December 10, 2024 Volume 71 Issue 17

We are delighted to announce that Jeffrey Kallberg, Deputy Dean and William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Music, will serve as Interim Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, effective January 1, 2025.

Dr. Kallberg succeeds Steven J. Fluharty, who will conclude his tenure as Dean on December 31, 2024. A member of the Penn faculty since 1982, Dr. Kallberg brings decades of experience and a deep commitment to the school. As Deputy Dean, he has played a pivotal role in managing the daily operations of the dean’s office, particularly in faculty affairs, and has represented Dean Fluharty in official capacities as needed. Previously, as Associate Dean for Arts and Letters since 2010, he oversaw academic programs in the humanities, encompassing 16 departments, including English, history, music, and philosophy.

An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Jeffrey Kallberg is a leading historian of 19^th and 20^th century music and a foremost authority on composer Frédéric Chopin. His achievements include acclaimed publications and groundbreaking work authenticating lost Chopin compositions. A distinguished expert in his field, Dr. Kallberg has served as Vice President of the American Musicological Society and has received prestigious fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Guggenheim Foundation. At Penn, he has held several key leadership roles, including chair of the department of music and member of the school’s personnel committee and planning and priorities committee.

“I am honored to step into this role,” said Dr. Kallberg. “The School of Arts & Sciences has been my professional home for over four decades, and I am deeply committed to its mission of excellence in research, teaching, and service. I look forward to working with our exceptional community to sustain the school’s forward momentum as we prepare for its next chapter.”

The School of Arts & Sciences is central to advancing Penn’s academic and research priorities and stands as a national and international leader in the liberal arts. With 28 departments and numerous interdisciplinary programs, the school drives cutting-edge scholarship across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. SAS plays a crucial role in addressing societal challenges, from pioneering climate research to deepening human understanding in fields such as neuroscience, political science, and cultural studies.

A resolution to appoint Dr. Kallberg as Interim Dean will be presented at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees. He will serve as Interim Dean until a permanent successor is named.

Please join us in thanking Dr. Kallberg for stepping up to take on this important interim leadership role.

—J. Larry Jameson, Interim President
—John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost

The University of Pennsylvania has received a $5 million gift to create the Wieler Family Professorship, a position that will focus on philanthropy. The gift, from Scott A. Wieler, WG’87, and his wife, Mary Baily Wieler, will combine the social innovation mission of the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) with the Wharton School’s capacity to inspire business leaders who have a passion for advancing social impact through philanthropy. It is the first-ever professorship in philanthropy for a faculty member with appointments in both a business school and a school focused on social innovation.

“The Wieler Family Professorship will strengthen Penn’s ability to equip business leaders with the interdisciplinary skills and understanding necessary to address our world’s problems,” said Interim President J. Larry Jameson. “We are grateful to Scott Wieler and Mary Baily Wieler for their generosity, which will advance the principles of Penn’s strategic framework, In Principle and Practice, to initiate new ways of cultivating service-minded leadership.”

The Wieler Family Professor will hold appointments in SP2 and in Wharton. SP2 will lead the search for the inaugural professor, in conjunction with leaders from Wharton, to identify and recruit a top-tier faculty member whose research specializes in philanthropy.

“This visionary professorship builds upon SP2’s deep commitment to the study of philanthropy and the school’s interdisciplinary collaborations across the University,” said Sara S. Bachman, dean of SP2. “It will inspire more SP2 and Wharton students and future alumni to explore the relationship between business and philanthropy, as well as the role of philanthropy as an increasingly important driver of social policies and practices that improve lives.”

The professorship will enhance SP2’s expertise in social innovation through new connections to the business world, and through existing signature programs like the master of science in nonprofit leadership. Likewise, it will bring a focus on the role and impact of philanthropy to research and education at Wharton.

“Wharton recognizes capital development as an engine of economic growth and innovation,” said Erika H. James, dean of the Wharton School. “The Wharton community collaborates across disciplines and champions equitable outcomes and far-reaching change. We thank the Wieler family for their ingenuity and their generosity through this gift, which gets to the heart of the Wharton ethos.”

Scott A. Wieler is a 1987 graduate of Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives, and he is a longtime leadership volunteer at the school. He is a recipient of Wharton’s Distinguished Service Award and has served as chair of the Wharton Graduate Executive Board. Mary Baily Wieler is a proponent of philanthropy supporting the arts, having served for five years as CEO of the Museum Trustee Association in Baltimore, Maryland. She is treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and a life trustee of the Walters Art Museum.

“I see leadership at the 21st-century university as not merely about cultivating sharp minds, but also about nurturing compassionate hearts,” said Scott A. Wieler. “The art of merging capitalism with philanthropy is about transforming the pursuit of profit into a force for social progress. With the new professorship, we feel that Penn can shape a world where entrepreneurship and empathy coexist, creating a brighter future for all.”

