November 5, 2024 Volume 71 Issue 13

Timothy Rommen has been named the University of Pennsylvania’s inaugural vice provost for the arts, effective January 1, 2025.

Dr. Rommen, who has taught at Penn since 2002, is the Davidson Kennedy Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of music and Africana studies in the School of Arts & Sciences.

In making the announcement, Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., said, “Tim Rommen is the ideal colleague to serve as Penn’s first vice provost for the arts. He is widely respected as a collaborative and consultative leader who is strongly committed to scholarship and teaching, to our diverse arts communities on campus and in Philadelphia, and to the goals of In Principle and Practice, the University’s strategic framework, which he played a key role in developing as a member of the Red and Blue Advisory Committee.

“I am deeply grateful to him for agreeing to take on this role—and to the consultative committee, chaired by Vice Provost Laura Perna, who helped us to arrive at this outstanding result. Tim’s breadth of experience, insight, and vision will be invaluable assets in helping us to shape the future of the arts at Penn.”

Dr. Rommen is the author of Funky Nassau: Roots, Routes, and Representation in Bahamian Popular Music (University of California Press, 2011) and Mek Some Noise: Gospel Music and the Ethics of Style in Trinidad (University of California Press, 2007), which won of the Society for Ethnomusicology’s Alan Merriam Prize for the best book of the year in ethnomusicology, in addition to six edited volumes and dozens of articles and book chapters. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2016 for his ongoing work, Sounding a Borderless Caribbean: The Creole Geographies of Dominican Popular Music, currently under contract to the University of Chicago Press. In 2023, he received the Ira H. Abrams Award for Distinguished Teaching, the highest teaching award in the School of Arts & Sciences.

He has served as department chair, director of graduate studies, and director of undergraduate studies in the department of music, as well as interim chair of the department of Africana studies. Dr. Rommen is a board member of Penn’s Center for Africana Studies, Greenfield Intercultural Center, Sachs Program for Arts Innovation, and Wolf Humanities Center, among others; and a member of Penn committees including the Provost’s Arts Advisory Council, Faculty Senate Subcommittee on Research, University Council Committees on Diversity & Equity and Academic & Related Affairs, School of Arts & Sciences Committee on Undergraduate Education, and College of Arts and Sciences Cultural Diversity in the U.S. Curriculum Committee. He earned a PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Chicago, a master of music in musicology from Northwestern University, and a bachelor of arts in music performance/theory from Trinity International University.

“Many thanks to Provost Jackson and the members of the consultative committee,” said Dr. Rommen. “Penn is fortunate to have incredibly talented and dedicated arts leaders and arts practitioners whose initiatives and projects consistently remind us of the fundamental value and power of the arts. The arts afford us spaces to engage with the pressing issues of our time—be it climate change, social justice, or the growing impact of AI—and they do so through expressive practices and methods that often directly challenge us to rethink, reimagine, and reframe our understanding of the issues at hand. They also teach us a great deal about what it means to be human, and I look forward to fostering these ways of learning, knowing, doing, and making across Penn’s curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular spaces.

“I am excited to partner with our arts leaders and practitioners, and with the wider Philadelphia arts community, to maximize the impact of their innovative, cross-disciplinary, and experimental work and to imagine new possibilities for the arts here at Penn and beyond,” Dr. Rommen said.

Penn Nursing has been awarded a $3.2 million, five-year grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to scale out an evidence-based secure firearm storage intervention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Firearms are now the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens, driving the largest spike in children’s mortality in more than 50 years. The study aims to keep children safer from firearm injury and mortality by promoting secure firearm storage.

The intervention, known as S.A.F.E. Firearm, involves a brief discussion with parents about secure firearm storage and offers free cable locks. While the intervention has been studied in pediatric primary care, this study will adapt it for nurse-led delivery in the pediatric inpatient setting. “Nurse-led implementation of firearm safety interventions during hospital admissions is a major opportunity to advance our shared goal of keeping kids safe,” said principal investigator Katelin Hoskins, an assistant professor in Penn Nursing’s department of biobehavioral health sciences. She added, “Advocating for children is at the core of pediatric nursing practice.”

The study team will collaborate with both parent and clinician partners for intervention adaptation and design of the implementation approach.

To test the effectiveness of the adapted intervention in improving secure firearm storage, as well as other firearm safety behaviors (e.g., asking about firearms where children visit and play), twelve medical-surgical units at CHOP Philadelphia and King of Prussia campuses will be randomized to either the adapted intervention or usual care group. Researchers will also examine implementation from the perspective of nurses.

“Children’s hospitals are uniquely positioned to play a role in promoting firearm safety,” said co-investigator Joel Fein, co-director of CHOP’s Center for Violence Prevention. “Through the trusted relationship between nurses and our patients’ families, we hope to make a positive impact on their safety and well-being.”

Co-investigator Dorothy Novick elaborated, “This study has the potential to make a significant contribution to the field of firearm injury prevention and public health. Our goal is for safe firearm storage to be as natural as other preventive measures such as childproofing homes and buckling seatbelts.”

Penn Global has announced the creation of the Penn Global Middle East Distinguished Visiting Scholar Initiative and the appointment of the inaugural distinguished visiting scholars, modern Middle East historian Shay Hazkani, political scientist Amal Jamal, and public opinion expert Dahlia Scheindlin. The new initiative will further the strategic priorities of In Principle and Practice.

Fulfilling Penn Global’s mission to bring the world to Penn, the Penn Global Middle East Distinguished Visiting Scholar Initiative brings regional senior scholars to the University of Pennsylvania whose expertise and experiences enable a critical examination of the charged and complex issues shaping events in the Middle East. Through this initiative, Penn will invite up to two scholars per year for a period of residency of up to a semester, during which time they will teach courses and participate in public dialogue- or community-based programming.

