singh Center complex, would be razed and the land turned into a garden, adding yet another layer of serenity to the landscape. 

Another set of significant constraints the architects faced was that the internal environment needed to be pristine: free from vibrations to accommodate an electron microscope in the characterization facility and absent from certain ultraviolet light used in the fabrication room. The latter resulted in another unique identifier, namely, the building’s marigold décor.

Dr. Glandt notes that the glass that separates the common areas from the photolithographic activities, which is essentially using light to transfer patterns to materials, is amber to prevent UV contamination. “The architects ran with this constraint and used it as a motif for the interior,” said Dr. Glandt. “It’s incredible to see what they were able to do, and how that’s given the building such a distinct look.”

Dr. Glandt also expresses admiration for the building’s aesthetic and believes it is part and parcel of the center’s success over the years. 

“Beauty tends to attract beauty, and I think the center’s emblematic of this in many ways,” he said. Before opening, Dr. Glandt and others worked hard to resurface Tony Smith’s We Lost, a famed sculpture that used to sit on College Green, because they knew its cubic geometry would greatly complement the center’s. 

Following this, members of the community reached out, suggesting and offering more artworks to be showcased in the center, one of which includes some of the first microscopy artistic photographs. This set of photos can be seen at the entrance of the electron microscopy facility. Dr. Glandt also notes that the architects added We Lost to their renderings and recalls that when he presented the plans to scientific director Mark Allen during his recruitment, Dr. Allen marveled at the notion of art at a fabrication lab.

A Hub for Innovation

Dr. Allen said he has witnessed the center’s facilities play an important role in a multitude of projects over the last 10 years. From pioneering drug delivery mechanisms targeting cancerous cells on a molecular scale to formulating energy-efficient batteries and next-generation semiconductors, the center’s multidisciplinary approach has been a strength, enabling researchers from varying disciplines to come together in one space. Although the Singh Center was initially a joint venture between Penn Engineering and Arts & Sciences, scientific director Mark Allen said it has also proven useful to researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, Weitzman School of Design, and schools of Dental Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. 

“It’s quite a nexus of collaboration, which I believe is the essence of innovation,” said Dr. Allen, who is also the Alfred Fitler Moore Professor in Penn Engineering. “Our ethos revolves around converging varied fields of study, pushing the boundaries of what’s conceivable, and fortunately, we see that happen at an exciting time for nanotechnology.”

In reflecting on the center’s growth and what continues to draw people in, Dr. Allen said, “the efforts by the deans involved have been tremendously helpful in allowing us to achieve our science goals.”

Dr. Allen praises the current deans, Vijay Kumar of Engineering and Steven J. Fluharty of Arts & Sciences, for picking up the mantle in expanding the center’s capabilities through supporting initiatives for hiring faculty with diverse backgrounds in the nanoworld. 

“The Singh Center has driven revolutionary advancements at the nano- and microscale- across many applications,” said Dean Kumar. “This includes novel micro-electromechanical systems, the invention of new catalysts and storage technologies to combat climate change, and the development of new biomaterials and drug delivery systems for health care.”

Dean Fluharty, who is also the Thomas S. Gates, Jr. Professor of Psychology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, added that the center embodies a spirit of collaboration that over the past decade has paved the way for significant advancements in a wide range of research areas. 

“One of our research teams harnessed the center’s state-of-the-art tools and materials to develop a new drug delivery device that can transport microparticles against cardiovascular flows, and another group created patterned photoelectrodes that use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide to energy-dense chemical fuel—and these are just two examples of the innovative work we are seeing,” he said. “I look forward to many more exciting discoveries in the years to come.”

Gerald Lopez, the Singh Center’s associate director and director of business operations, adds that under Dr. Allen’s leadership, the facility has been at the forefront of research, boasting more than 1,000 scientific publications, enabling more than 200 work years, and has been crowned the Mid-Atlantic Nanotechnology Hub. 

Helping to Shape the Nanotech Future

Dr. Allen notes that it has been an exciting time for nanotechnology these last few years, citing the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act as recognition of the impact this field has on many spheres of modern life and science. More recently, how the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to researchers who pioneered a method to use nanocrystals for a range of activities related to light transmission.

Dr. Allen explained that the center has also inspired the next generation of nanotech practitioners by lowering the barrier of entry to some of the most sophisticated machining tools in this space. 