The professorship builds upon and elevates the work of both schools, including the well-known Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP), founded in 2006 as a collaboration between SP2 and Wharton alumni. Today, CHIP is a trusted source of applied research and actionable knowledge for a wide range of change-focused philanthropists of all kinds.

A scholarly professorship, or named faculty position, is one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive from an academic institution. Such an appointment increases a faculty member’s distinction and validates the individual’s work, elevating their influence at Penn and beyond. In fiscal year 2024, Penn Engineering appointed the inaugural recipients of three recently established scholarly professorships.

André DeHon: Boileau Professorship of Electrical Engineering

The inaugural recipient of the Boileau Professorship is André DeHon, a professor of electrical and systems engineering (ESE) and of computer and information science (CIS). His research is in the area of computer architecture, with a focus on reconfigurable computing, FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) architectures, and the development of systems that allow for flexible, programmable hardware. Dr. DeHon’s work aims to make hardware more adaptable and efficient by designing architectures that can be dynamically reprogrammed to suit various computational tasks.

The Boileau Professorship of Electrical Engineering was established by Oliver C. Boileau, Jr., EE’51, GEE’53, who died in 2007, and his wife Nan Eleze Boileau, who died in 2023.

Oliver Boileau earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Penn Engineering. A retired senior aerospace executive, Mr. Boileau was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 1979, for his “contributions to the technical and cost management of major aerospace programs and to national defense.” He received the D. Robert Yarnall Award from the Penn Engineering Alumni Society in 2001. The Boileaus also named the Boileau Laboratory on the fifth floor of Penn Engineering’s Levine Hall.

Mayur Naik: Misra Family Professorship

The first member of the faculty to hold the Misra Family Professorship is Mayur Naik, a professor of computer and information science, whose work spans areas like program analysis, formal verification, machine learning for software systems, and parallel programming. Dr. Naik’s research focuses on programming languages, software engineering, and systems, with particular interest in developing tools and techniques to make software more reliable, secure, and efficient.

The Misra Family Professorship was established by Rajeev Misra, ME’85, GEN’85. Mr. Misra earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and his master’s degree in computer science from Penn. Mr. Misra is the CEO and co-founder of One Investment Management (OneIM) and a member of the Penn Engineering Board of Advisors. His other gifts to the school include the Misra Laboratory in the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, the Shalini and Rajeev Misra Professorship, the Shalini and Rajeev Misra Presidential Professorship, and the Rajeev and Shalini Misra Laboratory in Amy Gutmann Hall. Mr. Misra also hosts an annual Penn Engineering reception at his home in London, England.

Arjun Raj: Richard K. Lubin Professorship

Arjun Raj, a professor of bioengineering, is the inaugural recipient of the Lubin Professorship. Dr. Raj’s research focuses on understanding how gene expression is regulated at the single-cell level. His lab uses cutting-edge techniques, including single-molecule RNA imaging and other quantitative approaches, to study the stochastic (random) nature of gene expression and how it affects cellular behavior and development.

The Richard K. Lubin Professorship was established through the support of Richard K. Lubin, CHE’67, and the Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation. Mr. Lubin earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1967. As a prominent business leader in the Greater Boston area, he co-founded Berkshire Partners and currently serves as a senior advisor. Mr. Lubin has demonstrated a lasting commitment to enriching society by promoting initiatives in education, medicine, and arts and culture through his philanthropy.

His contributions to Penn Engineering include the Richard K. Lubin Galleria in the Singh Center for Nanotechnology and the Richard K. Lubin Laboratory in Skirkanich Hall.

Rae Thudium has been selected to serve as the head of veterinary libraries at Penn Vet, effective January 8, 2025. In this role, Ms. Thudium will oversee the operations and staff at the Steven W. Atwood Veterinary Medicine Library on Penn’s main campus and at the Jean Austin du Pont Veterinary Medicine Library at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

Before her appointment at Penn Vet, Ms. Thudium served as the head of the Zalk Veterinary Medical Library at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. During her tenure, Ms. Thudium spearheaded initiatives to support veterinary students, including establishing writing support programs for developing CVs and letters of intent and securing renovations to enhance facility study spaces.

Ms. Thudium also served as interim executive assistant to the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri and as a public services library associate at the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia.

“Rae impressed us with her thoughtful approach and deep commitment to enhancing library services for veterinary students and faculty,” said Penn’s assistant director of STEM libraries and engineering librarian Douglas G. McGee. “We are excited to welcome her leadership and vision to the Penn Libraries team.”

Ms. Thudium holds a master of library and information science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a bachelor of arts in English literature and philosophy from Columbia College.

The updated Three-Year Academic Calendar for 2024-2025 through 2026-2027 is now available.

Graduate and professional programs may follow their own calendars; check the website for each school or program. The University’s Three-Year Academic Calendar is subject to change.