“By bringing scholars from the region to the University, this program will foster deeper intellectual engagement of historical and contemporary issues facing the Middle East, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” said Ezekiel Emanuel, vice provost for global initiatives. “It fulfills the University’s strategic imperative to ‘strengthen the bonds of our community’ and implements a recommendation made by the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community to establish a scholar program that focuses on talking across differences.”

Three Middle East experts and academics will inaugurate the program, which will formally launch in fall 2025 with the arrival of the first visiting scholar, Dahlia Scheindlin, followed by Shay Hazkani in spring 2026 and Amal Jamal in fall 2026.

Dahlia Scheindlin is a public opinion expert and international political and strategic consultant based in Tel Aviv. Over two decades, she has advised on nine national campaigns in Israel and has worked on campaigns in fifteen other countries and regions. She is recognized for her contributions to discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the peace process; and issues of democracy, human rights, and social justice. She conducts public opinion research related to the Israeli Palestinian conflict, including the Palestinian-Israeli Pulse survey, an ongoing project. She is a regular columnist at Haaretz newspaper (English), focusing on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Israeli politics, and foreign affairs; she is a founding member of +972 Magazine, an independent online magazine jointly run by Palestinian and Israeli journalists, and is a fellow at the Century Foundation. Her most recent book, The Crooked Timber of Democracy: Promise Unfulfilled, published in September 2023, critically analyzes Israel’s path to democracy.

Shay Hazkani is an associate professor of history and Jewish studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. He specializes in the social and cultural history of Palestine/Israel. His first book, Dear Palestine: A Social History of the 1948 War (Stanford University Press, 2021), received the Korenblat and Azrieli-Concordia book awards and was longlisted for the Cundill History Prize. The book was also published in Hebrew and is forthcoming in Arabic in 2025. Dr. Hazkani is the co-creator of The Soldier’s Opinion, a documentary based on his research, which won the 2023 American Historical Association John E. O’Connor Film Award. Before his academic career, Dr. Hazkani worked as a journalist in Israel, covering the occupied Palestinian territories and the Israeli military.

Amal Jamal is dean of the faculty of social sciences and head of the Walter Lebach Institute for the Study of Jewish-Arab Coexistence at Tel Aviv University. His research focuses on applied political theory and comparative politics. He has written extensively on the dynamics and interplay of minority nationalism, state-minority relations, civil society, indigenous rights, social movements, and political communication and mobilization. Dr. Jamal is a respected voice in understanding the role of civil society in democratizing ethnic states and promoting equal citizenship for all citizens—an issue examined in his book Reconstructing the Civic: Palestinian Civil Activism in Israel (State University of New York Press, 2020), for which he won the best book prize of the Israeli Political Science Association in 2021. 

The initiative is made possible through a partnership with the School of Arts & Sciences’ departments of political science and history, who will host the scholars during their periods of residency. Drs. Scheindlin and Jamal will join the department of political science, and Dr. Hazkani will join the department of history.  

“Political science at Penn is delighted to welcome Amal Jamal and Dahlia Scheindlin as Penn Global Middle East distinguished visiting scholars,” said Brendan O’Leary, Lauder Professor and chair of the political science department. “Universities need pathbreaking and credible scholars of their caliber precisely when atrocities and wars threaten to constrain or silence informed argument, analysis, and debate.  We fully expect Amal and Dahlia to enlighten us, and to lead engaged discussion among our students and faculty, and aid in wider public outreach by Penn Global.”

Chair of the history department and Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History Sophie Rosenfeld said, “the history department looks forward to Shay Hazkani, a distinguished historian, joining our exceptional cohort of teachers and scholars of the modern Middle East here at Penn in spring 2026.”

The Penn Global Middle East Distinguished Visiting Scholar Initiative is made possible by an unrestricted gift from Stewart Colton, W’62 and Judy Colton, given to the University last year in support of the work of Interim President J. Larry Jameson during a time of transition.

The gift was entrusted to Interim President Jameson to determine how best to use, reflecting both a goodwill toward Penn and faith in University leadership. Interim President Jameson, in consultation with Vice Provost Emanuel, designated part of the gift to launch this initiative, which has the Coltons’ full support, given its potential for positive impact on Penn’s future.  

“Thanks to the generosity and confidence of Stewart and Judy in Penn and President Jameson, the University can take this essential step toward rebuilding a welcoming, interconnected campus while staying aligned with its core academic mission,” said Vice Provost Emanuel. “This initiative intends to engage the entire Penn community in much-needed critical conversations. By welcoming Dahlia, Shay, and Amal as the inaugural visiting scholars to campus, we will enrich our community with their expertise and inspire a deeper dialogue on Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East.”

Society’s widespread adoption of self-driving cars is just around the corner. But while these vehicles have the potential to provide significant economic and societal benefits by addressing persistent traffic safety, congestion, and accessibility issues, AI-powered transportation is also a double-edged sword. Current AI systems that these cars are trained on can allow for dangerous consequences due to unintentionally unreliable decisions made under complex, uncertain situations, their vulnerability to adversarial attacks against transportation elements, and their unintentional discrimination against certain user groups. Releasing products powered by immature AI technology could not only present a risk of physical harm to people who use them, but could also create distrust in the technology overall and hinder the public’s acceptance of this technology when it is ready.