“The center has really become a testbed that welcomes people with ideas. We provide an environment that teaches and fosters practices that challenge those ideas and potentially use that information to build something,” he said. “We will continuously partner with other institutions in and around Philly, like the Community College of Philadelphia, to give more students hands-on experience with the cutting-edge tools that will transform the future.”

This is an especially meaningful partnership since Dr. Allen noted that  the employment workforce in many large semiconductor fabrication places is highly diverse. 

“It’s roughly 50% bachelor’s level engineers, which is usually the technical staff, maybe 25% graduate degrees, and the other quarter, people with either no college or associate’s degrees because there is a need at all levels.” Dr. Allen said. “So, if we’re going to have an effective workforce development activity, we need to engage at all levels. And I think that’s one of the wonderful things being done at places like the Singh Center.” 

Looking forward, Drs. Glandt and Allen are filled with anticipation. “Nanotechnology’s role in our daily lives is burgeoning,” Dr. Allen said. “The Singh Center, with its unparalleled infrastructure and dynamic research community, is geared to spearhead this transformation and we’re excited to see what’s next and to keep sharing what we have coming down the pike.”

Adapted from a Penn Today article written by Nathi Magubane, November 20, 2023. 

Penn Bookstore will hold its annual Winter Sale-a-Bration on Wednesday, December 6 and Thursday, December 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Take advantage of a special 20% off discount storewide,* all while enjoying seasonal festivities. Stop in on one or both days for performances by the Penn Glee Club, free professional photos at the winter-themed photobooth (props provided!), hot chocolate, and cookies. Literacy & More, Inc. will offer free gift wrapping (donations appreciated). Find something special for yourself or as a gift at this fun and festive event.  

Follow Penn Bookstore on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @pennbookstore for more details as the sale approaches.

*In-store only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid for the purchase of gift cards, textbooks, electronics, and specialty items. Other limits may apply.

’Tis the Season to eat, shop, and be merry! The holidays are here and we are excited to celebrate the season throughout the Shop Penn district this December. The fourth annual SHOP PENN Days of Deals returns from December 4-15, and features 12 days of sales and giveaways from our collection of eclectic stores and restaurants around campus. This year, we are thrilled to announce the addition of the first-ever SHOP PENN Holiday Window Decorating Contest, in which shops throughout the district will add to the festive cheer by decorating their storefronts. Follow SHOP PENN on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (@shopsatpenn) for more details.

Check out SHOP PENN Presents to find the perfect gift to purchase locally for your holiday list. Celebrate the season with a SHOP PENN Playlist of holiday happenings around the district.

—SHOP PENN Retail District

Conferences

6          A Symposium on Love and Sex; aims to cultivate a discussion around current practices of loving and sex and envision better practices for the future; Radio Kismet, 130 S 34th Street; 3-5 p.m.; register: https://tinyurl.com/gsws-symposium-dec-6 (Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies).

Films

7          The Hourglass Sanitorium; follows a young Jewish man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally; 7 p.m.; rooftop lounge, Harnwell College House (Cinema & Media Studies).

10        Hidden Histories of Philadelphia; screening of films by Scribe DIPHY, a program in which youth participants create short documentary films to explore some aspect of the social, political, and cultural history of Philadelphia; 2 p.m.; Institute for Contemporary Art; register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/763418925557?aff=oddtdtcreator (Institute of Contemporary Art).

11        Les Misérables; screening of 2019 adaptation by Ladj Ly, with an introduction (en français) by Hugo Bujon, Rutgers University; 6 p.m.; Cherpack Seminar Room, Williams Hall (French & Francophone Studies).

Fitness & Learning

5          2024 Undergraduate Urban Research Colloquium Information Session; learn about a semester-long, credit-bearing seminar that includes $2,000 of funding support for a joint research project with a faculty or doctoral student mentor; noon; Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/96565606544#success (Penn Institute for Urban Research).

Graduate School of Education

Online webinars. Info and to register: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar?date=2023-12.

5          Education Entrepreneurship Virtual Information Session; noon.

            Virtual Instructor-Led SAP Concur Travel Booking Training; 2 p.m.

            Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management Virtual Information Session; 4 p.m.

            Independent School Teaching Residency Information Session; 5 p.m.