In the event that changes are made, the latest, most up-to-date version will be posted to Almanac’s website, almanac.upenn.edu/penn-academic-calendar. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Election Day in November, the first two days of Passover and Good Friday are holidays that affect large numbers of University community members and that fall during the academic year.

To view the University’s policy regarding these and other holidays, please visit https://catalog.upenn.edu/pennbook/secular-religious-holidays/.

Edward J. Bergman, C’63, director of the clinical ethics mediation program in the Perelman School of Medicine and a professor of legal studies and business ethics in the Wharton School, died on November 22. He was 82.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Mr. Bergman graduated from Penn in 1963 with a BA in art history. He then received his JD from Columbia University and spent the following two years as a graduate fellow at Penn’s Annenberg School of Communications, where he worked in the documentary film laboratory. While at Annenberg, he received the American Film Institute Independent Filmmaker Award. After his fellowship, he began the private practice of law. His practice grew until, in 1989, he co-founded a law and mediation practice, Bergman & Barrett, in Princeton, New Jersey, with which he mediated a wide variety of complex cases in federal and state jurisdictions, including negotiation and drafting of contracts, administration of decedents’ estates, family law, and commercial matters.

In 1995, Mr. Bergman returned to Penn and began teaching undergraduate courses on negotiation and dispute resolution in the Wharton School’s department of legal studies and business ethics. Later, in 2005, he founded the Management of Clinical Conflict program in the Perelman School of Medicine, today called the Clinical Ethics Mediation Program. He regularly taught bioethics courses in the program, including Mediation for the Management of Clinical Disputes, Effective Physician-Patient Communication, The Physician-Patient Relationship and Negotiation, and Mediation for Health Care Professionals. In collaboration with professor Autumn Fiester, he conducted intensive clinical ethics mediation workshops, drawing national and international participants. Mr. Bergman joined Penn’s Twenty-Five Year Club in 2020.

In 2011, Mr. Bergman was awarded the William G. Whitney Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Education for his book, Court-Annexed Mediation: Critical Perspectives on Selective Federal and State Programs. His publications in peer-reviewed journals, along with his contributions to three encyclopedia volumes on bioethics, are widely cited in his field.

Mr. Bergman is survived by his wife, Jennifer Mullen; his children, Peter Bergman and Amy Bergman Bonomi; his grandchildren, Liza Bonomi, Celia Bonomi, Zora Bergman, and Nathaniel Bergman; his former wife, Jane Shapiro; his niece, Maggie Bergman; and his great-niece, Maisie Bo.

Claire Gaudiani, a former director of the Joseph H. Lauder Institute for Management and International Studies, died on October 16 after a battle with leukemia. She was 79.

Born in 1944, Dr. Gaudiani graduated from Connecticut College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in French literature. She then pursued her master’s and PhD in French literature from Indiana University, focusing on 17^th-century French literature and foreign language pedagogy.

Dr. Gaudiani’s career at Penn began in 1981 as a senior fellow in the department of romance languages, where she directed the language and cultural perspectives program. Later, from 1984 to 1988, she led the Joseph H. Lauder Institute for Management and International Studies. During her tenure at the Lauder Institute, she played a pivotal role in preparing the next generation of global leaders and helped cement Penn’s reputation as a launching pad for academic presidents.

In 1988, Dr. Gaudiani was named president of Connecticut College, becoming the first woman president of her alma mater. Her 13-year presidency coincided with a transformative era for the institution as she significantly enhanced the college’s national and international standing, quintupling its endowment and propelling it to a spot among the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. She spearheaded initiatives to increase access to higher education and emphasized the college’s commitment to community engagement. She stepped down in 2001, partly due to controversy stemming from her role as president of the New London Development Corporation (NLDC), which sought to revitalize the Fort Trumbull neighborhood of New London, Connecticut, but led to the displacement of residents and culminated in the landmark Supreme Court eminent domain case Kelo v. City of New London.

Following her departure from Connecticut College, Dr. Gaudiani turned her focus to philanthropy and education. She published The Greater Good: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism in 2003, co-authored with her husband, David Bennett. A longtime board member of the Henry Luce Foundation, Dr. Gaudiani also taught at New York University’s George H. Heyman Jr. Program for Philanthropy and Fundraising beginning in 2007.

Dr. Gaudiani was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, held ten honorary doctorates, earned fellowships from the National Humanities Center and the American Council of Learned Societies, and served on many corporate boards.

Dr. Gaudiani is survived by her husband, David Burnett; her daughter, Maria Burnett; her son, Graham Burnett; and five grandchildren.

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

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda
Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 3–5 p.m.

1. Finalize the Minutes of November 20, 2024
2. Tri-Chairs’ Report
3. Update from the Penn Libraries
   • Discussion with Brigitte Weinsteiger, H. Carton Rogers III Vice Provost and Director of the Penn Libraries, and Holly Zerbe, Assistant University Librarian for Collection Strategy
4. Update from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research
   • Discussion with Dawn Bonnell, Senior Vice Provost for Research, and Mike Borda, Associate Vice Provost for Research
5. New Business

At the University Council meeting on December 4, 2024, Associate Vice President and Associate University Secretary Lizann Boyle Rode provided responses to topics raised during new business at the last meeting.