To address both the safety and trustworthiness of the AI that powers autonomous vehicles and transportation systems, Rahul Mangharam, a professor of electrical and systems engineering (ESE) and computer and information science (CIS) in Penn Engineering and a founding member of the PRECISE (Penn Research In Embedded Computing and Integrated Systems Engineering) Center, joins a collaborative team investigating “Trustworthy AI for Transportation Cyber Physical Systems (CPS).” With a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and its MSI Expansion Program, the multidisciplinary team of eight distinguished faculty members from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Pennsylvania will address critical issues such as autonomous driving safety, vulnerability to adversarial attacks and ensuring equitable AI decisions for all transportation system users.

“I am deeply grateful for this incredible opportunity provided by NSF,” said Dr. Mangharam. “This project represents a pivotal step in our efforts to enhance the multidisciplinary research capacity at the intersection of AI safety, security and fairness within transportation cyber-physical systems. As we push the boundaries of AI in these critical areas, our goal is not only to advance the technology but also to ensure that it operates in a manner that is safe, secure and fair for all users. I am excited to collaborate with such a talented group of researchers and look forward to the impactful work we will achieve together.”

While the research team works to develop cutting-edge AI tools that address both technical and social trust issues in transportation CPS, they are also invested in the education of future engineers. To support that investment, the project’s research efforts will be integrated with a robust education and outreach program designed to foster a diverse and skilled workforce. This initiative will train people from underrepresented groups in AI trustworthiness, educate both undergraduate and graduate students about trustworthy AI in transportation systems, and inspire K-12 students to pursue careers in AI and engineering. Additionally, the project is committed to building a broader research-education community that will support these objectives and foster collaboration in the next generation of AI researchers.

“We are proud of Rahul and his team for leading this important research on trustworthy AI in transportation,” said Insup Lee, the Cecilia Fitler Moore Professor in CIS and ESE and director of the PRECISE Center. “This NSF award aligns with the mission of PRECISE to develop safe, reliable and intelligent systems. By addressing AI safety and fairness, the project not only advances technology but also inspires the next generation of engineers to create solutions for a safer, more equitable future.”

Vance Byrd, Presidential Associate Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures in the School of Arts & Sciences, has been announced as a special advisor in the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty. Dr. Byrd serves as special advisor during the second year of his 2023-2025 Ivy+ Mellon Leadership Fellowship, a two-year program sponsored by the Faculty Advancement Network to equip faculty leaders with the skills needed for equity-minded decision-making in American higher education.

Dr. Byrd, a scholar of nineteenth-century German literature, visual culture, and print culture, will work closely with vice provost for faculty Laura W. Perna and executive director of faculty affairs Kristen Barnes to research best practices; enhance faculty leadership and promote equity in hiring, mentorship, and academic policies at Penn; co-develop training materials for leadership programs, such as the Penn Faculty Fellows and Provost’s Leadership Academy; serve on key University committees; and collaborate on special projects with deputy provost Beth A. Winkelstein.

The Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania announces Leading an AI-Powered Future, a new program featuring LinkedIn co-founder and AI visionary Reid Hoffman, developed in collaboration with Authors Equity, the publisher of Mr. Hoffman’s forthcoming book, Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future. This six-week live online program will immerse executives in AI strategies to transform workforce capabilities, ushering in a new era of unprecedented productivity, innovation, and societal impact.

Leading an AI-Powered Future, Featuring Reid Hoffman will run live online weekly from January 27–February 25, 2025. Mr. Hoffman will personally lead the program’s inaugural session, with the additional five weeks led by world-class faculty from the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative and the Mack Institute, including the program’s academic director Stefano Puntoni as well as Ethan Mollick, Lynn Wu, Nicolaj Siggelkow, and Christian Terwiesch. Sessions include “The Promise and Pitfalls of AI in Business” with Ethan Mollick; “Human Flourishing vs. Human Replacement” and “GenAI and the Future of Work,” both led by Stefano Puntoni; “Connected Strategy Through GenAI,” hosted by Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch; and “The AI Stack Explained” with Lynn Wu.

“Leading an AI-Powered Future offers executives a unique opportunity to engage with the biggest thought leaders at a time when AI is significantly transforming industries,” said Stefano Puntoni, the program’s academic director. “Our goal is to equip executives with not just the insights but also the confidence to lead their organizations through this period of profound change. This program reflects our commitment to preparing leaders for a future where technology and human decision making are deeply intertwined.”

“Humans are driven by a sense of agency—it empowers us to form intentions, set goals, and take purposeful action,” said Reid Hoffman. “Through this timely partnership with Wharton, our goal is to equip leaders with strategies to harness AI as a new form of intelligence aimed at extending human will and unlocking unprecedented potential.”

The program is ideal for senior executives and business leaders across industries who are charged with driving transformation and are eager to unlock the potential of AI within their organizations. Whether they are seasoned executives in technology or new to AI, this program will equip them with actionable insights and leadership frameworks to navigate the complexities of AI.

Prospective program participants can choose from two options to engage with the program. The WAVE Classroom Participant experience, by application only, offers a seat in an exclusive cohort of 96 business leaders in Wharton’s virtual WAVE Classroom, featuring direct engagement with Mr. Hoffman and Wharton faculty and peer networking. This option includes a pre-release hard copy of Superagency, a complimentary observer participant seat for a colleague, virtual coffee chats with faculty, and access to the cohort-exclusive Slack channel. The observer participant experience includes livestream access to all six sessions, an e-copy of Superagency, and access to an expert-moderated Slack channel.

As the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy celebrates its 10th anniversary, it can boast nearly 1,000 publications—from op-eds to policy briefs to reports—and almost 200 episodes of the Energy Policy Now podcast. Since the onset, the center has added three new core faculty members who bring perspectives from design, law, and engineering; has led delegations to the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference; and established Energy Week at Penn. Through the annual Carnot Prize (Almanac October 22, 2024), the Kleinman Center has recognized global distinguished contributions to energy policy.