6          Global Higher Education Management (Online) Information Session; 7 p.m.

11        Urban Teaching Residency & Urban Education Virtual Information Session; 7 p.m.

LGBT Center

Unless noted, in-person events. Info: https://lgbtcenter.universitylife.upenn.edu/.

4          Home for the Holi-GAYS; 2 p.m.; Goodhand Room, LGBT Center. Also December 11.

5          Virtual Staff and FaculTEA; noon; Zoom webinar.

            Let’s Talk Drop-In Hours; 2-5 p.m.; Gordon-Buono Student Lounge, LGBT Center.

            Investing and Inclusivity: Overcoming Financial Bias in LGBTQ+ Ventures; 5 p.m.; 2^nd floor colloquium, Tangen Hall.

            QTPOC Connect; 6:30 p.m.; LGBT Center.

8          SUPER Mocktails & Paint-By-Numbers; 7-10 p.m.; LGBT Center.

12        Connect and Converse: A Mental Health Dialogue Dinner; 6 p.m.; Goodhand Room, LGBT Center.

13        LEAP End-of-the-Year Happy Hour; 4-6 p.m.; Goodhand Room, LGBT Center.

15        Family Dinner; 5-7 p.m.; LGBT Center.

Readings & Signings

Kelly Writers House

Hybrid events at Arts Café, Kelly Writers House, and YouTube livestream. Info: https://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/1223.php.

6          A Slice of Life: Memoir Writing; 5 p.m.

            An Evening with the Students of Poetry and Fiction; 7 p.m.

11        A Night with XFic; 5 p.m.

Special Events

7          Makuu Kwanzaa Celebration; celebrate Kwanzaa by experiencing the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora, centered around the Ngzo Saba (Seven Principles) and a traditional celebratory feast; 6 p.m.; room 208, ARCH (Makuu: The Black Cultural Center).

Talks

5          Computational Design of Origami and Compliant Robots; Cynthia Sung, mechanical engineering & applied mechanics; 10 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

            Integrating Cryogenic Ion Chemistry and Optical Spectroscopy: Capturing the Molecular Level Mechanics Driving Bulk Chemical Behaviors From Catalysis to the Spectral Dynamics of Water; Mark Johnson, Yale University; noon; room TBA, chemistry complex; info: rvargas@sas.upenn.edu (Chemistry).

            Marrying Vision and Language: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship? Hadar Elor, Tel Aviv University; 11:30 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/99589691352 (GRASP Lab).

            AGI is Coming… Is HCI Ready? Meredith Ringel Morris, Google DeepMind; 3:30 p.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Computer & Information Science Grace Hopper Distinguished Lecture).

            Geometry of Independence; Christopher Eur, Harvard University; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C8, DRL (Mathematics).

            Sentinel Musicians of the Ethiopian American Diaspora; Kay Kaufman Shelemay, Harvard University; 5:15 p.m.; room 101, Lerner Building (Music).

6          Learning 3D Fauna and Flora in the Wild; Shangzhe Wu, Stanford University; 10:30 a.m.; Raisler Lounge, Towne Building, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/96210181722 (GRASP Lab).

            Elderflora; Jared Farmer, history; noon; online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/farmer-talk-dec-6 (Penn Lightbulb Café).

            Legal Dimensions of the Israel-Hamas War: Fighting an Enemy Who Uses Civilians as Human Shields; Joseph Votel, Middle East Institute; noon; online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/votel-talk-dec-6 (Center for Ethics & the Rule of Law).

            Role of ETK/BMX in Nasal Tuft Cell Regulation and Epithelial Injury Response; Michael Kohanski, otorhinolaryngology; noon; room 213, Stemmler Hall (Penn-CHOP Lung Biology Institute).

            Adaptive Metrics for an Evolving Pandemic; Laura A. Hatfield, Harvard University; 2 p.m.; room 1311, Blockley Hall (Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics).

            Lineages of Environmental Justice in South Asia; Sunil Amrith, Yale University; 4:30 p.m.; room 230, PCPSE (Center for the Advanced Study of India).

7          Disrupting Binaries: #MosqueMeToo, Double Duress, and Colonial Mimicry; Yara Damaj, GSWS; Lesbian Surrounds: Studying with Shakedown and the Clit Club; Lauren Bakst, GSWS; noon; room 345, Fisher-Bennett Hall (Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies). 