• Regarding concerns about class schedules not leaving students time for lunch, Ms. Rode discussed lunch options available throughout the day at Penn’s dining halls and noted the two-week advance registration and shopping period at the beginning of each semester that is intended to help students optimize their schedules.
• Regarding a request for the formation of an ad hoc advisory committee on divestment, Ms. Rode stated that the Steering Committee found that the requirements had not been met to advance the proposal to an ad hoc advisory committee.
• Ms. Rode described resources available on the Student Registration & Financial Services (SRFS) website to allow students to change their name, gender, and pronouns.
• The University has reviewed the results of the Higher Education Sexual Misconduct and Awareness (HESMA) survey and will hold a briefing with administration to discuss next steps.

Anthony P. Sorrentino, Associate Vice President in the Office of the Executive Vice President, gave a focus issue presentation on Penn+ Philly. Penn has launched the Penn & Philly website to catalog and communicate the array of community partnerships that generate social and economic impact across the city. One out of nine people in Philadelphia works indirectly or directly for Penn, and Penn drives $15.5 billion in annual economic activity in Philadelphia. Penn strives to use its resources to be “of and for” Philadelphia, and to make a positive impact in the city in six areas: public education, healthy communities, knowledge in action, arts/culture/recreation, economic opportunity, and tomorrow’s industries. The website contains maps, statistics, and stories that show how this impact plays out.

During the open forum, speakers:

• Called on Penn to form a military resource center to support Penn’s veterans and military-connected students.
• Expressed concern about increased police presence on Penn’s campus, particularly about an October 18 raid on a student’s residence, and called for Penn Police to remove semiautomatic weapons from its arsenal.
• Expressed concern about alleged targeting, ostracization, and scrutiny of pro-Palestine members of the Penn community, and discussed alleged suppression of open expression for these groups, especially as it relates to Penn’s policy of political neutrality.
• Took issue with Penn housing and having financial ties with Ghost Robotics at Pennovation Works. Speakers alleged that the company is selling robots to Israel's military for use in the conflict in Gaza.
• Urged Penn to issue an official apology and make financial reparations to victims of the Holmesburg Prison experiments, conducted by Penn professor Albert Kligman.
• Called on Penn to negotiate promptly and in good faith with graduate student leaders during their creation of a union.
• Requested a University-wide directive to assist groups around campus in making menstrual products more widely available.

During new business, Council members asked that the statement pertaining to the appointment period for postdoctoral trainees to be revised; requested that Penn’s online medical portal include the functionality to schedule medical appointments; called for Penn faculty and staff to receive first responder training to assist students in distress or experiencing wellness challenges; and requested the removal of barricades around College Green.

The next Council meeting will be held on January 29, 2025.

2025

Thursday-Friday, February 27-28, 2025
Winter Full Board Meeting

Thursday, May 15, 2025
Executive Committee
Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday-Friday, June 12-13, 2025
Spring Full Board Meeting

Thursday, September 25, 2025
Executive Committee
Audit & Compliance Committee Meeting
Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday-Friday, November 6-7, 2025
Fall Full Board Meeting

Thursday, December 11, 2025
Executive Committee
Budget & Finance Committee Meeting (if needed)

2026

Thursday-Friday, March 5-6, 2026
Winter Full Board Meeting

Thursday, May 14, 2026
Executive Committee
Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday-Friday, June 11-12, 2026
Spring Full Board Meeting

Thursday, September 24, 2026
Executive Committee
Audit & Compliance Committee Meeting
Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday-Friday, November 12-13, 2026
Fall Full Board Meeting

Thursday, December 10, 2026
Executive Committee
Budget & Finance Committee Meeting (if needed)

Looking for that perfect holiday gift idea for your literary friend or family member? Penn faculty, staff, students, and alumni have written books in a range of genres that have come out this year. 

Read the 2024 Holiday Gift Ideas: Books by Penn People supplement.

Penn Dental Medicine’s Chun-Hsi Chung, a professor of orthodontics and the Chauncey M. F. Egel Endowed Chair of the department of orthodontics, has been recognized for his leadership in orthodontics with the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontics (MASO) 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a MASO member who, in the opinion of the MASO board of directors, has made significant contributions to his or her community of patients; has served with distinction as a member of the American Association of Orthodontists at the national, constituent, and/or component level; has personally contributed to the betterment of the specialty of orthodontics; has taught in a graduate or undergraduate orthodontic program during their professional career; and/or has been associated with orthodontic research or has been an orthodontic staff member or consultant on a hospital staff.