“I am truly in awe of what a cadre of talented and dedicated individuals have accomplished in 10 years and extremely excited about what comes next,” Weitzman School dean Fritz Steiner said at the 10th anniversary dinner.

One of the tenets of Penn’s strategic framework In Principle and Practice is leading on great challenges of our time, and at the top of that list is climate.

“It’s a grand challenge that will require everything, all of the talents of the University of Pennsylvania,” Interim President J. Larry Jameson said. “To do this, the scholars of the Kleinman Center will work diligently, think critically, and share their wisdom with the world.”

Adapted from a Penn Today article by Erica Moser, October 30, 2024.

Paul Morris Farber, C’67, former head of the Rosengarten Reserve at the Van Pelt Library, died on August 29. He was 78.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Mr. Farber graduated from what is now the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in 1963, then earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Penn in 1967. As a Penn student, he was involved in the Philomathean Society, Penn’s literary society and oldest student group. In 1974, he began his career at the Penn Libraries as a clerk at the Wharton Duplicating Center. He advanced through various roles at the libraries to become head of the Rosengarten Reserve in 1998. At Penn, Mr. Farber’s efforts helped thousands of Penn students find resources for their courses through Rosengarten’s reserve system. He also supervised other library staff and coordinated the reserve’s lending schedules. He retired from Penn in 2012.

Throughout his life, Mr. Farber was engaged with Philadelphia’s cultural institutions and held a variety of community roles. “He appreciated the humanities and arts, and libraries are hotbeds of that,” his son, Noah Farber, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He had the heart of a collector, and all those books were a tangible aspect of that wealth of knowledge.”

Mr. Farber is survived by his children, Noah and Carly; a granddaughter; and other relatives.

Donations in his name may be made to the American Kidney Fund, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852; Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St., Suite 1300, Oakland, CA 94612; and Settlement Music School, Box 63966, Philadelphia, PA 19147.

Derek Paul Hunsberger, G’05, G’08, former associate director of residential operations at Penn, died on October 18. He was 54.

Dr. Hunsberger grew up in West Deptford, New Jersey, and attended Kingsway High School, graduating in 1988. He attended Rowan University for his bachelor’s degree, then came to Penn for two master’s degrees (both in organizational dynamics, in 2005 and 2008), and eventually earned a PhD from Thomas Jefferson University.

Dr. Hunsberger’s tenure at Penn began in 2002, when he joined the division of housing and conference services as the manager of its information center. The next year, he became a senior residential services advisor. In 2011, he became associate director of housing services, overseeing residential operations and managing the logistics of campus housing. In 2015, he became associate director of residential operations. Dr. Hunsberger left Penn in 2019. In addition to his roles at Penn, Dr. Hunsberger was also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Delaware and Rowan University.

He is survived by his sister, Heather; her husband, Antonio; and his nieces and nephew, Maya, Hannah-Loren, Faith-Noelle, and Antonio. 

Thomas Scanlin, M’71, a professor emeritus of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and at the Perelman School of Medicine, died on September 10. He was 79.

A native Philadelphian, Dr. Scanlin graduated cum laude in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. Inspired by his early experiences with cystic fibrosis patients during an internship at the Children’s Seashore House, he went on to dedicate his life to advancing research and care for children with the ailment. 

Dr. Scanlin joined Penn’s faculty in 1973 as an instructor in pediatric medicine in the School of Medicine and at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He became an assistant professor in 1978, an associate professor in 1989, and a full professor in 1996. While at Penn, Dr. Scanlin led the Cystic Fibrosis Center for 24 years, developing programs that became models of excellence in cystic fibrosis care. His clinical programs were consistently ranked among the top five in the nation, and in 2004, his work was highlighted in Atul Gawande’s article “The Bell Curve” as an example of outstanding care and outcomes for cystic fibrosis patients. In 1998, Dr. Scanlin was inducted into Penn’s 25-Year Club.

Throughout his career, Dr. Scanlin was an advocate for equity in patient care. In addition, his research contributed significantly to the understanding of cystic fibrosis; in particular, his work on non-viral vehicles for gene transfer led to multiple patents and widespread recognition. He served on numerous review panels and advisory boards for the NIH and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which honored him with its Distinguished Service Award in 2016.

Dr. Scanlin is survived by his wife, Susan VonNessen-Scanlin; their children, Sarah and Tommy; and extended family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Take A Breather Foundation at htttp://www.takeabreatherfromcf.org. 

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To Report A Death

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

The fall meetings of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania will be held on Thursday and Friday, November 14 and 15, 2024.

Thursday, November 14

8:30-10 a.m.: Local, National, and Global Engagement Committee
10:15-11:45 a.m.: Facilities & Campus Planning Committee
1:45-3:15 p.m.: Student Life Committee
3:30-5 p.m.: Academic Policy Committee
3:45-5:15 p.m.: Budget & Finance Committee

Friday, November 15

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Stated Meeting of the Trustees

For more information, visit https://secretary.upenn.edu/trustees-governance/open-trustee-meeting.

Please contact the Office of the University Secretary at (215) 898-7005 or ofcsec@pobox.upenn.edu with questions regarding Trustee meetings or your attendance plans.

The Principles of Responsible Conduct promote the highest standards of integrity and ethics at Penn. To remind the Penn community of the basic expectations that should guide our work at Penn, the Principles of Responsible Conduct are published annually and are found below. Everyone at Penn is expected to be familiar with and adhere to the Principles of Responsible Conduct, which can be found on the Office of Audit, Compliance and Privacy website at: https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/. Information on how to access the Principles of Responsible Conduct online training modules is provided at the end of the article.