            Effectiveness-Escalation Trade Off: Difficulties in the Use of Economic Statecraft; Mariya Grinberg, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; noon; room 250, PCPSE (Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics).

            Model Selection for Reducing Sensitivity to Identification Assumption Violations in Controlled Pre-Post Designs; Laura A. Hatfield, Harvard University; 1 p.m.; room 1311, Blockley Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/hatfield-talk-dec-7 (Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics).

            Sequence-Based Design of Small Molecules Targeting RNA; Matthew Disney, University of Florida; 3 p.m.; Rubenstein Auditorium, Smilow Center, and Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/disney-talk-dec-7 (Institute for RNA Innovation).

            Cell-Cell Interactions in Regulation of Lung Homeostasis, Disease and Cancer; Carla Kim, Harvard University; 4 p.m.; room 11-146, Smilow Center (Penn-CHOP Lung Biology Institute).

            Untangling Enhancer-Promoter Interactions Throughout Mouse Development; Pedro Rocha, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 4 p.m.; room 9-146, Smilow Center, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/rocha-talk-dec-7 (Epigenetics Institute).

            Unlocking the Secrets of Marine Resilience: A Journey into the Ecophysiology and Reproductive Biology of Corals in a Changing World; Jaqueline Padilla-Gamiño, University of Washington; 4 p.m.; room 10, Leidy Lab, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/v9kzrc2u (Biology).

            Breaking the Silence: The Myth of Cassandra and the Voices of Incarcerated Women; Emily Allen-Hornblower, Rutgers University; Nafeesah Goldsmith, Youth Function Over Form; 4:45 p.m.; room 402, Cohen Hall (Classical Studies).

8          Formal Methods for Computer Architecture - Reducing the Barriers to Entry; Yatin Manerkar, University of Michigan; 10 a.m.; room 307, Levine Hall (PRECISE Center).

            Privacy-Sensitive Robotics; Bill Smart, Oregon State University; 10:30 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/99432400260 (GRASP Lab).

            Quantum Error Correction: Where We Are and Where We Are Heading; Maika Takita, IBM Quantum; 11 a.m.; Berger Auditorium, Skirkanich Hall (Electrical & Systems Engineering).

11        Not a Real Job? Musical Labor, Productivity, and Value in the Anthropocene; Jim Sykes, music; noon; room 345, Penn Museum (Anthropology).

            Of Ubiquitin, Ion Channels, and Diseases; Henry M. Colecraft, Columbia University; 3 p.m.; Austrian Auditorium, CRB (Pennsylvania Muscle Institute).

12        New Music and the Heterogenous Sound Ideal; George Lewis, music; 5:15 p.m.; room 101, Lerner Building (Music).

Economics

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

6          Intergenerational Consequences of Rare Disasters; Marlon Azinovic, economics; noon; room 101, PCPSE.

            Centralizing Procurement: The Roles of Scale, Selection and Variety; Jose Ignacio Cuesta, Stanford University; 3:30 p.m.; room 100, PCPSE.

This is an update to the December AT PENN calendar, which is online now. To submit an event for a future AT PENN calendar or update, email almanac@upenn.edu.

Division of Public Safety University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons and/or Crimes Against Property from the campus report for November 20-26, 2023. The Crime Reports are available at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes. Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety (DPS) and contains all criminal incidents reported and made known to the Penn Police, including those reported to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) that occurred within our patrol zone, for the dates of November 20-26, 2023. The Penn Police actively patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police.

In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call DPS at (215) 898-7297. You may view the daily crime log on the DPS website.

Penn Police Patrol Zone
Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street

Philadelphia Police 18th District
Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 10 incidents with 2 arrests were reported for November 20-26, 2023 by the 18^th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

The Division of Public Safety offers resources and support to the Penn community. DPS developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below. Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

• See something concerning? Connect with Penn Public Safety 24/7 at (215) 573-3333.
• Worried about a friend’s or colleague’s mental or physical health? Get 24/7 connection to appropriate resources at (215) 898-HELP (4357).
• Seeking support after experiencing a crime? Call Special Services (support and advocacy resources) at (215) 898-4481 or email an advocate at specialservices@publicsafety.upenn.edu.
• Use the Walking Escort and Riding services available to you free of charge.
• Take a moment to update your cellphone information for the UPennAlert Emergency Notification System.
• Download the Penn Guardian App which can help Police better find your location when you call in an emergency.
• Access free self-empowerment and defense courses through Penn DPS.
• Stay alert and reduce distractions. (Using cellphones, ear buds, etc. may limit your awareness.)
• Orient yourself to your surroundings. (Identify your location, nearby exits, etc.)
• Keep your valuables out of sight and only carry necessary documents.