Dr. Chung, who is also the director of Penn Dental Medicine’s postdoctoral program in orthodontics, has been a member of the school’s faculty since 1987. He has been a member of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists since 2003. Throughout his career, Dr. Chung has been active in the American Board of Orthodontics, serving as president and as director. He also served in the American Association of Orthodontists. In addition, Dr. Chung was associate editor of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from 2010-2021, and since 2020, he has served on the editorial board of the International Journal of Oral Sciences. Since 2014, he has also served as a consultant to the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

Dr. Chung will receive the award at the MASO Spring CE meeting in Bethesda, Maryland on March 7, 2025.

Joseph S. Francisco, the President’s Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and a professor of chemistry in the School of Arts & Sciences, has received the 2025 Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award from the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh. Dr. Francisco was selected in recognition of his long-term work in applied spectroscopy. His research focuses on atmospheric chemistry, using tools from experimental physical and theoretical chemistry to advance our understanding of chemistry in the atmosphere at the molecular level.

The Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering science education locally and nationally. The award will be presented next March during Pittcon 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Adriana Perez, the Anthony Buividas Term Chair in Gerontology and an associate professor in Penn Nursing’s department of family and community health, has been appointed a member of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Committee on Minority Health (ACMH). Her four-year term began on November 14. 2024.

“I look forward to contributing my experience as an advanced practice nurse scientist serving predominantly Hispanic/Latino older adults, those with limited English proficiency, living with declining physical and cognitive function, including their families and caregivers who have taught me important lessons in resiliency and community health,” said Dr. Perez. “As a nurse educator, I plan to contribute to the committee’s initiatives on health professions education to eliminate health disparities. And most of all, through this appointment, I continue to commit to working with interprofessional colleagues across the country and at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on improving the quality of healthcare received by minoritized populations. I am honored to be appointed by Secretary Xavier Becerra and deeply grateful to U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva for the nomination.”

The ACMH is mandated by the Public Health Service Act and governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act. It advises the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health on ways to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations and on the development of goals and program activities within the Office of Minority Health. ACMH voting members are appointed by the secretary. Members are individuals who are not officers or employees of the federal government and who have expertise regarding issues of minority health. The health interests of racial and ethnic minority groups are equally represented in the committee membership.

The Econometric Society, an international organization that aims to advance economic theory in its relation to statistics and mathematics, recently honored four members of the School of Arts & Sciences’ department of economics.

Hanming Fang, the Joseph M. Cohen Term Professor of Economics, was elected to a four-year term on the Executive Committee. Petra Todd, the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor of Economics, was elected as a Council Member representing North America. Enrique Mendoza and Guillermo Ordonez, both professors of economics, were newly elected as Econometric Society fellows.

Fitness & Learning

Graduate School of Education

Info and to register: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/events-calendar?date=2024-12.

11        Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management EdD Philadelphia Information Session; 5:30 p.m.; room 251, Stiteler Hall.

16        Urban Teaching Residency MSEd & Urban Education (Online) MSEd Virtual Information Session; 7 p.m.; online webinar.

Penn Libraries

Various locations. Info and to register: https://www.library.upenn.edu/events.

10        Print a Card; 2:30-4:30 p.m.; Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library.

11        Paper Snowflakes; noon; room LL02A, Evans Building, Levy Dental Medicine Library.

            Pre-Finals Movie Break; noon; room 425, Van Pelt Library.

            Pop-Up Librarian Services; 3-5 p.m.; Holman Biotech Commons.

12        Bookbinding: Sewn Board Binding; 2-5 p.m.; Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library.

16        Academic Autumn: Beware of Low Quality & Predatory Publishing; noon; online webinar.

            Canvas 101 for Faculty and Staff; noon; online webinar.

17        Pop-Up Librarian Services; 10 a.m.-noon; Holman Biotech Commons.

            Common Press Studio Use Training: Letterpress Printing; 2-5 p.m.; Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library.

Talks

11        Antibiotic Resistant Neisseria Gonorrhoeae: Challenges and Opportunities; Yonatan Grad, Harvard University; 9 a.m.; room 701, Blockley Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://pennmedicine.zoom.us/j/96442998641 (Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics).

            Extracellular Mitochondrial RNA Is Elevated in Sepsis and Triggers Inflammation; Layal Sayegh, PSOM; noon; room 213, Stemmler Hall (Penn-CHOP Lung Biology Institute).

            Chemistry for Life – Transient Electronics and a Tribute to Professor Dong; John Rogers, Northwestern University; 4 p.m.; Carolyn Hoff Lynch Lecture Hall, 1973 Chemistry Building (Chemistry).

12        Biological Material Science: Lessons on Toughening Mechanisms, Weight Reduction, and Multifunctionality; Ling Li, materials science & engineering; noon; room LL20A, Evans Building, and Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/li-talk-dec-12 (Penn Dental Medicine).

            Systemic Discrimination; David McMillon, Emory University; noon; room 1104, Blockley Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/95353951407 (Medical Ethics & Health Policy).