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The mission of the University of Pennsylvania and its Health System is to offer a world class education to our students, train future leaders, expand and advance research and knowledge, serve our community and society both at home and abroad, and provide the most expert and outstanding healthcare for our patients. In pursuing this mission, and to ensure the continued excellence of the University and its reputation, all members of the University community need to understand and uphold both legal requirements and the highest ethical standards.

In the following Principles of Responsible Conduct, we articulate the basic expectations that should guide each of us in our work at Penn. These principles are embedded within many policies and practices identified throughout University and Health System handbooks, manuals, websites and other materials. We have endeavored to distill these policies, rules, and guidelines for easy review and access. The principles are not intended to be a comprehensive catalogue of all applicable rules and policies of the University and the Health System. Rather, these principles set forth the underlying expectations that we have for the conduct of University and Health System activities with the highest standards of integrity and ethics. Useful references to relevant policies and resources are included.

We urge you to read these principles closely and familiarize yourself with both the expectations and the resources provided.

—J. Larry Jameson, Interim President
—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Senior Executive Vice President
—Jonathan A. Epstein, Interim Executive Vice President of the University for the Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine

Penn has many policies that govern the behavior of all Penn faculty, administration and staff. The ethical expectations contained in these policies are highlighted in the text of the ten principles that follow, and supporting policies, statements and guidelines are available for each at the corresponding web link.

Principles of Responsible Conduct

1. Ethical and Responsible Conduct. Penn’s faculty, administration and staff should conduct themselves ethically, with the highest integrity, in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and University policies, in all aspects of their work. They should be fair and principled in University and Health System business transactions and other related professional activities, acting in good faith when dealing with both internal constituents and external entities. Their conduct should always reflect their positions of trust and loyalty with respect to the University, the Health System, and members of these communities.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/ethical-and-responsible-conduct/

2. Respect for Others in the Workplace. Penn recognizes that people are the most important resource for achieving eminence in accomplishing our mission in the areas of teaching, research, community service, and patient care. Penn is an institution that values academic freedom, diversity and respect for one another. Penn is committed to the principle of nondiscrimination and does not tolerate conduct that constitutes harassment on any basis, including sexual, racial, ethnic, religious, or gender harassment.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/respect-for-others-in-the-workplace/

3. Avoidance of Conflict of Interest. As more fully stated in Penn’s conflict of interest policies, Penn’s faculty, administration and staff should avoid conflicts of interest in work at Penn. As a nonprofit institution, it is imperative, for both legal and ethical reasons, that University and Health System employees do not improperly benefit from their positions of trust at Penn. Financial conflicts must be appropriately disclosed in accordance with conflict of interest and conflict of commitment policies, so that they can be reviewed, and as appropriate, managed or eliminated. Faculty, administrators and staff are responsible for identifying potential conflicts and seeking appropriate guidance.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/avoidance-of-conflict-of-interest/

4. Responsible Conduct in Research. As members of a complex research university, Penn faculty, administrators and staff have significant responsibility to ensure that research is conducted with the highest integrity, and in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, as well as University and Health System policies.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/responsible-conduct-in-research/

5. Responsible Stewardship and Use of Penn Property, Funds, and Technology. Penn faculty, administration and staff are expected to ensure that Penn property, funds and technology are used appropriately to benefit the institution, consistent with all legal requirements as well as University and Health System policies.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/responsible-stewardship-and-use-of-penn-property-funds-and-technology/

6. Environmental Health and Safety. Penn is committed to the protection of the health and safety of the University community and the creation of a safe working environment. To accomplish this end, Penn provides training in health and safety regulation and policy and Penn faculty, administration and staff are expected to comply with sound practices and legal requirements.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/environmental-health-and-safety/

7. Respect for Privacy and Confidentiality. In their various roles and positions at Penn, faculty, administration and staff become aware of confidential information of many different types. Such information may relate to students, employees, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, research sponsors, licensing partners, patients, and others. Penn faculty, administration and staff are expected to inform themselves about applicable legal, contractual, and policy obligations to maintain the confidentiality of such information, so as to protect it from improper disclosure, and to protect the privacy interests of members of our community.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/respect-for-privacy-and-confidentiality/

8. Appropriate Conduct with Respect to Gifts, Travel and Entertainment. Penn faculty, administration and staff are expected to conduct themselves so as to ensure that their positions are not misused for private gain, with respect to acceptance of gifts and the undertaking of university-related travel and entertainment.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/appropriate-conduct-with-respect-to-gifts-travel-and-entertainment/

9. Appropriate Use of the University Name and Logos. Penn regulates the use of its name, its shield, and related trademarks and logos in order to protect the University’s reputation, and to ensure that their use is related to the University’s educational, research, community service, and patient care missions. Faculty, administration and staff are expected to protect the University name and logos from improper use.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/appropriate-use-of-the-university-name-and-logos/

10. Responsible Reporting of Suspected Violations and Institutional Response. Penn faculty, administration and staff are expected to report suspected material violations of University and Health System policies, as well as violations of applicable laws and regulations, including laws requiring the reporting of sexual abuse involving minors, to appropriate offices, as set forth in the various policies. Penn faculty, administration and staff may be subject to discipline in accordance with the policies.
https://oacp.upenn.edu/oacp-principles/responsible-reporting-of-suspected-violations-and-institutional-response/

If you have questions or concerns about possible violations of policies or legal requirements, employees may contact the (215) P-COMPLY Confidential Reporting and Help Line. The (215) P-COMPLY Confidential Reporting and Help Line is available to all employees by calling (215) P-COMPLY or visiting www.upenn.edu/215pcomply.