The Division of Public Safety offers the Public Safety Walk-Back Program during reading days and final exams from December 12 to December 21.

An Allied Universal public safety officer will be posted at the “Button” on Woodland Walk from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m.

Approximately every half hour, the officer will enter Van Pelt-Dietrich Library to offer walking escorts to anyone in the building. The officer will then perform the escort and return to re- peat the process.

The Division of Public Safety provides this service in addition to its normal walking escort programs. Uniformed Allied Universal public safety officers provide walking escorts to all campus locations. Officers are dispatched by radio and will accompany you from one campus location to another, to your parked vehicle, to a Penn Transit Stop, or to an on-campus SEPTA regional transit stop. Escorts are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, from 30^th to 43^rd Streets and from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue.

Escorts also extend west to 50^th Street, and north/south from Spring Garden Street to Woodland Avenue, between 10 a.m. and midnight via Penn’s partnership with the University District Ambassador Program.

To request a Walking Escort, ask any public safety officer on patrol or inside a building or call (215) 898-9255 (898-WALK) or 511 from a campus phone. All Allied Universal public safety officers, though unarmed, maintain direct radio communications with our PennComm emergency dispatching center, and supplement the University of Pennsylvania Police Department, through additional patrols and walking escorts.

For more information, visit https://www. publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/security-services/ walk-back-program/.

Under the special checks program, DPS officers check the exterior of registered properties for signs of criminal activity or security breaches at peak travel times during Thanksgiving, spring, and winter breaks.

Winter break special checks will begin on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at 5 p.m. and through Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 3 p.m. The program is available at no extra charge to residents in the Penn patrol zone, bounded by 30^th Street, 43^rd Street, Baltimore Avenue, and Market Street.

Students, faculty, and staff who live in the patrol zone are encouraged to register their residence. Be sure to list your contact information, other occupants, landlord if applicable, vacancy dates, scheduled repairs, and someone other than a landlord with access or a key to the property.

Penn Police will periodically check the exterior of registered properties, for signs of criminal activity or security breaches during the break. However, special checks cannot be provided for interior areas of apartment complexes. Remember to close and lock all doors and windows before you leave and arrange for packages to be delivered elsewhere while you are away. To register for a special check, visit https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/contact/propertycheck/.

Visit https://pennsway.upenn.edu for more information. Online participation must be completed by midnight on Sunday for inclusion in a given week’s drawing that Monday morning. Note: list subject to change.

Final Drawing–December 4

Wawa Goody Basket, $25 value: Ryan Sullivan, Wharton School of Business

eCity Interactive: Two Tickets for Philadelphia Theatre Company 23/24 Season, $100 value: Melanie Hieronimus, Development & Alumni Relations

EMSCO: Barnes & Noble Gift Card, $25 value: Mary Ann Pickel, School of Veterinary Medicine

Neta Scientific: Amazon Gift Card, $25 value: Michael Renshaw, Corporate Finance

Neta Scientific: Amazon Gift Card, $25 value: Diane Ricards, HUP PHIT Nursing NJ

Maximum Graphics: Chili’s Gift Card, $25 value: Renee Artim, Penn Home Care & Hospice Services

EMSCO, Restaurant Gift Card, $25 value: Taylor Polinsky, HUP Cardiac Surgery

Almanac publishes a supplement early each year featuring the camps and programs taking place at Penn over the summer. Offerings listed are camps for children, teens, and young adults for an array of activities from academic enrichment—including anthropology, business, law, veterinary medicine, and music—to numerous recreation and sports camps. To submit information about a camp, email almanac@upenn.edu with the following information:

• Name of camp
• Dates held (if multiple sessions, indicate dates for each)
• Age range for participants
• Short summary of the program
• Cost (note any scholarships, financial aid, or discounts)
• URL for enrollment/application forms
• Deadline to apply/enroll (if applicable)
• An email, link, and/or phone number to obtain more information.

If possible, please submit information by Monday, January 22, 2024. If additional time is needed to gather submission details, please email almanac@upenn.edu.