            Coarsened Confounding for Causal Inference; Debashis Ghosh, Colorado School of Public Health; 2 p.m.; room 1311, Blockley Hall, and Zoom webinar; join: https://tinyurl.com/ghosh-talk-dec-12 (Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics).

16        Evolution and the Specialists Dilemma: Legal Information and the Increasing Demand for Foreign, Comparative, and International Legal Research Skills; Kristina J. Alayan, University of Maryland; 3 p.m.; Zoom webinar; register: https://tinyurl.com/alayan-talk-dec-16  (Biddle Law Speaker Series).

            A Measure on the Supermoduli Space With Ramond Punctures; Nadia Ott, University of South Denmark; 3:30 p.m.; room 4N30, DRL (Mathematics).

Economics

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

10        Market Power and the Welfare Effects of Institutional Landlords; Felipe Barbieri, economics; noon; room 101, PCPSE.

This is an update to the December AT PENN calendar. To submit events for future AT PENN calendars and weekly updates, email the salient details to almanac@upenn.edu.

’Tis the season to eat, shop, and be merry! The holidays are here, and Shop Penn is excited to celebrate the season throughout the Shop Penn district this December. The fifth annual Shop Penn Days of Deals returns from December 2-13 and features 12 days of sales and giveaways from our collection of eclectic stores and restaurants around campus. The Shop Penn holiday window decorating contest also returns from December 4-13. Take a stroll through the district, and vote for your favorite holiday window display. For more details, visit www.shopsatpenn.com and follow Shop Penn on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook (@shopsatpenn).

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 25-December 1, 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 November 25-December 1, 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: 9 incidents were reported for November 25-December 1, 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.

Thanks to new retirement plan features introduced by the IRS, staff and faculty will be able to save even more money for the future and have greater access to contributions in times of need. To support your retirement savings, Penn will add these new features to the University of Pennsylvania Basic and Matching Plan and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan, effective January 1, 2025.

Super Catch-Up for Ages 60-63

Plan participants who are 60-63 years old at any time in the calendar year will be able to make more contributions via the new super catch-up provision. In 2025, the super-catch up allows you to add up to $11,250 to the standard contribution limit, so participants in this age group may defer up to $34,750.

For plan participants ages 50-62 and 64+, the standard catch-up applies, which will remain at $7,500 in 2025.

2025 Contribution Limits

These IRS limits apply to your deferrals into any qualified retirement plans in 2025, not just to Penn’s plans.

To update your contribution election in TIAA’s enrollment system, enter the percentage of your base gross pay that you want to be contributed to the retirement plan each pay period. Just include the total amount you want to contribute, including any catch-up or super catch-up. You don’t need to make a separate election for the catch-up or super catch-up in TIAA’s enrollment system. For more information, please contact the TIAA Retirement Call Center at (877) 736-6738. 

New Withdrawal Options

We understand that sometimes emergencies happen. New retirement plan options will go into effect in 2025 to help you in case you need additional funds.

• Loans and Hardship Withdrawals: Loans and hardship withdrawals will be permitted from the employee contribution money in the Matching Plan, as well as the Supplemental Plan. A maximum of two loans can be outstanding at any time.
• Hardship Withdrawals: Plan participants who are eligible to take a hardship withdrawal can self-certify that their need for a hardship withdrawal meets the allowable reasons. Participants won’t need to submit documentation of their need but should retain documentation in the event of questions from the IRS.

In addition to the IRS features above, Penn will make the following updates to its retirement plan withdrawal and loan provisions:

• In-Service Withdrawals
  • In-service withdrawals from the Basic, Matching, and Supplemental Plans will be permitted at age 59 ½.
  • In-service withdrawals of money rolled into the Matching and Supplemental Plans, as well as after-tax contributions, will be permitted regardless of age. (Note that after-tax contributions are different from Roth contributions. In-service withdrawals of Roth contributions will be permitted at age 59 ½ as noted in the first bullet point above).

Roth In-Plan Conversions Will Be Available

Roth in-plan conversions will be allowed in the Matching and Supplemental Plans. For more information about Roth in-plan conversions and their tax ramifications, please contact the Retirement Call Center at (877) 736-6738 or schedule an appointment with a TIAA retirement plan consultant at TIAA.org/schedulenow.

Help Is Available

As always, we encourage you to meet with a TIAA retirement plan consultant or other qualified financial professional to discuss how a loan and withdrawal could impact your retirement savings goals. You can ask general questions and schedule a consultation at (877) 736-6738. For more information about TIAA’s services, visit TIAA.org.

The Division of Public Safety offers the Public Safety Walk-Back Program during reading days and final exams from December 10 to December 19.

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 repeat 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 locations within the Penn patrol zone. Officers are dispatched by radio and will accompany you from one location to another, such as 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 30th to 43rd Streets and from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue.

Escorts also extend west to 50th 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 (WALK) or 511 from a campus phone. All Allied Universal public safety officers, though unarmed, maintain direct radio communications with the 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/#services.