Principles of Responsible Conduct training videos for Penn employees are also available and may be accessed through the Workday catalog or by using the links below:

• Principles of Responsible Conduct Training Video (https://oacp.upenn.edu/compliance-training-videos/)
• Conflicts of Interest Training Video (https://oacp.upenn.edu/compliance-training-videos/)
• Stewardship Training Video (https://oacp.upenn.edu/compliance-training-videos/)

In addition, printed versions of the Principles of Responsible Conduct are available for Penn employees.  If you are interested in obtaining the brochure or have questions about accessing the online training, please contact Linda E. Yoder, Deputy Institutional Compliance Officer, at 215-573-3347 or elyoder@upenn.edu.

The Amy Gutmann Leadership Scholarship—endowed from a $2 million gift to Penn Nursing by University of Pennsylvania president emerita Amy Gutmann and her husband Michael Doyle—provide financial aid for exemplary undergraduate and graduate nursing students, supplementing their education with tailored learning to help shape nurse leaders who deliver exceptional evidence-based care, design research, inform policy, spark innovation, and advocate for social justice world-wide.

“Amy Gutmann and Michael Doyle’s investment, alongside several others who wanted to support this program in honor of our former president, has produced an environment for the Amy Gutmann Leadership Scholars program where extraordinary students are tomorrow’s extraordinary nurse leaders,” said Penn Nursing dean Antonia Villarruel. “The investment in nursing leaders – is an investment that pays off for individuals, families, and communities.”

The purpose of the program is to equip talented Penn Nursing students with leadership tools and tactics to complement their Penn Nursing education. Scholars will develop personal and professional leadership skills and plans through a range of activities, including self-learning, cohort building, and purposeful school, Penn-wide, and community engagement.

The 2024 Amy Gutmann Leadership Scholars are:

• Danielle Anderson (Redwood City, CA)
• Leslie Del Salto De Pena (South Plainfield, NJ)
• Ime Etokebe (Ellicott City, MD)
• Sari Frankel (Washington, DC)
• Taylor Fu (Hollywood, FL)
• Alexa Girasole (Philadelphia, PA)
• Madeline Grantham-Philips (Bronx, NY)
• Ruth Lee (Philadelphia, PA)
• Joel Martinez (Milford, OH)
• Julia Rukaj (Flushing, NY)
• Rachel Scher (Atlanta, GA)
• Simone Snead (Glenside, PA)
• Isabelle Wei (New York, NY)

Penn Nursing has a long-standing reputation as a leader in research, education, and practice. With Penn Nursing alumni living in more than 50 countries around the world, the newly-minted Amy Gutmann Leadership Scholars join a vast network with an ever-growing legacy of global impact.

Garret A. FitzGerald has been recognized with the 2024 Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences from American Association of Medical Colleges. The award was presented at the association’s annual recognition event on October 30.

Dr. FitzGerald, a professor of translational medicine and human genetics, associate dean for translational research, and director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at the Perelman School of Medicine, has dedicated his career to the study of cardiovascular health with a focus on pain medicines. He was instrumental in discoveries relating to the use of low-dose aspirin in preventing cardiac disease. His team was the first to predict and then mechanistically explain the cardiovascular hazard of NSAIDs, and his laboratory was also the first to discover a molecular clock in the cardiovascular system. Among his many accolades, he has been awarded both the Irish Times/RDS Boyle Medal and, in 2013, the Grand Prix Scientifique—considered the world’s most prestigious honor for cardiovascular research.

His lab is currently targeting three areas of study: prostanoid research, the role of the clock in aging, and predicting NSAID efficacy and hazard in cardiovascular patients.

Dr. FitzGerald is an honorary member of the Royal Irish Academy, an honor bestowed on those who have made outstanding contributions to their academic discipline but who reside outside the island of Ireland. Dr. FitzGerald holds degrees from University College and Trinity College in Dublin and the University of London, as well as an MD from University College, Dublin.

His work has been featured in the New England Journal of Medicine, Science, and the Public Library of Science publications.

Andrew Modzelewski, an assistant professor in the department of biomedical sciences at Penn Vet, has been named to the 2024 class of Packard Fellows for Science and Engineering.  

Since 1988, the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering—offered through the David and Lucile Packard Foundation—have supported cutting-edge scientific work by offering unrestricted funds to recipients whose work pushes the boundaries of innovation. Dr. Modzelewski is one of 20 early-career scientists selected as part of the 2024 class of fellows. He will receive $875,000 in individual grant funding, distributed over five years, for his research investigating the role of ancient viruses and mobile elements, known as retrotransposons, in development and disease.

“This extraordinary class of fellows joins the community of Packard Fellows who are pushing the boundaries of innovation and discovery to contribute to science and engineering in ways that make a real difference to our world,” said Richard Alley, chair of the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering Advisory Panel. “We look forward to welcoming them to the Packard Fellows community and supporting them as they collaborate, learn, and create the future together.”

Nearly 50% of the human genome consists of retrotransposons. While silenced in adult cells, retrotransposons are expressed in embryos at key developmental timepoints. Without them, early embryos fail to develop, suggesting an unknown essential function buried within their poorly-understood ability to alter healthy DNA. Dr. Modzelewski’s research focuses on the unique behavior of retrotransposons in preimplantation development, reproduction, and disease progression, specifically how their intentional reactivation is crucial for healthy embryo development.  

By using advanced genome editing techniques through microinjection and electroporation—along with live cell imaging and long read sequencing—Dr. Modzelewski’s research group, the “ModzLab,” is investigating the mechanisms behind these processes. The outcome of the initiative is expected to contribute new insights to the fields of fertility, childhood disease, and regenerative medicine.  