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 December 19 at 5 p.m. and will extend through January 14 at 3 p.m.

The program is available at no extra charge to residents in the Penn patrol zone, bounded by 30thStreet and 43rd Street and by 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.

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.

There is an Amazon@Penn delivery location on campus at 1920 Commons; visit www.upenn.edu/housing to learn more.

Register for a special check at https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/contact/propertycheck/.

Wishing you a happy holiday season and a restful and restorative winter break!

The Division of Public Safety is committed to the safety and well-being of the Penn and West Philadelphia communities which we serve. Know that DPS maintains the same staffing level of police and security officers throughout the winter break. If you should have any concerns or see someone exhibiting suspicious behavior, call the PennComm Emergency Communications Center at (215) 573-3333.

We are here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call any time.

Special Property Checks: We offer our special property checks for residents in our patrol zone during the winter break. Under the special checks program, DPS officers check the exterior of registered properties for signs of safety or security breaches. This free program is available to all residents in the Penn patrol zone (the area from 30^th Street to 43^rd Street and from Baltimore Avenue to Market Street).

Walking Escort Program: Walking escorts are an excellent resource for Penn and the local community. Uniformed Allied Universal public safety officers provide free walking escorts, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Escort services also extend west to 50^th Street and north/south from Spring Garden Street to Woodland Avenue between 10 a.m. and 3 a.m. via the University’s partnership with the University City District Ambassador Program. Again, anyone in the community can use these services, regardless of whether they have a PennCard.

Request a Walking Escort:

• Ask any Public Safety Officer on patrol or inside a building.
• Call (215) 898-WALK (9255) or 511 from any campus phone.

Use building and blue-light emergency phones located on and off Penn’s campus.

Also, we offer special walk backs during reading days and finals at Van Pelt Library. A Public Safety Officer will be posted at the “Split Button” on Woodland Walk from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. from December 10-19, 2024. 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 repeat the process.

While it is never the fault of the victim/survivor of a crime, there are specific patterns of criminal activity that we are mindful of during the winter holiday season. Consider these steps you can take to empower and protect yourself as you travel near and far:

Package Theft: Avoid package theft– Have a plan. Arrange to be home for delivery or have your packages delivered to a secure location.

Theft of an Occupied Vehicle: Also known as carjacking, these thefts are often crimes of opportunity. Be mindful in situations when entering and exiting your vehicle, while parking (look for well-lit areas), and when encountering double-parked vehicles or faked car accidents (fender-benders).

Pedestrian Safety: There have been some reported instances throughout University City and other areas of the city in which groups of unsupervised juveniles have committed harassment or robberies against passersby. Stay alert to your surroundings and avoid walking alone. Call Penn Police if you witness suspicious behavior or unusual congregation of adolescents.

Phone and Email Fraud: Fraud attempts may spike during the holiday season. As you filter your email and phone calls, remember that legitimate businesses and government agencies would never solicit/initiate account administration activities or ask you to provide confidential information or money via phone or email. As a reminder, malicious and misleading emails, also called “phishing” emails, are the number one way that cyber-criminals begin their attacks. Even if unsure, please call us immediately at (215) 573-3333 if you think you may have experienced such an encounter.

Awareness

• Stay alert and be aware of individuals who may be shadowing you as you travel.
• Stay off your cell phone when shopping and keep it out of view.
• Familiarize yourself with your surroundings (location, garages, parking lots, etc).
• If you encounter someone aggressively asking for money, do not engage with them; walk away–go into a business or other safe place.
• If you feel that you are being followed, walk towards a well-lit, populated area.

Shopping

• Limit the amount of cash you carry while shopping.
• Carry purses close to your body and place wallets in an inside pocket.
• Take a family member or friend with you as you conduct your holiday shopping.

Vehicles

• Have keys ready as you approach your vehicle.
• Place all packages out of view and secure them in the trunk.
• Lock the doors as soon as you get into your vehicle.
• Have a wonderful winter break, stay safe, and be well!

—Division of Public Safety

The Offices of the Provost and College Houses and Academic Services (CHAS) invite applications for service as a college house fellow in the 2025-2026 academic year. This is a residentially-based service opportunity that carries a renewable two-year term.

Faculty applicants from all 12 of Penn’s schools are welcome to apply. The most important qualification is an enthusiastic interest in mentoring and engaging undergraduate students within the residential setting in a service role. Faculty members and full-time administrative staff at the University, involved in academic or student affairs, with a minimum of two years of experience in their current positions, are encouraged to apply.

College house fellows play a key role in connecting the houses to the larger academic community at Penn. Fellows are responsible for working with the faculty director and house director of their college house to develop each house as an educational resource that encourages intellectual inquiry, promotes academic programs in residence, fosters faculty and student interaction, and builds strong, supportive house and CHAS communities. Specific responsibilities and approaches will differ from house to house, but the general time commitment is approximately 10 hours per week.

For these highly sought-after service positions, the selection process can be quite competitive. Applicants are reviewed by the undergraduate deans, vice provost for education, deputy provost, the executive director of CHAS, the faculty director of CHAS, and selected college house community members, including faculty, staff, and students.

Information about the college houses may be found at www.collegehouses.upenn.edu. Please explore the “opportunities for faculty” section for information about the college house fellow position and application process. If you have any questions, please contact Deven Patel, faculty director of CHAS (devenp@upenn.edu) or Jen B. Ciaccio, executive director of CHAS (chas@collegehouses.upenn.edu). The application deadline is January 31, 2025.

The Penn Transplant Institute’s (PTI) Center for Transplant Science and Innovation (CTSI) requests applications to the PTICTSI Pilot Grant Program. This program is intended to support new investigators and established investigators new to transplant research. CTSI and the department of surgery seek to support transplant-related basic and translational research. Pilot funding will provide initial support to establish proof of concept or extend findings to enable extramural funding and publications in the future. Cross-disciplinary research is encouraged.

Eligibility

• All eligible investigators must have faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania at the commencement of the award and be independent investigators. Postdoctoral trainees, supported by a faculty sponsor, are also encouraged to apply.
• Applications are welcomed from basic and translational research investigators.
• Pilot Grant eligibility is restricted to investigators located at an institution in the greater Philadelphia area.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or have permanent visas.
• Proposals may not describe the same specific research that is funded by other sources during the grant period.

Budget and Duration

Individual applicants may request budgets up to $75,000 in direct costs and may propose projects lasting up to 12 months. The total equipment budget must not exceed $10,000.

Application

Your electronic application submission should include the following:

• Cover page, including abstract/project summary of up to 250 words
• Biosketch for PI and collaborators
• Budget and budget justification for one year–1 page (Note: equipment exceding $10,000, travel, and PI salary are not permitted on budget; the funding maximum is $75,000).
• Specific aims, research strategy (significance, innovation, approach and preliminary studies)–up to three pages total
• References–one page
• Status of Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for clinical studies or IACUC approval for animal use. If approvals are pending at the time of submission, they must be obtained before funding commences. Funds will not be disbursed without copies of IRB/IACUC approval letters.
• If human subjects will be participating in the proposed research, an NIH Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table needs to be completed

Post-Award Requirements

Decisions/results will be communicated to applicants in March 2025. Once a grant is awarded, the responsibilities of successful applicants include acknowledgement of Penn Transplant Institute’s CTSI support in any publications emanating from the supported project, as well as progress reports and reporting of successful and independent grant applications resulting from work supported by this pilot grant. The current award period is April 1, 2025–March 31, 2026.

• Awardees are required to inform the PTI in the event that the PTI pilot project receives external funding during the project period
• Awardees are required to present on research accomplishments at a future talk/symposium hosted by the Penn Transplant Institute
• All awardees are asked to acknowledge PTI support in all scientific posters, presentations and publications using this specific language. “Direct PTI Funding Support: This research was supported by a pilot award from the Penn Transplant Institute’s Center for Science and Innovation.”
• A final progress report is due one month after the close of the project period. The one page report should contain a synopsis of scientific progress, and a list of resulting collaborations, publications, and grants.

The application deadline is Monday, January 6, 2025 at 5 p.m. Grants will be reviewed by the CTSI Advisory Committee. For detailed information and instructions, visit https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsi/event/.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Innovation (CETLI) has issued a request for proposals for the Spark Innovation Grant, which funds the development of new online programs in the for- and non-credit spaces, including production or instructional design costs.

This program seeks to inspire innovation, defined as either:

• Applying a pedagogical approach, deploying an instructional technology or tool, or developing a trailblazing online course or program that is new to the school and positions Penn as an innovative leader; or
• Pioneering a sustainable, replicable pedagogical approach, technology or tool, strategy, model, or other output that fundamentally changes how online education is designed and delivered at Penn.

Recipients will be eligible to receive up to $35,000. In addition to financial support, all grant recipients will have opportunities to consult with CETLI throughout the process and receive individualized marketing strategy consultation, project support, and connection to pertinent Penn resources.

Due to the nature of large projects and the scope of CETLI’s support for Spark projects, applicants must engage in a brief consultation with CETLI before submitting a proposal. CETLI recommends scheduling the consultation four to six weeks before the application deadline.

Program Details

• Goal: Support the development of new online courses or programs or experimentation and innovation in online teaching and learning.
• RFP Deadline: February 21, 2025
• Typical project length: 6 to 24 months

Email onlinelearning@upenn.edu or visit the Digital Strategies Grant Program page for more information and application instructions.

Almanac publishes a supplement early each year featuring the camps and programs taking place at Penn over the summer. It lists camps for children, teens, and young adults representing an array of activities, from academic enrichment—including anthropology, business, law, veterinary medicine, and music—to 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 20, 2025. If additional time is needed to gather submission details, please email almanac@upenn.edu.