“I am incredibly grateful to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for selecting me as a 2024 Packard Fellow,” said Dr. Modzelewski. “This grant will empower me and my team to delve deeper into the complexities of early embryo development and the role retrotransposons play. The freedom and flexibility provided by this fellowship will support new avenues of research that could lead to significant advancements in our understanding of genetics and health. I look forward to joining the distinguished community of Packard Fellows and contributing to the collective pursuit of scientific discovery.”

Dr. Modzelewski’s exploration into the full functionality of retrotransposons also hopes to reveal connections to aging and cancer, offering a broader perspective on human health.

“I am thrilled to see Dr. Modzelewski recognized for his groundbreaking work showing how mammals have coevolved with these ancient viral remnants to a point where they have become essential to mammalian life,” said Christopher Lengner, chair of the department of biomedical sciences and the Harriet Ellison Woodward Professor of Biomedical Science. “His innovative research on retrotransposons in early embryonic development not only advances scientific knowledge, but also exemplifies the spirit of discovery that defines Penn Vet. Dr. Modzelewski is an inspiring figure for early-career researchers, embodying the dedication and vision necessary to drive meaningful progress.”

For the 20th time, Penn Medicine has made CHIME (College of Healthcare Information Management Executives) Healthcare’s “Digital Health Most Wired” list for its outstanding use of information technology to deliver care and improve operational efficiency. It is the 12th consecutive year that Penn Medicine has been honored by CHIME, this year achieving Level 8 (of 10) in both ambulatory and acute care services. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health also achieved Level 8 in both the ambulatory and acute care services.

“This recognition further exemplifies the collaborative spirit that exists at Penn Medicine between the corporate information services organization and our healthcare operational partners,” said Michael Restuccia, senior vice president and chief information officer at Penn Medicine. “The deployment and adoption of technologies to enhance patient care and improve operational efficiency is a ‘team-sport.’  

The Most Wired list each year is composed after health systems completed a survey of their information technology infrastructure. By achieving Level 8, Penn Medicine has “deployed technologies and strategies” that help analyze and manage data, leading to “meaningful clinical and efficiency outcomes.”

CHIME’s Most Wired program strives to compel health systems to use information technology in ways that benefit their communities.  

“This achievement does not happen without great effort, and I am so proud of our teams,” Mr. Restuccia said. “Through our efforts to adopt and support new technologies, our work has benefitted many throughout our organization, including, most importantly, our patients and caregivers.”  

Lawrence P. Ward, GRD’11, who most recently served as vice president for learner success and dean of campus life at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, became the University of Hartford’s seventh president on July 1, 2024. He succeeds Stephen Mulready, who had served as acting president since the retirement of Hartford’s sixth president, Gregory Woodward, in 2023.

Dr. Ward earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut, his master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Michigan, and his doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania, where he is a lecturer in Penn’s Graduate School of Education.

Dr. Ward is a 2023 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award and William B. Castetter Alumni Award of Merit from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, and was honored with the Pillar of the Profession Award in 2021 by NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

At Babson, Dr. Ward played a central leadership role in shaping institutional priorities and strategic plans that have driven successful undergraduate and graduate student outcomes. During his 10-year tenure, Dr. Ward focused on seamlessly integrating the academic and co-curricular student experience, providing robust support structures for an increasingly diverse student body.

Fitness & Learning

5          Time Together: Post-Election Emotional Processing; a peaceful, social, supportive drop-in space for Black people of all nationalities and the people who love them on a day of national and international consequence; 1 p.m.; Goodhand Room, LGBT Center (Paideia Program).

8          Hot Wings & Hot Takes; good food and lively conversation around the night’s burning topics; 6:30-9 p.m.; Multipurpose Room, DuBois College House; register: https://tinyurl.com/hot-wings-hot-takes-nov-8 (Africana Studies).

Graduate School of Education

Online webinars. Info and to register: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar.

6          Literacy Studies Doctoral Virtual Information Session; 9 a.m.

            Tips for a Successful Penn GSE Application Virtual Session; 7:30 p.m.

7          Belonging at GSE: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Virtual Session; 7 p.m.

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

            Urban Education (Online) Virtual Information Session; 7 p.m.

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

            Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership Virtual Information Session; 6 p.m.

Morris Arboretum & Gardens

In-person events. Info and to register: https://www.morrisarboretum.org/.

10        Eco-Printing 101: Tote Bags; 1:30 p.m.

On Stage

Platt Student Performing Arts House

In-person events. Info and to register: https://tinyurl.com/platt-house-events.

8          The Excelano Project Presents “Dollhouse”; Penn's premier spoken word poetry collective presents their 2024 fall show, wherein poets perform original pieces with immense passion, wit, subversion, and vulnerability; 8 p.m.; Rainey Auditorium, Penn Museum. Also November 9, 6 p.m.

Talks

5          Multifunctional Architected Structures; Masoud Akbarzadeh, architecture; 10:15 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics).

6          What’s In My Network? On Learned Proximals and Testing for Explanations; Jeremias Sulam, Johns Hopkins University; noon; room 225, Towne Building (ASSET Center).

7          David P. Pope Distinguished Lecture: Supersonic Collisions of Microparticles on Metal: In-Situ Studies at the Nanosecond and Micrometer Scales; Christopher A. Schuh, Northwestern University; 10:30 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Materials Science & Engineering).

            Building Ghosts: Past Lives and Lost Places in a Changing City; Molly Lester, Urban Heritage Project; Michael Bixler, Hidden City Philadelphia; Kleinman Energy Forum, Fisher Fine Arts Library; register: https://tinyurl.com/lester-bixler-nov-7 (Historic Preservation).

            Metabolic Vulnerabilities in NRF2-Driven Tumorigenesis; Gina DeNicola, Moffitt Cancer Center; 2 p.m.; Austrian Auditorium, CRB (Cancer Biology).

            Optimal Nonparametric Capture-Recapture Methods for Estimating Population Size; Edward H. Kennedy, Carnegie Mellon University; 2 p.m.; room 131, Blockley Hall, and online webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/kennedy-talk-nov-7 (Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics).

            Cedar: A Language for Expressing Fast, Safe, and Fine-Grained Authorization Policies; Michael Hicks, Amazon Web Services; 3:30 p.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (Computer & Information Science).

8          Hierarchy, Abstractions and Geometry; Nicholas Roy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 10:30 a.m.; Wu & Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/91899445930 (GRASP Lab).

            A Post Election Conversation: The Past and Possible Futures of American Politics; Laura K. Field, political theorist; Nikil Saval, PA State Senator; Timothy Shenk, George Washington University; noon; Amado Recital Hall, Irvine Auditorium (History).

11        Medium-Range Order and Local Structure Fluctuations in Metallic Glass; Xun-Li Wang, City University of Hong Kong; 12:30 p.m.; room 2N3, DRL (Center for Soft and Living Matter).

12        A Monumental Endeavor; Molly Gleeson, Penn Museum; noon; online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/gleeson-talk-nov-12 (Global Discovery Series).

            The Role of Universities in Modern Democracy; Hahrie Han, Johns Hopkins University; John Holmwood, University of Nottingham; Irene Mulvey, Fairfield University; John Tomasi, Heterodox Academy; 5 p.m.; online webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/paideia-talk-nov-12 (Paideia Program).

Economics

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

7          Hours Worked and Lifetime Earnings Inequality; Richard Rogerson, Princeton University; 1:30 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            Reforming the U.S. Long-Term Care Insurance System; Karen Kopecky, Federal Reserve Board of Cleveland; 2:30 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            How Should Governments Sell Their Bonds? A Walrasian Comparison of Market Protocols; Harold Cole, economics; 4 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            From Population Growth to TFP Growth; Juan M. Sánchez, Federal Reserve Board of St. Louis; 5 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

8          The Technological Roots of the Great Moderation; Mehmet Yörükoğlu, Koc University; 9 a.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            Informality, Enforcement and Firm Growth; Philipp Kircher, Cornell University; 10 a.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            Women's Liberation and the Demographic Transition; David Weiss, Tel Aviv University; 11:30 a.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            Product Variety in Young Firms; Boyan Jovanovic, New York University; 1:30 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            Technology Driven Market Concentration Through Idea Allocation; Yueyuan Ma, University of California, Santa Barbara; 2:30 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

            Technifying Ventures; Jeremy Greenwood, economics; 4 p.m.; auditorium, PCPSE.

12        Blackwell-Monotone Updating Rules; Mark Whitmeyer, Arizona State University; 4 p.m.; room 101, PCPSE.

Graduate School of Education

Info: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar?date=2024-11.

6          Community Circle: The Role of Academia in Bridging Political Divides; Raquel Arredondo and Lauren Scicluna, GSE; noon; room 355, Stiteler Hall.

Mathematics

In-person events. Info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events.

5          New Solutions for the Hull-Strominger System; Jose Medel, Florida International University; 3:30 p.m.; room 3C2, DRL.

7          Gauge Theory and the Bogomolov-Miyaoka-Yau Inequality; Paul Feehan, Rutgers University; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C8, DRL.

            Three Stories of Optimal Transport; Yasuaki Hiraoka, Jun Okamoto and Yuya Tokuta, Kyoto University; 3:30 p.m.; room 4C6, DRL.

8          Mac Lane Valuations and Algebraic Geometry; Andrew Obus, City University of New York; 9:30 a.m.; room A1, DRL, and 2:45 p.m.; room 303, Towne Building.

            Zeta Functions and Symplectic Duality; Yiannis Sakellaridis, Johns Hopkins University; 11 a.m.; room A1, DRL, and 4 p.m.; room 303, Towne Building.

11        The Impact of Rainfall Variability on Pattern Formation in a Flow-Kick Model for Dryland Vegetation Bands; Punit Gandhi, Virginia Commonwealth University; 4 p.m.; room 2C8, DRL.

This is an update to the November AT PENN calendar. To submit events for future AT PENN calendars and weekly updates, email the salient details to 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 October 21-27, 2024. 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 October 21-27, 2024. 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: 7 incidents were reported for October 21-27, 2024 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.

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

Two-step verification is a common way to provide more security for your accounts. There are many ways to do this. At Penn, Duo Mobile using Duo push is recommended. SMS/text and phone calls are typical verification methods, and while they are popular, they might not be the most secure choice when other methods are available. Another method that is gaining popularity is biometrics. Biometrics are a person’s unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or retinal pattern. 

The most common biometrics people currently use are TouchID and FaceID on Apple hardware, and Windows Hello for Windows computers. Android devices also support fingerprint recognition.

Duo Mobile is the University’s recommended application for two-step verification. It supports biometrics.

If you are currently using SMS/text, adding biometrics adds flexibility for verification.

If you decide to use biometrics, please add an additional verification method. We have seen situations where people have enabled biometrics, such as FaceID, TouchID, or Windows Hello, but when they were away from their device or their biometric method was not working, they could not use two-step verification.

Using biometrics adds another way to help you secure your accounts.

For more information on two-step verification methods see:

Two-step verification getting started: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/two-step-verification-getting-started.

Two-step verification login options: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/two-step-verification-login-options.

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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.